I have a 2021 Ford F250 towing a 28ft Airstream with a trailer GVWR of 7600lbs. The truck with two passengers (wife and I) empty weighs 7100lbs. I have a WDH and put a lot of effort into dialing in the set up. I wanted as little weight distribution as possible while maintaining safety. With too little WD the steering was noticeably different. I could actually feel that there was less weight on the steer axle. I increased the WD just enough to eliminate the loose steering which put 60% of the removed weight back onto the steer axle. With quite a few miles on this set up I'm extremely comfortable with it. I did run it through the CAT scales as a part of dialing it in.
Switched from a Tundra to a Ram 2500 just over a year ago. I kept using my WDH on the road. Did stop using the bars when moving the camper between the house and storage as it is only about a mile. It did take several trips to figure out the anti-sway setting even though same trailer, had to tighten the sway control more with the Ram to get the slight sway to stop.
I really enjoy your videos and the great information you put out there. I'm 77 years old and my wife and I have been traveling in travel trailers for over 40years. I have always put safety first. I always stay below my tow vehicle's towing capacity and especially its' payload capacity. I would never tow without a weight distribution and sway control hitch system.
Great video! I have a Colorado and a Grand Design Transcend One 151RB and use the B&W Continuum Hitch and love it! Super smooth. I don't think I could safely do it without a WDH. I've learned a ton from your channel. Keep up the informative great work brother. Thank you
There is definitely no disadvantage of using a weight distribution, sway control hitch! It"s better to be safe than sorry! Thanks for all that you do keeping us updated in the camping world!
Actually, if you are towing an Airstream, a WDH can cause front end separation between the shell and the trailer frame over time. Not sure if this issue exists on other brands.
@@jlokanis EXACTLY, I just moved up to a F250 diesel and dumped my WDH for this reason. Airbags are the way to go for me. I don't miss messing with the bars... With regard to Sway Control, my Airstream with its independent suspension tows strait as can be. In an upset condition (emergency manuever, etc.) my Truck's "sway control" will take care of safer & faster than WDH friction bars.
Thanks for your dedication to bring us helpful information and entertaining content. Wishing you and the family a healthy and happy New Year. We have used Reese load distribution hitches for 25 years thru 2 campers and 4 vehicles and have been very satisfied with them.
Good video. Here's a few other factors to consider. Half ton trucks with 4wd are naturally heavier on the front axle because of the front diff and the xfer case, so the truck wt can be balanced without a lot of redistribution. A 2wd half ton has higher cargo cap and is naturally balanced better than 4wd, so I'll redistribute more aggressively. Most guys don't understand the additional bending stresses on frame caps so it's good to redistribute less, not more. On the other hand, you want to redistribute enough to be under your rear axle rating. If you're bored and you like data, hitch it up and pull it onto a cat scale somewhere.
Thank you for the information. We have a Blue Ox WDH for our 2024 Winnebago Access 30BH that we tow with a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD dually. We got the hitch for free with the trailer but we don't put a lot of tension on the hitch. We mainly use it for anti sway. Thanks again for the information.
Just upgraded from a f150 to a f250 and will still use my hitch even though my trailer is on the smaller size just for a piece of mind. Can never be to safe.
All of my towing experience is towing horses. The tow vehicles have been one ton diesel pick ups. I have never used a WDH, and have never felt the trailer was misbehaving in any way.
I’m pulling a 32’ 6500lb TT with an f250. I really only use my equalizer when I’m gonna be on the interstate with the semis. That truck handles it very well but the wind from the semis really freaks me out 😂
It’s interesting discussion especially when towing a boat. My boat loaded with fuel weighs 6100# on the trailer. My Tahoe weighs about the same. Pulls just fine at 70 mph. Can’t put a WDH on a boat trailer with surge brakes and I see some pretty big boats at the ramp that are probably over 10k not a WDH in sight.
Chevrolet discusses this topic in the owners manual of the truck. I share his frustration with the website, and the Owners manual is not crystal clear, but does an ok job. GM says its optional in many circumstances on HD trucks. There are situations when it is required. I agree though no reason to avoid it and I feel better using one.
