WDH, yes or no with one ton truck

[brianre]

We have a 2014 Ram 3500 heavy duty and a 2015 Windjammer 3008W. The tongue weight is 1175 pounds loaded. We are presently using an equalizer 10k hitch. In looking at upgrading we were asked by the dealer why we needed an equalizer hitch with a one ton truck, opinions requested.

[KMP44]

With a 3500 you probably don't need any weight distribution - but I would still want the sway control - at least on windy days. There is a lot of surface area on the side of a 30-ish foot tt to get pushed around.

[rat4spd]

Almost 1200# that far behind the axle will probably cause some nose lift every little bump in the road. If anything, it'll probably be a little bouncy.

[yetavon]

I would say yes due to both answers above.

[herbike]

I've got that situation and am wondering if we really need the WDH. I have hitched without putting the bars on and don't find hardly any drop in the hitch height. I do have airbags with the matching compressor. I have not tried towing without the bars but I'm going to give it a try next time we go with it. Won't go without the anti-sway bar. I believe the axles are either out of line or bent from the factory. It seems to want to sway without any reason from road surface or wind. This problem is going back to the dealer in a month or so.

[wahoonc]

What is the hitch itself rated for?

I would hope you have a Class V, typically they are rated for 1200# tongue weight 12,000# gross trailer weight for conventional tow, 1700# tongue weight, 17,000# gross trailer weight with weight distribution.

Class IV is 1,000# tongue weight, 10,000# gross trailer weight conventional and
1,400# tongue weight, 14,000# gross trailer weight in the weight distribution mode.

Also make sure all your components are appropriately rated. I have seen the end results of someone towing an 8,000# trailer on a under rated stinger and ball... it wasn't pretty.

Aaron

[aceinspp]

Well my first v-lite I towed with a Chevy dulley from the dealer home and I'll Tell ya it was not fun. You defiantly need a WDH. TT did not handle well at all. I thought the same as I towed a lot of boat trailers and car trailers and never had a problem. Found out tt are a whole different breed of animal. You also will get a lot of bounce not using one.Made me a believer to use a WDH. Later RJD

[CaptnJohn]

I'd say yes,,, YES! I tow my boat without but would never tow a TT without.

[stantyszka]

Honestly, when you attach a large rolling hotel room on the back of a truck, don't you kind of want every advantage? It's not like WDH can hurt you, it's there for a reason. I personally don't want to think what lack of WDH would have on stopping in a hurry. Loads shift when you stop fast and I'd theorize that could change things in the relationship your trailer and truck have rather quickly.

[Steveboe]

I pull my TT without a WDH for short distances but would not go on the Highway without it. I have gotten comfortable with things pointing in a predictable straight path.

[Phenom]

Yesterday I had headwinds for most of my drive but also about 35 miles of direct crosswinds of the 30mph variety. I was very happy to have to the sway control that's part of my WDH system. With my 30' trailer and 3/4 ton, getting much over 65 didn't feel good in those winds and kept it a bit slower. Without sway control it would've been sketchy at best.

[northstar1960]

Wow some good responses . Seems your standard wdh will induce bounce not the other way around . having anti sway is good if you have one of those tt's prone to sway . but loaded correctly you shouldn't have sway . if you do then for your 1 ton the andersen will work much better then a standard wdh imo. you need to TW on your 1 ton you don't need to be taking weight off the TW and distributing it else where

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by herbike

I've got that situation and am wondering if we really need the WDH. I have hitched without putting the bars on and don't find hardly any drop in the hitch height. I do have airbags with the matching compressor. I have not tried towing without the bars but I'm going to give it a try next time we go with it. Won't go without the anti-sway bar. I believe the axles are either out of line or bent from the factory. It seems to want to sway without any reason from road surface or wind. This problem is going back to the dealer in a month or so.

With gratuitous sway, unless you are seeing allignment wear on the tires, I would check your tongue weight.

[wrvond]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

What is the hitch itself rated for?

I would hope you have a Class V, typically they are rated for 1200# tongue weight 12,000# gross trailer weight for conventional tow, 1700# tongue weight, 17,000# gross trailer weight with weight distribution.

Class IV is 1,000# tongue weight, 10,000# gross trailer weight conventional and
1,400# tongue weight, 14,000# gross trailer weight in the weight distribution mode.

Also make sure all your components are appropriately rated. I have seen the end results of someone towing an 8,000# trailer on a under rated stinger and ball... it wasn't pretty.

