I’ve been a mechanic for over 40 years now ,five of which were spent in a custom hitch shop, and I will say this you’re absolutely correct I often see people removing critical tongue weight with these devices.

One factor I have not heard mentioned in your (or anyone else's) videos about towing and weight ratings is the actual hitch (not the ball or shank) rating itself. I climbed under my pickup to look at my hitch (the part permanently attached to my truck) and found it had two weight ratings, depending on whether or not weight distribution was being used: Without weight distribution a max of 5000 lb towing and max 500 tongue weight With weight distribution a max of 11000 lb towing and max 1100 tongue weight I realized that without weight distribution the trailer I am planning on buying can, once loaded, exceed the safe maximum rating for my actual hitch. Your truck is burlier than mine, so it likely has a stronger hitch than mine (you could climb under and look to verify). But I thought it worth mentioning this often-overlooked but important weight rating.

You used to have to hand crank cars to start them and in the 1960's air conditioning in cars was an expensive option. We have come a long way. My weight distribution hitch is wonderful for towing my 7,000#, 27' Lance with my Silverado 2500. Absolutely no sway on the highway. Solid and stable. I wanted to see just how the rig performed without the bars on the hitch, so I tried it. It was like night vs day. The hitch makes an amazing difference. The hitch was expertly installed by my dealer and dialed-in for my truck. My trailer and truck are perfectly level when towing with it. To each his own, but as for me, I'll go with the technology. BTW, I love your channel.

A 5th reason to use a WD hitch, My owners manual states any trailer over 5,000 lbs requires a WD hitch or warranty is void.

I agree that not every travel trailer/truck combo needs a weight distribution hitch, but I think that most all would benefit from one. That said... love you guys. Always great info. Keep on truckin!

Good info, as a former transporter for many camper manufacturers the rule of thumb was if your camper is 30' or longer we had to use our distribution hitch.

Also be sure to check your vehicles manufacture's towing guides, for example Ford recommends for the F-150 a weight distribution hitch, any time the tongue weight is over 500lbs

Great insight, I appreciate all of the information you provide. I'll point out that the tongue weight, as a percent of the trailer weight has a huge impact on stability. Most travel trailers are designed so that at least 10% is on the tongue. Don't do anything that would make the tongue weight less than 10%. I towed boats, as part of my job for a number of years. Basically, the more tongue weight you have, the more stable the rig will be in terms of sway. Sway control is not a substitute for adequate tongue weight. I think you provided good guidance as to when an equalizing hitch is needed.

As you suggested i took my 25ft lite BP down the highway at 70mph with a crew cab f250 shortbed with no issues and found it handled great and I didnt feel the loss of turn radius and issues with backing up with a WD hitch was worth the added cost and headache. Thanks for the great info!

easy way to do this. go to a scale get your axle weights with the trailer and without. just because your truck is sitting level does not mean you have not shifted axle weight off the steering axle. a common misconception is with air bags they make the tow vehicle sit level yes, but actually transfer weight off the steering axles. was something I have argued against but the video proved me wrong. Fastway trailer does an excellent video with actual scales to prove this. the video is entitled the difference between using weight distribution and air bags to level your load. I like their video it shows the whole process they use so its not just hearsay. this obviously does not apply to 5th wheels since their load sits directly on the axle.

We had a weight distribution hitch with our travel trailer and loved it. We had a front bed with 40 gallons of water storage underneath it (320 lbs) and a rear bathroom with two 40 gallon wastewater tanks (Grey & Black). Just imagine how much tongue weight "Change" we had between Going and Returning. I had 2 Completely different settings on the Spring Bars depending on whether that 320 lbs of water was on the Tongue or behind the rear axle. Then there were the two 30 lb. Propane tanks on the tongue. When I took 400 lbs off of the Tongue and Placed 320 lbs on the very back of the Trailer behind the Axle it was a Game Changer. I don't have any Issues with my current setup. 7,000 pounds of truck and a 650 pound flatbed trailer for 2 Dirt Bikes.

I agree, I have a 18 ft travel trailer with a 2018 Ford F350 4x4 diesel no problems towing. But with my 27 ft toy hauler which is heavy, definitely need weight distribution hitch. When I get near campsite and need to turn sharp I remove sway bars. Not needed for low speed turns.

