Weight Equalizing Hitch ??

[sheamc]

I am going with a friend to bring back a 24' camper that he has used for his second home due to work. Tires and all mechanicals have been taken care of. My questions relate to a weight equalizing hitch. I have ZERO experience with one. This is a one way pull back home. The weight should not be an issue for my truck, but don't know the in's and out's of what to do in this scenario. How do I set-up to tow properly, anything else would be appreciated.



Thanks,

Shea

 

[AH64ID]

How far will you be towing? You may not need one if its all good roads and not loaded.

 

[HBarlow]

If it's a typical stick built box trailer and empty/dry, it will probably have a GVWR of around 5,000 to 6,500 lbs. and put less than 1000 lbs. of weight on your tow ball. No problem. If the trailer is full of fluids, drain the tanks. If it is loaded with all your friend's personal belongings then all bets are off.

For one trip you should be fine. I towed 50 or 100 conventional travel trailers, most of them much longer and much heavier than the one you're going to tow, without a WD hitch when I was transporting. I used a solid steel draw bar and very heavy duty 2 5/16" gooseneck ball on the drawbar on my dually and never had any use for a WD hitch or sway control. If I owned the trailer and pulled it routinely I would use a Reese Dual Cam WD Hitch with built-in sway control devices.

With your Ram 2500 you won't have as much weight carrying capacity or as much sway resistance as a dually offers but you should be fine for one trip. Sway control can become a serious problem when towing in spring winds so have all eight tires properly inflated and be prepared for the effect of strong quartering winds. If the winds get strong slow down, or park it, change routes, or wait until the wind subsides.

There is no DOT requirement to use a WD hitch or sway control unless the tongue weight exceeds the carry capacity of the hitch receiver or the rear tire weight carrying capacity of the tow vehicle.

 

[Rattler]

If your friend has the WD hitch, go ahead and use it. You will have to play with the setup to get the amount of weight and the ride height that you want. Start by setting it so that truck and trailer set level. You will find that even though you might not need the hitch, that it can take out some of the bouncing and sway that trailers like to do. Randy

 

[DonTX]

Here is another vote for going ahead and using it. They are not difficult to use or understand, all in the world they do is transfer some of the rear wheel weight to the front wheels. Don't forget that when you load the trailer hitch ball, it REMOVES weight from the steering axle, exactly opposite from what you want to happen for a safe trip. You can find lots of information on the internet on how to adjust, but as was said, just level out the truck and you are there! You will enjoy the effects of the WD hiteh.

 

[HBarlow]

Unless the original poster's buddy who owns the trailer also owns a Ram 2500 it is very unlikely that a WD hitch assembly with a hitch head set up for the towing height of the OP's Dodge is available. If that is the case, why would the OP be called upon to tow his friend's trailer?

Remember, a WD hitch drawbar/hitch head has to be set up for the tow vehicle. If the hitch receiver of the OP's truck is a different height the draw bar height won't fit. Older WD hitches were weld-up heads, not adjustable. That's the only style I've ever owned. In recent years many of them are now sold with adjustable drawbars.

 

[Bill Weber]

Had one for my 27' Holiday rambler. The difference in towing is night & day. Mine has an adjustment for ball height. The chain adjustment is simple. Make them tight. If you can adjust the chain by hand - go at least one more link. Hitting dips in the road - no problem and no trailer swaying. I even bought one for my 22' boat. Use the 1st one on my cattle trailer. Any questions - I'll be glad to help.



Bill

 

[GAmes]

Unlike Harvey, the company I lease to requires use of a W/D hitch, so I've learned how to adjust them for each trailer I hook to. 1st, as others have said, adjust the ball mount so the trailer will be level. Drop the hitch over the ball but don't lower it all the way, leave a quarter to half inch. Install the bars and use the length of chain needed to pull the ball up to the hitch when snapping up the brackets. Take the weight off the trailer jack and the rear of the pickup should not move very much, maybe an inch down. After a short drive it will be apparant if you need to add or drop a chain link. Works for me.

 

[HBarlow]

I don't want anyone to misinterpret my comments. I certainly don't discourage the use of a WD system on a 3/4 ton truck.

I bought my first travel trailer, a 24' Fleetwood Prowler, in Bremerton, WA in the fall of 1972. I owned and towed conventional travel trailers using 3/4 ton pickups from that time until I bought a second hand Travel Supreme fiver in the fall of 2004.

I believe in WD hitches and sway control devices but on a dually they are not really necessary and for a short trip to move a friend's trailer if you don't already own a WD hitch assembly I would make one trip without it.

 

[GAmes]

... ... ... if you don't already own a WD hitch assembly I would make one trip without it.

I agree. I interpreted he had a W/D hitch but didn't know how to set it up. We recently had a customer with an airstream that didn't have a tow vehicle, but did have a duel cam hitch assy.

 

[SRath]

You can never go wrong with an equalizing hitch and sway control, but they aren't always needed. Our Class C motorhome, like most motorhomes, has so much overhang behind the rear axle that even a small trailer can easily make the tail wag the dog. An equalizer/sway control should be mandatory on such vehicles, imo.

Make sure your trailer is loaded properly. How many times have you come up behind a wildly girating U-Haul trailer being pulled by a car? Almost every time, one end of the trailer is loaded far too heavy compared to the other. Add to that the mushy suspension and short wheelbase on the car (or 1/2 ton pickup/suv). Ignorance.

 

[sheamc]

Brought the trailer back late Saturday. Not sure of the weight, but it didn't seem like much. It was windy, which didn't help, but didn't hurt much either. Trailer pulled level but can see that it pulle dsome weight off of the front of the truck, will take these comments and use them when pulling my acquired 24 starcraft that I am refurbing. Much cheaper than anything new Thanks.