When weight distribution is needed?

Bansh88

Bansh88

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We are now throwing around the idea of getting a toyhauler.  23'+/-.

We have a 2500 diesel.

Is a weight distribution hitch needed, not needed, extra safety, legally needed?

Just trying to learn some basics of trailers outside my 14' open trailer experience.

I'm borrowing a buddies 18' TH for my daughter's FFA at Ramona Fair this week.  I get to dump for the first time on Sunday.  Really looking forward to that!  

 
In My honest opining buy the biggest trailer you can afford. Toy haulers fill up fast and the size you thought you needed will end up being too small.

Also, being the truck you have, you could go 5th wheel as well. I have owned two tow behinds and now have a 5th wheel and the difference in towing is night and day.

I used a WD hitch on both trailers and felt it helped with rear sag plus the anti sway help a bunch as well.

Dumping is not bad at all. Make sure you use a really good chemical and there smell is very minimal.

 
For your truck the help with sway would be beneficial. 

 
It depends on the trailer set up. If there isn't enough tongue weight then it could be needed. Plenty of weight and you won't need it. I tow a couple of unloaded 32 foot toy haulers all over the place without weight distribution and never have a problem. My Universal trailer with my car pulled in nose forward and the engine behind the axles tows like chit even in the slightest wind. 

I've never heard of a legal requirement to have it. If whatever you get has the brackets on the tongue you are welcome to borrow my hitch and bars to see if it's needed. 

 
My vote is yes. You will be safer with it and also a sway control. Better to have and not need then discover you wish you had it, cause at that point you're having a bad day. I like and use the type that do both weight and sway in one unit.

 
I'd always use one for both weight distribution and trailer sway.  I've towed trailers without and not had issues but the safety factor for relatively little costs is well worth it.  I've had flats and blown tires and the set up seemed to have significant effect on better control of the trailer.  

 
It's the EASY Button, get it, use it. Just adds to your safety when pulling a TAG TH.

* No legal requirements for it

* Helps minimize sway and fishtailing, or bobbing up and down the highway

* Easy to put on / off when installed

* Always remove once you get off the road, onto wash road etc.

Pulling a TH varies, sometimes they are empty, or empty and full of water, or has toys in it etc...each scenario effects towing, a WD and Sway system make all of that less important.

 
AlpineFunco said:
It depends on the trailer set up. If there isn't enough tongue weight then it could be needed. Plenty of weight and you won't need it. I tow a couple of unloaded 32 foot toy haulers all over the place without weight distribution and never have a problem. My Universal trailer with my car pulled in nose forward and the engine behind the axles tows like chit even in the slightest wind. 

I've never heard of a legal requirement to have it. If whatever you get has the brackets on the tongue you are welcome to borrow my hitch and bars to see if it's needed. 
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The whole reason there are WD hitches is if you have too much weight on the tongue.  Balances out the tongue weight thoughout the truck and trailer.  They are nice to use with sway control.  If you go offroad you want to unhook your bars if hitting bigger uneven roads.  

 
A rule I was taught to set up the correct load on the bars. Park tow vehicle on level ground. Put a locking tape measure from ground to bottom of front bumper. Put your trailer on the hitch. Look at front bumper and see how much it raises the front from the tape. Now load the bars until it returns the front bumper to the pre trailer position.

 
Get a good weight distribution hitch like an equalizer. 
 

Many people make a big deal about how bumper pulls tow horrible. Simply not true if the axles are placed correctly on the trailer and you know how to load it correctly. 
 

Get the biggest trailer your wallet can afford. 

 
richard h said:
A rule I was taught to set up the correct load on the bars. Park tow vehicle on level ground. Put a locking tape measure from ground to bottom of front bumper. Put your trailer on the hitch. Look at front bumper and see how much it raises the front from the tape. Now load the bars until it returns the front bumper to the pre trailer position.
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That’s not a bad rule of thumb. But with the bigger bumper pulls that would be a boat load of tension on the bars and trailer frame. 
 

Best I could do with this was get it within 3/4” days of where it was empty. 
 

Tongue weight was 1800# empty. To scared to see the number loaded lol. 
 

Towed like a dream with or with out the hitch. With the hitch just gave me piece of mind and less air in the bags. 

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Bansh88 said:
Is a weight distribution hitch needed, not needed, extra safety, legally needed?
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It all comes down to how far the truck squats when you hook up. Sway control is a different topic. I bought the Equalizer brand because it does both and gets good reviews. 

For dumping your buddies trailer this weekend you could hook him up with a flush. Go buy a $5 bottle of Pine Sol. When you go to leave the FFA pour it down every drain. It will clean the drains and the grey tank as you drive. Bring some spare 2x4 pieces and drive the trailer onto them at the dump. Will help to angle the tanks towards the exit. 

 
Squatcher said:
The whole reason there are WD hitches is if you have too much weight on the tongue.  Balances out the tongue weight thoughout the truck and trailer.  They are nice to use with sway control.  If you go offroad you want to unhook your bars if hitting bigger uneven roads.  
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Makes sense. I never really looked into it. I stand by the statement that I’ve got no issues towing my empty 32 footers with no sway though. 
 

The other thing I’d add though is don’t buy a new setup, they seem ridiculously overpriced.

 
Use a clear connection to the dump hose. Grab an ICB and watch the flow. See if you can figure out what people ate for dinner.  Fun, Fun, Fun!

 
Crusty said:
* Always remove once you get off the road, onto wash road etc.
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It is also recommended to remove them when backing up.  I have a Blue Ox WD system and love it.  I do not remove them on wash road but I drive like a lowered Honda Civic over a speed bump.

 
I agree on buying used if you can. I found an older version Equalizer on OfferUp i believe. 

For the safety of your family its not 100% needed. You already understand how to load a trailer properly. Toyhaulers are unique because they plan for you to put weight in the back. So for someone like me who just puts 2 dirt bikes back there i have a very high tongue weight. For me a WD hitch with sway made a huge huge difference. I had the chain version WD first. Ran that without sway control. That got stolen. I found the used Equalizer brand and it drives much better. Thats for my old truck with worn out bushing and a toyhauler with a high tongue weight. You can be smart about it and load all your quads in there. Hook up the trailer and see how much it squats. If it looks a little excessive then move the heavier quads more towards the back. This is all if youre waiting for a used deal to come up for a WD hitch. In terms of setups with a new 2500 truck and regular sized toyhauler you are ahead of the game in terms of safety and brakes. Did the truck come with a brake controller? I used to live in Diego. Been up and down the 8 freeway in all types of setup. At one point i had an 85 blazer towing a flatbed trailer with a sandrail and dirt bike. I believe it had those plunge brakes. I always worried about overheating them. Drove slow and careful. Having modern electric brakes on the trailer is sweet. Going downhill you can operate them separate from the trucks brakes. Its kind of nice if the trailer wants to wobble you can drag the brakes a bit. I do it all the time going down the cajon pass to glamis. Wear down the trailer brakes since i dont really use them very often. 

 
We tow a lot of trailers and never use a weight distribution hitch. My son tows his 30' WW with his YXZ, Raptor 700 and Honda 400EX and it tows fine. His truck has airbags with in cab control. It's important to make sure the trailer is level for proper towing.

If a WD hitch and sway bar give you more confidence when towing then get one. I find them not unnecessary.

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If you aren't going to use WD, make sure you hitch is rating for the tongue weight.

There are 2 weight ratings on receivers, with WD and without it.

Tongue weight on toy haulers is usually up there.

My 2002 FS3000 Weekend Warrior had a tongue weight of 1600lbs with full water and 3 quads in the hauler.

 
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