Do I need a weight distribution hitch?

[Danny bob]

It’s nice to know all your weights. With a small and light weight camper being pulled by a very capable 1500 truck you should get one. By getting one you will have sway control and it will be more important for your set up.

[slomotion]

Of course you should. Don’t get hung up on numbers & all the other man ‘splain crap. If you’ve kids, pets & other important things. If you’ll drive in the mountains and/or up/down/lotsa curves. If your spouse or anyone else would ever spell you for X miles. If you ever drive 7-10 mph over the speed limit. If you ever will drive in the rain. If if if...be safe & smart: buy a WDH, it’s only $.

[Kei2thehwy]

Originally Posted by bigevilcat

Hello. Newbie here. I just bought a Geo Pro 19BH. It has a dry weight of just over 3000lbs with a hitch weight of 360. The CCC is 772lbs. My truck is a 2020 Sierra 1500 AT4 with a towing capacity of 9200lbs. The truck manual says I don’t need a WDH below 7000lbs. Any thoughts on if I actually need one.

Well, based on tongue weight and capacity, AND below 500 lbs., clearly u don't need one. I ran a 4100 lb trailer without one, HOWEVER, having a 5100 dry weight trailer now, I upgraded my whole system, starting with the truck, then trailer (fire losses 2017), and I opted, appropriately, to a WDH. The increased stability is wonderful. And maybe you go bigger someday... Can't hurt!

It doesn't seem to be required, in your immediate case.

[sunnyinfla]

and a sway bar too...

[Mandog]

Here’s the way I see it. Do you have to have one? Probably not. Just remember your not always in the ideal situation when towing! What I mean is rain slick roads, wind, dark, curves big trucks passing, rough bridges and roads and so on. All the sudden a car shifts into your lane and you have to get on the brakes and make an emergency maneuver to avoid hitting the stupid car.
That my friend is when the WDH May allow you enough control to pull over and throw your underwear away. At least your not upside down and 3-family members dead. Don’t take chances if you don’t have to! I always say this to myself- Risk vs reward...Congratulations on your camper...

[chuckyb9876]

This is just a suggestion but I would be interested in what your truck is doing before the WDH. I have a Curt Trunnion that I use on my 2018 F 150 that I do not need but since I had it already I do find that it tows a little tighter. The installation manual does give some very good advice. Find a flat parking area and tape measure the height of the trucks well wheel wells from the top of the wheel wells to ground. Write these numbers down. Then hook your TT (travel trailer) up to the TV (tow vehicle). Make sure both TT and TV are level with a proper tow hitch. After leveling out both then take another measure of the wheel wells again on your TV. If the back drops more than 1-1/2" you should probably consider a WDH. I know that is you go to https://www.curtmfg.com/weight-distribution They will have a setup procedure for a WDH. It is the same for not having a WDH.

https://assets.curtmfg.com/masterlib.../17300_INS.pdf

[garywilson]

So now, are you gonna get a WDH?
Or a standard hitch with a sway bar ball?
Or a standard hitch?

Well?
LOL

[mcclainross]

If you tow it in any windy conditions, or travel on uneven terrain, I would highly recommend it. The anti-sway features are a real blessing in a cross wind at 65 mph. It may take an extra 10 minutes to hook it all up, but you will thank yourself.

I have a Husky WDH w/anti-sway bars. It could be a lifesaving feature when defensive maneuvers are needed on the road.

[SeabrooksFam]

I'm a newbie and the comfort alone was worth it. Having spent the money on a new 2020 RAM 1500 and a new 2020 TT, the last thing I needed was a surprise! Peace of mind is worth the hassle.

[garywilson]

[dacheedah]

I have a 1/2 ton towable and pull it with a 3/4 ton truck. With great weather I don't know it's back there BUT when the weather gets nasty and you have to get back to work or to a destination like a wedding, it makes a world of difference. I have actually gotten off the interstate before to take a state highway and take it slow and no matter what I have seen wind that will flip a Semi over and there is no fix for that but find a safe place to park and hunker down and face the tow vehicle into the wind. We do seem to pack for all events and it has served us well at times but weight creep can get ya. You can also improve trailer towing by having a spring shop squaring the axles, adding wet bolts, shocks (lots of folks say those aren't needed) and proper loading. Tail heavy will wag and the only cure is move weight forward in the trailer. I suggest you load it up and ask a state trooper that does truck inspections or someone with portable scales for each axle weight to give you a real assessment on how you are loading and what improvements will help.

[DThul]

I totally agree with the owners manual. Imaging placing 8- 50lb bags of rock in the bed of your truck BEHIND the trucks axle. You woulnd't need a WDH to transport the load. The bags of rock are greater in weight than the hitch weight of your trailer.