Old truck GMC 1500 6.2 with max trailering said over 5K, towed 6.5K toy hauler so I did. New truck 24 Ram 3500 HO diesel owners manual says hitch is good for 23k & plan on toy hauler 10-11k so maybe not. My concern is sway but I won't be towing long light trailer & my truck is definitely over 8K. When I was shopping for the new truck I wanted way more truck than I'd need. Lots of variables, comes down to the combination.
interesting discussion. I personally would not consider towing a travel trailer without a WDH. I cannot find any negative to it, and there is no doubt in my mind that once I have the WDH properly dialed in and transferring the proper amount of weight to the front of my tow vehicle the handling is just simply better. No sway, no issue with semis, just smooth comfortable and safe. There are no "laws" on this, so it is really up to the individual to dial in their tow vehicle/trailer combination and figure out what works best for them. I have made my choice and I am very happy with it. Over 40,000 miles towed since 2016 with basically the same set up, and no issues yet, thankfully.
I pull an Airstream that's 28' long. weighs 7200#'s loaded with 1000#'s of hitch weight. I use a Husky Centerline WD with 800-1200# bars. The rear of my 2020 F250 drops 1 3/4" before loading and the front lifts 1/2". With the bars engaged I return a 7/8" of lift to the rear and drop the front about 1/8". It took me several trials and adjustments to get the hitch to this point. During these trial runs, I never felt comfortable in the seat. Now that I have it set up and feel good pulling it, I'm pondering purchasing a Continuum or a Propride. Am I crazy for even thinking about a change?🤣 BTW, I agree with "if the trailer weighs as much or more than the TV, you definitely need a WD hitch". Other factors can come into play as well such as hitch weight.
This is always an interesting topic. A few months ago KYD had some discussion with Vinny the Airstream guy and how distribution hitch can cause flex and damage in certain cases.
For Chevy HD Weight distributing hitch required on vehicles equipped with On/Off Road (OOR) and Mud Terrain (MT) tires with trailers over 10,000 lbs. Weight distributing hitch optional for other vehicles
I couldn’t find that info for 2024. Several references regarding mud terrain and AT4 but no mention of WDH. Where did you find this info? Is it from 2024?
Happy near year to you and your family. I just changed my new f150 (10 months old) for a f250. I made the mistake of listening to my truck salesman (which I found out the hard way that he has no clue about RVing). This is on me… I should of dug a lot deeper (like I now did) and go with my own numbers. Will go with a WDH on the new truck. I will now have the total f150 payload capacity as spare on the f250.
Why would you not want a weight distribution hitch ? Some reasons to have one are your safety and the safety of your passengers and vehicles around you. Protect your truck and trailer .
@@angelolamantiaBc it puts a lot of stress on the trailer frame, if you have a heavy enough truck you're better off not using 1, some trailers specify don't use.
Puts a lot of stress on trailer frame from the tension. If pulling only on the highway, definitely great to have. But at slower speed of over big changes in angles like off road on steep ramps, take off the tension bars to keep from damage.
Short and to the point! If trailer is heavier than tow truck and you hit cross wind, you will wish you had WDH! Been there done that, scary stuff indeed. (U.S.395) can be deadly. Peace of mind I really like.
When we pulled our 26 foot 7500 lbs with our 1997 F350 dually we did not use one. However, we did have air bags in the rear to keep things level. We we bought our Chevy Silverado, I felt it a necessity to have one. We purchased the equalizer hitch with 5000 lb bars as suggested by the dealer we purchased our travel trailer from. First time outlaws a 850 mile round trip through the Appalachian Mountains. We could notnhave been happier with the way the camper pulled and the performance of that little 4 cylinder Turbo. She handled like a dream and pulled like a boss.
My Weighsafe scale just broke on the 8th use. It is covered by warranty, but I may end up towing on a regular hitch for my January trip. I never towed my Imagine 2600 without a WDH. I need to go about an hour to campsite. Any safety pointers for towing without WDH?
