Is a weight distribution hitch worth it's weight?

Fishtail is fishtail is fishtail doesn't matter the distance. Put the hitch on and be safe, just watch your speed and check your brakes, your trailer does have brakes?

Not sure how much of a difference 70 lbs would make on an already overloaded rig but I would go with the wdh. You might even be overloading your hitch receiver (and maybe even your rear axle) without it. No use in being overloaded in more than one rating if you can help it. Do you know your tongue weight? You'll need to in order to buy the correct wdh.

Well worth the added weight. Once you drive with the weight dist. hitch, you will never tow without it again!!

Craig

A Weight Distributing Hitch is worth the weight and the money.


I'd say use the Weight Distributing Hitch and be sure you have the cargo weight in the vehicle distributed so it's not all in the back, and be sure the weight of the trailer load is over the axles and it's balanced as much as possible, with a minimal load on the tongue, but enough so the trailer isn't squirrely at speed.

Remember to check your vehicle tire pressures and air up to max pressure if you're really going to be towing at/over capacity. That means 35 psi tires at 35, 41 psi tires at 41, and 50 psi tires at 50. This is also a good time to lower the spare and pump it up to max psi so you have a fully inflated tire should you need it. Adjust the trailer tire pressures so they are inflated enough for the load but have enough give so the trailer is not bouncing around. Be sure the trailer tires are not being overloaded - you don't want to be towing a trailer at highway speeds with tires that are over capacity, they will overheat and blow out.

With only an 80 mile trip, you can shave some weight by keeping the gas tank at only 1/2 a tank. Liquids weigh a lot.

I'd also suggest going through everything again and ditching anything you don't absolutely need. Surely you can ditch a few hundred pounds somewhere.

Anime said:

With only an 80 mile trip, you can shave some weight by keeping the gas tank at only 1/2 a tank. Liquids weigh a lot.

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Gas is about 5 lb/gallon, so half of a 20 gallon tank is only 50 lb.

keep it under a quarter tank, and you've got your 70 lbs back from your hitch.

Not like 80 miles towing is doable on a quarter tank though....

Thanks guys, I'll pick up the WD hitch. Idk what the tongue weight is but the trailer unloaded is 5,000 so roughly 500-550 i would think but Idk if that includes the two propane tanks. I've also got two large golf cart dc battery's at 120 lbs so my tongue weight has to be well over 6.

My exploder is rated for 5,700 lbs so with people, battery's and the Hitch I'm pushing that without any cargo. I guess the best thing to do is tow the trailer, then make a 2nd trip or have the wife follow with the car loaded.

No need to guess. A few bucks at a weigh station and you'll know for sure. Finding actual weights are eye-opening for most.

It would probably be a good idea to wait to fill up water and propane tanks, along with the fridge until you get closer to your campsite. Make sure you dump waste too.

Yea, I always travel dry.

Got to go with the WD hitch. Take the time to set it up properly. Get the ball hieght perfect if possible. Pay attention to those tire pressures and find a different solution if any tire is over its weight rating. I prefer to keep a good margin of capacity on all tires. I run the trailer tires at max pressure too but I installed shocks on the trailer to minimize bouncing.

Spend a few bucks to get it correctly weighed. Know and pay attention to the axle weights on the truck and trailer. The hitch (ball) weight is very important for stability. You are better off centering weight between the trailer axle line and the ball. Shift the weight in the trailer to get a proper tongue weight. If that trailer starts at 5000 lbs, I'd bet its 6000 loaded. I would keep tongue weight in the 600-900 lb range. That much tongue weight absolutly requires a WD hitch. A nice strong reciever too. With a reciever designed for an Explorer, you will probably be limited to 750lb tongue weight.

For max stability, make sure you weigh the trailer side to side too. Keep it balanced. My combo weighs more but it is very modified. Both the trailer and truck. No one ever recommends pulling beyond manufacturers capacity rating but it can be done.

First off, I'd say don't tow over any of your limits. You probably do not have enough tow vehicle here.

With that out of the way, if you insist on exceeding your limits, the benefits of the WDH will "outweight" the downsides of the 70 lbs extra weight. And it's absolutely required for you, since the weight-carrying (WC) limits for a class III/IV hitch is 5000lbs and 500 lbs TW. You are going to far exceed 500 lbs TW. With 2 batteries, I would not doubt you hit 650.

You must get lost weight back onto the front wheels with all that TW, which requires the WDH.