Weight distribution hitch system

[KMB]

Anybody use one of these for their firewood hauling setup? I'm thinking one of these systems would help my 1/2 ton truck pull the trailer I use for bigger loads (borrowed tandem axle, 18' car hauler, 7000lb GVWR). They aren't cheap though.

Kevin

 

[wkpoor]

I hear they are a pain to hook up. Why not just put some air bags on the truck so it can handle the load more easily.

 

[IdahoPanhandle]

They are not hard to install.

But I do agree that a set of bags would serve you better.

 

[kevin j]

Airbags just beef up the spring rate and help the back end carrry the load better, but the axle and frame are still limiting. The tongue weight is still applied behind the axle on the ball hitch which makes for big load on frame and light load on the front end andd steering. Can still get pretty squirrelly in the front end.

The weight distrib hitch moves some weight onto the front axle and makes considerable difference.


On a half ton though there is a limit to how much hitch weight you would want. With tandem trailer, can you just load the wood more rearward to lighten the tongue weight? (ALWAYS want good positive weight downward on the tongue though.) Towed weight is the same, just need to be really careful with a half ton.

k

 

[314epw]

hitch

I have one I use for my 5000 lb rv.it works great.Otherwise I'd have 800 lb tongue weight.Front end comes up steering sucks.Great way to be looking for an accident.Worth the money.Not so bad to hook up after you get used to it.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

I had a 1/2 ton Chevy in 1994 that I occasionally would pull a trailer behind. It would sag a lot in the rear until I got my weight distributing hitch. With the hitch the truck could pull a loaded trailer much better. The hitch does complicate the hooking up a little bit, they are expensive unless you get one at a flea market like I did, and I did find that it was a lot of stuff to store. It did a very good job however of making my light truck pull a trailer better, and it kept the hitch from rattling over bumps.

If you can get a weight distributing hitch cheap - it is certainly worth a try. They come in different sizes......get a small one for your setup as some of them are really big and heavy.

 

[KMB]

Good info fella's, thank ya!

I have considered air bags at one time, but went with Timbren springs. I probably should have went with the air bags...but kevin j makes a great point regarding air bags and weight distribution. I do try and load the bulk of the load over the trailer axles and less near the front.

I think that what it comes to in all my figurin' on how to get my 1/2 ton to pull the trailer safely and properly is to save up and get more truck...or haul smaller loads. But if the trip distance is long, I need to make the most of each trip.

Kevin

 

[avalancher]

I dont know what kind of weight distibution hitch you are considering, but I will have to say that I use mine very rarely. My hitch mounts on the trailer tongue, and has two bars that hang pretty low to the ground. In rough ground(I dont know about you, but anytime I am hauling wood, i get into some pretty rough stuff) they are always hanging up on something. often enough sometimes that i get stuck and have to back up and try a different route. I found that I can haul just as much with out it for a short distance by centering my load on the axles, with the tongue just slightly heavier to maintain good control.
I rarely will travel more than 30 miles for wood in one direction, and found that the pain of hooking the thing up wasnt worth the effort for such a short trip.
Just my two cents worth.

 

[KMB]

I dont know what kind of weight distibution hitch you are considering, but I will have to say that I use mine very rarely. My hitch mounts on the trailer tongue, and has two bars that hang pretty low to the ground. In rough ground(I dont know about you, but anytime I am hauling wood, i get into some pretty rough stuff) they are always hanging up on something. often enough sometimes that i get stuck and have to back up and try a different route. I found that I can haul just as much with out it for a short distance by centering my load on the axles, with the tongue just slightly heavier to maintain good control.
I rarely will travel more than 30 miles for wood in one direction, and found that the pain of hooking the thing up wasnt worth the effort for such a short trip.
Just my two cents worth.

That's the kind of info I'm looking for...actual usage in rough ground. Good stuff. I think I'll stay away from them and load carefully.

Kevin