Weight Distribution hitch???

[blackflamevt]

I'm thinking about getting for my trailer, the trailer it's self emtpy is only like 250lbs tw but with the two tanks up front and battery and stuff in the trailer etc. The tw can be up to around 500lbs. There are a couple good deals on E Bay with a 1000lbs tw. I was reading it can be as bad to go over as it is to go under with the tw? Will a 1000 lbs tw hitch set up be ok or should i try to find one a little lower like a 800lbs? It's only a T 1550
Thanks
Steve in Ct

[nasa42a]

Steve.....

John B or Steve Collins may want to chime in on this but my experience with the chained equalizer hitches is that they are very adjustable in terms of the weight offset that they achieve.

Although it's not quite the same situation (for example), I'm using the same old 750-lb. bars for our Harmony (4300 lbs) as I used for the Hi-Lo (about the same), and for the Que (3200 lbs)...etc., etc. It is a matter of choosing how many links to use to hang the bars on the brackets (one doesn't want to overtighten).

In your situation, I'd get the 1000-lb model if the price is good.


Frank

[pwb01]

You probably should and use a sway bar too. My T-1950 absolutely needs both. Steve will chime in but he's at Fish Creek this week in Saranac Lake, NY. We'll meet up with him and other Sunline owners this weekend. Kind of a last minute M&G.

[blackflamevt]

Yeah i'll be doing a sway bay also. There are a couple on e bay with both hitch and sway bar for around $260.
Thanks
Steve in Ct

[Poppy & Nana]

Originally Posted by pwb01

You probably should and use a sway bar too. My T-1950 absolutely needs both. Steve will chime in but he's at Fish Creek this week in Saranac Lake, NY. We'll meet up with him and other Sunline owners this weekend. Kind of a last minute M&G.

- tell everyone we said HI......maybe next year!!!

[kanyonkitty]

A friend of mine had a 1982 T-1550 that he towed with a 1994 Ford Explorer. He traveled solo so the trailer was loaded light. We traveled the interstate a lot and all he ever used was a friction sway control, no weight distribution at all and his set-up sat nice and level. Now, your experience might be different depending on how you load your Sunline.

[blackflamevt]

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

A friend of mine had a 1982 T-1550 that he towed with a 1994 Ford Explorer. He traveled solo so the trailer was loaded light. We traveled the interstate a lot and all he ever used was a friction sway control, no weight distribution at all and his set-up sat nice and level. Now, your experience might be different depending on how you load your Sunline.

I'm going to take some measurements this weekend and see what the trailer does to my truck height. The trailer will be kept light, i'll see when i take my first trip with it. No big trips planned for this year anyways.
It was just a thought, just wanted to see what you guys/girls thought.
Steve in Ct

[kanyonkitty]

I forgot to mention that I towed a 1986 T-1661 for many years with a '99 GMC S-15 Jimmy without using a WD hitch. Mom and I made several trips cross country and never had any issues, just used a friction sway control. Of course back then mom & I didn't carry as much stuff as I (yeah I admit "I" seam to pack most of the "stuff" now in the 5'er ). BUT, I am trying to put it on a diet

[JohnB]

Hi Steve

In this case it is good to have an actual known loaded tongue weight. If your loaded tongue weight is in the 500# area, your into a WD hitch unless you have a real heavy truck along with a heavy duty receiver that can handle the weight carrying ability of not needing WD.

What is your truck and do you know what the WD rating of the truck receiver is?

If one is sizing up a hitch and you have a known 500# loaded tongue, then with the right adjustable hitch head and WD bar adjustments you can use a 600#, 750 or 800# system and be just right. The ride is about the best when the tongue weight is at or just under the WD bar rating. A WD bar over the rating works too but the higher you get over the rating the harsher the ride can be on the lighter TT's.

If you have 1,700# WD bar and a 1,200# tongue weight that is workable and not to harsh a ride. However a 1,000# WD hitch with an actual 400# tongue weight may create a harsh ride and if the TT frame is real light may create other issues. But if you have a 700# tongue weight then 1,000# bars work OK too. Again this is easier to give a more close answer if you are armed with actual loaded weights.

I do agree you need to have a form of anti sway control on any TT.

There are now options out there that have anti sway control and WD built in.

See this hitch I saw from the makers of the higher end Equal-I-zer hitch. Fast way is a division of Progress Mfg. I saw this one up close at a dealer a few months ago and it looked like a good option for smaller TT's
Fastway Trailer Products - Home

E2 Weight Distribution with 2-Point Sway Control 800 / 8,000 lb Round Bar - RVWholesalers.com RV Parts

That combined price of $265 for a round bar 800# WD hitch with integrated anti sway control can be cheaper then a $260 1,000# system that then needs an add on friction sway bar and the 800 # more closely matches your tongue weight

They also make a 600# one for $4 bucks less. E2 Weight Distribution with 2-Point Sway Control 600 / 6,000 lb Round Bar - RVWholesalers.com RV Parts

You need to add the tow ball to go with both of them. They can be in the $20 range

Reese makes a SC hitch too but it lists for more. Here a 600# SC hitch is $499. Reese SC Weight Distribution System w Sway Control - Trunnion - 10,000 lbs GTW, 600 lbs TW Reese Weight Distribution RP66151

Hope this helps

John

[suebobby]

We have been towing a T-2075 with our Jeep Grand Cherokee. We are using a Blue Ox Sway Pro WD hitch with excellent results 550# bars.