Jerry9n
SE Michigan
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Joined: 10/28/2008
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Pretty easy actually if you live near a truck stop with a CAT scale. We are lucky to have one right down the road. The people are very helpful. Go to the CAT scale site and it kind of walks you through it. Go in first and tell them that you are going to go for three weights-one initial of the TV then two with the trailer. They should charge you $9 for the first and $1 for each after that as long as they are within 24 hours.
The CAT scale has 3 platforms. On the first and subsequent weighs straddle the first two platforms with your TV, front axle on the front scale and rear axle on the middle. Then go get your ticket and hook up your trailer with no load bars. Same procedure with the trailer on the rear scale. Then get your ticket and put on the load bars and go one more time.
From those three tickets you can calculate everything including what actually happens when you put on the load bars.
Hope this helps. Here is the link to CAT and they have a scale locator on their website.
CAT Scale Link
Jerry9n
2009 23' Cikira Escape EXP
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Chuck_S
Broadview Hts, OH, USA
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A Kiwi 17 footer ain't gonna need 1200/12,000 WDH! Half that will be plenty. Those big square bars are not flexing. This is a WDH for a 35 foot travel trailer, not a hybrid.
-- Chuck
'06 Roo 23SS behind '07 Expedition out of Cleveland
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2000_Kiwi
Midland, NC
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Joined: 04/12/2007
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Chuck_S wrote:A Kiwi 17 footer ain't gonna need 1200/12,000 WDH! Half that will be plenty. Those big square bars are not flexing. This is a WDH for a 35 foot travel trailer, not a hybrid.
-- Chuck
Yes I agree... it is what the previous owner had on it...
I am going to list it on CraigsList and replace it with a smaller one.... I know they sell for over $600 new; what is a good listing price?
Thanks
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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You can get lighter spring bars to fit your hitch. Lots cheaper than losing your butt on this hitch (you'll get $250, max), and spending another $600-$800 on a new hitch.
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bikendan
Napa, Cal.
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Joined: 11/21/2005
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$600 for a WDH?
you can get a brand new Equal-i-zer with free shipping for $460 from RVW.
not sure if you're quoting a dealer's price. but i agree that you'll only get around $250.
Dan- Firefighter , Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur , Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever , 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
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Chuck_S
Broadview Hts, OH, USA
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Clean it and paint it before trying to sell it.
600/6000 pound Equalizer is, as noted $460 delivered to your front porch. You just need the ball.
-- Chuck
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2000_Kiwi
Midland, NC
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Joined: 04/12/2007
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I got some more detail about the trailer and tongue weight.
Loaded the trailer how we typically travel (no fresh water) and the tongue weight was only 240lbs.... far less than 15% of the trailer weight.
I took measurements of the trucks suspension with the trailer hitched and un hitched to see what the suspension compression was.
The front suspension did not change at all when I loaded the trailer on the truck. The rear suspension only compressed 1/8th of an inch.
There seems to be no weight on the back of the truck. I want your opinion on why I should bother with a weight distribution hitch?
I am definitely going with a friction anti-sway but don't understand the need for the WDH.
I am working on this today and appreciate any input.
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Chuck_S
Broadview Hts, OH, USA
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240 pounds on the ball? That's less than my popup weighed. You need at least 10% (somewhere in the 10% to 15% range) for safe towing -- not fishtailing all over the road.
But sway control as built into a WDH like the Equalizer won't help here as there's no weight to transfer and hence no friction on the support bars.
Friction sway control is the only option, but if the trailer doesn't sway it doesn't sway. Sway control is really only needed to account for the variations in tongue weight based on different loading.
Test tow this. If it starts to sway apply the trailer brakes and/or accelerate to suck the trailer back behind the truck.
-- Chuck
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2000_Kiwi
Midland, NC
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thanks chuck...
yep... 240lbs... I can lift it and move the trailer by hand without issue and I used a basic home scale under the tongue for weight. if I don't have the stabilizer jacks down, I can get into the back of the trailer and the front will lift off the ground. I am only 190lbs.
it was my thinking that the WDH was not really needed. The trailer currently "walks" or sways and makes me a little nervous. The previous 18ft we owned towed great without any WDH or friction sway.
Also, on this trailer.... to bring the tongue parallel to the ground it must be about 10 inches from the ground which means my truck with 2" drop draw bar leaves the front of the trailer pointing up a little... Which is not helping the situation at all. Would it be a good idea to get a draw bar that would get the tongue more parallel to the ground? Is 10 inches to low? would it cause it to drag the tongue/draw bar? Currently the rear bumper will drag on steeper driveways.
One thing I noticed on the trailer is that the previous owner has a automobile tire on one side and a trailer tire on the other. Same size tires but different weight ratings. I need to buy a spare anyways so my plan is to purchase a trailer tire and use the existing auto tire as a spare. Since the tires have different weight ratings and must have different side walls; would that cause the trailer to walk?
I may end up just having to put some fresh water in the tanks just to add weight to the front of the trailer so it will tow better.
Thanks for the input.
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2000_Kiwi
Midland, NC
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I went out and got a dropped draw bar that would make the trailer tongue level with the ground.... but that just seems way too low, as if it is going to drag on larger dips.
It leaves only 8" of clearance between the bottom of the draw bar and the ground.... end even less clearance between the trailer jack.
Is this enough clearance?
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