[Wavery]

Most people find the sway-bar unnecessary with the TM. I have never had to use one (although I do have a brand new one), even when towing with my previous S10 pick-up in high winds in the California desert. I'm not suggesting that you don't use it, I'm just stating my experience and the experience of several others on this forum.

I think that it's good that it tows well without the WDH. The WDH has it's advantages on some vehicles and may certainly add weight to your front axle which is a good thing. However, as in everything there are trade-offs.

The WDH will certainly add better braking and control to the front axle. It will also make for a smoother ride in the TV. However, the WDH hitch is a weight distributing bridge that equalizes load and shock both directions and could actually have an adverse effect on the trailer axle, tires and brakes in some instances. I choose not to use our WDH even though it does make me feel like the whole rig is better stabilized and gives a smoother ride when I do use it.

MY TM is right at GVW capacity (especially tires). I feel that adding more stress to the trailer tires (by using a WDH) could cause issues at some point so I choose to avoid it. I also find hooking and unhooking the WDH a PITA. For those TM's with higher rated tires, lighter loading or a lighter TV than mine, the WDH may be a better option for sure.

If the TV is experiencing control issues in the front end while towing, the WDH is an absolute must. One thing that I would recommend is measuring the distance from the center of your wheel to the top of the wheel well (without the trailer). Then measure the distance again after hitching up. You know that the distance will be less in the rear after hitching up but if the distance in the front increases, you may want to consider using the WDH. Front wheel control on the TV is far more important than early tire failure on the TM.

BTW....I'm a little surprised that your Ridgeline only got 14.3MPG. On our long trip last summer, we got 17MPG avg on our Silverado V8. We get 16.5 on the shorter trips. We use our Silverado exclusively for towing.