Fantastic video. We have already planned on getting a WDH for our truck. I am however glad to see that you are informing people that not everyone needs one! You have a hell of a tow vehicle I’m jealous

Thank you for this explanation with great graphic to help me see this better. We just upgraded our sagging 1500 for a 2500 and just reconfigured our WDH yesterday. We could probably get by without but, since we have it, put it on our new setup. I agree you probably don't need one but our 26 ft has more surface area so we will go with it.

You are right. We had a 2000 version of your truck Duramax, 2500HD Crew cab Short bed. We towed a 25BH without any issues at all. We now pull a 21QB about like yours with a Mercedes ML400. No ifs ands or buts, It needs a load leveler. I tried it without and it was a handful. Now, even in wind my Curt makes it drive as though it was on rails. As you said, different rigs, different requirements.

Most new trailers come with weight distribution hitches which have many advantages over a bare hitch including tire wear, trailer dipping and lateral stability.

I am with you 100%!! I always use a sway control bar, but not a weight distribution hitch. Our trailer is small and the tow vehicle has adequate suspension to tow level and proper. No need for the extra work at all. I tow a 2017 Coachmen Clipper 17FQ with a 2015 Ford Explorer Sport with tow package. Tows level and solid.

We have been pulling our 27ft camper for 15 years. We have pulled it without a sway bar and with. Have to say that the sway bar reduced the sway immensely. But everyone should do what works fir them.

Pulling an 18' teardrop with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Factory tow package on the jeep, the only thing we added was a sway bar. Since our Jeep's tow package came from the factory, our vehicle once the ignition is on, will level (use of air bags in the rear suspension), giving us a nice level ride. We have been told by many that our 18' weighing 3100 doesn't require a sway bar, but for us it's a peace of mind. Of course we have electronic trailer brake setup as well and have never had an issue and we've pulled ours for almost 20k miles. Good video, very informative.

I agree that you can get away with pulling that size of a trailer with a 3/4 ton truck without a WD hitch. But I have a feeling they have not tried a WD hitch to see the difference it makes even with that truck and trailer combo. There are weight distribution hitches out there, like the Andersen WD/Anti-Sway hitch, that does not reduce the turning radius at all and that hitch is super easy to hook up. I had a 2020 Wolf Pup 16FQ TT which weight about 3500 lb with my gear in it and I thought I could get away with not using the WD hitch behind my 2019 Silverado which has a 7200 lb GVWR.... but after a couple unpleasant experiences pulling that TT in moderate wind I quickly realize that I wanted a WD hitch. WD hitches just makes such a big difference and towing much less stressful.

Interesting and informative. I have owned two used RV/truck combos: an Airstream / Suburban. and Casita/F150. I asked each owner to sell me the truck that had been used to pull each RV . I made it clear I didn't want the trailer without the truck. They reluctantly agreed. I went this route because I was flying blind. I knew nothing about hitches, etc. It worked out for me., never had a problem. Not a bad way to go if you have no experience. All this info is engineering science. David, you and Roe are the best. Being from Indiana doesn't hurt either.

IMO you would be happy with something like the Andersen where it's basically no extra work to hitch and un-hitch, but it's there for you when things get hairy and that sway you've never experienced suddenly decides to make an appearance. Doesn't affect turning radius. Doesn't need to be unhooked to reverse. It's really no pain at all.

Thank you so much for the video, that really helped. You always do a good job.

Even with no sag or rear squatting of the tow vehicle you may still experience a porpoising effect while towing. For those that don’t know what that feels like, it’s like when you’re in a boat and you feel rocking front to back after going over a wave. It can definitely get you feeling a little motion sickness after a while. The weight distribution hitch helps tremendously with that effect.

I had no idea about measuring ball drop. You learned me a good one today definitely will be doing that, thank you!

I feel much safer with my weight distribution hitch on my 6500 lbs dry trailer, it takes 5 more minutes hooking up, but I feel safer and it handles better, my two cents! Most manufacturers suggest it because you probably need it. From a Ford Towing Guide : CLASS IV EXTRA-HEAVY-DUTY • Over 5,000-lbs. gross trailer weight • Most applications require a conventional weight-distributing Cheers

I chose to get a Blue Ox WD hitch on the basis of 'just in case'. Saved me a lot of time researching and testing to figure out if I really needed it. What I did NOT want is to learn a hard lesson in the middle of nowhere. I put it in the insurance expense category.