Aaron

^^^ Here's your best answer.
My class V is rated for 17,000 lbs. gross trailer weight and 2550 lbs. tongue weight, as is the Curt drawbar, though the ball is only rated for 14,000 lbs. My TT is 28 feet long with a tongue weight of 900 lbs. I do not use a WDH or anti sway (the truck has anti sway built in). BTW, my boat is taller and longer than the TT and I don't use WDH or anti sway on it either. I do have air bags to level the truck since it will sag under light loads.
Cross wind may push your trailer sideways, but it will not induce sway in a properly loaded trailer. Sway is, by definition, an uncontrolled movement from side to side - oscillation. Cross winds typically blow from one direction, though not necessarily constant (gusts). This can lead the driver to overcompensate and when the wind stops the rig can whip back and forth due to steering input. In this event the added friction of anti sway can limit the speed and degree in which the trailer follows the truck, but the trailer is following the truck, not swaying.

[jnamadison]

I was always taught that the good rule of thumb was anything over half the weight of the tow vehicle should have a WDH.

While it isn't a law, most owners manuals or manufacturers trailer guides list weights list weight that they recommend or require WDH. I'm not sure on the 2014, but the 2015 RAM 1500/2500/3500 Owners Manuals state that a WDH is required for trailers above 5k lbs.

I'd personally never tow something that heavy without one.

[thebrakeman]

It does not matter how strong your suspension is. If you put X amount of weight Y distance behinds the rear axle, it will remove Z amount of weight from the front wheels. Take a 3/4 ton and a 1-ton of the same wheelbase and other such dimensions. The amount of weight removed from the front wheels will be nearly the same, and possibly identical.


Yes, get a WDH. That's a lot of TW, and a lot of weight removed from the front wheels. The goal is not just to have a level rig. The goal is to redistribute lost weight onto the front wheels for optimum handling (emergency lane change, etc).


Read your owner's manual. It will tell you what TW you can handle without using a WDH. You are far beyond that number, I guarantee.

[Clayh]

I don't think it's that simple as I have yet to see an equipment trailer with a WD hitch.

I currently have 4 trailers, the biggest is a 22 ft. 14,000# equipment trailer that tows great.

My 29ft Grey wolf is 7000# not sure the hitch weight but I think it was too light. I added 2 extra batteries onto the tongue (3 grp31s into total). Now it tows much better. Changing up tires to D range also made a noticeable improvement. Now I don't use the WD hitch behind the 3/4ton but do with the Durango.

I'm thinking the problem with a TT is that you cannt adjust the hitch wight as easily as you can with an open deck equipment trailer. That and more surface area wind acting on it and crappy tires.

[zuhnc]

I tow a 14', 2-horse,horse trailer with a WDH mounted on a 2013 Nissan NV2500 HD commercial low top van. Lot of live load back there moving around; about 2500 pounds. No sway, bounce or control issues with the WHD. I HIGHLY recommend a WDH for both sway control and tow vehicle stability. More even load on the TV with the WDH. I run 60mph on the highways, and tractor-trailers passing me have virtually no effect on the rig. I don't want to kill my horses due to instability issues! zuhnc

[thebrakeman]

ClayH,
So just because you don't see them on commercial equipment trailers, you think it's not necessary or beneficial to you?
Reasons commercial users might not use a WDH:
1. Time is money. They don't want to take the time. Lazy.
2. They stick mostly to local surface streets, not expressway. Stability issues are heightened at higher speeds.
3. They don't know any better, and don't want to take the time to learn. Again, lazy.


Again, read owner's manual. Follow instructions.

[Clayh]

Easy buddy. No need to get your hair up. Why you need a WD hitch on a TT and not an equipment trailer has always been a question of mine and I enjoy a good discussion.

Lots of equipment trailers come with Pintle hitches so using WD hitch isn't even an option.

I've had many trailers over the years of various kinds and sizes. In my own personal experience my equipment trailers always towed great whether empty or loaded as long as I had decent tongue weight. Only trouble I ever had was a tilt deck car trailer that if I loaded a car backwards onto it would cause the trailer to sway. The wheels were set farther forward than normal to allow the trailer to tilt. With a car on backwards the heaviest part (engine bay) behind the axles I don't get enough tongue weight. Experiences like this have taught me that more than anything tongue weight is the biggest factor in trailer sway. I don't think a WD hitch will help with sway if your tongue weight is way off.

Also in your example of a 3/4ton vs 1ton given the same load on a hitch you'll still have more weight on the front wheels as the 1ton will squat less in the rear reduce the leverage effect the hitch weight has on the front end.