What are the advantages of using a WDH on a light camper?

Marc,

Since you have started several threads about this and gotten many different answers I am guessing you REALLY want to know about WDHs. I did some research for you and found this pretty good explanation:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-...itches/towing-weight-distribution-systems.htm

No one can tell you to get or not to get a WDH with your current setup. You are way under the weight limits for both tongue and trailer weight. Even three dealers (who usually want to sell useless stuff) have told you you don't need one. You and only you can test your setup and determine whether you feel comfortable driving it without a WDH or not. I hope the information I have linked helps you understand better, but in the end it will be your decision. For my own experience, I tow an Edge M18 with a Honda Ridgeline. The setup is fairly level (straight horizontal line from front of truck to back of trailer) when I don't load up the bed of the truck full of heavy stuff, so I have been towing it without a WDH and have had absolutely no issues. Going forward, I intend to load some heavy toys on the bed of the truck and I know that with the trailer and loaded bed it will sag. At that point I intend to install a WDH to even out the ride.

If I had any worries about the weight and the handling . I would find out the the weight of a wd put that amount of weight were the wd goes and do a test pull. If it doesn't work out you are not stuck with the wd.. Swaying of a trailer has a lot things that could affect the way it handles, tire pressure, no sway bars on tv , hitch weight, short or long wheel base tv and there are more that is a few that comes to mind. Just make sure you don't go over the weight limits of tv and camper.

Marc515, I have pulled long trailers with big vehicles and shorter trailers with smaller vehicle. Whenever i attach a weight distributing hitch that has sway control built in, the total rig goes down the road better. the car has a better attitude or pitch to it and the trailer pulls much better down the highway. we travel long distance regularly, the sway control makes highway speeds more comfortable to drive in. I just drove a new edge m21 up from the manufacture without wd/ sway control, about 250 miles, behind a honda ridgeline. the dry trailer put enough tongue weight on to raise the driving lights more than they should have been. had it been night time, guys would have been flashing me to turn off my brights, also it was jiggling around back there enough to know it was there. with wd/sway control on , you would not get any jiggling and might just forget its there.

Marc... You can alway buy and install a WDH at a later date. Tow it without and see what you think. Load up your truck and trailer like you would for a trip and park somewhere that's level and take a look to see if you have sagging at the rear of tv. A good way to check is to measure the distance from the ground to the edge of the fenderwell above the tires both front and back (empty) and then measure again all hooked up. If the back end drops and the front end goes up, then you probably want to consider a wdh. I would suggest a sway bar regardless, you can buy and install one for less that $100 and you don't have to worry about it swaying. You can get a wdh on amazon for around $250. I would suggest getting both, for safety and peace of mind.

Yellowreef said:

Marc,

Since you have started several threads about this and gotten many different answers I am guessing you REALLY want to know about WDHs. I did some research for you and found this pretty good explanation:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-...itches/towing-weight-distribution-systems.htm

No one can tell you to get or not to get a WDH with your current setup. You are way under the weight limits for both tongue and trailer weight. Even three dealers (who usually want to sell useless stuff) have told you you don't need one. You and only you can test your setup and determine whether you feel comfortable driving it without a WDH or not. I hope the information I have linked helps you understand better, but in the end it will be your decision. For my own experience, I tow an Edge M18 with a Honda Ridgeline. The setup is fairly level (straight horizontal line from front of truck to back of trailer) when I don't load up the bed of the truck full of heavy stuff, so I have been towing it without a WDH and have had absolutely no issues. Going forward, I intend to load some heavy toys on the bed of the truck and I know that with the trailer and loaded bed it will sag. At that point I intend to install a WDH to even out the ride.

Click to expand...

Great info; thank you!