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**Heavysledz** · 03-10-2021, 01:55 AM

I am in a similar boat as you but am going from a 5th wheel to a travel trailer. My truck is a 2015 Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins with the Air-Ride auto leveling rear suspension. It leveled with my 1500lbs of pin weight from my 5th wheel. It even lifted my 2300lbs truck camper without issue. So I know my Imagine 2250RK with a posted tongue weight of 515lbs is not going to be an issue.

With that said, I will want to see how it rides without a weight distribution hitch first and then determine if I want one just to put some weight back on the front axle (not like the 6.7 Cummins Diesel engine is light to begin with) and for the added benefits of sway control. I had TT's in the late 90's and early 2000's and never had sway control and did just fine. As long as you pay attention to your tongue weight and are between 10-15%, I have never had any issues.

**Country Campers** · 03-10-2021, 06:43 AM

Although a weight distribution hitch may not be "required" I still think of it as a "must". I have towed our previous TT , 34' long 8500# gross weight , with my 3500 to the dealer about 15 miles empty with no weight distribution hitch and it swayed and bounced , I used the hitch on the return after service and there is a difference. The hitch will definitely help with sway and remove the bounce , especially with a loaded bed as you will have. Plus it will help put weight back on the front tires for better handling and steering. My advice would be to try it on a short trip , have everything installed and all you have to do is add the bars , which I think you will add shortly after you start out. Plenty of these types of trucks tow car haulers and equipment trailers down the road with out any type of weight distribution but many of them know how to load there trailer so as not to put too much weight on the truck. This is hard to do with a long TT with storage front a back. Good luck and I will watch for your report if you try it without.

Brian

PS: Jealous of the new 3500 Duramax , I sure would like to update mine.

**Guest** · 03-10-2021, 07:07 AM

X2 on Brian's statement. Another consideration to determine if a weight distribution hitch is required is to weight the tongue weight on the rig and compare this to the trucks hitch rating without a WDH. There are two ratings. One with a WDH and one without.

Also the WDH sway control is constant where the Denali will control once sway occurs. Better to prevent sway rather than to react to it IMO.

Jim

**Jlawles2** · 03-10-2021, 07:14 AM

I ran a WDH on the TT when we had it, not so much for weight transfer, but because of the sway control. I did not want friction sway control devices which at best are set by "feel".

I don't know if I would trust the trucks sway control to bring a trailer back under control once the wagging starts.

**Guest** · 03-10-2021, 07:23 AM

The Denali will control sway once it starts and can even independently activate the trailer brakes if necessary. A hitch properly sized and set up will transfer weight and will control sway all the time.

Jim

**Farklepilot** · 03-10-2021, 09:22 AM

Thanks everybody for your feedback. Having always erred on the side of too much tongue weight vs not enough in any trailer I've ever towed, been fortunate to never experience any kind of severe sway. After watching a few videos of the potential outcome

, I get it why it's probably a good idea to have the extra peace of mind the WDH would give. That said, how convenient would it be to not have to go through the hookup and unhooking show every time!
I will try with and without, fully loaded, and report back here.

**RJAPCOK** · 03-10-2021, 09:54 AM

Originally posted by Farklepilot View Post

New to RV'ing.
...So, tell me why I need a weight distribution hitch? Not meant as a troll post, sincerely trying to educate myself.

That is, really, only a question that you can answer. I pull my 2970RL home from the storage facility without using a WDH. I also pull it to a local campground without a WDH. I do not feel uncomfortable doing so, but I rarely exceed 45 mph and most of the time at 35 mph or less. When I head out on the highway I ALWAYS use my WDH and I feel like it makes the towing experience more pleasant overall.

Bob

**Guest** · 03-10-2021, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by RJAPCOK View Post

That is, really, only a question that you can answer. I pull my 2970RL home from the storage facility without using a WDH. I also pull it to a local campground without a WDH. I do not feel uncomfortable doing so, but I rarely exceed 45 mph and most of the time at 35 mph or less. When I head out on the highway I ALWAYS use my WDH and I feel like it makes the towing experience more pleasant overall.

Bob

What is your tongue weight and rating for your receiver without a weight distribution style hitch? For instance, the receiver on my half ton without a WDH is limited to around 800lbs with a ball mount. Since my tongue weight can be as high as 940lbs I gave the ball mount to a family member and only use the WDH.

Jim

**RJAPCOK** · 03-10-2021, 12:04 PM

Originally posted by MidwestCamper View Post

What is your tongue weight and rating for your receiver without a weight distribution style hitch? For instance, the receiver on my half ton without a WDH is limited to around 800lbs with a ball mount. Since my tongue weight can be as high as 940lbs I gave the ball mount to a family member and only use the WDH.

Jim

My receiver hitch is rated for 1500 lbs load, and 13,000 lbs towing. My WDH is an Equal-i-zer 1400/14000 lb rated model. My tongue weight with full propane, battery, cargo, and empty fresh water tank is usually about 1100 lbs. I might add that when I tow without WD, I still use the Equal-i-zer hitch head and ball, I just don't install the spring (trunnion) arms.

