Weight Distribution Hitches

**yobigal** · 04-09-2021, 07:54 AM

How do you determine what size Weight Distribution hitch that you need?

Do you need a sway bar or is the sway control on the vehicle good enough?

I know this is a loaded question but what brand is preferred and why?

Thanks.

**goducks14** · 04-09-2021, 08:49 AM

From my understanding the vehicle sway control is reactionary in that it only works when the trailer is past a certain sway point. I think Fords might be a little different though.
As far as determining what size WDH to get. If you don't know the loaded trailer weight then use the trailers GVWR and times that buy 12.5%.
e.g trailer GVWR 7500 lbs x 12.5% = 937 lbs. A 10,000-1,000 lb
I use a Blue Ox that has built in sway control. It's all inclusive. There are other brands that work the same way and are just as good.
I've used the old style WDH and an added friction bar. Kind of a PITB. It's much easier to just snap up the tension bars and have them be your sway control vs adding another step to hitching up.

**BeerBrewer** · 04-09-2021, 03:52 PM

The Hensley and ProPride hitches are unlike most other weight distribution hitches in that they are not "reactionary" when it comes to sway. They totally make it virtually impossible to occur using a patented converging linkage design. If you are concerned about sway I strongly suggest that you check them out. They are expensive but worth every penny.

**Ynot4me2** · 04-09-2021, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by yobigal

How do you determine what size Weight Distribution hitch that you need?

Do you need a sway bar or is the sway control on the vehicle good enough?

I know this is a loaded question but what brand is preferred and why?

Thanks.

The size of the wdh is determined by the size of the trailer, the bar size by the tongue weight. Wdh sway control is by friction, vehicle is with your brakes. I prefer to have the control with the wdh.
But, according to your signature, you haveva 5th which is different. Are you planning on changing? Most of the better wdh come with sway control.

**yobigal** · 04-10-2021, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Ynot4me2

The size of the wdh is determined by the size of the trailer, the bar size by the tongue weight. Wdh sway control is by friction, vehicle is with your brakes. I prefer to have the control with the wdh.
But, according to your signature, you haveva 5th which is different. Are you planning on changing? Most of the better wdh come with sway control.

My brother is thinking of buying an imagine so I was asking the question on his behalf.

**Retired Copper** · 04-10-2021, 11:03 AM

If the tow vehicle is match good to the trailer then there are a lot of options if not a good match then you might want to spend the 2k plus on a hensley or pro pride but for friends and family I usually tell them to get an E4 if it doesn`t work then you have a problem somewhere else. I tell them this because when I first started I bought a hitch from the dealer and it just didn`t do the job then I bought an E4. A new truck was out of the question at the time and was researching the Hensley and Pro pride but the E4 works perfectly and 2k cheaper. On the following trailers I just went straight to the E4 and have never had a problem.

**goducks14** · 04-10-2021, 11:14 AM

It's actually $3K plus now for an HA or PP. Still worth it if it's your 1st hitch.

**geotex1** · 04-10-2021, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by yobigal

How do you determine what size Weight Distribution hitch that you need?

Do you need a sway bar or is the sway control on the vehicle good enough?

I know this is a loaded question but what brand is preferred and why?

Thanks.

Straight-forward. The bars are rated by tongue weight and trailer weight. If my Equal-i-zer 1,000/10,000, this is the 4-point version, is enough for what they but I'll make a screaming deal on it. Can even drop out your way if timed right.

**BobLandry** · 04-27-2021, 03:48 PM

I have never heard of a truck/trailer mismatch. Just about any good WD hitch, properly adjusted, will do what you need it to do. Where most people get in trouble is with having it misadjusted. It takes a little while to set one up correctly.
Many think the WD is supposed to level the rig. Not so. The purpose and the only purpose of WD is to return the weight to the truck's front end that you remove when the trailer is hitched. You don't need a scale. Use measurements from the front wheel well. The truck owners manual will have a section on trailering and it will tell you what measurement you are looking for. The truck is probably going to squat. Let it. That does not affect handling. Too much weight removed from the front end does. So, get the front end adjusted correctly and let the rear end take care of itself. If it is really annoying, bags are an option.

I have never seen a dealer that could correctly adjust a hitch.

**Davep785** · 05-29-2021, 05:20 PM

I'm new to rv world and about to order GD Tanscend 240ml, with F-250 6.2 gas. I was going to work with the dealer in KC to install the hitch they recommend.... Now I'm not sure... What are my options?