blafleur

I tow a landscape trailer that varies from empty weight of +-1000lb to loaded at 8000 lbs on a 5000 lb capacity hitch. I bought a weight distribution bar set up hoping to increase the capacity and improve towing. While reading the instructions they said to make sure the trailer is level, even at the hitch's lowest setting, the trailer is not completely level. I called the manufacturer who said it really has to be level. Hate to doubt the manufacturer but does this sound right? I figured it could be set at any angle.<br><br> I also asked him about the varying weight and he said the hitch needs to be installed based on a fixed weight. This isnt as big a problem because I could just set it at the heaviest range and only use it when loaded down. Am I correct on this?<br><br>I also began to wonder as I was looking at how this contraption worked, how well does it take dips in the road?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Bryan

Mr. 45

I have one and all i do is adjust the amount of chain links. If it is a light load i just hook 1 or 2 link's. If it is my camper trailer i use 3 or 4, 5 link's is impossible for me to get hooked up.

P Kennedy

Bryan the details of your setup are a little vague, if you drive a diesel Dodge the rear springs should be heavy enough. 1 diesel 3/4 ton + class IV reciever hitch + tandem #12000 tandem trailer on 16&quot; wheels loaded properly and you have no need for an equalizer hitch setup. Sounds like the reciever is only a class III and #8000 load plus trailer is a bad scenario, lots of people use equalizer hitches in place of proper trailing and towing equipment. If you are in business with this unit and have a wreck you are jepordizing everyone on the road plus the employees you are responsible for. Hope this is of some help as I would like to see your business be successful from the start. PK

blafleur

Im not loading it down until I get this resolved as I know its not good, thats the hitch that came with the truck. My alternatives as I saw it was to get a class IV hitch, or the weight distribution bars. I opted for the distribution bars because I thought it would give a better ride. If it is not as good an option as getting a new hitch, thats the kind of information I am looking for. The new hitch is cheaper than the distribution bars, so I am not looking for the cheap way out. I've already got the distribution bar set so if it is a viable alternative I'd like to use it, if it is not, or if it wont work with my situation, I'll do something else.<br><br>Thanks, <br>Bryan

turboblue

Bryan<br><br>We pull my race trailer with my truck and a buddys truck. His is a F350 4x4 PSD dually which naturally sits higher than my 2WD dually. Bought a longer drop head for the WD hitch when using his truck. Got the ball heighth down to where my trailer sits level and then hooked up the WD bars. You may need to get a hitch head that drops further down to level your trailer. Another advantage to the WD hitch is that it keeps your truck from &quot;porpoising&quot; when you hit dips in the road.<br>Good luck.

P Kennedy

The other guys have a point about the porpoise effect but if you take a close look at the hitch mounting to the frame most class III have 4 bolts to the frame and class IV has 6. Equalizer bars wont make any difference in this scenario. Also if you were to do long highway trips like those guy's the bars are great especially when the truck has a habit of rear bounce. My buddy was in this business and went through the same thing and ended up rigging like the original recommendation stated. Why, well your average commute trailer in tow is less than 1/2 hour at 20-50 mph, secondly the rate of coupling and uncoupling will be 10 times what those guys will do per day,week or month. He started with a 1/2ton and car trailer (2-3500lbs axles) 16' long and destroyed it in less than one year. The second trailer was 20' on 2 #6000 axles with 16&quot; rubber allowing more ground clearance because of the long overhang, but it allowed him to haul every piece of equipment he had. The heavier trailer also could haul equipment he thought he would never own ie; bobcat with snowplow, rotating brush, power rock picker and multiple buckets. He used my 3/4 4X4 for a year until the purchase of a F350 crewcab SB/SW 4X4, this unit was a little shorter for manueverability with the trailer could accommadate all fuel, tools, parts and could drop equipment in one spot with crew and deal with emergencies as needed. After a while we put twin light commercial dollies on the trailer width of the frame giving it more stability and now being able to crank dollies from the side easily. Work has enough intracacies without little things to fight with daily, just trying to make life hassle free for you. Went through this every day with large trailers, like mechanics who use summer grease and dont have to crank them down at -40 20 times a day. It is aggrevating to discover it would have been so much easier not to have to deal with it 6 months down the road. PK

blafleur

P. Kennedy, sorry to be a knucklehead, but are you recommending going with the class IV hitch?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Bryan

boehunter49

Hay Bryan I've towed trailers for years with an with out bars if your trailer sets a little high in the front thats ok, you just don't want it to sag in the front not to look like a ( v ). The factory hitch is plenty heavy for your use don't worry about that. about the weight change like some one said before here just adjust your chains to the weight just don't pull up to tight on the bars or it can transfer the weight off the rear wheels of the truck to just the front of the truck. You just have to play with it your self to get the hang of the whole setup. As for dips no problem there either. after you use it a while you will like it. HAVE FUN BOB

P Kennedy

No Bryan you're not a knuckle head, the class IV hitch just matches your needs better with a safety margin built in. Over engineered is costly- underbuilt is deadly, I was just trying to point out the costlyness of working yourself into a corner with sub-standard equipment through practical experiences. PK

pwabbott

The factory receiver on the Ram is Class IV is used with a Class IV equalizer hitch. Without equalizer hitch it is rated for hitch wt of only 500# or 5000# trailer wt. The manufacturers publish guides to help in selection. Get one of the adjustable models. The trailer should be nearly level for best handling and proper operation of the hitch. I've used them since 1971 and currently have two.