5:51 I you stop in the middle of a Interstate Highway construction zone to drop your bars, and the commercial traffic on that road are going to make it worst that the broke trailer!
Excellent explanation. I think there are probably a few trailers that ARE built a little lighter than they should be, but it's not a widespread problem. I see way too many people with the "bigger is better" mindset buying 12k or 15k WD hitches for a 5k or 6k trailer.
back in the day, my grandfather got a weight distribution hitch from reese hitch, they told him the best way to use this was to, measure the rear bumper, hook up the trailer, measure the bumper in the same spot, then put enough tension on the bars that the bumper was two inches lower than the regular ride height, anything less than two inches there would be too much pressure on the hitch, they put many miles on their trailer with no problems, I watch these videos and the people hooking the hitch up are trying to get the truck to set level, and in my book it's asking for trouble, I used a distribution hitch when I was racing that was rated at 6000 pounds, and had no issues no matter what the angle, and my trailer and car was around 4-5000 pounds, and I would put all the success on the measuring of the bumper
I tow a 35' 8000lb bumper pull with a half ton. For many years. Upgraded rear springs with bags. That alone took care of most of the quat. I do also use a equalizer with sway control but dont need to go anywhere near max on the equalizer. Just a bit to add some weight to the front truck axle. Works well alone with driving sensible and staying alert.
B&W has a WD hitch. It is very easy to use and you can easily release the pressure if needed and restore pressure when required. I highly recommend it.
Please explain further. Who is B&W? Is this power inside the truck? Who installs this, dealer or do I take it somewhere else? I am going to start the course but your comment seemed to solve the connection and disconnection when dealing with steep angles.
@bobertforher B&W is a trailer hitch manufacturer. Mostly 5th wheel but they recently released a bumper WD hitch. It uses a air hydraulic to apply pressure. For instance my setup uses 1200 psi. There are no bars like a typical WD hitch. Simply turn a screw to release pressure and pump back up when needed. The hitch is very easy to install. Took me about 1 hour. It's not cheap but it is worth the cost. There are videos showing this product.
Never had issue with mine … when choosing my toy hauler I picked 25’ instead of the longer ones since it all uses same frame gauge. But this video make sense on steep approach/ departure, my point I guess is shorter the trailer less torque on the frame maybe I just got lucky I’ve since upgraded to a class a.
Interesting video. We tow a small tear drop and our first tow vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Great video, and auto leveling so whenever we hooked the trailer, the Jeep auto leveled to give us a even ride. Moved on to a Ford F150 and obviously sits a bit higher. No auto leveling but the Ford handles the tear drop without issue. We keep the tear drop tongue weight as light as possible and watch what we load into the bed of the truck. When loaded for a very long (months long trips) I see a very slight downward V angle between the truck and trailer. It's not enough for me to worry about, I don't think it's worth the money to invest in a new hitch, but I have thought about adding aftermarket air suspension on the truck to inflate maybe 10-20lbs to just give it a bit more lift.
Thanks for this video, made perfect sense. I’ll sure be paying attention to this going forward. Also the part about the hitch weight rating set my mind at ease. My dealer set me up with 10,000 pound weight distribution bars on my equalizer 4 hitch and my trailers Gvwr is 9,495 pounds. Everyone has been telling me I need atleast 14,000 pound bars! I know better now after watching this video👍
The weight rating is more related to the strength of the ball hitch and how much it can pull. The weight distribution bars should be sufficient for whatever weight trailer it is rated for. They key is in adjusting it properly. Your tow vehicle should have a specification for what percentage weight should be returned to the front wheels. For example, if after hitching up your RV it lifts 500 lbs of weight off of the front wheels, and your truck owner's manual says to return 50%, then you have to adjust until it only lifts 250 lbs off of the front wheels. Mast people take measurements at the fender before and after to ballpark guess, but the most accurate way to set it correctly is with scales. Thanks for watching!
Frost Heaves. I towed an ~4500 lb. w/~500 lb tongue weight travel trailer up to Alaska from the California with a Transit Van, no weight distribution hitch. I'm so glad I did not (not manufacturer recommended anyway) because I'm pretty sure those heaves in the road would have done frame damage of some sort. Thanks for the great information! I'm really enjoying your channel!
Interesting. The dealer said I should remove our BlueOx WDH when backing up. But BlueOx themselves say not to. But you're saving the issue is the angle of the road itself, not whether you're backing up at all. Good video- I learned something.
I've always used equalizer style hitches. I contact the hitch manufacturer before buying the trailer and hitch for that trailer. I trust their recommendation more than a dealer who will sell you an oversized hitch because that is what they keep in stock. In addition to your remarks about sharp approach angles people need to learn to slow down when towing on rough or uneven surfaces. Also the sharp angle doesn't necessarily mean a hill but is equally possible to be caused by a large pothole. By going slower you have time to adjust your approach angle or ability to avoid areas that would put excessive force on the trailer frame.
You think stopping traffic in a construction zone is a good idea? I've watched you for years, and I have a lot of respect for most of what you say, but this I don't agree with. I'm not disputing the issue thats being pointed out, I'm disputing the dangerous advice he is giving to people that will believe what he is saying as good advice. And your endorsement of his advice. You both are suggesting to stop traffic in a construction zone to spend close to three minutes to disconnect distribution bars, very bad advise.
I used to own an older Fireball 32' 1980s 5th wheel trailer. That trailer was like towing a small tank. The frame on that RV was never questioned. The newer 5ths are crap, I've been shopping again for over a year and gave up. I'm leaning towards a cargo trailer and converting it or even leaning towards a bus conversion
Several issues coming into play here creating a "perfect storm" for a bad day: 1. Camper manufacturers using cheaper, lighter, thinner materials for their frames. 2. Truck manufacturers have been increasing the towing capacity of their light duty trucks for the past twenty years or so. A lot of this increased capacity is due to improvements in the transmission, not the suspension. 3. Consumers who are wanting more and more and more features in their campers, all of which add weight. Of those three, if I had to point to a main culprit, it would be the manufacturers using flimsy materials in their frames. Well, that and the quality of build. I've seen some welds on some of these campers that would make a buzzard puke. Monkeys with MIGS could probably weld a better frame.
:-) Yes, I agree there are many contributing factors. All of which I think people can work around if they understand the design and limitations. Thanks for watching!
No. If the A frame where the problem is,was stronger, either by heavier steel or braced in a proper manor. It would not break, bend or fail. Measuring to level truck and trailer when the hook up is done….and set the tension reasonable. Air pads on truck,if a half ton truck will also help. Many opines out here 👍🥳🤠 Thanks
I have a single axle ATV trailer that ended up with a bent frame, very similar to the one at the beginning of the video. I was not using a WDH. Instead, it was an inexperienced friend pulling the trailer too fast and not slowing down for the drainage ditch running perfectly perpendicular to the road. It also didn't help that the trailer manufacturer (Echo) created a very bad fulcrum point on the tongue where the ramp was mounted. It was a failure just waiting to happen. The tongue was replaced under warranty. Unfortunately, it was many months later that I figured out the axle had also been bent.
Very good video and easy to understand. I went with my brother-in-law to pick up his new fifth wheel and while he was being shown the operation of his new camper, I observed the dealer employees moving various campers around the lot. I was concerned when they were using a fork truck to move fifth wheels around in that they were making very sharp turns to get the camper aligned with other units. I noticed the wheels having been pushed sideways and steep angles as the camper was moved. I didn't think about the spring hangers and I beams being twisted and stressed. Thanks for the info.
Good video. My TT has hitch integrated in frame, not welded under frame. Only downside to this is hitch is higher than most making tailgate hit hitch ball.
This is something I really love about our B&W Continuum hitch. Very, very easy to disable the weight distribution functionality of the hitch. Great information here.
It is not accurate to blame frame buckling on a weight distribution hitch. A few observations: 1. The steel used by Lippert or any other frame manufacturer is Hollow Structural Steel (HSS) manufactured to ATSM standards A500 or A1085. Among other factors, these standards state that rectangular steel tubes will be able to withstand between 50,000 and 70,000 psi before deformation. 2. A properly adjusted weight distribution hitch will exert around 70 to 90 psi when parked and 400 to 500 psi when moving. 3. There have been numerous studies done of cars and trucks hitting potholes. They generate two extremely short duration impacts. First as the wheel surface drops into the pothole and the second as it steps back up onto the regular road surface. For a 3500 pound car these were impacts of around 19,000 psi that lasted 0.01 seconds. There really isn’t enough time for the hitch to react or generate additional force in that same timeframe. 4. The same principle applies when going from regular highway to a rough road surface. The transition is sufficiently short that the weight distribution hitch doesn’t add to the force. 5. Transitions such as driveways, hills, sloped campsites, etc are generally not an issue either. These are only a risk when the trailer tires are below the level of the front axle of the tow vehicle. Commercial design standards dictate that driveways in and out of businesses are not more than 4 percent change from the roadway. Same with approaches to hills and crests of hills. This angle is just not steep enough to significantly change the geometry in the hitch. So, there would be no significant difference in tension in the torsion bars. 6. Only a properly trained mechanical engineer doing a reconstruction of an incident can tell you what caused the frame to buckle in this manner.