I agree each to their own. I personally use torsion bars with out sway control when pulling heavy trailers. They make the truck and trailer ride as one unit. Don't have much bucking when going over(example) bridge joints. If the example you gave of the truck still saging with torsion bars, means that they didn't know how to properly adjust them or they had entirely too much for the bars or the truck. A side note...you can transfer too much weight off the rear axle also by NOT having correct torsion bar adjustment. Another part of the equation is proper trailer load weight distribution, very important for maintaining control and ride. Another part that is overlooked is tongue weight, not just gross trailer weight. Even the tongue of the trailer has the max weight stamped on it. Don't just go by your weight rating of the ball, but also the hitch shank weight rating (what the ball is mounted on). Some are hollow square tubes and others are solid with different weight ratings. Good material. Keep the vids comming

I have a 2005 2500 HD Duramax, my travel trailer weighs 6k lbs. I pulled my TT one time without a weight distribution hitch and it didn’t seem too bad. But Using the weight distribution hitch made a huge difference I will always use it. I was blown away with how big of a difference it was.

I worked with Torklift on my setup. I have 6.0L GMC ext short bed with a 1/2ton camper I haul, and I tow a flatbed trailer with a Jeep and camping gear on it. Torklift also said with my setup I did not need a weight distribution hitch. They also said that if i was going to have a weight distribution hitch I would need a different one depending on the load on my flat bed trailer. They also said that most people buy the wrong distribution hitch anyway. There is a science to it and only works if you are towing the same load every time. I have multiple different trailers. They said with the class 5 hitch and extension and the truck I have it is more than enough to haul my trailer safely. I have since put on 10K miles travelling all through Utah up and down the Rockies with no issues whatsoever. Like you I have no sag, and I do have compensating air bags. Thanks for putting yourself out there beyond popular belief.

It’s all about tongue weight. A weight distribution hitch can be used with or without sway control, it is, as you mentioned, designed to distribute your hitch load across all axles. You missed two items, what is the rating of the receiver hitch, they are often rated with and without a distribution hitch (usually 1000/10,000 or 1200/12,000), and what is the capacity of the drop hitch? That capacity is different than the rating of the hitch ball. Your trailer is 5400lbs loaded, your hitch weight should be around 10% or around 540lbs which is well under the 1000lb capacity that your receiver should be rated for without a distribution hitch, so you definitely are safe and don’t require one. Everything else you included is great info, this is just more food for thought. Love your videos, keep up the great work. Also, I am sorry for your loss, and hope that you able to enjoy this time with your family. Stay safe!!

Just purchased a 4600 lb+ Grey Wolf Cherokee. We opte to use our 2004 Envoy XUV XLT (89K miles) as the tow vehicle m(rated 6400 lbs), and purchased an Equal-i-zer 10000 unit. I also replaced the air bags on the Envoy's suspension a couple years ago, and last week installed new struts and shocks and bump stops. With the Equalizer and air bags, I do not even feel the trailer back behind us. It just pulls like a dream and keeps level all the time. Thanks for the info. Oh yea, the Equal-I-zer does interfere at all with the turning radius.

Our dealer actually said we don't need a WDH, and I basically agree. It's an '06 Tundra crew cab (still strong) with 6500 pounds towing capacity hooked up to a Rockwood Geo Pro 19FD (4100 pounds max) with a tongue weight of about 400 pounds. It seems to tow just fine without a WDH, but having had one on previous RV's, I tend to want one for sway control more than weight management, so I'm looking at the Andersen brand WDH because the hitch assembly weighs much less than the typical WDH and the connect / disconnect is easier.

Do you NEED one? No. Does GM (Chevy & GMC) require a weight distribution hitch system for any trailer over 5,000 lbs? Yes. Can you? Yes. Should you? No.

Thanks for the app, getting it now.

WDH and Sway Control are often packaged together but are not the same thing. You can use one without the other.

Very detailed video, helpful to see a concrete example of when you wouldn't need one. And providing information for someone to determine for themselves.

