I'm considering a Keystone Tail-gator, Model 251RR03. This TH has a listed dry wt. of 6000 # and a hitch wt. of 900#.
My TV is a 03 F-250 4x4 / 5.4/ 6spd /4.10 with the camper package that included the 'overload' leaf and sway bar. The truck has the factory installed receiver hitch.
I have Ford's Trailer guide and can see that this hitch is rated at 6000 trailer wt./ 600 tongue wt. For WD, the loads increase to 15000 and 1500#. Per the trailering guide the receiver is rated more than my truck-8900#.
I can see how the allowed trailer wt. can increase from 600 to 15000#. That should be directly a function of how much steel is in the insert.
The increase in tongue load from 600 to 1500 # has me scratching my head. I've towed farm equipment with the tongue loaded on the heavy side and the truck levels out nicely.
So if a hitch weight does not cause a TV's rear bumper to 'squat' (rear bumper lower than front bumper), how can a WD set-up re-distribute weight to the TV's front axle and the trailer's axle?
When I mentioned this trailer and weights to some 'experienced' RVer's , I was more or less told that it was unnecessary as the Ford receiver was a very well made and could handle the TH with no problem without a WD. I also know that placing cargo behind the trailer axles can lighten the hitch loads considerable.
Your input for towing with the factory hitch and also, your thoughts of how well my truck will do pulling a TH weighing 6000# will be appreciated.
2003 F-250 4x4 Reg Cab 5.4l V-8 Gas 6spd 4.10 Camper Package Bilstiens Michelin XPS Traction Prodigy Brake Controller
2009 8.5x24 Diamond Cargo Soon To Be Converted to Toy Hauler/Travel Trailer
I would not consider towing a trailer without weight distribution and sway control. I have panic swerved to avoid a wreck and my 33 foot trailer stayed right where it should have, behind me.
Jeff
2009 Rockwood Signature Ultra Light 8317SS
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 QC LB Hemi
DW Kelly and DD
If that is the listed tongue weight, then you can forget about it. It is never what the listed weight on the tag says. I can tell you this, if you drop that tongue weight on your hitch without WD you WILL be over the hitch capacity and you will NOT like the ride. Spend the $400 or so to get a good WD hitch such as the Equal-i-zer or a Reese DC and set it up properly. Make sure you also get a good brake controller.
The WD hitch uses spring bars that actually lift the fulcrum point of your truck and TT. Almost like the camber that is placed in a flat bed trailer. These bars transfer weight to the TT axles and the front axle of the truck. Ideally, you want even drop on your rear axle and your front axle. Even with a 250, you will still have a lot of weight hanging 1' off the rear bumper of the truck. Whatever you do.....DO NOT ADD WEIGHT to the rear of the TT...... this will result in un wanted sway. Tongue weights should be 12-15% of the GVWR..... if your dry tongue weight is 900..... you need to plan on about 1400 when all said and done. You will need to get a hitch sized to this load. Look for a 14000/1400 WD hitch for that trailer.
04 Lariat Supercrew 4x4,5.4,3.73, Edge tuner, flowmaster duals
06 Trail Bay 31BH, nicely optioned
Equal-i-zer
Prodigy
Follow vehicle, 05 KIA Sorento EX for the golden retrievers.
the difference between non-weight distribution and weight distribution ratings has absolutely nothing to do with "how much steel is in the insert". You could use an insert carved from billet and it wouldn't matter a bit. What does make a difference is the simple physics of how a WD hitch transfers weight. Think of the WD bars as the arms of a wheelbarrow. You lift up on them and the weight transfers towards the front wheel. You are lifting up the back of the truck. It's as simple as that.
The advice on which WD system to get is pretty good. 1200 lb bars minimum, 1400 if you can find them (I'm personally not aware of any).
Brian
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab, Hemi, 5 speed manual, 3.73 gears, Tow Beast hitch with 24" extension.
28 ft race car hauler, Lola T440 Formula Ford, NTM MK4 Sports Racer
1980 MCI MC-5C highway coach conversion
You will probably pull all of 60-100 lbs off the FA with a 6000 lbs trailer, and about 650-700 lbs of HW. At least that is what my 88 and 96 SW equal GM's did.
Do you need WD or sway control?!?! I'm not going to say yes or no on that. as I did not have any issues without a WD and either truck handling wise. I did find that side to side rocking while going down the road was less with a WD setup, and less yet with a dual cam. As far as othewise towing, no difference. That included side winds going acros the Columbia river a few times in the 40-60 mph range etc.
If you are really worried about the hitch ratings them selves, get a new hitch!
Marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
I've towed my TH with and without the WD/sway set-up and found it tows much better with it installed. I would not tow without it at this point. Toyhaulers are usually much heavier than their posted weight especially on the tongue. Enjoy your Keystone TH.
A weight distribution hitch changes HOW the tongue weight is applied to the truck.
Normally, the weight is twisting down and back, putting most of the stress on the rear two bolts that hold the receiver to the truck.
With a weight distribution hitch, that down-and-back twist is counteracted by the spring bars. The force is changed to mostly straight down, spread across all 4 (or 6) bolts holding the hitch to the truck.
Four (or six) bolts can hold more weight than two. That's why a receiver is often rated for double, or even triple, the tongue weight with a weight distribution hitch.
It's not a matter of the truck's suspension. It's the design of the receiver. Exceed the weight carrying rating of the receiver, and you need to install a weight distributing hitch, or get a heavier duty receiver.
VintageRacer wrote: the difference between non-weight distribution and weight distribution ratings has absolutely nothing to do with "how much steel is in the insert". You could use an insert carved from billet and it wouldn't matter a bit. What does make a difference is the simple physics of how a WD hitch transfers weight. Think of the WD bars as the arms of a wheelbarrow. You lift up on them and the weight transfers towards the front wheel. You are lifting up the back of the truck. It's as simple as that.
The advice on which WD system to get is pretty good. 1200 lb bars minimum, 1400 if you can find them (I'm personally not aware of any).
b_salgado wrote: ---Ideally, you want even drop on your rear axle and your front axle.---
That is not what Ford says.
The Ford truck manuals I've looked at, beginning with the 1998 model year, contain a specification such as:
3. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers at the center of the vehicle.
4. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that the front bumper height is within 0–13 mm (0.5 in) of the reference point. After proper adjustment, the rear bumper should be no higher than in Step 3.
The instructions do not indicate any preference for having the front below or above the reference height -- as long as it is within 1/2".
Also, the instructions do not say the TV should be "level" -- only that the rear, with TT attached and WD applied, should not be higher than when the TT is not attached. The weight distribution recommendations for GMC vehicles are similar.
Relative to the unhitched loads, the front axle load might have relatively little change and the rear axle load might increase by 75% of the tongue weight . Depending on tongue weight and the stiffness of the rear springs, the rear might "squat" (relative to the unhitched height) by about 1-2" with WD applied.
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