[Dbegno1]

We just returned today from a trip traveling from Louisiana to Colorado and back, this is the fifth time I have pulled my little R-Pod 180 on this route and the LAST time I will ever travel without a weight distribution/swaybar setup.

I have a full size Tundra and always thought since I had so much truck for that small trailer the bars would not be needed, I always had the usual sway as 18 wheelers blow by me but it was never a big deal until this week.

This last trip we decided to go east out of Denver through Kansas and we got into some extremely violent side winds, I thought the trailer was going to end up on it's side, we had to get off the interstate and travel slowly for hundreds of miles on back roads due to the wind and the large truck wind turbulence encountered where the interstate had two way traffic in the west bound lane due to road construction.

I think I will invest in a Fastway E2 system that combines weight distribution with sway control, they also don't need to be removed before backing up as some systems require.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

David

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Dbegno1

We just returned today from a trip traveling from Louisiana to Colorado and back, this is the fifth time I have pulled my little R-Pod 180 on this route and the LAST time I will ever travel without a weight distribution/swaybar setup.

I have a full size Tundra and always thought since I had so much truck for that small trailer the bars would not be needed, I always had the usual sway as 18 wheelers blow by me but it was never a big deal until this week.

This last trip we decided to go east out of Denver through Kansas and we got into some extremely violent side winds, I thought the trailer was going to end up on it's side, we had to get off the interstate and travel slowly for hundreds of miles on back roads due to the wind and the large truck wind turbulence encountered where the interstate had two way traffic in the west bound lane due to road construction.

I think I will invest in a Fastway E2 system that combines weight distribution with sway control, they also don't need to be removed before backing up as some systems require.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

David

Don't get me wrong...I'm not trying to talk you out of getting a wdh and if your truck requires one for the weight you are pulling then definitely get one and ignore the rest of my post.

You weren't that clear on what the semi's air push was doing to your trailer...was it a big push or did it induce sway? If it induced sway, then I suggest you fix your trailer loading issue...as in more tongue weight and remove weight from behind the rear axle on your trailer.

[Dbegno1]

Thanks for the response, the sway I encountered from the trucks was more of a "push" with only one wiggle, the wind was a big wiggle with each gust.

I was curious about the tongue weight so I borrowed a Sherline tongue weight scale today,with zero water on board, one propane cylinder that weighed in at 29lbs, and two 47lb deep cycle batteries it weighed in at slightly over 500lbs.

I added 29.4 gallons of water in 10 gallon increments and it added close to 100lbs to the tongue, I've never weighed the trailer but Forest River claims it's approx 3000 unloaded, so I can get fairly close estimating with the small amount of gear in front of the axle my weight at 3600-3800 which put me pretty close to the 15% on the tongue weight.

Perhaps I could use a hitch with simply a sway bar bracket instead of load levelers.

Anyhow the trip was fine other than the Kansas winds, we usually have to dodge hail and other extreme weather conditions on these trips through the panhandle of Texas and the plains.

Thanks
David

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Dbegno1

I added 29.4 gallons of water in 10 gallon increments and it added close to 100lbs to the tongue, I've never weighed the trailer but Forest River claims it's approx 3000 unloaded, so I can get fairly close estimating with the small amount of gear in front of the axle my weight at 3600-3800 which put me pretty close to the 15% on the tongue weight.

FR doesn't "claim" that it weighs 3000lbs unloaded. If you read the fine print(as all RV have), the dry weight is for a stripped-down version of the trailer. No battery, factory options and no dealer add-ons.

[PR1984]

I have a similar trailer (3700lbs dry) Nobo 19.8 with a hitch weight of 375 lbs. I towed it cross country with no WDH, but purchased one later and must say it helps a ton. I bought a $200 Curt on Amazon that works great.

[MtBiker]

We tow a Coachman 15RB. All in we are at about 3500lbs loaded. We tow with either our F150 4x4 regular cab or our Ram Promaster 2500 van. Towing without a WDH is uncomfortable in both vehicle's. No sway or excessive sag but it just bucks and bounces going down the road. How do you guys put up with that. Am I the only one that notices this? Yes I have good shocks and tires.
I'm a believer in WDH for comfort if nothing else.

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by bikendan

FR doesn't "claim" that it weighs 3000lbs unloaded. If you read the fine print(as all RV have), the dry weight is for a stripped-down version of the trailer. No battery, factory options and no dealer add-ons.

I though Forest River put a sticker on all there trailers stating the weight when it leaves the factory ? My 2016 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2703 has a yellow sticker on the door stating the weight of my specific trailer has it left the factory unloaded.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Son and I ran his 2018 Jayco....which is just about the same as the OP. Ran to Sioux Falls SD. and back with his 2019 Chevy Colorado and it did surprisingly well without a WDH. That's just our experience. Not saying do or not. Matter of preference I guess.