Excellent video! You had me at turning radius however you lost me on cost as this is a safety feature of which cost and actual lives saved will far outweigh (ha, ha) the cost...Love the disclaimers because it's so true about your own research. The biggest thing for me has been getting level and it made a night and day difference. I actually got an adjustable ball mount inexpensively which really helped as even though my calculations seemed right they were off...if I didn't have the adjustable mount then I would be going back and forth. What I didn't realize until I got the mount is the weight rating (why is this one so much less than the others?!!) lucky for me it was the right one anyway. What you fail to mention which I understand is EXTREMELY important - the weight on the ball itself. Meaning even after you are level if you don't have enough weight on the ball - usually only an issue for smaller light weight trailers - then you could have trouble with sway. In the end wouldn't the safety issue be enough to sway (ha, ha) you to buy a weight distribution hitch? Even if you didn't technically need it there might be a benefit to having it for extreme situations you run into...you think?

We needed the sway control ($35) on our old 4200 lb trailer way more than the $300 massive weight distribution hitch I had bought. Even with weight distribution, over 45MPH, the trailer fishtailed like crazy. Part of this may have been the queen bed tube that hung in the back end of the trailer. I put on the sway control and all was good. The only other headache we had was being passed by a faster moving RV, bus or tractor trailer. It felt like we were being sucked into them. Moving away didn’t help and was often dangerous because you could over compensate snd by the time you felt it, they were usually already going by, so just hold the wheel straight and wait for you but to relax.

I’ve been driving a big rig for twenty two years. You have just been lucky so far. High winds have blown big trucks right off the road. Hopefully you’ll never have to say, I really wish we would have gotten a sway bar setup.

Finally, a voice of reason. Excellent presentation, well done snd informative. Thank you.

I think the getaway is, when the combination of truck cargo and trailer doesn’t exceed GCWR and GVWR, if there is a significant sag, use WD; if you experience sway, use sway control.

The weight rating engraved on the top of the ball is for the ball only. The ball mount carries its own rating. Both need to exceed the requirements. It would be interesting for you to pull that trailer with an equalizer hitch for a period of time to seee if you notice a difference. I have basically the same truck without the long bed and a similar trailer and can most definitely tell the difference. I think you are right that it is the lomg bed that allows the setup to work for you.

I've been part of the camper life for over six years, and know that you're correct. I do have a removable hydraulic sway system. Only time that I use it is in ice and snow. Did have to spend the money to upgrade my truck suspension, but is way worth it. Don't recommend helper springs, made that mistake. Like driving a tank. Be careful out there, and maybe I'll see you around.

I pull a small light 17 foot travel trailer. By using a weight distribution hitch with a relatively large truck, I am actually overloading the single axle of the trailer by forcing it to carry some of the weight of the larger truck.

Good info Dave. You also have dual axle RV. Dual axles are more stable than a single axle. We use a weight distribution hitch and they are a pain to couple and uncouple, this may be why some people don’t use them when they really should be.

Lots of good info, thanks for sharing! I will still likely consider a weight distribution hitch once I do get a trailer, but that is because my rig set-up will meet criteria that you state are good reasons for a weight distribution hitch. I appreciate the details you provide. Thanks!

You’re the first person that says you don’t need a WDH for every trailer in all circumstances. I read about people with 2021 3500 Sierras towing a 5,000 pound trailer that insist on WDH. Doesn’t make sense to me

Good info. Towing KZ 2303 with GMC Savana 1500. Ball mount just clears trailer at max elevation. Never needed a sway bar, even with strong crosswinds. Have some sag. Per your advice, backing-off on the spring pressure of the WDH. As you mentioned, I take it off when maneuvering in tight campgrounds.

weight distribution systems can handle tight turns, you just have to ditch the swap control bars once you get to the camp site. Then it behaves just like a regular ball hitch setup.

The community division is interesting. Very well done. Thank you. I did a hitch in the Army, he never calls. Another triple, my apologies.

Good info presented very well. For those of us just starting out, we thank you.

I have a Ram 2500 w/a Cummins TD, & a 6500 # trailer for 5 years. I had to tow it to the dealer & I only had a ball hitch. I towed it 35 miles on a major US interstate and it was fine. No sway, no dip. Every other time, I used a WD hitch. Why? Because there were no problems at all, and I’ve towed the trailer across the country multiple times. I’d rather have that security even though I might not need it. This is a great channel, I enjoy listening to your insights.

You hit the nail on the head; "Do your own research" ! I am not disagreeing with your 4 points about needing a WD hitch but I'd also add; It doesn't hurt to take the extra measures for unforeseen circumstances that can avoid trouble. Although I may not "require" a WD hitch I use one and air bags. I feel a lot more at ease with my towing experience. I have ~40+ years of experience and have had blowouts, bearings burnout, sudden stops and high cross winds, snow .... It's just inexpensive assurance & insurance for me.

