New trailer - 2013 Salem TT rolls down the road at about 8000lbs.
Truck is a 2006 4X4 Duramax.
Every other trailer I've had was right to the limits of my TV so I've never encountered this. After hitting the scales on the way home today my best estimate is the tongue weight of the TT is about 1000lbs (trailer axles were 6800 - truck's rear axle was about 1000 over "normal").
So, I don't need the WDH at all to stay within my limits but am wondering what the consensus is. My thought is to have the WDH engaged with minimal tension just to help soften the impact/bounce at the hinge point when hitting various uneven surfaces on the highway. But, I'm really just talking/thinking out my bum... anyone have an opinion one way or the other?
I also really like the anti-sway so I'll keep that hooked up no matter what I do with the WDH. I've towed a bit with it and a bit w/o and I notice a difference, for sure. It's not huge but just smoother with it on.
There is not a law that says you need to use WD or an antisway bar. "IF" as you say, the trailer tows "nicer", then by all means, use the bars etc in whatever way you want. Reality is, many of us like to be able to tow a trailer without a WD or sway bar, because if you lose one, as I did one time, need to travel with out them for what ever reason, one knows the trailer will track straight. If it does not track straight with out the bars, you have OTHER issues to deal with before adding the bars!
In the meantime, enjoy the new trailer.
Marty
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92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
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mtofell1 wrote: New trailer - 2013 Salem TT rolls down the road at about 8000lbs.
Truck is a 2006 4X4 Duramax.
Every other trailer I've had was right to the limits of my TV so I've never encountered this. After hitting the scales on the way home today my best estimate is the tongue weight of the TT is about 1000lbs (trailer axles were 6800 - truck's rear axle was about 1000 over "normal").
So, I don't need the WDH at all to stay within my limits but am wondering what the consensus is. My thought is to have the WDH engaged with minimal tension just to help soften the impact/bounce at the hinge point when hitting various uneven surfaces on the highway. But, I'm really just talking/thinking out my bum... anyone have an opinion one way or the other?
I also really like the anti-sway so I'll keep that hooked up no matter what I do with the WDH. I've towed a bit with it and a bit w/o and I notice a difference, for sure. It's not huge but just smoother with it on.
Thanks for sharing any ideas...
I have the same truck as you do and my trailer is a little bit lighter at around 7K. I have a WD and a friction sway control.
Do I need them? No. I put them on because I had them. I lift the brackets by hand. By doing it this way it takes some of the porpoising out of the truck. I do not try to transfer any weight so I do exactly what you are thinking about doing. Just snug them up and take the slack out of the chains.
The sway on my trailer is on the edge. If I load up front then no sway at all.....EVER......none....nada......0. If my old lady packs everythings in the back of the trailer then I can have a bit of sway once in a blue moon. So I also put my sway on even though I don't really need it.
Works for me.
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~
"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"
I use one with my 2500 HD and will not tow with out it. as for losing one bar, it is easier now, you can buy one bar to replace the lost one. used to be that you had to buy a new complete set up. manufactures are getting softer in their old age and allowing you to buy just one at a time as needed.
Is the hitch receiver on your truck really rated for 1,000 lbs dead weight? I thought only aftermarket hitches like the Curt, Towbeast or Superhitch were rated this high. Anyway, I use a WD hitch when the trailer is over around 5,000 lbs, both because my hitch is rated to 600 lbs dead weight and because I find the improvement in ride quality is worth it. I do the same with my Dodge, where the Towbeast hitch is rated to 1200 lbs dead weight. If your hitch is rated high enough then it comes down to personal preference, but I like the ride and handling improvement that comes with keeping the front end of the truck loaded correctly. My trailer, being a car hauler box trailer, can vary between 4,000 lbs and 10,000 lbs with a corresponding difference in tongue weight.
A WDH really has nothing to do with your TT tracking straight, it's about weight distribution between yout TT and TV. I don't need one either but, use it take less load off the back of the truck and shift more weight so the center of gravity is more centered over the wheels of the TT. About 500 to 800 pounds on your ball would seem about right.
I would use one. maybe your truck can handle the dead weight added at the rear of the truck, but a WD hitch will give you much better control because it will move some weight back to the front axle. this will let the truck control the trailer and not the other way around!
Edit: or as sharker said!
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The way my '06 is working, I'm putting as much as 1500 on the rear ball with no need of WD. It's not unloading the front, just squatting the rear. A few seconds with a tape measure is a good way to tell.
And if you're not unloading the front, then you're better off without WD. WD is for when you're really unloading the front, like if hitched it's much more than 1/2" above normal. I'm getting about 5/16" at worst. No loss of control. No white-knuckle moments.
You having the excessively-heavy DuraMax, and probably the excessively heavy 4WD, and probably a longer WB than mine, you'll never make the front feel light. Not even if you hitch 2500 on the ball without WD.
'06 GMC C2500HD RCLB gasser 4.10:1, 4L80E, custom camshaft
'84 Trans Am 6.2 diesel, 700R-4, custom Class-3 receiver
'69 F350 dually. GM 6.2 diesel, turbo, 700R-4, NP208 all pending.
mtofell1 wrote: New trailer - 2013 Salem TT rolls down the road at about 8000lbs.
Truck is a 2006 4X4 Duramax.
Every other trailer I've had was right to the limits of my TV so I've never encountered this. After hitting the scales on the way home today my best estimate is the tongue weight of the TT is about 1000lbs (trailer axles were 6800 - truck's rear axle was about 1000 over "normal").
So, I don't need the WDH at all to stay within my limits but am wondering what the consensus is. My thought is to have the WDH engaged with minimal tension just to help soften the impact/bounce at the hinge point when hitting various uneven surfaces on the highway. But, I'm really just talking/thinking out my bum... anyone have an opinion one way or the other?
I also really like the anti-sway so I'll keep that hooked up no matter what I do with the WDH. I've towed a bit with it and a bit w/o and I notice a difference, for sure. It's not huge but just smoother with it on.
Thanks for sharing any ideas...
For your vehicle system I would not use a WDH. I use the Timbrens in the short height position. The trailer loads the truck until it hits the Timbrens. I set the Timbrens for truck level position. The truck and trailer suspensions work better independent of each other. Don't worry about the truck front suspension loading; it will be better with the trailer load on the hitch. The truck will be in better balance without the WDH.
MM49
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