@ because per weigh safe, I loosen the adjusting screw when towing is completed to make the bars much easier to remove. Then on the next trip, the scale is used to adjust the weight distribution to the correct setting, which is typically around 2500 pounds for my rig. Plus the actual tongue weight varies 50-100 pounds by trip, which impacts the adjusted weight.
Per weight safe instructions you use the tongue Jack to relieve the pressure from the bars. Once you set the weight the target is actually a range that doesn't change the much between 50 to 100 lbs....especially on a 2500 psi setting. Why would you ever go through adjustment screw and retorque the locking bolt?
@ I spoke with one of the engineers in their support. The strain on the hitch was very high to get enough pressure off to be able to remove the bars. Far worse than I ever had using Equalizer. They suggested I try dialing back the adjustment screw- which makes the removal of the bars much more manageable. So to answer your question, because their engineering support suggested it.
I have a 2021 Ford F250 towing a 28ft Airstream with a trailer GVWR of 7600lbs. The truck with two passengers (wife and I) empty weighs 7100lbs. I have a WDH and put a lot of effort into dialing in the set up. I wanted as little weight distribution as possible while maintaining safety. With too little WD the steering was noticeably different. I could actually feel that there was less weight on the steer axle. I increased the WD just enough to eliminate the loose steering which put 60% of the removed weight back onto the steer axle. With quite a few miles on this set up I'm extremely comfortable with it. I did run it through the CAT scales as a part of dialing it in.
We use a Fastway E2 and happy with it. We do recommend getting the plastic guides which fit over the brackets attached to the trailer. Much quieter!
Switched from a Tundra to a Ram 2500 just over a year ago. I kept using my WDH on the road. Did stop using the bars when moving the camper between the house and storage as it is only about a mile. It did take several trips to figure out the anti-sway setting even though same trailer, had to tighten the sway control more with the Ram to get the slight sway to stop.
It certainly takes some dialing in when switching trucks.
I really enjoy your videos and the great information you put out there. I'm 77 years old and my wife and I have been traveling in travel trailers for over 40years. I have always put safety first. I always stay below my tow vehicle's towing capacity and especially its' payload capacity. I would never tow without a weight distribution and sway control hitch system.
Appreciate your wisdom and experience. You've been doing it right!
Great video! I have a Colorado and a Grand Design Transcend One 151RB and use the B&W Continuum Hitch and love it! Super smooth. I don't think I could safely do it without a WDH. I've learned a ton from your channel. Keep up the informative great work brother. Thank you
Glad it’s been helpful!!! Appreciate you being here.
There is definitely no disadvantage of using a weight distribution, sway control hitch! It"s better to be safe than sorry! Thanks for all that you do keeping us updated in the camping world!
Actually, if you are towing an Airstream, a WDH can cause front end separation between the shell and the trailer frame over time. Not sure if this issue exists on other brands.
Absolutely!
@@jlokanis EXACTLY, I just moved up to a F250 diesel and dumped my WDH for this reason. Airbags are the way to go for me. I don't miss messing with the bars... With regard to Sway Control, my Airstream with its independent suspension tows strait as can be. In an upset condition (emergency manuever, etc.) my Truck's "sway control" will take care of safer & faster than WDH friction bars.
Thanks for your dedication to bring us helpful information and entertaining content. Wishing you and the family a healthy and happy New Year.
We have used Reese load distribution hitches for 25 years thru 2 campers and 4 vehicles and have been very satisfied with them.
Happy New Year to you all!
Good video. Here's a few other factors to consider. Half ton trucks with 4wd are naturally heavier on the front axle because of the front diff and the xfer case, so the truck wt can be balanced without a lot of redistribution. A 2wd half ton has higher cargo cap and is naturally balanced better than 4wd, so I'll redistribute more aggressively. Most guys don't understand the additional bending stresses on frame caps so it's good to redistribute less, not more. On the other hand, you want to redistribute enough to be under your rear axle rating. If you're bored and you like data, hitch it up and pull it onto a cat scale somewhere.
Thanks for a years worth of advise. Happy New Year to you and the family. See you next year.
You’re welcome! Happy New Year!