Even if the jack the rear bumper back up with air ride, the weight on the receiver hitch is still acting as a lever to lift weight from the front wheels. I recommend checking your owners manual to see how many pounds the hitch can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required, then getting scale weights of your rear axle with and without the RV hooked up to see exactly how many pounds you are loading. If you are lifting too much weight from the front tires it is still a safety concern as you lose traction for steering and braking. Thanks for watching!
Our neighbor just parted with his 3 year old, super long, pull behind camping trailer with a bent front A frame for 1/2 the original price. He had left it at a dealership 1100+ miles from home and apparently was getting no satisfaction. I wish he had originally purchased a 5th wheel to be towed by his 3/4 ton diesel.
excellent info!!! of all i've watched, this info was never covered. I will pay more attention to severe dips, which can occur just getting into some gas station parking lots on the road. Thanks!!!
Only issue I has is that the road conditions have been this way since the beginning of RVing Popularity that started in the 1950's (it could be argued that roads have IMPROVED since 1950), this rash of bending hitches began around the same time as COVID, when Manufactures where under pressure to produce as many units as possible and it has been documented that quality has dipped.
I switched from an "Equalizer 4 Point" hitch to a B&W Continum hitch which utilizes hydraulic and it only mounted to the very front of the trailer "A" frame. I llke it much better, because, it is a less stiff ride, and it is quite, and it still does the job.
I ordered some long narrow square u bolts and mounted a 3' long piece of square tubing on the bottom of 2 v frame members, centered at the frame headwall.
Sorry, but no. Weaker is not better and this never used to happen. If 200 pounds of additional weight for a stronger frame causes this then it is the wrong answer. And no, I'm NOT going to be removing the equalizer to pull into that McDonalds, this stuff should just work. I have to disagree with you on this one, and I once had a job where I was towing a 22 foot box trailer around 15k miles per year. This is just a excuse to use a smaller tow vehicle than you really need and is bad in a dozen other ways too.
Only frame failures I’ve seen are not directly related to utilizing a weight distribution hitch. Typically failure occurs as a result of exceeding the trailers cargo weight capacity, improper loading of cargo, or towing on rough terrain. Load within specs, set of your hitch properly and you should have no problems.
Great video. Thank you. When I purchased my 2018 Airstream International trailer (28 feet long and 7,600 pound GVWR) the dealer installed a Blu Ox hitch with what they called anti sway bars. Is this the same as a weight distribution hitch? Our tow vehicle is now a 2024 Silverado 3500 (single rear wheel).
Yours is the first video that explained the issue of weight distribution bars. Most "I Bent my Trailer" videos fail to mention this important fact. Most simply blame the manufacturer. So I have to ask... Is it possible to design weight distribution hitches to transfer less of the weight (50% to 75%) plus be flexible to deal with average grades (like the parking lot)? Any amount of weight distribution is better than none!
None. Just don’t overload your tow vehicle. People trying to pull too much weight with too little machine are the issue. A WD hitch doesn’t make an inferior vehicle better.
Dead on advice. We do some serious boondocking with our 26-foot trailer equipped with 12-inch pneumatic casters on the back. When traversing deep crossroad ruts and streams the tandems literally come off the ground and the trailer is suspended between the hitch and the rear casters. We have developed two towing configurations, On-road and Off-road. There are 14 changes made between the two. Change #4 is removal of the equalizer bars. Only takes a minute to do and using the bar tool allows the bars that are vertically miss-aligned to still be installed or removed. We have not re-enforced the frames and over the last 34 years and three trailers we have never experienced any frame cracks or bends. PS: for safety we use nylon straps holding the bars during the removal due to the potential energy stored when loaded.
Great video and thank you for explaining so clearly. I was wondering if I needed an equalizer hitch for a casita travel trailer I am planning on buying. Guess not! Pulling with an F350 SRW long bed diesel…..
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Thanks for watching!
Undercover is correct, get the actual weights and run those numbers against your ratings on your setup. Also measure tire clearance to fender of the truck on level ground with nothing in or on it. Then measure after hooking up dry truck and trailer. Then (I know) load both up with gear and water and all that (properly loaded and secured) and measure again. You should immediately know if you need a weight distribution hitch or not. Many are fairly inexpensive and effective. Good luck, stay safe, have fun, and keep adventuring!
So how do i find out what i need? We have a F250 CL gas and are having a 2850KRL built for us 33' with a hitch weight 778lb and GVWR 9,578 LBS. We are new to this and do not want to screw things up. Thanks
I have a Silverado 2500HD rated for 1,600 pounds tongue weight. My camper has about 850-900 pounds of tongue weight, it's a toyhauler NoBoundries 19.1. I had a Ford f150 when I bought the camper. I am thinking of just getting some friction sway bars.
Double check the hitch rating with and without weight distribution as those numbers are different. 1,600 is usually the rating with weight distribution. If the max hitch rating without WD is 500 or 600 lbs, you would still need it if you have 900lbs on the hitch. Thanks for watching!
I have a 30' TT, a 20' Utility, and an 10' utility, the 2 utility frames are almost twice the thickness of the TT so, maybe that's why nothing is ever mentioned about them. Also, I've never seen anyone around "my area" use equalizer hitches on utility trailers and there are a lot of them here.
What's your thoughts on the Anderson weight distribution hitch. I have a Ram 2500 and a Rockwood that weighs 8430 lbs.and 36' long, I have a Weigh Safe hitch that works great, It's just very heavy and my knees and back are not what they use to be.
Thanks for all the great information…subscribed I have a question. I’m in the market for an Rv. I travel for my work. I’m looking for something comfortable and well built. I’m currently looking at the riverstone, for the insulation and robust frame, for a fifth wheel. Also looking at the outdoors 280 model travel trailer. My two options. Can you give any advice or opinions on these two brands. And yes, work takes me to extreme cold…I mean sometimes-40, to highs around 90. Thanks a lot in advance
One way to keep weight down and increase strength is increase size. While weight does go up, a 2x3 vs a 2x6 same thickness will yield more strength vs a thicker 2x3 that may weigh more than a 2x6. Also it’s not all on the hitch, tongue weight on these things can get out of control quick especially with single axle trailers that are made to be light weight yet carry a heft tongue weight but use the 2x3.
Could you provide some guidance, assuming other factors are correctly applied, in how much tension is "good enough," and how much may be too much? Just wondering if there is a sweet spot that might provide the necessary weight distribution without too much stress on the frame. Using scales is not practical in most cases.
I can’t imagine stopping in the middle of a busy road or in a construction zone to unload the forces on my WD hitch. At that point I’m weighing the risk of being shot by a road rager.
I also forgot to add, that you should always remove your equalizer bars when you off the pavement to go to either boondocking or your are going to a camp site in the woods.
Wouldn’t just raising the hitch level fix this issue? I have a weight safe hitch and i just raise it where the trailer sits level with my sprinter van? Am i wrong?
It could be that manufactures decided to reduce the thickness of the frame down to 1/8 thickness. I've never used those just use a heavier duty truck put air bags on it.
Great video & info, Jacob... thank you. Would it be fair to say then, that while I have been using an EQ with out 6,000# trailer with a 1/2 ton SUV (Armada), that since I just switched vehicles to a Ram 3500, I should ditch the hitch?
When setting up the distribution hitch you set it so that the truck sits level (ie. no squatting). I would think that if you connect your TT and the truck still sits level then you don’t need the distribution hitch. My thoughts only and I am not an expert.
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Thanks for watching!
I disconnect my distribution bars most of time as soon as i pull into campground. My hitch manufacture recommends not backing up with if possible and no turns more then 60° tight turning.
Question I have Aluminum RV 21 Intech Sol Dawn 300lbs TW, 2730lbs GCVW. Towing with 19 Lexus GX460 800lbs HW 6600 towing capacity. I’m hesitating to put DW, just adding Friction bar one side. DW hitch weight 90lbs Camco R3 curve, what I been told don’t need it. Oh ya I added Timbren bump stop on my vehicle. What you think should I install DWH or just leave as be.
Interesting! I have had the same WDH since 2000 when I bought my first trailer. 10k rated, 1/2 ton trucks. I now own a 5k GVW trailer and the dealer said it wasn’t necessary to use the WDH . I asked them to change it because I felt it gave me more safety in control issues. I will note my truck has air adjust suspension. I’m planning a trip in a couple weeks, would you suggest I try not using the WDH bars? I do have a separate sway bar as well. Thanks for the advice!
