WDH for Aframe

[jeffnboise]

I'm considering a WDH got my 2014 T12BU. TV is a Jeep Cherokee XJ. When I went to a local, respected RV dealer, I was told the frame on my trailer was "too thin" for a WDH. Whaaaaat??? If there any truth to this? Thanks in advance.

[bikendan]

Could be.
Have you read your Jeep owners manual?

[raspivey]

Nothing to do with the Jeep if I'm reading that correctly. As far as the trailer goes...there's some truth to it, but I don't think it applies to you. On a trailer with a C channel ( open ) frame, the force applied from the spring bars could be enough to bend something. If you have a fully boxed frame (as I'm almost positive you do), it's perfectly fine.

[jeffnboise]

Originally Posted by raspivey

Nothing to do with the Jeep if I'm reading that correctly. As far as the trailer goes...there's some truth to it, but I don't think it applies to you. On a trailer with a C channel ( open ) frame, the force applied from the spring bars could be enough to bend something. If you have a fully boxed frame (as I'm almost positive you do), it's perfectly fine.

Thanks. That's what I thought, too.

[Jmkjr72]

You need to make sure the wdh is in the right weight range. Meaning a light enough tounge weight. It’s very easy to over spring (get a 1000 lb when you only need 500 lb) and bend things

[jeffnboise]

Originally Posted by Jmkjr72

You need to make sure the wdh is in the right weight range. Meaning a light enough tounge weight. It’s very easy to over spring (get a 1000 lb when you only need 500 lb) and bend things

Good to know. So I should look got the smallest WDH I can find? Tongue weight is well under 500 lbs. - is an 800 lb WDH too stout?

[raspivey]

Originally Posted by jeffnboise

Good to know. So I should look got the smallest WDH I can find? Tongue weight is well under 500 lbs. - is an 800 lb WDH too stout?

Well under 500 lbs dry. Probably 500-600 lbs loaded. They’re heavier than people think. I believe the range I used on mine was rated 400-600. That range seemed to work well. Check etrailer and look at the different ranges and order what you want. You don’t really have to have one at that weight, but I found handling to be night and day.

[Jmkjr72]

Figure 20% of your gross trailer weight

[Bluepill]

I am considering a Blue Ox Sway Pro for my T12. She runs stable up to about 65MPH, but can get a little sway above that when trucks pass me.

SwayPro Weight Distributing Hitch | Blue Ox | Blue Ox

The problem is that the support base for the propane tanks is right where the WDH needs to attach to the trailer frame.

I will need some minor fabrication to make it fit, and will have reinforcement plates added on the inside of the frame channels.

Because I carry a total of 3000 lbs loaded with my motorcycle and Honda 3000 watt generator, I will be using a tongue weight of about 450 lbs.

[bikendan]

Reese makes a WDH specifically for folding trailers.
It's very popular with the popup crowd.

[jeffnboise]

Originally Posted by raspivey

Well under 500 lbs dry. Probably 500-600 lbs loaded. They’re heavier than people think. I believe the range I used on mine was rated 400-600. That range seemed to work well. Check etrailer and look at the different ranges and order what you want. You don’t really have to have one at that weight, but I found handling to be night and day.

Do you think one rated for 800 lbs is too much? I'm seeing a great deal on a Reese's 800 lb.

[Jmkjr72]

It’s best to find out what your actual tounge weight is.
If your gross weight is in that 3000 lb range you would have a tounge weight of 400 to 600 lbs.
That puts you over spring by 50 tp 30%
The 30% wouldn’t be so bad but if your in the 40 to 50% over spring with a light frame I wouldn’t think it very good

[jeffnboise]

Originally Posted by Jmkjr72

It’s best to find out what your actual tounge weight is.
If your gross weight is in that 3000 lb range you would have a tounge weight of 400 to 600 lbs.
That puts you over spring by 50 tp 30%
The 30% wouldn’t be so bad but if your in the 40 to 50% over spring with a light frame I wouldn’t think it very good

Roger, That. Thanks to everyone.

[raspivey]

Originally Posted by jeffnboise

Do you think one rated for 800 lbs is too much? I'm seeing a great deal on a Reese's 800 lb.

Probably..it'll work, but too much bar is sometimes as bad as not enough. If you don't have enough weight to bend them, there's no flex and it's almost like fusing everything together. It can make for a bumpy ride or bouncing and various other things you may not want.

[Underthedog]

you might want to check into the Reese light duty WDH. It is a single bar. We used this on our Coleman Utah. When we got the FR PUP, the a-frame of the tongue was plated over and we moved to a Reese sc WDH (integrated sway control, 2-bars). I think the bars were 400 lb which was a bit high but worked well enough. On moving to the Roo I was able to upgrade the bars.

[thebrakeman]

The final say is the camper's owner's manual. But the old discussion, back in my popup days, was that fully-boxed steel frame was needed to use a WDH. C-channel frames, the manual usually warned not to use WDH. Looking at new model brochures for these Flagstaffs, they say "Tubular steel frame". I would still check the manual. 20 years, ago, Coleman popups were the only ones that allowed a WDH, which is why I owned one. I needed to tow it with our minivan, which required the use of WDH (and brakes) to get the full 3800 lbs rating.


As far as which WDH you need, it's based on TW. Measure directly, or estimate.


If you can keep TW under 350 lbs (doubtful for a hardside or high-wall), I recommend the Reese mini-350, which has integrated sway control.


My 2000 Coleman popup was 3100 lbs loaded, and 375 lbs TW. I used the Reese 400 Single Bar WDH, plus an add-on friction sway controller. Served us well for 7 camping seasons. As the name suggests, it has a large, single bar that runs straight back from the coupler between the A-frame. A lifter mechanism sits on the A-frame, with a single hook that lifts the end of the bar into engagement.