Weight distribution hitch

[Labswine]

Just remember, you want SOME weight on the back of the truck because if it's too light, you can get into an uncontrollable sway situation that could not only kill you, but take a few with you... Some weight on the back will help keep the rear better planted and able to pull through sway situations. There are plenty of videos on U-tube about this. Here's one example...

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[Shadowmaker]

+1 for the Husky Centerline TS.

Mine is creaky though

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just remember, you want SOME weight on the back of the truck because if it's too light, you can get into an uncontrollable sway situation that could not only kill you, but take a few with you... Some weight on the back will help keep the rear better planted and able to pull through sway situations. There are plenty of videos on U-tube about this. Here's one example...

Some weight distribution hitches take too much off the coupler or hitch area and "raise" "the middle" too much, transferring too much weight to the front of the tow vehicle and the rear of the trailer being towed.
I've got a couple of good booklets - one from Redarc and another from one of the companies that makes tongue weighing devices and they pretty much echo what the sites like Curt and others say.

Someone put a lot of effort into that model road and trailer setup in that video.

Since I sold my last camper, all I've towed is my cars on car haulers - 18" flat beds. No WDH or sway control needed for those.

 

[Scratch]

+1 for the Husky Centerline TS.

Mine is creaky though

The husky gets very good ratings, is inexpensive. It is just reviewed as being loud. This is probably my second choice. First if I can't answers to my previous questions

 

[danielspivey]

They are (longer easier, etc.) I've backed everything from short campers to boats to long camper and combine head trailers. The longer, the easier to maneuver, IMO. Short tends to react faster and get out of line more quickly.



I am curious - I've used both types in the past, one was an extremely heavy-duty setup with chains at the trailer end - why do you say it's quieter without chains? I've never noticed any noise, never heard the hitch. (it was on a huge flatbed that I used to haul tractors, antique engines, etc. - trailer empty likely weighed over 3,000 pounds, bud type wheels)

friction bars are loud…. When you turn they rub and grind. It’s funny everyone at the gas stations always turn and look like something is wrong. As far as chain, I agree, why would they be loud? They have high tension on them and Shouldn’t rattle or rub?

 

[lobelsteve]

FA92-00-0600

Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control - Trunnion - 6,000 lbs GTW, 600 lbs TW

Towing is great, loading and unloading sucks. It is a tilt trailer and it will not tilt with the bars in place. Still worth it for getting there and back.

 

[Labswine]

My BlueOx is very quiet (WD and antisway). Two ends into the receiver (tab A into slot B) and the other ends are chain to the trailer tongue frame. Never heard a peep outta them even in hard turns (forward or reverse).

 

[brianinca]

Riding in a Dodge RAM with a buddy dragging his Mom's trailer to his ranch, the clacking noise got my attention. He said that was from the chains loading and unloading. The solid mount on the trailer for the bars to ride on provides the anti-sway and that seemed like a good combination as well as getting rid of the noise.

They are (longer easier, etc.) I've backed everything from short campers to boats to long camper and combine head trailers. The longer, the easier to maneuver, IMO. Short tends to react faster and get out of line more quickly.

I am curious - I've used both types in the past, one was an extremely heavy-duty setup with chains at the trailer end - why do you say it's quieter without chains? I've never noticed any noise, never heard the hitch. (it was on a huge flatbed that I used to haul tractors, antique engines, etc. - trailer empty likely weighed over 3,000 pounds, bud type wheels)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Riding in a Dodge RAM with a buddy dragging his Mom's trailer to his ranch, the clacking noise got my attention. He said that was from the chains loading and unloading. The solid mount on the trailer for the bars to ride on provides the anti-sway and that seemed like a good combination as well as getting rid of the noise.

Mine were always so tight that the chains never relaxed enough to make a noise. I had both types - my first flatbed had a heavy-duty WDH with chains at the rear ends of the bars and the one for my camper had a system more like shown in one of the other pics here. Both were quiet but the WHD bars turning in their sockets at the hitch did make some noise if I didn't grease them enough. The camper bars made a bit more noise where the bars snapped into the hitch.

I was just curious.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

FA92-00-0600

Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control - Trunnion - 6,000 lbs GTW, 600 lbs TW

Towing is great, loading and unloading sucks. It is a tilt trailer and it will not tilt with the bars in place. Still worth it for getting there and back.

I've towed cars and tractors on flatbeds for decades, the first trailer I owned where the company and the selling dealer both said "you'll not need WDH or sway control was the PJ I had before the aluma I have now and never any sway, the tow was rock solid and very stable even in storms.
I towed from Iowa to Reading and back one year, to Auburn a couple of times, Fort Wayne a couple of times.

After trading the steel PJ trailer for the Aluma, I contacted the engineers at Aluma and asked their thoughts on WDH with their trailers. The engineers about had a fit when I asked what they thought of WDH with their trailers. They gave me a lesson on the forces it would apply to the trailer frame and other places and said - don't do it - and it's not needed. Some of it was above my pay grade but they got their point across. Aluma is 100% aluminum - frame and all - except axles and coupler itself (and bolts, of course) 1500 pounds of tilt-bed trailer. That's about 600-700 lighter than my PJ empty.
My title bed starts a couple of feet back from the front of the trailer so there's a part that stays put.

 

[WXman]

Of course the Husky hitch makes noise. The friction is what gives you sway control. All of the designed hitches like this will make noise. Keep in mind that a lot of the weight distribution hitches on the market are not designed to be left installed while you are backing up.

 

[WXman]

What strength bars vs tongue weight is everybody else running? I see in this thread a lot of folks running 20% or more higher bars than tongue weight, versus I'm at 20% under. Sounds like I should try the 600s for sure?

I ordered my bars for about 20% less than my actual tongue weight. I didn't want a horrible ride, and the idea is to assist the truck with the load, not carry all of it.

Don't go too light with the bars though because they can break if they're severely under-matched.

 

[Scratch]

Of course the Husky hitch makes noise. The friction is what gives you sway control. All of the designed hitches like this will make noise. Keep in mind that a lot of the weight distribution hitches on the market are not designed to be left installed while you are backing up.

Do you have to disconnect the Husky to back up?

 

[WXman]

Do you have to disconnect the Husky to back up?

Nope. That was a huge draw for me. One of the many things I loved about this one.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I never disconnected until I was backed into place......... I did release the sway control on my camper hitch, but my first flatbed with WDH - just did what I always do, I just couldn't back as sharply as when it wasn't in place.

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