Check the owner's manual for the max hitch weight with and without WD. Then get your scale weights to know exactly how much you are loading on the hitch. If under the max rating for use without WD, it is safe to tow without WD. The benefit is not having to worry about disconnecting in certain situations or risking collapsing the hitch. Air suspension can raise the rear after loading but does not return any weight to the front tires for braking/steering. You still need to determine if WD is required for what you are towing. Thanks for watching!
I had a flat on my Airstream One wheel Bambi. I could not jack up the trailer at first till I realized I needed to remove the bars from my weigh distributing hitch. Panic then success! No one warned me about this.
I like pulling with a little overkill so 2500 and small mid size bumper pull RV don't need the weight distribution, but still wanted some additional sway control. So far about the only thing for this is that I can find is the Anderson wight distribution hitch just leave off the chains and wedge. Am I on the right track with this ???
Yes and no. I'm actually planning a whole video about sway control. Bottom line is there are many factors that contribute to trailer sway, and I don't recommend just adding sway control and ignoring the other factors. Stay tuned!
No. We use a Anderson WDH on our 22 Gladiator Max Tow/ Cruiser Hitch 17BHS travel trailer. 500lbs Hitch weight avg. The sway control function comes from tension on the equalizer chains pulling on the Hitch ball assy, increasing the amount of sway resistance. Anderson does a good job explaining this on their website. I like the adjustability of the Anderson WDH and ease of operation.
You probably should have also included a warning about disconnecting the weight distro hitch. 1. Many hitches like this not only help with weight distribution, but include a sway control component. 2. The amount of weight a hitch is designed to carry can vary greatly depending on whether a weight distro hitch is used. On my particular vehicle the maximum weight allowed on the receiver is 500 Lbs without a weight distro hitch, and 1,100 Lbs with a distro hitch.
That just levels the truck. It does not distribute weight. More weight on the front axel can increase breaking power and offloading the rear axle with a WDH in many tow vehicles is well needed.
So I own a Ram 3500 DRW and a toy hauler that weighs 8,000lbs fully loaded. Are you saying I don’t need a weight distribution hitch for this particular truck & trailer setup?
It is not the GVWR that matters as much as the tongue weight. You should check how much your truck can carry on the hitch before a weight distribution hitch is required, then weigh your rear axle before and after you hook up to see if you need it.
This guy has convinced me that RVs and travel trailers are way move trouble than they're worth. Instead, it'll be more cost savings and less headaches to fly me and family to our destination, stay at a nice hotel and order room service.
We must’ve bought the last great made TT. We haven’t had any problems in 4 years of owning it. Seems like that’s all you hear on UA-cam is all the trouble ppl have with RV’s
Unfortunately, many of the problems and issues that people encounter with RVs are self-inflicted wounds caused by by people not researching or learning how to properly “RVing” if there is such a thing. If your not somewhat mechanical inclined you should get the proper training to RV/tow/enjoy owning an RV, it’s not difficult, but if you do things incorrectly it can quickly become a nightmare!!!
@@DavArroyo7242 Great comment! I said a person needs to be a little handy to own an RV of any kind, and you would’ve thought I talked about their mommy.
That was a great video. I knew that the front of the truck raising to the back of the trailer was creating a possibility of damage. But I didn't realize what should be done to minimize that possibility. I believe I have the correct size weight distribution hitch, which by the way is actually made by equalizer, but I had never disconnected it. I will now watch for those kind of situations and do that preventative to damage before I go through those areas. By the way I have a heavy duty Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the complete trailer package and I haul a relatively small travel trailer behind it. I have actually hauled it without the distribution hitch but was told by the dealer that we really should have one . And maybe they're right? Again thanks for the video and I have subscribed and I will watch more of your stuff I really appreciate it. Thanks
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Do I need to use my Blue Ox Wd hitch with my 25 ft Airstream that has a 871 ft tongue weight and weighs 5770 lbs loaded with a Ram 2500 with a payload of 2400 lbs. I can barely notice a difference when I load the bars that I know are rated two high. 4 dots I think is 1500 lbs.
I am sorry this question is off topic, but I would like to know why my PROPANE system in my wbgo 36a solis pocket camper van, has white tape on the fittings instead of yellow. Is it safe? Is it “code” How dangerous is it? What problems have you seen with white tape ad opposed to yellow tape. Thanks!
Ignorance. White is not rated for gas systems, and I never use tape. I prefer pipe dope because it makes a better thread sealant on NPT joints, and I really hope they did not put tape on any flare joints. I would contact your manufacturer and complain. This is such a commonly known "don't do" that they should warrant having it done correctly. This was a rookie on the assembly line that was not trained properly. Sorry to hear they did that!
. Was a plumbing apprentice ages ago and was trained to dope anything for gas. The tape is basically a wick in a fire was way my trainer explained it. Haven't had a doped joint leak either.
What about unibody construction cars? We pull a small 16 ft Airstream Basecamp with our Toyota Highlander using sway control but no WDH. We are well within our SUV’s specs for tongue weight, towing capacity and payload. We boondock often and take the Basecamp off pavement over some pretty uneven terrain. Our Highlander isn’t body on frame, it’s unibody construction so we didn’t see the benefit of a WDH. Is there any?
Unibody or not is irrelevant. The HL is rated for 5000 lbs trailer weight. Doesn't matter if it's unibody or not, it's rated for it, a rating is a rating. I tow a 18ft trailer with my Highlander and I've been using a WDH (Equal-i-zer 600) for years with no issue. In fact, I would not tow the trailer without the WDH, as it handles much better with it.
I have a equalizer hitch took several adjustments for me to get it right,what a pain. This is the first I heard of the A frame part snapping. Thanks for your info. Big safety issue there
If you have the right truck and trailer combo, chances are you don’t need an equalizer hitch assembly. The trucks (with tow packages) are more than sufficient to handle the towing capabilities.
Lol, no they are going to hate me as much as any UA-camr eventually. I don't do any sponsorships or brand deals. I think it is important to distinguish between design flaws, factory defects and user-caused issues. I think Lippert as a company is stupid to ever sell an RV frame that is not engineered well. But their business model is to build whatever their clients want, so the RV manufacturers are the most directly responsible for the majority of issues people are facing. With this particular type of failure, I think that it is pretty easy for RV owners to adjust the way they use their RV so they don't end up with a folded frame. If you want a trailer built like a tank with a custom frame, check out Taylor Coach in Canada. They build them old-school :-) Thanks for watching!
I would also like to know if this includes the ProPride (Hensley) hitch. Hopefully you see this and respond. Thanks in advance whether or not you do reply.
The ProPride hitch unique design is only attempting to counteract trailer sway, it is a standard weight distribution hitch and you would still need to disconnect it in certain situations to avoid breaking your RV frame. Thanks for watching!
The ProPride hitch unique design is only attempting to counteract trailer sway, it is a standard weight distribution hitch and you would still need to disconnect it in certain situations to avoid breaking your RV frame. Thanks for watching!
I've been RVing for a decade and never knew this. I dont set my equilizer that tight and i have helper springs on my truck. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure i would have broken the frame several times by now 😅
Quick question, my 17 coachman viking TT the power wire from the power center to the battery is so thin , I don’t understand why they would do that any guesses ?????? Thanks ---Bill
Interesting. I’ve had car haulers for decades, and see many out jeeping out in the desert. I have never seen a car hauler trailer A frame do this. Are rv trailer frames built different?
Bet every frame is made by lippert. My keystone laredo 5th wheel almost came off. Cheap thin steel. This wasn't a common problem on the older trailers using weight distribution hitches.
None of the frame bends broke away from the trailer frame. The a-frame tongue simply bent before the trailer frame. A thicker walled steel in the tongue will fix the problem.
Great information, but the one factor that is not being considered is the frequency of this happening over a period of time. Since this issue appears to be happening more frequently in the last couple of years then what ever has changed in that time period hold the largest responsibility. So are there more construction sites or more locations where the ground is uneven, I don't think so. Are there more people using over rated weight distro hitches than ever before, I still see the same types of WDH out there that I did 10-20 years ago, and most people do buy the cheapest (lowest rate) possible to get on the road, plus the reality is most people buy them when they get a new trailer from the dealer and they typically stay with the trailer for life. Are the manufacturers producing hitches with thinner metals, yes and I would say that during the "COVID CRAZE", it is well documented that manufactures quality was indeed slipping. Bottom line is that the rash of hitches bending like this conveniently coincides with a dip in Manufacturing quality.... Blaming it on the owner or the RV dealer is a cop out for who is really responsible and that is the manufacturer. The conditions that you describe including a sloped driveway or a construction zone, are commonly occurring events in every day life and that has not changed since the RV life became popular in the 1950s. Sorry but I could not disagree more with this video.