Thank you for the information. We have a Blue Ox WDH for our 2024 Winnebago Access 30BH that we tow with a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD dually. We got the hitch for free with the trailer but we don't put a lot of tension on the hitch. We mainly use it for anti sway. Thanks again for the information.
Safe travels out there! Appreciate you watching and engaging.
Just upgraded from a f150 to a f250 and will still use my hitch even though my trailer is on the smaller size just for a piece of mind. Can never be to safe.
Absolutely, I feel the same way.
I have used one for over 20 plus years
Equalizer
All of my towing experience is towing horses. The tow vehicles have been one ton diesel pick ups. I have never used a WDH, and have never felt the trailer was misbehaving in any way.
You always have some good information. See you next year.
Glad you’re here Tim!
I’m pulling a 32’ 6500lb TT with an f250. I really only use my equalizer when I’m gonna be on the interstate with the semis. That truck handles it very well but the wind from the semis really freaks me out 😂
I agree 100 percent with you on the 50 percent rule
It’s interesting discussion especially when towing a boat. My boat loaded with fuel weighs 6100# on the trailer. My Tahoe weighs about the same. Pulls just fine at 70 mph. Can’t put a WDH on a boat trailer with surge brakes and I see some pretty big boats at the ramp that are probably over 10k not a WDH in sight.
I was thinking that too. I believe the lighter tongue weights may have something to do with this.
Chevrolet discusses this topic in the owners manual of the truck. I share his frustration with the website, and the Owners manual is not crystal clear, but does an ok job. GM says its optional in many circumstances on HD trucks. There are situations when it is required. I agree though no reason to avoid it and I feel better using one.
Thanks for another great video Sir. Which hitch are you using now and can you lower your tailgate with it?
I’m using the WeighSafe Heavyweight right now. Yes… I can utilize my tailgate while hitched.
Safe travels!
Old truck GMC 1500 6.2 with max trailering said over 5K, towed 6.5K toy hauler so I did.
New truck 24 Ram 3500 HO diesel owners manual says hitch is good for 23k & plan on toy hauler 10-11k so maybe not.
My concern is sway but I won't be towing long light trailer & my truck is definitely over 8K. When I was shopping for the new truck I wanted way more truck than I'd need.
Lots of variables, comes down to the combination.
interesting discussion. I personally would not consider towing a travel trailer without a WDH. I cannot find any negative to it, and there is no doubt in my mind that once I have the WDH properly dialed in and transferring the proper amount of weight to the front of my tow vehicle the handling is just simply better. No sway, no issue with semis, just smooth comfortable and safe. There are no "laws" on this, so it is really up to the individual to dial in their tow vehicle/trailer combination and figure out what works best for them. I have made my choice and I am very happy with it. Over 40,000 miles towed since 2016 with basically the same set up, and no issues yet, thankfully.
I pull an Airstream that's 28' long. weighs 7200#'s loaded with 1000#'s of hitch weight. I use a Husky Centerline WD with 800-1200# bars. The rear of my 2020 F250 drops 1 3/4" before loading and the front lifts 1/2". With the bars engaged I return a 7/8" of lift to the rear and drop the front about 1/8". It took me several trials and adjustments to get the hitch to this point. During these trial runs, I never felt comfortable in the seat. Now that I have it set up and feel good pulling it, I'm pondering purchasing a Continuum or a Propride. Am I crazy for even thinking about a change?🤣 BTW, I agree with "if the trailer weighs as much or more than the TV, you definitely need a WD hitch". Other factors can come into play as well such as hitch weight.
If you’re dialed in and happy I’d keep rolling. Haha.
Some GM manuals, for instance a 2022 HD, do address WDH use.
I wonder if they’ve removed the language for legal purposes. Who knows. 🤷🏻♂️
Do they suggest a WDH for anything over 5k lbs?
This is always an interesting topic. A few months ago KYD had some discussion with Vinny the Airstream guy and how distribution hitch can cause flex and damage in certain cases.
I’ve heard of this happening recently. I wonder if they’ve lightened their frames over the last 2-3 years. I hadn’t really heard for this before then.
Highly appreciate your very well presented advice... Thanks so much and a Happy New Year 2025 to you and your family!
Happy New Year!!