Concise and well explained topic; thank you for your experienced perspective. Continued joy and success; I hope you and your family are happy and well.

With all of the righteous lurkers out there, It took guts to post this video and in many ways, I agree with your logic. WD and Anti-Sway are two different topics and maybe touching on each would have given more food for thought. One final comment. Capitalizing "WE" instead of "DON'T" would emphasize your point differently! Safe Travels.

Love your videos...thanks for all the great content. Since you actually asked us to do so, I do have to clarify a few things. 1. You said a WD setup can limit turning radius but I have to point out that is only with old-school chain/bar setups. Most WD hitches today use slide bars. I have a Fastway E2 and it does not limit turns at all. 2. You mentioned your truck experiences no sag at all with your given tongue weight. By looking at the side view in your video, I can clearly see sag. It's not a lot but it's there. I guess the question is what is the difference when your trailer weight is not on your ball and when it is? I'm sure it drops at least a few inches since most trucks are raked from the factory. Along the same lines, there are those who experience sag and correct it solely with airbags instead of a WD hitch thinking that since it's level that they're safe. It's good to be level but "level" doesn't equal "safe". Science shows that when you correct "level" using only airbags, you can actually take even more weight off the front axle making it even more prone to sway, and loss of braking and steering control. 3. The real test would be to weigh the front of your vehicle (one or both front tires) without your trailer and then with it. If you experience little or no weight reduction, then a WD hitch won't be advantageous. If you see weight reduction on the front tires, then a WD setup would help even if your truck appears level. 4. You mentioned WD hitches take longer to connect. Ours might add 1 minute to the time to connect. So, you're correct but the time required is very negligible. 5. You are correct in that you probably don't need one for your setup but you should also note that it still has benefits that are valuable even if you can get by without it. For instance, I wear my seatbelt every day even though I've never been in a serious car crash. So the logic that I don't need to wear one because I've been driving for 35 years and never really felt a need for it isn't logical...just like the unforeseen future emergency you might have to make one day when the difference between a close call and a terrible accident is a $300 WD hitch. I guess what I'm saying is that just because you can get by without one doesn't mean it wouldn't be better and safer with one. We all care about you guys very much and always want to see you being as safe as possible. 6. Okay, I just want to finish by reiterating I love your videos. Even though I've been camping for many years, I always enjoy seeing what others are doing and am always learning from others experiences. I've learned a great deal from your experiences and insight since you've had your channel. Please stay safe and keep the great content coming. Have a great day!

When I bought my trailer I brought it in to the dealer to weigh my trailer and put a hitch on it they did it professionally. It pulls like a dream with a sway control bar.

First, Read tow vehicle owners manual. It tells you exactly at what point you need a WD hitch !! You should always have some kind of sway control..