Weight distribution hitches are a bandaid for poor weight distribution, hence the name. If you need a weight distribution hitch, your trailer tongue weight is too heavy for your tow vehicle. A weight distribution hitch does not distribute weight, it applies massive amounts of torque to literally twist the tow vehicle to nose down to counter the excessive weight on the tow hitch which is twisting the vehicle to a nose up orientation. These contraptions do not alleviate a problem, they are designed to disguise a problem. They add forces to the system that the system was not engineered for in most situations. A friend had his frame warranty voided on a brand new camper because he was using a WD hitch setup, which the dealer sold to him and showed him how to set up. How these became mainstream is beyond me.
Finally someone making sense...I was wondering what I should do..Going from A 5th to a smaller travel trailer..So in my research everyone freaking out about WD Hitches... Back in the day I just made sure my load was distributed evenly... Man U saved me from spending 1k!!!
After listening to all this its like "OK" FINE, BUT YOU should mentio 6:06n that a trailer is a trailer, and bent hitchs are a rare thing, you should be able to overload a trailer many times over before bending a hitch, not enough regulation on quality is the problem
Get rid of the ranger/suv, get 1 ton dually. Problem solved :) Great video my friend, where we camp people should unhook the weight dist. before they even come into the park. I hear so many of the TT's creaking while they back into a site well above the road grade.
Moral of the story have more truck than you need to tow a travel trailer & a weight distribution system will not be needed thus no breakage of the trailer tongue
My state requires any trailer over 18’ of length to be towed only with a weight distribution hitch. You will be fined and can not continue your trip until you use one if stopped.
He is using a trademarked name as a generic term for the hitch. Its like calling all paper tissues kleenex. If I was Equal-i-zer Id be asking for a take down of the video.
He very clearly explained the Xerox and Kleenex phenomenon at the beginning, then gave a plug to Equalizer as being so ubiquitous that it has become a buzzword, and here you are advocating that Equalizer takes this down!? Clearly, wisdom has been chasing you all your life, but you keep proving to be faster.
@@joelfarris I never said anything about taking it down. The point is, "equalizer" is no more a "buzzword" for weight distribution hitches than Reese or Draw-Tite is.
He basically said Equal-i-zer is a generic word for all hitches of the type. Xerox was famous for issuing cease and desist letters to any publication who used their name to generically describe a photocopy machine. He should have used the proper words to describe Andersen, Blue Ox, Reese, Husky, and a whole bunch more. You protect the trademark or you lose it.
I'm starting to think motor homes will solve all these issues. Trailers are convenient because you can detach them, but motor homes you don't worry about all these issues. Or simply just get a tent trailer. Growing up my family was content in just setting up a tent. These days, we need to bring a condo to a camp ground to enjoy nature.
I find it hard not to blame TT manufacturers for thin "light weight" frames. Its unrealistic to detach and reattach WD hitch every time you are on a ramp or going thrugh a construction zone. A boxed 1/4 inch frame would resolve this issues. And yes, understanding the limitations that come with towing a TT. But think of this - most (if not all) cargo or flat trailers have thicker frames. So why not a Travel Trailer? It comes down to TT comanies trying to save weight and money.
I don't really agree with your comment about "Even if they reinforced the a-frame of the hitch...You can still put enough force on it driving with your rqualizer hitch to break things" My reason for the issue with this, is when you look at the failures, they are all in the same place. They are bending at the point where the front of the trailer ends. This says that the trailer is providing enough stiffness to prevent the trailer from bending. If the area of failure is so repeatable, then it's obvious that is the area that need to be addressed. the force being applied by the weight of the front of the trailer is concentrated on that point, which means that point needs to be stronger. Sure, you could breay it if you applied enough force, but the thing is, this is a NEW problem. If it was a problem all the time, then it could bre lated to abuse, but people have been using trailers the same way for decades, and now they are having problems. What's the solution? Add strength at the point where the most force is exterted onto the frame; the fulcrum, where the front of the trailer ends. If they were to weld an extra 1/8 the outside and inside of each framerail for 12" forward and back of where the trailer ends on the a-frame; a 24" plate shaped like a really long football; this would distribute that force across a much larger area, and that would allow the tongue to be MUCH stronger with a negligible weight gain. The problem with the trailer frame is the weight concentration in the area where the frame is exposed to the most bending force. Distribute that fore across a larger area (where have we heard this idea before?) and it will dramatically increase the strength. As far as your thoughts about it breaking somewhere else, it doesn't really work unless absolute abuse of the vehicle with unrealistically extreme angles. The problem is, where the trailer ends, acts like a fulcrum, that's where it's going to bend. You beef up the fulcrum, it won't bend under realistic situations. This isn't an issue of people being worse drives, or roads being worse, or people overloading their trailers more, it's an issue of manufacturers trying to minimize weight and sacrificing customer safety to do so. Yeah, it's physics, but really, they should have someone who knows about physics, young's modulus, and the force exerted by weight distribution hitches on staff at both Lippert and the Trailer Manufacturer. Make the fulcrum stronger. Make the a-frame stronger. Make trailers not bend when driving through a construction zone. It's 30-60lbs of material, it's not too much to ask.
You understand the principle of "weakest link"? If you beef up the a-frame, you move the failure point, which you call the fulcrum point, further back on the frame, probably under the trailer chassis. That's arguably a more expensive repair. Yes, you could beef up the entire trailer frame (up to the axel) to withstand a bending moment of 200 lbs times the distance between the hitch and trailer axel, but now you don't have an ultra-lightweight towable by your midsize SUV.
@@jimk5145 Yes, I understand weakest link. I also understand the conditions that can reduce or increase the risk for frame deflection. The point of failure is most often at the point where the trailer walls end at the front of the trailer. The reason for this is because the walls do actually provide support and prevent the frame from bending. A beam with a wall with a panel attached to it is stronger because the bending force is distributed over a larger area. If the criteria for an ultralight trailer allows it to be substantially more prone to failure, it isn't built strong enough. Some weight must be sacrificed somewhere else if the frames are bending.
And a lot of people use one when they don't need one. I see people all the time that have a 4500 lb 24' trailer and a half ton truck and using one. You don't need one for that. That trailer has under 500 lbs tongue weight. I don't use one for my 30' 7800 lb trailer and a 3/4 ton truck with a class 5 receiver hitch
Lippert has the structural engineers to answer this question. Unfortunately Lippert chooses not to address the issue. No doubt the lawyers advise. As RV owners we need to demand better.
Explained very well. That's why I have a dually. Very stable, no matter if I'm pulling my 8,000 lb travel trailer or my 18,500 lb 5th wheel.
5:51 I you stop in the middle of a Interstate Highway construction zone to drop your bars, and the commercial traffic on that road are going to make it worst that the broke trailer!
Excellent explanation. I think there are probably a few trailers that ARE built a little lighter than they should be, but it's not a widespread problem. I see way too many people with the "bigger is better" mindset buying 12k or 15k WD hitches for a 5k or 6k trailer.
back in the day, my grandfather got a weight distribution hitch from reese hitch, they told him the best way to use this was to, measure the rear bumper, hook up the trailer, measure the bumper in the same spot, then put enough tension on the bars that the bumper was two inches lower than the regular ride height, anything less than two inches there would be too much pressure on the hitch, they put many miles on their trailer with no problems, I watch these videos and the people hooking the hitch up are trying to get the truck to set level, and in my book it's asking for trouble, I used a distribution hitch when I was racing that was rated at 6000 pounds, and had no issues no matter what the angle, and my trailer and car was around 4-5000 pounds, and I would put all the success on the measuring of the bumper
Your grandfather probably didn't have one of the ultra-lightweight trailers that manufacturers sell these days.
Best video on this topic that I've seen in 3 years of watching RV videos!
I tow a 35' 8000lb bumper pull with a half ton. For many years. Upgraded rear springs with bags. That alone took care of most of the quat. I do also use a equalizer with sway control but dont need to go anywhere near max on the equalizer. Just a bit to add some weight to the front truck axle. Works well alone with driving sensible and staying alert.
As someone who has yet to tow a TT, even I understood this. Well presented.
Thanks!
B&W has a WD hitch. It is very easy to use and you can easily release the pressure if needed and restore pressure when required. I highly recommend it.
Please explain further. Who is B&W? Is this power inside the truck? Who installs this, dealer or do I take it somewhere else? I am going to start the course but your comment seemed to solve the connection and disconnection when dealing with steep angles.
@bobertforher B&W is a trailer hitch manufacturer. Mostly 5th wheel but they recently released a bumper WD hitch. It uses a air hydraulic to apply pressure. For instance my setup uses 1200 psi. There are no bars like a typical WD hitch. Simply turn a screw to release pressure and pump back up when needed. The hitch is very easy to install. Took me about 1 hour. It's not cheap but it is worth the cost. There are videos showing this product.
