Who doesn't use w/d hitch or sawy control?

[mgoncalves]

Those that just hook on to their trailer and go, what size and weight of trailer do you have?



Is it true that the delivery guys don't use anything like that?

 

[Ragain]

I use a custom built frame mount for my hitch that was engineered for a 30,000# pintle/ball coupler. I don't use a w/d hitch unless I am pulling something with a grossly heavy tongue weight. Seems w/d bars make the ride more "choppy".

Do you have SRW or duals? I can see that sway control would be beneficial on SWR... . I never seemed to need sway control, but I run DRW and am just used to those bumper pull T/T's wigglin' back there. (I used to pull triples with a freight line and learned not to give too much attention to the wobble)

I have a project where I pull 23,000# mobile labs for the military that are 13' high and 30' long that are pintle hook coupled,... I have to keep max speed below 60 mph or it wants to get a bit squirrely. These are the first trailers that I've had to be really on my toes with.

 

[mgoncalves]

SRW



I have a travel trailer on order, it's only 22' with a dry weight of roughly 5000 lbs. Until I got the camper bug, I had never heard of weight dist. hitches or dual cam lock sway preventers. With the exception of hauling it home from the dealer in Oregon, it won't be going down an interstate very much. It will usually go less than an hour on paved roads, and then hit some pretty rough dirt roads.



I'm thinking I don't need any of this stuff, just want to hear from others that don't use it either.

 

[Ragain]

More than likely, you won't even know it's there.

I wouldn't recommend w/d bars if you plan to do much traveling on rough terrain,... puts alot of strain on trailer coupler and especially the frame mount.

Now, I do recall some 4 or 5 years ago that I delivered a T/T (23'-25') to a dealer in Medford that was absolutely the wobbliest thing I had ever pulled! My buddy who was running with me had an identical trailer with a different floorplan & he had no problem with his. I had him follow me for a while down the I-5 with a strong west wind. He couldn't believe how squirrely my T/T was pulling while his was tracking arrow straight. Mine must have been built too heavy in the rear. (Seems it had a rear kitchen).

Hopefully you didn't end up with that one!

 

[HBarlow]

mgoncalves,



Your signature doesn't specify which truck you own so I'm assuming yours is a 2500. With a 2500 pulling the trailer you described you will probably be okay without w/d bars and sway control unless you tow in a situation with gusting, crossing winds. Don't do it on a cheap draw bar slippped into your receiver without adequate weight carrying capacity.



If you are going to tow a lot of miles I would recommend buying and installing a good Reese w/d hitch with the incorporated sway control devices. If you want to do it on the cheap stop and ask for a used set up when you pass RV dealerships, particularly the smaller ones. When they take a trailer in trade for a 5er or motorhome they often get a serviceable used w/d hitch assembly with it. The hitch gets tossed in a corner of the shop somewhere because they want to sell a new hitch with the trailer. I have bought used hitches and used hitch components this way.



I have been an RV transporter for a little over two years. I do not use w/d bars or sway control even when pulling 35' conventional travel trailers cross country in windy conditions. When I pulled my own long conventional TT before I bought a 5er I did use them but they are not worth the hookup time and trouble to me when towing for hire. Another consideration is that shifting tongue weight from the ball hitch which is what w/d bars do removes weight from the rear axle of the tow vehicle. I want that weight on the drive axle of my dually for winter travel.



Just my opinion. Some will disagree.



Harvey

 

[GaryOwen]

I am a delivery guy and I ALWAYS use w/d bars on larger units. You will exceed the weight rating of most hitches with travel trailers of more than about 25'. Need to check tongue weight of trailer vs. rating of hitch. W/D bars will usually double the weight rating of the hitch. I feel it gives a more stable ride with the weight distributing hitch. Also keeps me out of trouble with liability issues. Some DOT officials like to check for w/d bar, others seem to never notice. I see a mix of transporters using/not using w/d bars, but there seems to be more using them in the past year or so.



Some of the guys that I know use w/d bars on ANY size trailer for better tire wear. I have had good tire wear using the w/d bars on larger units only and don't see where it would improve much by using the bars on smaller units. Currently have 151k on my Michelin LTX M/S tires and should get another 10 to 20 k miles.



Have never used sway controls, but feel they would be helpful on a SRW, but not necessary with a DRW.



Gary