For Chevy HD Weight distributing hitch required on vehicles equipped with On/Off Road (OOR) and Mud Terrain (MT) tires with trailers over 10,000 lbs.
Weight distributing hitch optional for other vehicles
I couldn’t find that info for 2024. Several references regarding mud terrain and AT4 but no mention of WDH. Where did you find this info? Is it from 2024?
P283 of the 2022 Silverado HD manual.
I wonder why they removed the language in their most recent information.
I was just wondering the same thing went from F150 to a 3500. Still will use it till I switch to a 5th wheel
Happy near year to you and your family. I just changed my new f150 (10 months old) for a f250. I made the mistake of listening to my truck salesman (which I found out the hard way that he has no clue about RVing). This is on me… I should of dug a lot deeper (like I now did) and go with my own numbers. Will go with a WDH on the new truck. I will now have the total f150 payload capacity as spare on the f250.
Too much is better than not enough!!! Happy New Year!!
It’s surprising that some gov. Agency does not have any regulations! They usually try to over regulate everything
Along with weight distribution, most WD hitches also incorporate anti-sway. That's my primary concern.
Yes! This also opens a big can of worms though. Electronic sway control options on the new trucks are making that aspect more confusing.
Why would you not want a weight distribution hitch ? Some reasons to have one are your safety and the safety of your passengers and vehicles around you. Protect your truck and trailer .
The "man" tells them they need one.
Why would I not use a WDH? If I was towing a 6k trailer behind a 1 ton dually I would not need it so why would I mess with setting it up each time.
@@angelolamantiaBc it puts a lot of stress on the trailer frame, if you have a heavy enough truck you're better off not using 1, some trailers specify don't use.
Puts a lot of stress on trailer frame from the tension. If pulling only on the highway, definitely great to have. But at slower speed of over big changes in angles like off road on steep ramps, take off the tension bars to keep from damage.
Short and to the point! If trailer is heavier than tow truck and you hit cross wind, you will wish you had WDH! Been there done that, scary stuff indeed. (U.S.395) can be deadly. Peace of mind I really like.
When we pulled our 26 foot 7500 lbs with our 1997 F350 dually we did not use one. However, we did have air bags in the rear to keep things level. We we bought our Chevy Silverado, I felt it a necessity to have one. We purchased the equalizer hitch with 5000 lb bars as suggested by the dealer we purchased our travel trailer from. First time outlaws a 850 mile round trip through the Appalachian Mountains. We could notnhave been happier with the way the camper pulled and the performance of that little 4 cylinder Turbo. She handled like a dream and pulled like a boss.
My Weighsafe scale just broke on the 8th use. It is covered by warranty, but I may end up towing on a regular hitch for my January trip. I never towed my Imagine 2600 without a WDH. I need to go about an hour to campsite. Any safety pointers for towing without WDH?
Ram 2500 tow vehicle.
Yes, get that scale warrantied! That said, If you were previously setup on the WeighSafe why would you need the scale again for the same trailer?
@ because per weigh safe, I loosen the adjusting screw when towing is completed to make the bars much easier to remove. Then on the next trip, the scale is used to adjust the weight distribution to the correct setting, which is typically around 2500 pounds for my rig. Plus the actual tongue weight varies 50-100 pounds by trip, which impacts the adjusted weight.
Per weight safe instructions you use the tongue Jack to relieve the pressure from the bars. Once you set the weight the target is actually a range that doesn't change the much between 50 to 100 lbs....especially on a 2500 psi setting. Why would you ever go through adjustment screw and retorque the locking bolt?
@ I spoke with one of the engineers in their support. The strain on the hitch was very high to get enough pressure off to be able to remove the bars. Far worse than I ever had using Equalizer. They suggested I try dialing back the adjustment screw- which makes the removal of the bars much more manageable. So to answer your question, because their engineering support suggested it.
Can Chevy tow more than 5,000 lbs? lol
😂🤣🤷🏻♂️ we may never know!
My gmc tows my car trailer that weighs 1700 lbs.
Hauls 7000 lbs no problem
Trailer has 2 3500 lb axles
I do not use a weight distribution hitch