Never had issue with mine … when choosing my toy hauler I picked 25’ instead of the longer ones since it all uses same frame gauge. But this video make sense on steep approach/ departure, my point I guess is shorter the trailer less torque on the frame maybe I just got lucky I’ve since upgraded to a class a.
Interesting video. We tow a small tear drop and our first tow vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Great video, and auto leveling so whenever we hooked the trailer, the Jeep auto leveled to give us a even ride. Moved on to a Ford F150 and obviously sits a bit higher. No auto leveling but the Ford handles the tear drop without issue. We keep the tear drop tongue weight as light as possible and watch what we load into the bed of the truck. When loaded for a very long (months long trips) I see a very slight downward V angle between the truck and trailer. It's not enough for me to worry about, I don't think it's worth the money to invest in a new hitch, but I have thought about adding aftermarket air suspension on the truck to inflate maybe 10-20lbs to just give it a bit more lift.
Auto leveling is not the same as weight distribution.
Thanks for this video, made perfect sense. I’ll sure be paying attention to this going forward. Also the part about the hitch weight rating set my mind at ease. My dealer set me up with 10,000 pound weight distribution bars on my equalizer 4 hitch and my trailers Gvwr is 9,495 pounds. Everyone has been telling me I need atleast 14,000 pound bars! I know better now after watching this video👍
The weight rating is more related to the strength of the ball hitch and how much it can pull. The weight distribution bars should be sufficient for whatever weight trailer it is rated for. They key is in adjusting it properly. Your tow vehicle should have a specification for what percentage weight should be returned to the front wheels. For example, if after hitching up your RV it lifts 500 lbs of weight off of the front wheels, and your truck owner's manual says to return 50%, then you have to adjust until it only lifts 250 lbs off of the front wheels. Mast people take measurements at the fender before and after to ballpark guess, but the most accurate way to set it correctly is with scales. Thanks for watching!
Frost Heaves. I towed an ~4500 lb. w/~500 lb tongue weight travel trailer up to Alaska from the California with a Transit Van, no weight distribution hitch. I'm so glad I did not (not manufacturer recommended anyway) because I'm pretty sure those heaves in the road would have done frame damage of some sort. Thanks for the great information! I'm really enjoying your channel!
Glad to hear your trip was safe, thanks for watching!
Interesting. The dealer said I should remove our BlueOx WDH when backing up. But BlueOx themselves say not to. But you're saving the issue is the angle of the road itself, not whether you're backing up at all. Good video- I learned something.
I've always used equalizer style hitches. I contact the hitch manufacturer before buying the trailer and hitch for that trailer. I trust their recommendation more than a dealer who will sell you an oversized hitch because that is what they keep in stock.
In addition to your remarks about sharp approach angles people need to learn to slow down when towing on rough or uneven surfaces. Also the sharp angle doesn't necessarily mean a hill but is equally possible to be caused by a large pothole. By going slower you have time to adjust your approach angle or ability to avoid areas that would put excessive force on the trailer frame.
Awesome video brother.
Much appreciated!
You think stopping traffic in a construction zone is a good idea? I've watched you for years, and I have a lot of respect for most of what you say, but this I don't agree with. I'm not disputing the issue thats being pointed out, I'm disputing the dangerous advice he is giving to people that will believe what he is saying as good advice. And your endorsement of his advice. You both are suggesting to stop traffic in a construction zone to spend close to three minutes to disconnect distribution bars, very bad advise.
I used to own an older Fireball 32' 1980s 5th wheel trailer. That trailer was like towing a small tank. The frame on that RV was never questioned. The newer 5ths are crap, I've been shopping again for over a year and gave up. I'm leaning towards a cargo trailer and converting it or even leaning towards a bus conversion
Very interesting and valuable information that I didn't know. Thank you
Thanks for watching! Glad the video was helpful
Several issues coming into play here creating a "perfect storm" for a bad day:
1. Camper manufacturers using cheaper, lighter, thinner materials for their frames.
2. Truck manufacturers have been increasing the towing capacity of their light duty trucks for the past twenty years or so. A lot of this increased capacity is due to improvements in the transmission, not the suspension.
3. Consumers who are wanting more and more and more features in their campers, all of which add weight.
Of those three, if I had to point to a main culprit, it would be the manufacturers using flimsy materials in their frames. Well, that and the quality of build. I've seen some welds on some of these campers that would make a buzzard puke. Monkeys with MIGS could probably weld a better frame.
:-) Yes, I agree there are many contributing factors. All of which I think people can work around if they understand the design and limitations. Thanks for watching!
I agree. The trailers are built like junk.
No. If the A frame where the problem is,was stronger, either by heavier steel or braced in a proper manor. It would not break, bend or fail. Measuring to level truck and trailer when the hook up is done….and set the tension reasonable. Air pads on truck,if a half ton truck will also help. Many opines out here 👍🥳🤠 Thanks
I have a single axle ATV trailer that ended up with a bent frame, very similar to the one at the beginning of the video. I was not using a WDH. Instead, it was an inexperienced friend pulling the trailer too fast and not slowing down for the drainage ditch running perfectly perpendicular to the road. It also didn't help that the trailer manufacturer (Echo) created a very bad fulcrum point on the tongue where the ramp was mounted. It was a failure just waiting to happen. The tongue was replaced under warranty. Unfortunately, it was many months later that I figured out the axle had also been bent.
Very good video and easy to understand. I went with my brother-in-law to pick up his new fifth wheel and while he was being shown the operation of his new camper, I observed the dealer employees moving various campers around the lot. I was concerned when they were using a fork truck to move fifth wheels around in that they were making very sharp turns to get the camper aligned with other units. I noticed the wheels having been pushed sideways and steep angles as the camper was moved. I didn't think about the spring hangers and I beams being twisted and stressed. Thanks for the info.
Yep, I've seen that. The repair shop lots are packed so full that doesn't surprise me.
Good video. My TT has hitch integrated in frame, not welded under frame. Only downside to this is hitch is higher than most making tailgate hit hitch ball.
Interesting. That would make repairs to the tongue much more difficult! What RV do you have?
@@undercoverrvtech Outdoors RV, they build there own frame
Have you done any repairs at Mahoney State Park, think I may have seen you there
This is something I really love about our B&W Continuum hitch. Very, very easy to disable the weight distribution functionality of the hitch.
Great information here.
It is not accurate to blame frame buckling on a weight distribution hitch. A few observations:
1. The steel used by Lippert or any other frame manufacturer is Hollow Structural Steel (HSS) manufactured to ATSM standards A500 or A1085. Among other factors, these standards state that rectangular steel tubes will be able to withstand between 50,000 and 70,000 psi before deformation.
2. A properly adjusted weight distribution hitch will exert around 70 to 90 psi when parked and 400 to 500 psi when moving.
3. There have been numerous studies done of cars and trucks hitting potholes. They generate two extremely short duration impacts. First as the wheel surface drops into the pothole and the second as it steps back up onto the regular road surface. For a 3500 pound car these were impacts of around 19,000 psi that lasted 0.01 seconds. There really isn’t enough time for the hitch to react or generate additional force in that same timeframe.
4. The same principle applies when going from regular highway to a rough road surface. The transition is sufficiently short that the weight distribution hitch doesn’t add to the force.
5. Transitions such as driveways, hills, sloped campsites, etc are generally not an issue either. These are only a risk when the trailer tires are below the level of the front axle of the tow vehicle. Commercial design standards dictate that driveways in and out of businesses are not more than 4 percent change from the roadway. Same with approaches to hills and crests of hills. This angle is just not steep enough to significantly change the geometry in the hitch. So, there would be no significant difference in tension in the torsion bars.
6. Only a properly trained mechanical engineer doing a reconstruction of an incident can tell you what caused the frame to buckle in this manner.
I agree.
@@Radio_Flakes Most of the A-Frame issues I seen were from cracked welds where the A-Frame meets the TT frame.
how about a topic of, When to use verse not needing a Equalizer? Im going from 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton, I myself am torn on to use or not.
@@cromer77 I’m in similar situation and will not be using wdh, although I should point out I have a light trailer
Thanks for the video . My truck has air ride and it auto levels itself out not sure why they sold me a equalizer hitch . Your thoughts ?
Even if the jack the rear bumper back up with air ride, the weight on the receiver hitch is still acting as a lever to lift weight from the front wheels. I recommend checking your owners manual to see how many pounds the hitch can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required, then getting scale weights of your rear axle with and without the RV hooked up to see exactly how many pounds you are loading. If you are lifting too much weight from the front tires it is still a safety concern as you lose traction for steering and braking. Thanks for watching!
