Do I NEED a WDH??

[Oobray]

I tow with a 2002 Yukon XL 2500, 8.1 v8 and I'm pulling my 2015 264BHW. Only long pull was this past august and we pulled about 2,300 total miles all through CO and NM. I experienced very little, if any, sway. I certainly was never nervous even going through winding mountains and being passed, and passing semi-trucks. The rear end of the truck sagged maybe 1/2"-1" but is was BARELY noticeable. I was considering getting airbags, but I was wondering if I needed to get a WDH instead.

Thoughts?

[mike837go]

It's not so much the rear-end sag, as the front-end lift.


When we were pulling a 2,200# 18 footer, the bumper pull was fine.


The new trailer (same hitch) made steering 'unpleasantly light'. I upgraded to a WDH and it made trailering pleasant again.


So, if your trailer is presenting no issues of being 'too much' for the truck, stay with what you've got. If the handing feels compromised in any way, get a WDH.

[DocBrown]

↑↑ X2 what Mike said. ↑↑ It's all about the steering control. I would for sure use sway control though. Things happen on trips that are out of your control and sway control provides a bit of extra insurance that can save you bacon.

[TWP723]

Yeah, you need a WDH. Air bags are also good to have. I have both and life is great when I'm towing!

[Camper_bob]

I agree with Doc and Mike. If the steering is not compromised, then you're probably GTG. But to be sure, I would run the rig over a scale with and without the trailer and see what you've got going on on the steer axle. I bet the front end of that 'Burb is pretty heavy, so you may not have anything to worry about, but you never really know until you weigh it.

IIRC, in later model GM trucks, the WDH spec is to return 100% of the weight back to the front axle; so it weighs the same with or without the trailer. Of course, the idea being to maintain steering control when the trailer is pushing down on the rear of the truck and lifting the front.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Oobray

snip...... The rear end of the truck sagged maybe 1/2"-1" but is was BARELY noticeable. I was considering getting airbags, but I was wondering if I needed to get a WDH instead. Thoughts?

IMO you would benefit from using a properly sized/adjusted WDH. Your loaded 264BHW can easily generate 700lbs to 900lbs of tongue weight depending on your loading habits. Adding a sway control device would be recommended as well.

Since your experiencing some "rear TV squatting", then most likely there is some "front TV rise" taking place = weight being removed from the front suspension. Towing with reduced front suspension weight (below unhitched weight) may compromise TV steering and/or braking......., especially in less then ideal towing conditions.

A WDH returns weight removed from the front suspension due to the effect of the TT tongue weight placed on the hitch ball...., airbags can't redistribute weight.

A CAT scale visit can confirm all your weights (Unhitched/Hitched).

Even with a properly adjusted WDH it's normal to have 1"-2"rear TV squat, addressing the weight condition at the TV's front suspension is the WDH's designed purpose.

CAT scale how-to: http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...v-tt-3871.html

ps: Inspect your 2002 GM OEM receiver closely for any cracks around weld joints and any flexing taking place at the pin box....., this particular OEM receiver design was noted for problems especially under heavy TT tongue weights. I upgraded my 2002 OEM receiver years ago because of pin box flexing.

Bob

[clubhouse]

All good advice above, but let me add the Yukon receiver has a different rating when used in Weight Distribution opposed to Weight Carrying setups. I imagine with out a WD you are really testing the receiver. I on my 04 the weight carrying rating on the factory receiver was very low and those round tube receivers they used were not the highest quality -- granted mine was a 1500 not 2500.

If you already upgraded the receiver it might not be an issue, if not take a look. The limits are stamped right on the receiver.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

IIRC, in later model GM trucks, the WDH spec is to return 100% of the weight back to the front axle; so it weighs the same with or without the trailer.

That's correct and a good point. The GM manual says to measure the front fender at the center of the wheel before dropping the trailer on. Put the trailer on then measure again. Adjust the WDH to bring the front back to stock height. Realistically you might get away with 1/2 difference but In my experience with GMs you really need to get it as close to stock height as you can.

Originally Posted by clubhouse

The limits are stamped right on the receiver.

