Do I need stabilizer and anti-sway hitch?

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

That's interesting to find in a manual. A properly setup hitch will lead to enhanced steering and braking control. It's almost like Honda is saying "Don't do it, because if it's done wrong, it could be bad". Isn't that true for just about anything?

Pretty much the consensus on the Ridgeline forums...

Also that WDH aren't used much outside the US. (Trailers are different & lighter)

Many RL owners, myself included choose to use a properly setup WDH.

I towed my x23B for a couple trips w/o one and could definitely notice some lightness in the steering. Things are more stable with my WDH.

[tylersdad]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

That's interesting to find in a manual. A properly setup hitch will lead to enhanced steering and braking control. It's almost like Honda is saying "Don't do it, because if it's done wrong, it could be bad". Isn't that true for just about anything?

Some vehicles may have engineering considerations that would disallow use of WDH (like a uni-body for example), but to recommend not using a safety feature because it "could be setup improperly" is beyond bizarre to me.

Totally agree.

[Kim Gass]

The Ridgeline is not a truck.. its build on an SUV chassis. Sheepishly I will go look at the manual!! Thanks!

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

The Ridgeline is not a truck.. its build on an SUV chassis. Sheepishly I will go look at the manual!! Thanks!

That's okay. Truck chassis, SUV chassis, whatever. So long as it's "Body on Frame" I would check the receiver ratings and that it is attached to the frame securely and go with a properly configured and setup WDH.

If it's not "Body on Frame" and is "Unibody", then there's more research needed to see if it's design will support WDH. But if that were the case then you'd think Honda would just say "the frame can't support WDH forces" and be done with it.

[SouthCo]

Ridgeline is not body on frame. It's unibody.

The all new 2017 may be different but I believe it too is unibody.

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

The Ridgeline is not a truck.. its build on an SUV chassis. Sheepishly I will go look at the manual!! Thanks!

The Ridgeline is most certainly a truck.

But even if you had a 3500 HD dually, you'd need to look at the manual and understand the limits.

With a 3200# trailer, you should have a tongue wt of at least 320# and at most 480#. According to the manual, that's within the limits. Though you also need to consider the 1500# cargo, 6050# GVWR, 3105# GFAWR, 1475# GRAWR and 10088# GCWR

The manual says not to use a WDH, but if you do some reading on the RL forums Towing question about leveler bars. - Honda Ridgeline Owners Club Forums you'll see many do use and recommend one.

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by SouthCo

Ridgeline is not body on frame. It's unibody. .

Correct and incorrect. It's not body on frame, the Ridgeline is unibody with a frame.

Nice photos: Ridgeline: Even weirder than it looks - Mar. 2, 2005

Nice Article: Crafting a pickup: Ex-GM engineer designed Ridgeline the Honda way | Autoweek

[preceptjoe]

I pulled a 27' tt for four years without wdh or antisway with a half ton chevy because I did not know any better. Never again.

[SouthCo]

A unibody with a built in "frame" is still a unibody. LOL. It is not built like a truck with body on frame. My father in law has one and he loves it...

[charles_cincy]

Originally Posted by SouthCo

A unibody with a built in "frame" is still a unibody. LOL. It is not built like a truck with body on frame. My father in law has one and he loves it...

No it isn't...it's a unibody sitting on top of a ladder frame.

Crawl under a typical unibody car. Now crawl under a RL.

There's a big difference.

Or take a look at the pics of these unibody SUVs
The Debate: Honda Pilot vs. Acura MDX | YouWheel - Your Car Expert

Now look at the ones for a ridgeline.
Ridgeline: Even weirder than it looks - Mar. 2, 2005

[SouthCo]

Originally Posted by charles_cincy

No it isn't...it's a unibody sitting on top of a ladder frame.



Crawl under a typical unibody car. Now crawl under a RL.



There's a big difference.



Or take a look at the pics of these unibody SUVs

The Debate: Honda Pilot vs. Acura MDX | YouWheel - Your Car Expert



Now look at the ones for a ridgeline.

Ridgeline: Even weirder than it looks - Mar. 2, 2005

Cindy, your first article isn't even about the Ridgeline. Your second article clearly states it's a unibody. It is what it is. Not a body on frame truck. Own it. It's payload is below a 1500/150 for a reason.

OP sorry for the derail. Yes use a WDH with sway control. Blue Ox makes a very nice one.

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by tylersdad

I just looked at the Ridgeline manual. It specifically says to NOT use a WDH because "an improperly setup hitch can lead to loss of steering and braking control".

That is true, but you could say that about any improperly set up WDH and\or improperly loaded trailer.