Id love to hear your opinion on a BP conversion hitch. It converts a Bumper pull into a gooseneck. Bolts on to the frame just like a WDH
Our neighbor just parted with his 3 year old, super long, pull behind camping trailer with a bent front A frame for 1/2 the original price. He had left it at a dealership 1100+ miles from home and apparently was getting no satisfaction. I wish he had originally purchased a 5th wheel to be towed by his 3/4 ton diesel.
excellent info!!! of all i've watched, this info was never covered. I will pay more attention to severe dips, which can occur just getting into some gas station parking lots on the road. Thanks!!!
Only issue I has is that the road conditions have been this way since the beginning of RVing Popularity that started in the 1950's (it could be argued that roads have IMPROVED since 1950), this rash of bending hitches began around the same time as COVID, when Manufactures where under pressure to produce as many units as possible and it has been documented that quality has dipped.
I switched from an "Equalizer 4 Point" hitch to a B&W Continum hitch which utilizes hydraulic and it only mounted to the very front of the trailer "A" frame. I llke it much better, because, it is a less stiff ride, and it is quite, and it still does the job.
I ordered some long narrow square u bolts and mounted a 3' long piece of square tubing on the bottom of 2 v frame members, centered at the frame headwall.
Sorry, but no. Weaker is not better and this never used to happen. If 200 pounds of additional weight for a stronger frame causes this then it is the wrong answer. And no, I'm NOT going to be removing the equalizer to pull into that McDonalds, this stuff should just work. I have to disagree with you on this one, and I once had a job where I was towing a 22 foot box trailer around 15k miles per year. This is just a excuse to use a smaller tow vehicle than you really need and is bad in a dozen other ways too.
Box trailers and Utility trailers are built with thicker frames, I used to do repairs on them and most were twice the thickness of a TT frame.
Only frame failures I’ve seen are not directly related to utilizing a weight distribution hitch. Typically failure occurs as a result of exceeding the trailers cargo weight capacity, improper loading of cargo, or towing on rough terrain.
Load within specs, set of your hitch properly and you should have no problems.
Great video. Thank you. When I purchased my 2018 Airstream International trailer (28 feet long and 7,600 pound GVWR) the dealer installed a Blu Ox hitch with what they called anti sway bars. Is this the same as a weight distribution hitch? Our tow vehicle is now a 2024 Silverado 3500 (single rear wheel).
Yours is the first video that explained the issue of weight distribution bars. Most "I Bent my Trailer" videos fail to mention this important fact. Most simply blame the manufacturer. So I have to ask... Is it possible to design weight distribution hitches to transfer less of the weight (50% to 75%) plus be flexible to deal with average grades (like the parking lot)? Any amount of weight distribution is better than none!
My tongue weight is 750 lbs. Should i use trunnion bars rated to 800 lbs or bump up to bars rated to 1000 lbs?
I’d use the lighter set
Do you think the Andersen brand / type equalizer / sway control is more forgiving than the rigid bar type units?
What frame reinforcement do you recommend?
None. Just don’t overload your tow vehicle. People trying to pull too much weight with too little machine are the issue. A WD hitch doesn’t make an inferior vehicle better.
Dead on advice. We do some serious boondocking with our 26-foot trailer equipped with 12-inch pneumatic casters on the back. When traversing deep crossroad ruts and streams the tandems literally come off the ground and the trailer is suspended between the hitch and the rear casters. We have developed two towing configurations, On-road and Off-road. There are 14 changes made between the two. Change #4 is removal of the equalizer bars. Only takes a minute to do and using the bar tool allows the bars that are vertically miss-aligned to still be installed or removed. We have not re-enforced the frames and over the last 34 years and three trailers we have never experienced any frame cracks or bends. PS: for safety we use nylon straps holding the bars during the removal due to the potential energy stored when loaded.
Great video and thank you for explaining so clearly. I was wondering if I needed an equalizer hitch for a casita travel trailer I am planning on buying. Guess not! Pulling with an F350 SRW long bed diesel…..
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Thanks for watching!
Undercover is correct, get the actual weights and run those numbers against your ratings on your setup. Also measure tire clearance to fender of the truck on level ground with nothing in or on it. Then measure after hooking up dry truck and trailer. Then (I know) load both up with gear and water and all that (properly loaded and secured) and measure again. You should immediately know if you need a weight distribution hitch or not. Many are fairly inexpensive and effective. Good luck, stay safe, have fun, and keep adventuring!
So how do i find out what i need? We have a F250 CL gas and are having a 2850KRL built for us 33' with a hitch weight 778lb and GVWR 9,578 LBS. We are new to this and do not want to screw things up. Thanks
I have a Silverado 2500HD rated for 1,600 pounds tongue weight. My camper has about 850-900 pounds of tongue weight, it's a toyhauler NoBoundries 19.1. I had a Ford f150 when I bought the camper. I am thinking of just getting some friction sway bars.
Double check the hitch rating with and without weight distribution as those numbers are different. 1,600 is usually the rating with weight distribution. If the max hitch rating without WD is 500 or 600 lbs, you would still need it if you have 900lbs on the hitch. Thanks for watching!
My Ford f150 was 400 without, 1,200 with WDH. My Silverado 2500HD only says 1,600 pounds, no mention of WDH or not.@@undercoverrvtech
0:32 "This only happens to travel trailers " Why does this not happen to other trailers such as enclosed or landscape trailer?
I have a 30' TT, a 20' Utility, and an 10' utility, the 2 utility frames are almost twice the thickness of the TT so, maybe that's why nothing is ever mentioned about them. Also, I've never seen anyone around "my area" use equalizer hitches on utility trailers and there are a lot of them here.
What's your thoughts on the Anderson weight distribution hitch. I have a Ram 2500 and a Rockwood that weighs 8430 lbs.and 36' long, I have a Weigh Safe hitch that works great, It's just very heavy and my knees and back are not what they use to be.
Thanks for all the great information…subscribed
I have a question. I’m in the market for an Rv. I travel for my work. I’m looking for something comfortable and well built. I’m currently looking at the riverstone, for the insulation and robust frame, for a fifth wheel. Also looking at the outdoors 280 model travel trailer. My two options. Can you give any advice or opinions on these two brands. And yes, work takes me to extreme cold…I mean sometimes-40, to highs around 90.
Thanks a lot in advance
One way to keep weight down and increase strength is increase size. While weight does go up, a 2x3 vs a 2x6 same thickness will yield more strength vs a thicker 2x3 that may weigh more than a 2x6. Also it’s not all on the hitch, tongue weight on these things can get out of control quick especially with single axle trailers that are made to be light weight yet carry a heft tongue weight but use the 2x3.
What about installing air bag suspension under my SUV that would make it more horizontal to my camper?
Could you provide some guidance, assuming other factors are correctly applied, in how much tension is "good enough," and how much may be too much? Just wondering if there is a sweet spot that might provide the necessary weight distribution without too much stress on the frame. Using scales is not practical in most cases.
How much of a angle would you say is the start of the bad angle?
Will never own a bumper pull RV for so many reasons. 5th wheel is the way to go. Such a better pulling experience.
I can’t imagine stopping in the middle of a busy road or in a construction zone to unload the forces on my WD hitch. At that point I’m weighing the risk of being shot by a road rager.
Tip: Keep your WDH removal tool bar in your truck for quick bar removal.
I also forgot to add, that you should always remove your equalizer bars when you off the pavement to go to either boondocking or your are going to a camp site in the woods.
How about going over Large Speed Bump?
Wouldn’t just raising the hitch level fix this issue? I have a weight safe hitch and i just raise it where the trailer sits level with my sprinter van? Am i wrong?
It could be that manufactures decided to reduce the thickness of the frame down to 1/8 thickness. I've never used those just use a heavier duty truck put air bags on it.
Great video & info, Jacob... thank you. Would it be fair to say then, that while I have been using an EQ with out 6,000# trailer with a 1/2 ton SUV (Armada), that since I just switched vehicles to a Ram 3500, I should ditch the hitch?
When setting up the distribution hitch you set it so that the truck sits level (ie. no squatting). I would think that if you connect your TT and the truck still sits level then you don’t need the distribution hitch. My thoughts only and I am not an expert.
@@edmrowiec1936 Makes sense!
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Thanks for watching!
Excellent. Thank you!
I disconnect my distribution bars most of time as soon as i pull into campground. My hitch manufacture recommends not backing up with if possible and no turns more then 60° tight turning.
Can this be fixed? Who would fix this. I was wondering if this was causing the frame failer
Question I have Aluminum RV 21 Intech Sol Dawn 300lbs TW, 2730lbs GCVW. Towing with 19 Lexus GX460 800lbs HW 6600 towing capacity. I’m hesitating to put DW, just adding Friction bar one side. DW hitch weight 90lbs Camco R3 curve, what I been told don’t need it. Oh ya I added Timbren bump stop on my vehicle. What you think should I install DWH or just leave as be.