Just watched this today and this is excellent information! Most people who have WDH systems are also running too much pressure on the weight system too. Many people follow instructions from the manufacturer for general use but don't really tune their setup for their rig. We had an 31ft, 10300lb Airstream we towed with a Chevy 1500 that was more than rated for that weight (on both GCWR and Payload). It had some sag, and so we used a WDH to level but I only adjusted it to remove just enough of the sag to make it work properly and no more. This is critical because WDH's can overload a trailer frame and cause it to bend or crack. One other note is that people often refer to hearsay "rules" when it comes to loading a hitch on a trailer. There is a misconception that the weight on a trailer tongue should be at least 10% or more of the trailer's weight. When in fact, the trailer manufacturer sets the hitch weight amount as a "rating". Meaning this is what your hitch weight should be, not more, not less. This concept goes completely against what many people think and why they tend to overload their trucks because they load their trailer excessively forward causing too much weight on the tongue which causes them to use a WDH when they actually didn't need one. Why? Because they should have loaded their trailer to match tongue weight *RATING*, and not followed the myth of weighting their trailer excessively forward. This is especially important with exceptionally light trailers which take large payloads like toy haulers. A toy hauler is designed to have a large load in the garage. This load ***removes weight*** from the tongue if properly loaded. Until there is a proper load in the "garage" there could possibly be too much weight on the tongue especially with the kitchen and bedroom forward of the axles. As an example of how wrong people think about tongue weights, there is a very popular KZfaqr who goes to dealer lots on a regular basis to review RVs. In one of his reviews he went around reading the tongue weight **Rating** on a trailer and the got a trailer tongue scale and weighed the actual weight of the tongue of the empty trailer. He then made the extrapolation that some tongue weights are higher and that you should plan on your tongue weight to be higher than the stated rating. Again, the mistake he made is that it's NOT AN ACTUAL WEIGHT. It's an actual RATING. This means if a trailer weighs heavy on the tongue when empty then it's expected, based on where the cargo is, that once you load the trailer that the tongue weight will become lighter as is the case with a toy hauler. The reason this myth has formed: We don't weigh our trailer tongues loaded (or properly!). Therefore we have no idea how to balance our trailers. So we have excessive sag because we have overloaded the tongue and then we add a WDH to put a band-aid on the real problem: Improper trailer balancing. The basic principle of loading a trailer is this: A trailer is loaded properly when loaded at the maximum weight rating of the trailer yet the actual tongue weight is loaded no more than the weight rating listed for that tongue. Left, right, front, to back, the trailer should be loaded correctly to the appropriate weight ratings. Any unequal loading will cause trailer sway. Truckers know this. Movers know this. RVers are insanely dumb in this area and we need to get this one right. Fixing this one misconception could help an awful lot of people eliminate their WDH and have a better and safer towing experience overall.

Great perspective paired with good info. Thank you.

David, Excellent narrative, spot on. I too do not need a weight distribution or sway control on our 06 Ram 2500. I have rear air bags that level the vehicle and after 200,000 towing miles on this Ram it has, with the trailers I have towed, been the remedy. Of course each trailer has a different character and may need the sway & load equipment. I hate to see those swayback RV's traveling down the interstate. Like you say, Owners need to do their research.

Good video, That white F 250 in your video had too much weight in the bed which was the problem. That Bullet trailer is not that heavy. You are 100 % correct about the weight distribution hitch. But as you mentioned your truck is a long bed 3/4 ton. The vast majority of trucks are short bed 1/2 tons. I pull a 24 ft. trailer with my short bed 1/2 ton crew cab. In my case the Equalizer hitch I have makes a world of difference. keep the content coming

I don't NEED: a distribution hitch, air bags, or sway control. But... the handling, and peace of mind they bring, are quite nice. The ride quality is drastically improved, especially in high wind and or mountains. Been towing for 20+ years, currently a 36ft trailer with a RAM 2500 Cummins.

To add to your awesome video...people need to check the door sticker on their truck (or one they are looking to buy) for the GVWR as different trim levels can also dramatically change the GVWR. Often people go to "guides" which isn't inclusive of the actual truck trim and other factors. Diesel vs gas will make a huge difference in GVWR, as well as axle ratings, gear ratio, bed length (as you mentioned), trim, etc. Also people need to read the cargo capacity of the truck. A long toy-hauler bumper-pull has a tremendous amount of tongue weight with no toys in it, which counts toward "cargo capacity" comparted to an equal length non-toy-hauler travel trailer. That said, the tongue weight can be more of a concern and people need to look at the tongue weight specs on the hitch receiver, ball, and shank capabilities.

I completely agree. Not every towing needs a weight distribution/anti-sway, especially anything less than 23 feet long with a 3/4 or more truck.

I think you are spot on. Your wheelbase, truck weight and camper specs seem to all jive. WDH should not be needed. IMO everyone should use some form of sway control. Its cheap insurance. I just went to a F250 and probably dont need the WDH anymore but with the EQ WDH its all in one so i still use it. The nice part about the EQ is it doesn't need to be removed. to back up. Good video. Thanks

Great video much appreciated I am getting a newer and lighter camper and I wasn't sure if I needed one the dealer said they would just wait and see if I needed one since it was under 3000lbs unloaded and I wasn't sure about their advice

I live in eastern Montana and towed without one and with one.. I can tell you because of the wind here that the sway control worked well.

Great information, i had a wd/sway control for my truck it actually caused me more sway but thats due to not having enough adjustment for the height of my truck causing the trailer to be tongue high. I now have just an adjust drop hitch and my rear load leveling airbags. Im pieceing a wd system together now so im not reliant on the bags 2007 ram 2500 cclb 6.7 6speed 4x4

Thanks for the video - I'm getting a new trailer on a new truck as well. (Silverado 1500 Duramax 3.0 with Winnebago Micro Minnie 1800BH) Previously on a 17' hybrid and Tacoma and obviously weight distribution systems. I might hold off and test the trailer once I get it...

