Do all need WDH?

[cjday60]

Do all TT and TVs need a weight distribution hitch? How do I decide, and if needed, how do I go about selecting one? Can you guys help guide me on this issue?

I have not weighed the TT myself, but the factory says:
UVW - 3805
Hitch wt- 510
GVW - 4,950

My TV is a 2007 full size Toyota Tundra SR5, 5.7 dbl cab, 2wd LB supposedly rated for 10,000#

Any advice will be appreciated.

[Murff]

Yes, Jodi!

For your safety, and others on the highway with you, you need a WDH, preferably with a good sway control.

Murff

[oldmanAZ]

You do: GVW 4950lbs x .15 = 742lbs tongue weight

If you had 3 BIG friends (~250lbs each) and you were giving all of them a ride in the bed of your truck, would you want all 3 sitting on the open tailgate? Probably not. If they did, all of that load would be on the truck's rear axle, the truck's nose would be high, and the handling would be poor at best.

A weight distributing hitch takes the tongue weight and transfers some of it to the truck's front axle and some to the trailer's axle(s). The truck's nose comes down and handling is better.

And, as Murff said, you need to have sway control, too. With some WDH it is built-in, others need an add-on friction anti-sway device.

[Marcm157]

Another vote for yes you do. And for the record, I love Oldman's analogy... Do your homework and find one you like. . There is a poll that popped up here recently showing that many here like the Equalizer. It's what I use and it performs very well...

[need-a-vacation]

Jodi,

Welcome!!!

As has been mentioned, you probably need to run a wdh with your truck and tt combo. When the tt is hooked up, it removes weight from the front axle due to the teeter totter effect. A properly adjusted wdh will "restore" the lost weight back to the front axle. For a ton of wdh info, follow the links in my signature. Also check E-Trailer for a ton of videos, and well as you tube.

One thing not mentioned yet, is a trucks factory mounted receiver hitch usuall has two sets of weight ratings. One set for weight carrying, which is just using a ball mount hitch. It will state a max tw (tongue weight) and max trailer weight for weight carrying. It will also have another set of max weights when using a wdh. It will state a max tw and max trailer weight for the wdh also. Look for a sticker on your trucks receiver hitch, and/or in the owners manual for this info.

The Reese Dual Cam, Reese SC, and the Eaual-I-Zer 4 way systems are all very good models with built in sway control. The Reese models do allow a little more fine tuning adjustment vs the Equal-I-Zer system. And if you get a new trailer and need different rated wd bars, you can buy just the new wd bars for the Reese models, while you have to buy a whole new wdh if you go with the Equal-I-Zer system. But the Equal-I-Zer system is still made in the US. Performance wise, any of these models will do the job very well as all are excellent choices!!!

A couple newer choices are the Husky CenterLine, the Blue Ox, and the (Recurve I think it is) R6 system. I have read some good things about all of them. And my buddy has been happy so far with the CL system, though it's his first wdh so he has no previous comparison he can do.

Make sure to get the proper rated wd bars for your loaded tw!!! Do not get them based on you "brochure" dry tw. A set of 800lb or 1000lb bars should be fine, depending on which model you choose and what is available.

Good luck shopping!!!

[wanderlust]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFbXEjydCXM

[wanderlust]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlJgHTVi7l8&t=40s

[cjday60]

Thank you, everyone!