That’s a scary combination
@@DanielJohnson-ec8rk what do you mean, install DHW or Sway bar only
Interesting! I have had the same WDH since 2000 when I bought my first trailer. 10k rated, 1/2 ton trucks. I now own a 5k GVW trailer and the dealer said it wasn’t necessary to use the WDH . I asked them to change it because I felt it gave me more safety in control issues. I will note my truck has air adjust suspension. I’m planning a trip in a couple weeks, would you suggest I try not using the WDH bars? I do have a separate sway bar as well. Thanks for the advice!
Check the owner's manual for the max hitch weight with and without WD. Then get your scale weights to know exactly how much you are loading on the hitch. If under the max rating for use without WD, it is safe to tow without WD. The benefit is not having to worry about disconnecting in certain situations or risking collapsing the hitch. Air suspension can raise the rear after loading but does not return any weight to the front tires for braking/steering. You still need to determine if WD is required for what you are towing. Thanks for watching!
I don’t think you need it
Yes... cause a traffic jam to disconnect. Makes sense. They already hate campers on the road as it is.
I had a flat on my Airstream One wheel Bambi. I could not jack up the trailer at first till I realized I needed to remove the bars from my weigh distributing hitch. Panic then success! No one warned me about this.
Great point! Yeah with the WD hitch you are jacking your tow vehicle up some as well.
Interesting, thanks for the heads up
I like pulling with a little overkill so 2500 and small mid size bumper pull RV don't need the weight distribution, but still wanted some additional sway control. So far about the only thing for this is that I can find is the Anderson wight distribution hitch just leave off the chains and wedge. Am I on the right track with this ???
Yes and no. I'm actually planning a whole video about sway control. Bottom line is there are many factors that contribute to trailer sway, and I don't recommend just adding sway control and ignoring the other factors. Stay tuned!
@@undercoverrvtech may be Lippert ABS ?
@@undercoverrvtechWhen is that video coming out? 👀
No. We use a Anderson WDH on our 22 Gladiator Max Tow/ Cruiser Hitch 17BHS travel trailer. 500lbs Hitch weight avg. The sway control function comes from tension on the equalizer chains pulling on the Hitch ball assy, increasing the amount of sway resistance. Anderson does a good job explaining this on their website. I like the adjustability of the Anderson WDH and ease of operation.
You probably should have also included a warning about disconnecting the weight distro hitch.
1. Many hitches like this not only help with weight distribution, but include a sway control component.
2. The amount of weight a hitch is designed to carry can vary greatly depending on whether a weight distro hitch is used. On my particular vehicle the maximum weight allowed on the receiver is 500 Lbs without a weight distro hitch, and 1,100 Lbs with a distro hitch.
Why not use air bags to raise the rear of the truck?
That just levels the truck. It does not distribute weight. More weight on the front axel can increase breaking power and offloading the rear axle with a WDH in many tow vehicles is well needed.
So I own a Ram 3500 DRW and a toy hauler that weighs 8,000lbs fully loaded. Are you saying I don’t need a weight distribution hitch for this particular truck & trailer setup?
It is not the GVWR that matters as much as the tongue weight. You should check how much your truck can carry on the hitch before a weight distribution hitch is required, then weigh your rear axle before and after you hook up to see if you need it.
This guy has convinced me that RVs and travel trailers are way move trouble than they're worth.
Instead, it'll be more cost savings and less headaches to fly me and family to our destination, stay at a nice hotel and order room service.
We must’ve bought the last great made TT. We haven’t had any problems in 4 years of owning it. Seems like that’s all you hear on UA-cam is all the trouble ppl have with RV’s
Unfortunately, many of the problems and issues that people encounter with RVs are self-inflicted wounds caused by by people not researching or learning how to properly “RVing” if there is such a thing. If your not somewhat mechanical inclined you should get the proper training to RV/tow/enjoy owning an RV, it’s not difficult, but if you do things incorrectly it can quickly become a nightmare!!!
@@DavArroyo7242 Great comment! I said a person needs to be a little handy to own an RV of any kind, and you would’ve thought I talked about their mommy.
So true except if you are going someplace without hookups.
That was a great video. I knew that the front of the truck raising to the back of the trailer was creating a possibility of damage. But I didn't realize what should be done to minimize that possibility. I believe I have the correct size weight distribution hitch, which by the way is actually made by equalizer, but I had never disconnected it. I will now watch for those kind of situations and do that preventative to damage before I go through those areas. By the way I have a heavy duty Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the complete trailer package and I haul a relatively small travel trailer behind it. I have actually hauled it without the distribution hitch but was told by the dealer that we really should have one . And maybe they're right? Again thanks for the video and I have subscribed and I will watch more of your stuff I really appreciate it. Thanks
Each truck/SUV has a specified amount of weight the bumper can hold before a weight distribution hitch is required. I would check your owners manual for that weight, then double check the actual tongue weight after all cargo is loaded in your RV. Glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Do I need to use my Blue Ox Wd hitch with my 25 ft Airstream that has a 871 ft tongue weight and weighs 5770 lbs loaded with a Ram 2500 with a payload of 2400 lbs. I can barely notice a difference when I load the bars that I know are rated two high. 4 dots I think is 1500 lbs.
He’ll no
I am sorry this question is off topic, but I would like to know why my PROPANE system in my wbgo 36a solis pocket camper van, has white tape on the fittings instead of yellow. Is it safe? Is it “code” How dangerous is it? What problems have you seen with white tape ad opposed to yellow tape. Thanks!
Ignorance. White is not rated for gas systems, and I never use tape. I prefer pipe dope because it makes a better thread sealant on NPT joints, and I really hope they did not put tape on any flare joints. I would contact your manufacturer and complain. This is such a commonly known "don't do" that they should warrant having it done correctly. This was a rookie on the assembly line that was not trained properly. Sorry to hear they did that!
@@undercoverrvtech
Thanks so much for the reply. I am following up with wbgo.
. Was a plumbing apprentice ages ago and was trained to dope anything for gas. The tape is basically a wick in a fire was way my trainer explained it. Haven't had a doped joint leak either.
so how do you size the wieght distribution hitch
What about unibody construction cars? We pull a small 16 ft Airstream Basecamp with our Toyota Highlander using sway control but no WDH. We are well within our SUV’s specs for tongue weight, towing capacity and payload.
We boondock often and take the Basecamp off pavement over some pretty uneven terrain. Our Highlander isn’t body on frame, it’s unibody construction so we didn’t see the benefit of a WDH. Is there any?
Unibody or not is irrelevant. The HL is rated for 5000 lbs trailer weight. Doesn't matter if it's unibody or not, it's rated for it, a rating is a rating. I tow a 18ft trailer with my Highlander and I've been using a WDH (Equal-i-zer 600) for years with no issue. In fact, I would not tow the trailer without the WDH, as it handles much better with it.
I have a equalizer hitch took several adjustments for me to get it right,what a pain. This is the first I heard of the A frame part snapping. Thanks for your info. Big safety issue there
If you have the right truck and trailer combo, chances are you don’t need an equalizer hitch assembly. The trucks (with tow packages) are more than sufficient to handle the towing capabilities.
And if your truck can handle it, you will still have a crap ride without bars. Signed: RV Transporter
Do you work for Lippert? Just wondering?
Lol, no they are going to hate me as much as any UA-camr eventually. I don't do any sponsorships or brand deals. I think it is important to distinguish between design flaws, factory defects and user-caused issues. I think Lippert as a company is stupid to ever sell an RV frame that is not engineered well. But their business model is to build whatever their clients want, so the RV manufacturers are the most directly responsible for the majority of issues people are facing. With this particular type of failure, I think that it is pretty easy for RV owners to adjust the way they use their RV so they don't end up with a folded frame. If you want a trailer built like a tank with a custom frame, check out Taylor Coach in Canada. They build them old-school :-) Thanks for watching!
So what about the people who use a hitch setup like Pro PRIDE and such?
I would also like to know if this includes the ProPride (Hensley) hitch. Hopefully you see this and respond. Thanks in advance whether or not you do reply.
The ProPride hitch unique design is only attempting to counteract trailer sway, it is a standard weight distribution hitch and you would still need to disconnect it in certain situations to avoid breaking your RV frame. Thanks for watching!
The ProPride hitch unique design is only attempting to counteract trailer sway, it is a standard weight distribution hitch and you would still need to disconnect it in certain situations to avoid breaking your RV frame. Thanks for watching!
