OK to tow with a WDH on a Rockwood ESP tent trailer?

[Briango]

Hello,

Will a 2020 Rockwood ESP tent trailer be able to handle being towed with a weight disribution hitch? I prefer towing with these and want to make sure the ESP tent trailer can handle it (strong enough frame etc.)

--Brian

[bingraham66]

What is your tow vehicle? You probably don't need it if your vehicle tounge weight is 350 lbs. or better.

[Briango]

Chevy Traverse. We tow our current 2500 lbs camper with a WDH, and it's a much nicer ride.

[pgandw]

The word against using a WDH with a pop-up came from the days when many pop-up frames were made from C-channel instead of box channel stock. The C-frame was not strong enough to take the loads of the WDH where it attached to the pop-up frame, and would cause the C-frame to buckle.

Today's box frames are much stronger and will take the load of a WDH. For me, my E-2 Equalizer 600/6000 is a godsend. With it, I can tow 300-400 lbs tongue weight with the minivan balanced, and the proper weight on the front drive wheels. My wife thinks the handling is normal enough that she is willing to spell me driving when towing. And because everything is level and I have the built-in sway resistance, there is no detectable sway at any speed - ever.

I would never again contemplate towing a PUP or A-frame with a soft suspension vehicle unless I had a WDH.

I towed a Coleman Westlake PUP with a 93 Ford Explorer for years before I knew what a WDH was. That thing would sway at 62 MPH, consistently. And even at lower speeds, headlights were aimed at the sky, and the ride sucked. My definition of a white knuckle experience.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[Briango]

Fred, we're aligned on WDH use. Big improvement in the tow. I now realize the Rockford pup can handle it, thanks!

[bingraham66]

My guess is your way over weight on tongue weight if you need W/D or your tow vehicle isn't adequate. As an example, Toyota Highlander and Seinna are not able to use a W/D hitch per manufacturer. If your under the manufacturers max tongue, trailer, combined weight along with trailer properly loaded, you won't need any W/D. If you need weight distribution, you surely have other issues where the W/D simply will mask your issue.

[bingraham66]

Just checked at your specific setup.

Traverse is rated 5200k towing with 600lbs. max hitch weight.

Adding a W/D hitch will not increase tongue weight capacity on the Traverse per Chevrolet spec.

You need to weigh your trailer and toungue. Your wasting your time with a W/D hitch when your trailer will max out at @4k trailer weight with 15% max being 600lbs. Fully loaded

Your car is fine towing that trailer with a minimum 1618lbs. Payload minus 600 max tongue still leaves 1018lbs. for cargo and passengers.

Bottom line. Your wasting your money and adding a huge hassle by adding a W/D hitch.

The W/D will do nothing but drain your wallet on this combination assuming your not over your max weights for trailer at 4k. Tongue at 600lbs. And car cargo of 1618lbs.

Enjoy the ride.

Bill

[Underthedog]

If you are comfortable with the WDH, go with it. We used a Reese light duty WDH (single bar centered) on a Coleman Utah PUP. The Rockwood 2514G had a triangular plate over the tongue so for that one we got a Reese SC hitch. Just ensure you get the right bars for your hitch, you will probably want the lightest bars.


If the Reese light duty would fit, I'd recommend that one as it is simpler/easier to use. You would probably also want the Reese sway control. I'd greatly recommend that as well unless the pup is really light.



The pups we towed with a Ford Explorer, both old and new style. Both benefited greatly even though the WDH was not REQUIRED.

[bingraham66]

This is such a light trailer. I see your a fan of W/D and have invested in it.

I'm just saying it's not needed according to his set up and won't make any difference if he is within proper weights.

I'd suggest don't waste your money, you can always throw it away later if you want. As for sway control, most new vehicles have trailer sway control built into them which controls sway if it occurs.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by bingraham66

My guess is your way over weight on tongue weight if you need W/D or your tow vehicle isn't adequate. As an example, Toyota Highlander and Seinna are not able to use a W/D hitch per manufacturer. If your under the manufacturers max tongue, trailer, combined weight along with trailer properly loaded, you won't need any W/D. If you need weight distribution, you surely have other issues where the W/D simply will mask your issue.

This is an incorrect statement about Toyotas. I did a lot of research and reading before buying a 2020 Sienna to eventually take over A-frame towing duty from my 2008 Hyundai Entourage (re-badged Kia Sedona minivan). There is no WDH prohibition by Toyota; a WDH is encouraged per owners manual for significant tongue weights.