Great information David. Thank you for sharing.

You also need to watch state laws, as the tongue weight in some states will determine if one is needed or not.

1. Have your vehicle inspected for all towing weights. 2. Have your towing gear in your vehicle repaired. 3. Get the tow wires brakes on your vehicle repaired. 4. Remember to check the weight of your hitch and ball are part of the weight of the tow tongue weight. 5. Subtract that weight from the load of the rest and you have remaining weight distribution needed if that.

3 years? Hmmm I’ve pulled very heavy weights for 36 years. I think that makes me more qualified? By your own analogy If you have this equipment, USE IT! Sway may not happen, but when it starts, it exasperates itself! Once it reaches a certain point, hang on for life! I’ve witnessed dozens of ruined vacations because of your assessment!

Glad it works for you. But we do use the sway control/WD and just take the bars off before we back into a site. Almost 2 years full time.

I use an Anderson distribution on my small single axle trailer - more for bounce. Also, no grease.

I think you have been extremely fortunate so far.

I weighed my rig with and without using truck stop scale. It measures individual axles. That helped me make my decision.

Good video... I currently don't use a WD hitch, but my trailer is light. I do have a friction sway control bar. If I ever upgraded to a larger trailer I think I would consider a WD hitch.

Ball mount drop/rise does not affect vehicle sag. It only affects whether or not the trailer is level. Also it helps weight distribution if the ball on your truck is as near the bumper as is practical.

Thanks David, the sticker on my one ton ford van states a weight distribution hitch is required for trailers over 5,000 pounds. While I’m sure I don’t need it, that might come into play in an accident while towing. Insurance companies will try to get out of paying a claim if they can. Worst yet being on a witness stand and offering that even though your vehicle and trailer specs require a WDH you determined that you didn’t need it. Not going to fly with a jury. Please follow all OEM requirements or risk financial liability.

Yes you can pull it and safely get down the road. There are benefits to ride quality and sway on a really windy day. I run with one because I like the way it rides hooked up smooth as butter. But they are expensive for the good ones like equalizer hitch. Judge your application know your weight and make a good choice if needed, and yes spend the money if needed. Btw: I run a 2015 2500hd leveled suspension with 7300 pound 32 foot trailer. Thus why I use one aswell to help keep my front end planted after a leveling kit.

Great information video!:You hit all the key points. When people buy a travel trailer or truck to pull it with, it's extremely important to do a thorough research on all the weight of the truck and trailer to see if one needs a weight distribution system put on. David and Jenni y'all have the perfect set-up. no distribution system needed. A important thing for people to know is watch your speed when towing. If the trailer started to sway when one is going to fast, it would to late to slow down because the trailer or truck would have done flipped. Y'all due a super job on speed control. Take care and God Bless You Both.

Nice presentation. I been with weight distribution hitch for a long time, would be afraid not to have them. But I have seen some on the road without them. Keep up the good work.

Thank you, finally someone said it. I have a 2018 Ram srw 3500 Cummins, I pull a 7k travel trailer with 700 lbs tongue weight. I don't run my wd hitch, I don't need anymore weight on the front axle with that diesel, and 700 lbs on hitch just makes it ride better, even levels it out a bit. I've never had sway problems even on windy overpasses. Just my experience.

Fascinating, so much to figure out. Thx for sharing.

Not only does your truck have a long wheelbase, your diesel engine puts more weight on your front axle.

You just convinced me what im doing works for me 1 ton 6.6 pulling a 28 food HR. I was thinking of getting a weight distribution set up. Now I'm comfortable with what I have. My only issue is when I hit those woopty woo roads there is a lot of travel. Kinda scary