As a point of interest... when I couple the trailer to the truck without WDH engaged, the hitch height, measured at the receiver, drops by 1 1/2 inches and the front fenders rise by 1/4 inch, measured directly in line with the front axle. When I engage the WD spring arms, the loaded hitch height comes back up to within 3/8 inch of the original "uncoupled" position, and the front fender height comes back down to about 1/16 inch higher than the "uncoupled" height. That's about as close as I can measure it. These were the most recent measurements I took while trying different adjustments of the L-brackets and washer combinations in the Equal-i-zer hitch and I think it's about as close as I can come for the current loading.

Bob

**Guest** · 03-10-2021, 03:00 PM

RJAPCOK Bob,

Nice info showing how the WDH operates. I also use my WDH to bring the truck into an unloaded stance on the front and its also set up at its unloaded stance on the rear as well with air bags and bars. Your owners manual like mine will show if a WDH is required based on trailer GVW. But on my half ton, there are two load limits posted on the truck receiver with and without a WDH. Not sure if the HD has this posted information on the receiver.
Jim

**RJAPCOK** · 03-10-2021, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by MidwestCamper View Post

RJAPCOK Bob,

.... Your owners manual like mine will show if a WDH is required based on trailer GVW. But on my half ton, there are two load limits posted on the truck receiver with and without a WDH. Not sure if the HD has this posted information on the receiver.
Jim

I checked my owner's manual. For 2500/3500 Standard Box, page 310 table says "Hitch Type" = Weight Carrying or Weight Distributing, and "Maximum Tongue Weight" = 1500 lb. Then on page 312 it says "A weight-distributing hitch may be useful with some trailers. Use the following guidelines to determine if a weight-distributing hitch should be used." The following table says: "Vehicle Series" = 2500/3500, "Trailer Weight" = Up to 20,000 lbs, "Weight Distributing Hitch Usage" = Optional, "Hitch Distribution" = 50%

On the under side of the receiver, there is a label that indicates a maximum tongue weight of 1500 lbs, and a maximum trailer weight of 13,000 lbs. The label doesn't differentiate between types of hitches.

So I have been thinking I'm good for 1500 lbs tongue weight, with or without a WDH.

Bob

**Guest** · 03-10-2021, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by RJAPCOK View Post

I checked my owner's manual. For 2500/3500 Standard Box, page 310 table says "Hitch Type" = Weight Carrying or Weight Distributing, and "Maximum Tongue Weight" = 1500 lb. Then on page 312 it says "A weight-distributing hitch may be useful with some trailers. Use the following guidelines to determine if a weight-distributing hitch should be used." The following table says: "Vehicle Series" = 2500/3500, "Trailer Weight" = Up to 20,000 lbs, "Weight Distributing Hitch Usage" = Optional, "Hitch Distribution" = 50%

On the under side of the receiver, there is a label that indicates a maximum tongue weight of 1500 lbs, and a maximum trailer weight of 13,000 lbs. The label doesn't differentiate between types of hitches.

So I have been thinking I'm good for 1500 lbs tongue weight, with or without a WDH.

Bob

Looks like your all set. I've also looked in my owners manual and it states that a WDH is optional up to 7000lbs with no statement on the dual tongue weights. I would say making this optional on my half ton at up to 7000lbs is absurd since I've towed with a ball mount without a WDH and it was extremely loose. The equalizer makes all the difference in towing my 2600RB.

Jim

**RJAPCOK** · 03-10-2021, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by MidwestCamper View Post

Looks like your all set. I've also looked in my owners manual and it states that a WDH is optional up to 7000lbs with no statement on the dual tongue weights. I would say making this optional on my half ton at up to 7000lbs is absurd since I've towed with a ball mount without a WDH and it was extremely loose. The equalizer makes all the difference in towing my 2600RB.

Jim

I agree that towing with a WDH makes a difference, and I only tow without it as I mentioned above, for distances of less than about 5 miles one way, and at speeds mostly 35 mph or less. I have never felt uncomfortable towing without it in those situations. I use it 100% of the time if I go on the highway.

Thank you for asking these questions! It forced me to go back and examine my capabilities and ratings. It never hurts to review that once in a while. And if my thinking or understanding is in error, it serves as an opportunity to correct that.

Bob

**Jlawles2** · 03-10-2021, 08:45 PM

With a utility trailer one has the innate ability to move the load (typically) to keep the tongue weight within range. Unlike a utility trailer a camper or box trailer does not have the ability to shed its wind affected area. I can see where a using a WDH on a box trailer (like a car hauler) would be beneficial for sway control more than load distribution.

I did tow many times a 23' car hauler always loaded front heavy and a camper without one (one time under 200 miles). For the car hauler it was always local and good weather (day jobs no delivery in the rain), for the camper I would not have pulled it much farther without sway control but we were in a bind pulling out of a hunting lease.

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Changing tow vehicle and do I need a weight distribution hitch?

Changing tow vehicle and do I need a weight distribution hitch?

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