TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

11-05-2012, 06:51 AM

I now pull my Elkmont without a WDH. I know others on the board with pickups pull without a WDH too.

There are several issues that I can think of:

Without the WDH, the truck's rear axle will be loaded with whatever is in the truck, plus the trailer's tongue weight leveraged by the distance between the ball and rear axle, plus the weight lifted off the front axle. So you may be exceeding your rear GAWR and your rear tires may feel "squirmy", especially if they are P-metric. In my case, I've switched to LT-metric tires and weigh the truck regularly - no problems with GAWRs (or GVWR) or rear tire squirm.

Second, the weight lifted off the front axle may make your steering feel light or floaty, and could reduce your braking efficiency. In my case I don't notice any handling difference, and the measured ~200# lifted off the front axle is only 6% of the total 3200#, so I feel relatively secure.

Finally, most after market class 3-4 hitches are only designed for ~650# weight on the ball when not using a WDH. My Ford's hitch says only 500#, but it certainly looks as solid as my previous hitch that was rated at 650#. So I feel comfortable at my current tongue weight of ~550# and would be willing to go to 600# with a non-WDH. Anything more and I would probably be taking enough weight off the front end to justify a WDH anyway.

My previous truck (a Tacoma) had a hitch rating of 650# but the handling was very floaty with our trailer so I always used a WDH. It was a lighter truck with a shorter wheelbase, so over 10% of the front axle weight was removed when not using a WDH. And with the P-metric tires ...

Anyway, I would put your rig on a CAT scale (you can google a location close to you; they are cheap) just to check your weights.

11-05-2012, 06:51 AM	#5
brulaz Guest Posts: n/a	I now pull my Elkmont without a WDH. I know others on the board with pickups pull without a WDH too. There are several issues that I can think of: Without the WDH, the truck's rear axle will be loaded with whatever is in the truck, plus the trailer's tongue weight leveraged by the distance between the ball and rear axle, plus the weight lifted off the front axle. So you may be exceeding your rear GAWR and your rear tires may feel "squirmy", especially if they are P-metric. In my case, I've switched to LT-metric tires and weigh the truck regularly - no problems with GAWRs (or GVWR) or rear tire squirm. Second, the weight lifted off the front axle may make your steering feel light or floaty, and could reduce your braking efficiency. In my case I don't notice any handling difference, and the measured ~200# lifted off the front axle is only 6% of the total 3200#, so I feel relatively secure. Finally, most after market class 3-4 hitches are only designed for ~650# weight on the ball when not using a WDH. My Ford's hitch says only 500#, but it certainly looks as solid as my previous hitch that was rated at 650#. So I feel comfortable at my current tongue weight of ~550# and would be willing to go to 600# with a non-WDH. Anything more and I would probably be taking enough weight off the front end to justify a WDH anyway. My previous truck (a Tacoma) had a hitch rating of 650# but the handling was very floaty with our trailer so I always used a WDH. It was a lighter truck with a shorter wheelbase, so over 10% of the front axle weight was removed when not using a WDH. And with the P-metric tires ... Anyway, I would put your rig on a CAT scale (you can google a location close to you; they are cheap) just to check your weights.