I've been RVing for a decade and never knew this. I dont set my equilizer that tight and i have helper springs on my truck. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure i would have broken the frame several times by now 😅
Quick question, my 17 coachman viking TT the power wire from the power center to the battery is so thin , I don’t understand why they would do that any guesses ?????? Thanks ---Bill
Just as I was getting more confident in buy a truck to tow my new TT. Trying not to freak myself out. 😆
if people would stop trying to haul the biggest possible trailer with the smallest possible vehicle this wouldn't be a problem
That is the major issue
yes, stop traffic to pull over where there is no space to pull over and disconnect your stabilizers - makes sense to me
Interesting. I’ve had car haulers for decades, and see many out jeeping out in the desert. I have never seen a car hauler trailer A frame do this. Are rv trailer frames built different?
Bet every frame is made by lippert. My keystone laredo 5th wheel almost came off. Cheap thin steel. This wasn't a common problem on the older trailers using weight distribution hitches.
None of the frame bends broke away from the trailer frame. The a-frame tongue simply bent before the trailer frame. A thicker walled steel in the tongue will fix the problem.
Great information, but the one factor that is not being considered is the frequency of this happening over a period of time. Since this issue appears to be happening more frequently in the last couple of years then what ever has changed in that time period hold the largest responsibility. So are there more construction sites or more locations where the ground is uneven, I don't think so. Are there more people using over rated weight distro hitches than ever before, I still see the same types of WDH out there that I did 10-20 years ago, and most people do buy the cheapest (lowest rate) possible to get on the road, plus the reality is most people buy them when they get a new trailer from the dealer and they typically stay with the trailer for life. Are the manufacturers producing hitches with thinner metals, yes and I would say that during the "COVID CRAZE", it is well documented that manufactures quality was indeed slipping. Bottom line is that the rash of hitches bending like this conveniently coincides with a dip in Manufacturing quality.... Blaming it on the owner or the RV dealer is a cop out for who is really responsible and that is the manufacturer. The conditions that you describe including a sloped driveway or a construction zone, are commonly occurring events in every day life and that has not changed since the RV life became popular in the 1950s. Sorry but I could not disagree more with this video.
Cheap Chinese steel , it’s real thing
Weight distribution hitches are a bandaid for poor weight distribution, hence the name. If you need a weight distribution hitch, your trailer tongue weight is too heavy for your tow vehicle. A weight distribution hitch does not distribute weight, it applies massive amounts of torque to literally twist the tow vehicle to nose down to counter the excessive weight on the tow hitch which is twisting the vehicle to a nose up orientation. These contraptions do not alleviate a problem, they are designed to disguise a problem. They add forces to the system that the system was not engineered for in most situations. A friend had his frame warranty voided on a brand new camper because he was using a WD hitch setup, which the dealer sold to him and showed him how to set up. How these became mainstream is beyond me.
Finally someone making sense...I was wondering what I should do..Going from A 5th to a smaller travel trailer..So in my research everyone freaking out about WD Hitches... Back in the day I just made sure my load was distributed evenly... Man U saved me from spending 1k!!!
After listening to all this its like "OK" FINE, BUT YOU should mentio 6:06n that a trailer is a trailer, and bent hitchs are a rare thing, you should be able to overload a trailer many times over before bending a hitch, not enough regulation on quality is the problem
Why do you use Equalizer as a generic term for WDH? It’s not like Kleenex. No one does this.
Get rid of the ranger/suv, get 1 ton dually. Problem solved :)
Great video my friend, where we camp people should unhook the weight dist. before they even come into the park. I hear so many of the TT's creaking while they back into a site well above the road grade.
Lol, yeah, maybe put up a sign at the entrance for newbies?
Moral of the story have more truck than you need to tow a travel trailer & a weight distribution system will not be needed thus no breakage of the trailer tongue
My state requires any trailer over 18’ of length to be towed only with a weight distribution hitch. You will be fined and can not continue your trip until you use one if stopped.
Interesting. What state is that?
I don't understand why you can't just say "weight distribution hitch"? Nobody else calls them an "equalizer hitch"
He is using a trademarked name as a generic term for the hitch. Its like calling all paper tissues kleenex. If I was Equal-i-zer Id be asking for a take down of the video.
He very clearly explained the Xerox and Kleenex phenomenon at the beginning, then gave a plug to Equalizer as being so ubiquitous that it has become a buzzword, and here you are advocating that Equalizer takes this down!?
Clearly, wisdom has been chasing you all your life, but you keep proving to be faster.
@@joelfarris I never said anything about taking it down. The point is, "equalizer" is no more a "buzzword" for weight distribution hitches than Reese or Draw-Tite is.
He basically said Equal-i-zer is a generic word for all hitches of the type. Xerox was famous for issuing cease and desist letters to any publication who used their name to generically describe a photocopy machine. He should have used the proper words to describe Andersen, Blue Ox, Reese, Husky, and a whole bunch more. You protect the trademark or you lose it.
I'm starting to think motor homes will solve all these issues. Trailers are convenient because you can detach them, but motor homes you don't worry about all these issues. Or simply just get a tent trailer. Growing up my family was content in just setting up a tent. These days, we need to bring a condo to a camp ground to enjoy nature.
I've never seen springs in a weight distribution hitch
The bars are the springs
You are not understanding some very basic principles here.
I find it hard not to blame TT manufacturers for thin "light weight" frames. Its unrealistic to detach and reattach WD hitch every time you are on a ramp or going thrugh a construction zone. A boxed 1/4 inch frame would resolve this issues. And yes, understanding the limitations that come with towing a TT. But think of this - most (if not all) cargo or flat trailers have thicker frames. So why not a Travel Trailer? It comes down to TT comanies trying to save weight and money.
I don't really agree with your comment about "Even if they reinforced the a-frame of the hitch...You can still put enough force on it driving with your rqualizer hitch to break things" My reason for the issue with this, is when you look at the failures, they are all in the same place. They are bending at the point where the front of the trailer ends. This says that the trailer is providing enough stiffness to prevent the trailer from bending. If the area of failure is so repeatable, then it's obvious that is the area that need to be addressed. the force being applied by the weight of the front of the trailer is concentrated on that point, which means that point needs to be stronger. Sure, you could breay it if you applied enough force, but the thing is, this is a NEW problem. If it was a problem all the time, then it could bre lated to abuse, but people have been using trailers the same way for decades, and now they are having problems. What's the solution? Add strength at the point where the most force is exterted onto the frame; the fulcrum, where the front of the trailer ends. If they were to weld an extra 1/8 the outside and inside of each framerail for 12" forward and back of where the trailer ends on the a-frame; a 24" plate shaped like a really long football; this would distribute that force across a much larger area, and that would allow the tongue to be MUCH stronger with a negligible weight gain. The problem with the trailer frame is the weight concentration in the area where the frame is exposed to the most bending force. Distribute that fore across a larger area (where have we heard this idea before?) and it will dramatically increase the strength. As far as your thoughts about it breaking somewhere else, it doesn't really work unless absolute abuse of the vehicle with unrealistically extreme angles. The problem is, where the trailer ends, acts like a fulcrum, that's where it's going to bend. You beef up the fulcrum, it won't bend under realistic situations. This isn't an issue of people being worse drives, or roads being worse, or people overloading their trailers more, it's an issue of manufacturers trying to minimize weight and sacrificing customer safety to do so. Yeah, it's physics, but really, they should have someone who knows about physics, young's modulus, and the force exerted by weight distribution hitches on staff at both Lippert and the Trailer Manufacturer. Make the fulcrum stronger. Make the a-frame stronger. Make trailers not bend when driving through a construction zone. It's 30-60lbs of material, it's not too much to ask.
You understand the principle of "weakest link"? If you beef up the a-frame, you move the failure point, which you call the fulcrum point, further back on the frame, probably under the trailer chassis. That's arguably a more expensive repair. Yes, you could beef up the entire trailer frame (up to the axel) to withstand a bending moment of 200 lbs times the distance between the hitch and trailer axel, but now you don't have an ultra-lightweight towable by your midsize SUV.
@@jimk5145 Yes, I understand weakest link. I also understand the conditions that can reduce or increase the risk for frame deflection. The point of failure is most often at the point where the trailer walls end at the front of the trailer. The reason for this is because the walls do actually provide support and prevent the frame from bending. A beam with a wall with a panel attached to it is stronger because the bending force is distributed over a larger area. If the criteria for an ultralight trailer allows it to be substantially more prone to failure, it isn't built strong enough. Some weight must be sacrificed somewhere else if the frames are bending.
And a lot of people use one when they don't need one. I see people all the time that have a 4500 lb 24' trailer and a half ton truck and using one. You don't need one for that. That trailer has under 500 lbs tongue weight. I don't use one for my 30' 7800 lb trailer and a 3/4 ton truck with a class 5 receiver hitch
Lippert has the structural engineers to answer this question. Unfortunately Lippert chooses not to address the issue. No doubt the lawyers advise. As RV owners we need to demand better.