With the Hyundai minivan, my E2 600/6000 WDH significantly improves the ride, prevents trailer hitch strikes to the ground at road dips, and prevents any sway. I expect similar results in the Sienna, as the Sienna is also known for having a soft rear suspension (so are some Ram 150 trucks, I hear).

300-400lbs at the tongue for an SUV and minivan (normal for FR A-frames and larger PUPs) will cause significant rear end sag. The WDH reduces the sag, and restores traction and weight to the front wheel drive. I wish I had known about WDHs when I was towing a PUP with my 1993 Ford Explorer. Despite the truck frame and rear wheel drive, handling when towing the PUP was abysmal. Sway began at 62 mph, regardless. The braking equalization between front and rear on the Explorer was thrown off by the tongue weight.

just my experiences
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[bingraham66]

No disrespect Fred. Your not correct... i posted s letter from our Toyota Rep about weight distribution on Toyota Highlander and Siena where Toyota specifically advised against it. NEVER Never trust your local salesman or dealership. They don't know.

[pgandw]

I don't trust salesmen. Sienna towing preparation has varied by Toyota over the 9 years of this model. Some years the tow prep package was included as standard on all Siennas, some years it was not. I learned to tell if the engine oil cooler had been actually installed. Most Toyota salesmen had no idea of what I was talking when I asked about the tow prep package.

The dealer I bought from actually understood what I was talking about, and was able to get me a factory statement (that was a repeat of a fine print paragraph in the brochure) that stated all 2020 Siennas were equipped to tow 3500lbs. I verified the extra transmission cooling and the engine oil cooler on the 2020 Sienna we bought.

The 2020 Sienna owners manual (as does official web site) gives the tow limits - max trailer weight, CGWR. Axle weight limits and cargo capacity are of course on the door, and mentioned in the owners manual section on towing.

Nowhere in the owners manual or factory web sites is there any restriction on or recommendation against the use of a WDH, nor is there a tongue weight limitation. Etrailer and other 3rd parties sell and recommend Sienna hitches that support WDH and tongue weights above 500lbs.

I would suggest your rep was not addressing 2020 Siennas, or if he was, he got it wrong. Wouldn't be the first factory rep I've heard give out wrong info.

None of this applies to 2021 Siennas, which will be a new model whose tow capabilities have not been made generally available to public.

In the past, Honda recommended against WDH on their tow-capable vehicles. However, that recommendation went away several years ago, and certainly does not apply to the 2020 Odyssey.

Fred W

[bingraham66]

Here is Toyotas official 2020 reply. Again, don't trust the dealer.

From Toyota directly:

"Thank you for your most recent correspondence.

We would like to take this opportunity to mention that most hitch manufacturers only recommend weight distribution when towing over 5000 pounds; the Highlander has a maximum towing capacity of 5000 pounds. Weight distribution hitches put a great deal of strain on the frame of the vehicle to achieve the distribution of the weight. Unibody vehicles are not built for this type of strain; the Highlander is a unibody vehicle that does not have a full frame, it is not recommended for use with a weight distribution hitch.

Please be advised that weight distribution hitches are common on trucks that have full frames. Toyota vehicles that have full frames are the Tundra, Tacoma and the 4Runner.

We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. We hope this information is helpful and thank you again.

for taking the time to write.

Sincerely,

Stewart Mcmillan

Customer Interaction Centre

Toyota Canada Inc."

[JArry]

I can't speak to any Toyota vehicle, but just for some context, the manual for my Ridgeline (unibody, 5,000 lb max tow) specifically advises against using a WDH. HOWEVER, the consensus on the primary forum for Ridgeline owners seems to be that this is probably a CYA guideline geared toward people who cannot properly adjust a WDH. I do not use a WDH with my A-frame as I have never perceived sway or other instability. And, regardless of the realistic legitimacy, I do prefer to act in accordance with manufacturer guidelines.

For the OP, it may be worth checking whatever Traverse forum may exist to see about owners' experiences towing with that specific vehicle.

[bikendan]

This kind of anti-WDH warnings, from Honda and Toyota and probably other unibody cars manufacturers, is most likely CYA verbage. That way if there's damage or an accident, they can claim no liability.

[bingraham66]

You'd be wrong again. Otherwise they would not advising towing at all.

