How to select the right weight distribution hitch

A weight distribution hitch helps tackle the problem by carefully distributing the weight at the rear end of the towing vehicle to all the axles of the towing vehicle and the vehicle to be towed. You need to know the ball weight of your vehicle.

The most important thing that we need to do to determine which weight distribution setup is right for us is to determine our loaded tongue weight.

How to select the right weight distribution hitch. You need to know the ball weight of your vehicle. Bigger is not always better. You should buy the weight distribution hitch suited to the ball weight of your vehicle.

600Lb is suitable for application of trailer laden ball weights between 135-275kg. 800Lb is suitable for application of trailer laden ball weights between 275-365kg. Can I tow more if I have a Weight Distribution Hitch.

Weight distribution system capacity ranges from 100 lbs to over 2000 lbs. To choose the right weight distribution hitch size youll need to determine your trailer tongue weight and the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle. That number will be the tongue weight your weight distribution hitch will need to support.

In order to select the correct Weight Distribution Hitch WDH you firstly need to determine how much weight the caravan puts on your vehicles tow ball. Exceeding your vehicles maximum tow ball weight is illegal and dangerous and could result in non-coverage by insurance company so an accurate reading is important. Choosing the right weight distribution system.

Measure coupling and tow ball height. Start by parking your caravan on a level surface. Get the caravan level by measuring the front and rear and adjust the jockey wheel as needed.

Then measure the distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the coupling. Select a System with the Right Weight Capacity Weve broken out our weight distribution hitches by tongue weight on our website for your convenience. Once you have your tongue weight figure simply select your TW from the list and choose a system.

So then how do you choose the right weight distributing system. There are 3 different types of weight distribution systems. Here are some pointers on choosing the right one for you.

Round Bar kits. O The shape is round. O These bars will slide in from the bottom of the ball mount what holds the ball of the hitch and any other devices such as a hitch distribution.

Choosing The Right One. Picking the right hitch has the same significance as knowing what your vehicles towing capacity is. You should never buy a hitch that is not heavy enough for your trailer.

Unless you acquire a weight distribution hitch which is a spring and can give you a stiff ride if it is too light a heavier one is better than a light one. 1400 As you can see the proper weight distribution hitch is determined by several key factors. Tongue weight tow vehicle suspension and distance from the rear axle of the tow vehicle to the receiver.

If youre unsure ask a hitch expert not necessarily your trailer salesman. Bigger is not better. Always tow with a MINIMUM tongue weight of 10 of the gross trailer weightinch The above sentence is from the Fastway e2 owners manual for this product.

However this weight distribution hitch and all the others as well it seems is only rated for a MAXIMUM of 10 tongue weight. It says 8000 lbs maximum loaded trailer weight and 800 lbs maximum. The most important thing that we need to do to determine which weight distribution setup is right for us is to determine our loaded tongue weight.

Thats a number on how much downward force that were putting on the ball of our weight distribution setup with our trailer loaded exactly as we would be traveling with it. Many hitch manufacturers use the same hitch head for all thier hitches and the differance is the bar wts. When I up graded from a tt with 600lb tongue wt to one with 1000lb.

I just replaced my wt. Bars with the right ones and was done. I think I paid 109 dollars for the new bars on amazon shipping included.

The right shank makes weight distribution set up a snap hitching up or unhitching a breeze and goes a long way in protecting your equipment from damage and unnecessary wear. Watch our new video where Deven shows you how to quickly gather the information you need to get the right shank and use this handy tool on our website to help you get the right size shank. You may want to consider a heavier hitch especially if the amount of cargo you are carrying increases.

The 90-00-1000 Equal-i-zer hitch offers a 1000 lb. Maximum tongue weight and a 10000 lb. The shank allows a 3 drop and a 7 rise measures 12 long and fits 2 trailer hitch receivers.

With your intended 7500 - 8000lb loaded trailer this means the tongue weight of the trailer could fall anywhere from 750 - 1200 lbs. Weight distribution systems have weight ranges that they can handle but weve found best results by selecting a system that has your trailers tongue weight near the middle of the range. CHoosing a WD Hitch Kit.

Once you have your shank size ball size droprise and bracket size you can look at our available 4 Drop and 8 Drop Weight Distribution Hitch Kits. If you have more questions about the Weight Distribution Hitch check out our WD Hitch. For the tow vehicle the chain pulls up on the weight distribution bar.

This results in a reduced load on the vehicle rear axle and an increase on the front. For the trailer the chain pulls down on the tongue which increase the load on the trailers axle. Remember the ball in the center of the rotation the moment for a weight distribution hitch.

This weight includes the actual loaded trailer TW that you can measure using scale 5780 plus the weight of any cargo in the tow vehicle that sits behind the rear axle. This combined TW is what you want to use to choose a WD hitch and it should fall near the middle of the WD systems range. In Step 3 we determine that 19-34-7 would leave us with approximately 12-34 of clearance from the bottom of the hitch to the ground UNLOADED and thats if you go with the Weigh Safe Drop Hitch.

If you decide to go with the Weigh Safe 180 Hitch on the lowest setting you would only have approximately 9-34 of clearance UNLOADED 19-34-104drop. To select a hitch for your SUV start by looking up the year make and model. Find custom-fit options and then choose based on your preferences and your SUVs capacity.

Additionally if youre towing a travel trailer or other large trailer you may want to look into a weight distribution hitch to help manage and stabilize the load. A weight distribution hitch on the other hand comes handy when the trailers tongue weight exceeds the weight limit of the tow vehicles receiver hitch. A weight distribution hitch is mounted to a rear hitch but its still considered as a separate hitch type.

It does the job of dispersing tongue weight across the trailer and the tow vehicle. You will mostly see these hitches with camping RVs. Problems Without a Weight Distribution Hitch.

A weight distribution hitch is mostly used to tow long or heavy caravans. If your van is pretty light and well-balanced chances are you dont need a WDH. The best way to decide is to measure the front and rear heights of the vehicles wheel arches when unloaded and the level front and rear heights of the caravan.

A weight distribution hitch helps tackle the problem by carefully distributing the weight at the rear end of the towing vehicle to all the axles of the towing vehicle and the vehicle to be towed. For this purpose it uses spring bars that allow a smooth and level ride. Select the right hitch ball for your trailer and attach it to the ball.