The summer is almost upon us, and so is the recreational towing season. This is the time when many take to the highway with a camper, or boat trailer, or both. It’s time to play. However, it’s very important to keep the truck and trailer level and safe. The trailer and load cannot exceed any of the manufacturer specified weight limits for your specific truck configuration: maximum payload, tongue weight, Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), and the requirement for a weight distribution hitch. You can find these limits and requirements in the owner’s manual and some of the information is on the sticker inside the driver’s door.
Please note, that the maximum towing rating in the commercial is likely not the same than that of your specific pickup, as it depends on drive train and options.
Weight distribution hitch (WDH) discussion applies to “bumper pull” trailering. The entire goal is to get the truck and trailer as level as possible. If your truck is squatting too much under the weight of the trailer, then this negatively affects the braking performance, steering, and headlight positioning. You may blind oncoming traffic if the front is pointing way up.
Part of the solution is to get your hitch ball height adjusted correctly. The other part is to employ a weight distribution hitch that uses additional connections to push some weight from the rear axle to the front.
Here is the question from Gary B. that goes further to ask about how the tongue weight may be affected.
“An interesting question is how does the Equalizer 12,000 lb weight distribution hitch play into this math. They told me the hitch weighs about 110 lbs. Does this add to my tongue weight or maybe help because it shifts some of the tongue weight to the front tires. The back of the truck went down a bit but after some adjustment I got the front to only be about 1/2 inch above normal. I have a feeling the it takes some weight off of the hitch even though it weighs over 100 lbs. What is your thought?”
The only way to know for sure is to weigh your truck and trailer on a certified scale, and then compare to the weight of your truck. A quick calculation will tell how much tongue weight was added, as the scale tells you the weight of each axle.
We weigh each truck and trailer for our Ike Gauntlet and any other towing tests, and we have seen the load distributing effects of a WDH. If you are curious, you can weigh the rig several times with an without the weight distribution hitch.
Safe towing!
Check out this 2015 Ram HD 2500 Ike Gauntlet towing test where we use the weight distribution hitch to get the truck and trailer level and save and to comply with manufacturer requirement.