That's not always the right number though. The same receiver may be used on different trucks and different configurations of the same truck. More often than not the limiting factor is the rear axle and/or suspension. So the reciever may have a rating, but the truck itself may have a lower rating than that due other factors.

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by clubhouse

I imagine with out a WD you are really testing the receiver.

Does a WDH really change the capacity of the receiver?

I assumed it was more along the lines of w/o a WDH, you'd get way to much front end lift for the the given TW.

This post: How a weight distribution hitch works - Forest River Forums

Has the following summary:
"It is interesting to note that TT weight and “tongue weight” do not enter into these calculations. The WD hitch does not distribute “tongue weight”. It simply removes load from the TV’s rear axle and distributes it to the TV’s front axle and the TT’s axles."

Which implies that a receiver rated at 600#/1200# WDH can physically handle 1200# of TW.

[clubhouse]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

That's not always the right number though. The same receiver may be used on different trucks and different configurations of the same truck. More often than not the limiting factor is the rear axle and/or suspension. So the reciever may have a rating, but the truck itself may have a lower rating than that due other factors.

I hear what you are saying, but on both of my 2004 the GM OEM Receiver it was rated...

Weight Carrying -MAX- 5000lbs trailer & 600Lbs Tongue Weight
Weight Distribution - MAX- 10000Lbs Trailer & 1000 Lbs Tongue Weight

My point was simply if your OEM receiver in Non-WD mode was anything like mine, then you are exceeding that receiver. I would seriously doubt the RAWR would be less that 500# - so YES the receiver rating is a very crucial rating to keep in mind, epecially towing with out WD hitch. Exceeding that receiver might not hurt the truck, because it will break off well before that.

[clubhouse]

Originally Posted by charles_cincy

Does a WDH really change the capacity of the receiver?

It most certainly DOES.

Every receiver has a a Weight Distribution and Weight Carrying Limit on both the Trailer Weight and Tongue Weight. Even my Class V 2.5" recevier has both limits stamped right on the receiver.

I am not an engineer and WD gets contentious with some saying it does change the TW and others saying it doesn't. My basic understanding it that the latteral force created by the WD affects how the TW impacts the the receivers attachement points to the vehicle.

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by clubhouse

It most certainly DOES. Every receiver has a a Weight Distribution and Weight Carrying Limit on both the Trailer Weight and Toungue Weight. Even my Class V 2.5" recevier has both limits stamped right on the receiver.

Does it? I understand that it changes the rating...

Originally Posted by clubhouse

Weight Carrying -MAX- 5000lbs trailer & 600Lbs Tongue Weight
Weight Distribution - MAX- 10000Lbs Trailer & 1000 Lbs Tongue Weight
Exceeding that receiver might not hurt the truck, because it will break off well before that.

This is what I question. I wouldn't expect the receiver to fail unless TW was north of 10000#/1000#. Regardless of rather or not you had a WDH.

I would expect running 1000# TW without a WDH to do all kinds of bad things to the steering, rear suspension, RAWR...

Thus the reason for the different ratings, not that the receiver is somehow "stronger" if you will with a WDH.

[clubhouse]

I guess if you want test it that is perfectly fine by me, I don't want to.

Again, I am not an engineer, and don't fully appreciate the math -- but as I understand it when WD is engaged it produces two forces. A lateral force the distributes weght forward through the vehicles frame as well the spring bars create an upward force at the hitch ball which allows a higher weight rating of the receiver.

Maybe someone much smarter than I can confirm my understanding or prove it incorrect. Personally I don't care, I am well with in my wieght limits being GVWR, GCVWR, GAWR, Receiver WR, etc.

[clubhouse]

From Reese --

Trailer Hitches, Hitch Accessories, Hitch Wiring

Weight Distributing Hitches

Rather than merely supporting the trailer tongue weight (TW), weight-distributing hitches apply leverage between the towing vehicle and trailer causing the TW to be carried by all axles of the tow vehicle and trailer.

When TW is distributed in this way trailers with greater TWs can be towed, resulting in a more level ride which reduces stress on the rear of the tow vehicle and provides greater steering and brake control.


I trust they know more than I do