[pgandw]

I would just note that the Toyota letter speaks specifically of weight distribution hitches being used on trailers weighing more than 5000 lbs. The Toyota letter, confusingly, is not clear whether their "no WDH on unibody vehicles" applies to WDHs for trailers less than 5000 lbs.

For my 2020 Sienna, there is no such warning in the owner's manual. The tow limit on a Sienna is 3500 lbs. The manual warns not to tow during the first 1000 miles, and warns about not exceeding cargo capacity, CGWR, or GAWR. The manual also states for gross trailer weights over 2000 lbs, a sway control device with sufficient capacity is required. (My E2 Equalizer 600/6000 with integrated sway control will do a fine job of meeting the requirement.)

The OP is towing with a Chevy Traverse (not a Toyota or Honda), is towing a pop-up of less than 3500 lbs. He wants to use a WDH to improve his ride, safety, and weight distribution. His tow vehicle is quite capable of using a WDH transferring a maximum of 250lbs to the front wheels. And his pop-up has a box channel A-frame, which makes it capable of handling the stress of a WDH.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[bingraham66]

Hi Fred.. The Traverse will not be any safer with weight distribution. You won't find any Chevy factory rep recommend a W/D hitch for the Traverse same as the Sienna.

If the vehicle sags while under weight max then you either have:

Improperly loaded trailer.
failing suspension of the tow vehicle
The tow vehicle itself is either or both overloaded with cargo and tongue weight.

Either issue is only masked by W/D hitches not eliminated.

Sienna has 1380 cargo carrying capacity minus 350lbs tongue = 1030lbs- 4 passengers @ 150lbs. Which leaves 400 lbs cargo capacity left for "stuff" your weight distribution weighs @ 70 to 100lbs. Which reduces cargo capacity down to 300lbs plus puts you over your 350lbs. Tongue max weight. Throw another 100lbs for being to heavy on tongue weight now transfered to van reducing cargo capacity further as it sounds like you do otherwise you wouldn't need weight distribution in the first place and Bam... you have 200 whopping lbs. for food, gear and pop, good luck!

But wait, it gets worse when calculating gcwr. You can't have max cargo and max towing as it all needs to be under 8900lbs for everything.

4430 Sienna base curb weight.
-3500 trailer.
7930 total weight.

8900 Gcwr
-7930 total car and trailer.
970 left for tongue and passengers and stuff.
-350. Tongue weight.
620 cargo
- 70. W/D weight .
550 cargo left.
-400 2 passengers
150 left for groceries and stuff.

Your maxed out! No wonder you have sag issues.

[moose074]

I would imagine that as light as the tongue is going to be you would be ok. It’s not like my last TT that had a dry hitch weight of 857 then the battery spare was on the hitch two full propane bottles, front storage area full fresh water in tank. You get the picture that a lot of weight to transfer. However your trailer doesn’t have that problem it’s lighter so as long as you don’t have it too tight. You are good after all you been doing it and a previous post mentioned the frames on the trailer seem to have been improved. Since you are worried about the trailer not handling the weight ask to look at frame and be specific about your concerns. Yes some salesman will say anything for a sale and some aren’t knowledgeable but most know that if your happy with them you are their best advertisement if your not your their worst chance of getting a referral and that customers use all sorts of social media and word of mouth to let people know their frustration.

[pgandw]

Hi Fred.. The Traverse will not be any safer with weight distribution. You won't find any Chevy factory rep recommend a W/D hitch for the Traverse same as the Sienna.

If the vehicle sags while under weight max then you either have:

Improperly loaded trailer.
failing suspension of the tow vehicle
The tow vehicle itself is either or both overloaded with cargo and tongue weight.

Either issue is only masked by W/D hitches not eliminated.

You made your point several times. You don't approve of WDH on a unibody vehicle, and certainly not with a trailer weighing less than 5K. Those of us who successfully use WDHs designed for our situations, and gain the benefits we seek by doing so, will remain sinners in your eyes.

You don't know what my A-frame weighs - you have guessed wrong. Sag happens while being inbounds - even to some recent pickup trucks, as others on this forum have experienced. With FWD, fixing sag is important for safety as well as comfort. If a WDH that adds 4 minutes to my setup time, and is within bounds of all published tow limits, and makes me safer and more comfortable on the road - why does that bother you so?

I will not respond any further - this thread has been hijacked enough.

Fred W