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Old 04-10-2013, 06:10 PM   #1
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2010 Ram 1500 WDH Question

Hello everyone, new guy here. We're in the final stages of buying a 2013 Mini Lite 2109S which has a dry hitch weight of 369lbs and a GVWR 4769lbs (unloaded weight of 3624lbs). My question is, will I need a WDH for this camper? I don't want to take an RV dealers word on this because we all know they like to sell more than you really need. Does anyone have a similar tow combo?

My truck is a 2010 Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the Hemi. Dodge shows it's rated to tow 9900lbs with the 3.92 gears which it does have. So I'm nowhere near max capacity, which is how I wanted it.

If I do need a hitch, which would you all recommend and what weight would I need? I see there are 600lbs WDH's but that is still more than what I think my tongue weight ever would be.

Thanks for any info.
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:21 PM   #2
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Yes get a wdh, 600lb will be fine, I went with 1200lb and its too much resistance, not enough tongue weight. Make sure to get anti sway bars too
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:23 PM   #3
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hello and congrats. When I upgraded from a 27' TT using a reese anti sway I loved the system . I now have a 2500 TV pulling a 34' TT 7200 lbs. upgraded to a reese dc system and its a world of difference. No problems with wind even from passing trucks. This hitch makes the TV and TT one unit. Much easier to maintain on the road. Safety was the reason for the hitch upgrade. Did not pay for it cause the Dick Gore was a nice guy. My vote is use a stablizer hitch
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:31 PM   #4
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I have 2011 Dodge Ram with new Salem Cruise Lite 221RBXL. Your weight figures are close to mine and I am using a Blue Ox 750 which is also has an anti- sway capabilities. It works GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:53 PM   #5
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Had a Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the Hemi. Pulled a 7k max trailer. You will want a WDH. I have an "Equalizer" system and wouldn't be without for that same reasons as stated above. Can't put a price on safety. Now have a Ram 2500 w/diesel and still use my "Equalizer" WDH. Don't expect much on fuel mileage.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:16 PM   #6
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your owner's manual should state a minimum tongue or trailer weight, where a WDH is required for your truck.

my advice is yes, get one and one with built-in sway control, such as the Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual-Cam.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:33 PM   #7
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Thanks everyone for the replies, it's much appreciated. So I'd be looking at a 600/6000 WDH for my application I'd say? So far I'm liking the Equalizer WDH.
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Old 04-11-2013, 08:33 AM   #8
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The Equil-i-zer and Dual-Cam systems are usually stated as the best bang-for-the-buck. Others may perform a bit better, but will cost much, much more.

Sounds like you have made a good decision, and I agree (for what that's worth).
Regarding which TW range to get, consider:
Based on your 4769 GVWR, and the typical "add 1000 to dry weight" (which would be 4624), you could easily get to 4700 loaded. TW recommendation is always 10-15%. Depending on where the storage is on this trailer (plus the battery and LP tanks way up front), 15% would be 705 lbs! If you were to try sticking to that 600 lbs WDH TW limit, that's 12.8%. You may have a hard time holding to 600 lbs TW.

I highly recommend you go with the 10k/1000TW Equil-i-zer, which is what I did. I was in the same boat as you, as my 27' Ultralite hybrid is about 3800 lbs empty, and less than 5000 lbs loaded (embarrassed to say I have not had it weighed yet). On the advise of many on other sites, I went with the larger unit.

There is no downside:
-Equil-i-zer confirmed that the unit will function down to as low as 250 lbs TW.
-If you (I) get a larger trailer someday, we likely will not have to ge a new WDH.

There is a chance that the stiffer bars could give you more harsh ride. But that's only if you end up at a low percentage of capacity. You will certainly have at least 500 lbs on the tongue, and I would bet you will have more than 600. Better to have some excess capacity than to find out you are limited, and have to store things where you rather wouldn't.

I can tell you that my rig tows very smooth with the 10k Equil-i-zer. And that's with a fairly short wheelbase Mountaineer SUV. Your pickup would be all the better.
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Old 04-11-2013, 08:37 AM   #9
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PS - If Equil-i-zer made an 800 lb unit, I would have bought it. But they only make 400, 600, 1000, 1200, and 1400. Why they skipped over the 800? I guess it's their opinion that anybody that would buy the 800 would be just as happy with the 1000.
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Old 04-11-2013, 01:14 PM   #10
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Reese does make 800 lb. spring bars. A 600 lb. equalizer should be good for that trailer.
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Old 04-11-2013, 03:05 PM   #11
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Again, I appreciate all the help. The 369lbs hitch weight Forest River gives me is "dry" weight so I'll need to include 72lbs for 2 full propane cylinders and whatever one battery weighs, maybe 50lbs? I also might upgrade to 2 batteries later for longer boondocking which will be another 50lbs. I'm not quite sure where the fresh water tank is located on that 2109S model but if it's up front and it has a 30 gallon capacity, that's another 240lbs that will get towed at some point to a boondock location. That's not including anything I add to the front storage compartment.
So adding
Dry hitch weight: 369
2 Propane tanks: 72
Factory Battery: 50
2nd Poss Battery: 50
30 Gal. Fresh Water: 240

I know that isn't ALL on the hitch but I can see it getting up around 700lbs like thebrakeman said in an earlier post.
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Old 04-11-2013, 03:22 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GearHd6 View Post
Again, I appreciate all the help. The 369lbs hitch weight Forest River gives me is "dry" weight so I'll need to include 72lbs for 2 full propane cylinders and whatever one battery weighs, maybe 50lbs? I also might upgrade to 2 batteries later for longer boondocking which will be another 50lbs. I'm not quite sure where the fresh water tank is located on that 2109S model but if it's up front and it has a 30 gallon capacity, that's another 240lbs that will get towed at some point to a boondock location. That's not including anything I add to the front storage compartment.
So adding
Dry hitch weight: 369
2 Propane tanks: 72
Factory Battery: 50
2nd Poss Battery: 50
30 Gal. Fresh Water: 240

I know that isn't ALL on the hitch but I can see it getting up around 700lbs like thebrakeman said in an earlier post.
All of that weight does not go directly to the tongue weight. If you put it all directly over the top of the coupler, then yes it would. But the further back you go, less and less weight is added to the tongue, and more weight is added to the axles. 2 propane tanks plus 2 batteries might equal 172 lbs, but not all of that is going to be tongue weight....although most of it will. Some of that weight will be added to the axles....if that makes sense.

My grey tank is directly in front of my axles, and the black tank in front of that. 30 gals of gray water adds 40 lbs. to the trailer tongue, and 30 gals in the black tank adds 80 lbs. to my trailer tongue. My water tank is over my back axle....when I add 30 gallons of water to that, I actually loose 20 lbs. of tongue weight.

Adding a 56 lb battery to my trailer tongue just adds 45 lbs to the tongue weight......the other 11 lbs. is picked up by the axles.

The tongue weight on my trailer "grew" about 150 lbs. (ready to camp) from the listed brochure weight. That is with a single battery, and 2 full 30 lb. propane tanks, and the front pass thru loaded for camping.
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Old 04-11-2013, 04:48 PM   #13
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Good to know mtnguy! Much appreciated. I just talked to Progress Mfg and they said I'd have no problem with the 600/6000 Equal-i-zer hitch and if I wanted to go with the E2 that he'd recommend the 1000/10000 hitch. He said with as light as this camper is I could easily get away with the E2 hitch.
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