Some good info here, especially since I have a tough time using my Equal-I-zer WDH due to being old and weak. However, aside from towing from OKC to my place in Eastern Ok (Where I used the WDH) I only plan to move it from the RV park I am staying in now (Cheaper to pay $400 a month, than running AC on my generator @ $5.00 a gallon) back to the farm. About 5 miles away. Hardly worth the effort. On the 200 mile drive to get it home I was very grateful for the equalizer, as I only have a half ton F-150 2 wheel drive for a tow vehicle. It did ok, but I wouldn't want to have to pull it across the country. My experience is that a heavier truck would make a BIG difference. My old F-350 Super Duty would hardly know it was hooked up. It's a fairly easy trailer to pull. A 23' Jay flight. When towing, my only goal is to get there alive and in one piece. Things can happen at the strangest times. I once saw a 32' 5th wheel with an F-350, which I have found to be an easier rig to tow than a bumper pull travel trailer, rolling down the interstate just fine, under good conditions, suddenly start to sway a couple of times, and then overturned and went off the road and rolled over three times into a ditch. They didn't survive. From easy cruising under perfect conditions, to total disaster took about five seconds. I've towed similar rigs, and found them to be an easy tow, but I've towed lighter rigs with a half ton, and at times; they were a bit nervous making. I'm just saying that can get away with a lot, sometimes, but it's always better to have good equipment that is more than merely adequate. Even then, it can go bad. I never did find out what caused that rollover. I was too busy getting the EMT out there. Maybe he had a blowout, maybe he was just trying to change the radio station, but whatever, the primary thing is -- be safe, and arrive alive.

I agree with you 100% have more truck than you need I do love not messing with weight distribution hitch or sway bars. Have F150 5.0 3.31 gears trailer weight 3500# tongue 410# never under any conditions had sway issues ever.

The reasons we don’t use a WD hitch are that it reduces weight on the back of the truck and the more weight, the smoother the ride, also part of the reason for going from 20 lb to 30 lb propane tanks. Also, the WD hitches make noise that is annoying. We tow an 8,200 lb, 30 ft travel trailer with a Ford f450 and we do use a friction sway bar because in strong cross winds that is needed. We boondock a lot and put generators, fuel and other equipment and toys in the bed of the truck. It really smooths the ride out compared to when not towing. Also, towing with the fresh water tank full also helps and is needed for boondocking. Even with all that going on the rig stays level. Between the tongue weight and the cargo in the truck bed and the family in the cab we’re able to get the weight in the truck up to half of its payload capacity and that makes a difference in ride quality. The sway bar is a necessity though in high winds traveling across the Great Plains.

I would add a note, just because you’re level does not mean you have distributed the weight properly which will help you avoid sway. But you are spot on, do your research and check your tow Vehicles numbers as well as the trailer and don’t exceed them, I’d stay at least 10 to 15% under for safety

I am pickup my camper this weekend and I am new at this. I think I have a close tow setup you have (my camper is shorter). My camper is a Keystone Springdale 1750RD and I have a 2005 Chevy 2500HD. I don't think I need a distribution hitch, but I've had people tell me I do. But watching your video I think I'm going to try it with out.

I have a Ram 1500 short bed with the 5.7 Hemi and I tow a 27ft Arctic Fox on a regular basis. I’ve never had a problem due mainly to loading my trailer correctly and paying attention.

A civil jury would be easily convinced that not using a WDH was negligent.

You don't need one until you need one, then it's too late.

I picked up a large enclosed car hauler/multi-use trailer. I towed it with 2 vehicle. primarily a 1/2 ton Chevy Avalanche. secondarily a 1 ton SRW standard cab F350 V10. They were both about the same WB. The trailer was rated for 10k gross and was like 4400 empty. Without a WT hitch, the 1/2 ton was scary even with the trailer empty. The 1 ton was OK empty, but didn't feel as good as the 1/2 ton with a WD hitch. Loaded (I used it to move, so a few trips), both NEEDED the WD hitch. My goal with the WD hitch was to bring the front ride height of the vehicle back the it's unloaded height.

Love all your videos! Please keep them coming. I was wondering if you have had any under carriage clearance issues and have you considered an "axle flip" to raise the camper since you guys do alot of boon docking and are off-road often.

I was a professional driver over 30 years now retired. Now doing the RVing thing for 13 years. He is absolutely right. I don’t use sways bars. My truck is the right size and weight classification to pull my trailer which is proper for my size of pickup. No issues what so ever. If you have the proper tow vehicle for your trailer you’re good to go. This pickups have these big engines to tow , but you can’t drop all that heavy ball weight right on the back end. That’s why they make fifth wheels. For the heavier trailers to put the weight where it belongs. They don’t have sways bars because they’re situated properly on the truck like a big rig.