Harbor Freight WDH?

[larrylifelines]

HF sells a WDH, rated for 1000# tongue weight, for $200:

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...tem-67649.html

I know most people on this list buy a Reese or other name-brand WDH, and that the conventional wisdom probably holds that a cheap hitch won't perform like a more expensive one. But does anyone have actual experience with HF's WDH? What risk would I be taking by getting this hitch from HF instead of something from etrailer or Reese?

Thanks. Just call me cheapskate.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by larrylifelines

HF sells a WDH, rated for 1000# tongue weight, for $200:

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...tem-67649.html

I know most people on this list buy a Reese or other name-brand WDH, and that the conventional wisdom probably holds that a cheap hitch won't perform like a more expensive one. But does anyone have actual experience with HF's WDH? What risk would I be taking by getting this hitch from HF instead of something from etrailer or Reese?

Thanks. Just call me cheapskate.

A couple of issues......
1, 1000# is probably too much for any TrailManor. I know a lot of people use them but they can put unnecessary loading on the TM axle. Your tongue weight is probably ~500#. You may be better off getting a 600# WDH.
2, I would be concerned about the quality of the spring bars. If there is one thing that China does poorly, it's steel. Chinese steel has been a problem for years and that is part of the reason they can produce so cheaply. Spring steel is a technical process that I'm not sure the Chinese take great care at. It appears that some of the stuff that they produce is made to sell. They don't seem to be real concerned that it is made to work, much less last.

3, $200 isn't a real great price. I would far rather buy a used, quality WDH on craigslist than take a chance on that one.

I buy a lot of stuff from HF (probably ($150-$200 per month). I had some good experiences and some bad experiences. I would not buy something from them that has to do with towing safety.

[cochise]

Originally Posted by harveyrv

A couple of issues......
1, 1000# is probably too much for any TrailManor. I know a lot of people use them but they can put unnecessary loading on the TM axle. Your tongue weight is probably ~500#. You may be better off getting a 600# WDH.
2, I would be concerned about the quality of the spring bars. If there is one thing that China does poorly, it's steel. Chinese steel has been a problem for years and that is part of the reason they can produce so cheaply. Spring steel is a technical process that I'm not sure the Chinese take great care at. It appears that some of the stuff that they produce is made to sell. They don't seem to be real concerned that it is made to work, much less last.

3, $200 isn't a real great price. I would far rather buy a used, quality WDH on craigslist than take a chance on that one.

I buy a lot of stuff from HF (probably ($150-$200 per month). I had some good experiences and some bad experiences. I would not buy something from them that has to do with towing safety.

The 1000# is the max load that you can put on the spring bars, not what you should put on them. Besides the spring bars will shift the weight to the TOW vehicle from the tongue!

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by cochise

The 1000# is the max load that you can put on the spring bars, not what you should put on them. Besides the spring bars will shift the weight to the TOW vehicle from the tongue!

Not exactly........The 1000# is the max static tongue weight that should be put on the WDH.......BIG difference.

It's best to keep the the rating of the WDH close to the actual tongue weight (about ~25-50% extra margin....500# TW ~600-800# IMO). When you use a WDH that is rated too high, there is less flex in the spring bars and the possibility of extreme shock loading to the trailer and TV front axles because the spring bar is too rigid for the load carried. A 1000# rated WDH on a TM is over 100% higher than what the WDH is designed to handle. It is sorta like putting 1-ton springs in a 1/2 ton pick-up. Instead of the springs doing the job that they are meant to do, most of the shock-loading is transferred to the vehicle and the vehicle gets an unnecessary beating.

The WDH distributes the tongue weight (approximately) 1/3 to the TV rear axle, 1/3 to the TV front axle an 1/3 to the trailer axle. When the trailer is static, a 500# tongue weight should place ~160# on the TV rear axle, 160# on the TV front axle and 160# on the trailer axle (if the WDH is adjusted properly).

The problem comes in when you use an over-sized WDH. With a 600# rated hitch, the max that will be placed on the trailer axle (when going over bumps and dips in the road) would be ~200#....800# WDH ~266#.If you use a 1000# rated WDH, you can have up to ~333# additional weight placed on the trailer axle.

One must also keep in mind all of the extra cargo that is carried in the back of the TV. The shock loading of that cargo (when going over bumps and dips) plays a roll in the shock loading to the Trailer axle (and TV front axle) as the rear of the vehicle places heavier loads on the spring bars when the rear goes down (from inertia) and the TV springs can absorb less of the shock.

IMHO.......that may be one of the reasons that we see so many blow-outs on these TMs.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by harveyrv

...The WDH distributes the tongue weight (approximately) 1/3 to the TV rear axle, 1/3 to the TV front axle an 1/3 to the trailer axle. When the trailer is static, a 500# tongue weight should place ~160# on the TV rear axle, 160# on the TV front axle and 160# on the trailer axle (if the WDH is adjusted properly)..

Not exactly........

The reason to use a WDH is to take enough weight off the rear axle of the tow vehicle to prevent it being overloaded, and prevent the front axle from being unloaded by the tongue weight because you need it for steering and braking. This is why you need a WDH, even on a long wheelbase pickup.

The 1/3 - 1/3 - 1/3 illustration is extreme in view of the scale numbers people are actually reporting. I question whether this could be the specific intention of any hitch manufacturer, and I'll bet the cost of the weigh ticket that there is absolutely no way this ratio could be actually achieved (For example, 600# bars and a 600# tongue weight with the bars set at max can't push anywhere near 200# to the front axle and 200# to the trailer axle in our rigs). Is there a source for any of this, or is this something just made up for us to think about?

Instead, 1/6, 2/3, 1/6 is perhaps closer to reality on the scales, and even that could be hard to achieve. Different vehicles need different bars to get the desired effect (the longer the wheelbase, the more bar you need, for example). I suspect 600# bars would be harder to use than 1000# bars because they would have to be set closer to their max. When the hitch manufacturer is offering one bar that's rated for tongue weights between 600# and 1200#, maybe that means we don't need to be special ordering 800# bars based on untested speculations.

Trailmanors with 14" tires seem to be at increased risk of tire failures and overloaded axles may be a contributing factor. Carrying less in the trailer is the answer (especially water).

[Bill]

Are you able to visit a Harbor Freight and look at one? The HF listing says that this hitch was built by Haulmaster Trailers, and there is / was a company called Haulmaster in Elkhart, Indiana (RV Capital of the World!) I'm unable to find a current link for them, and manufacturing facility at that address is now occupied by a trailer manufacturer called Team Spirit Trailers. Big manufacturing building, big storage lot outside, a common sight in Elkhart. As you may know, a large number of trailer and RV manufacturers in Elkhart have gone out of business in the past couple years, as the TV market crashed. Perhaps Haulmaster was a victim, and was bought by Team Spirit.

Or as Wayne says, the Haulmaster name may be a cheap Chinese knockoff, which raises the same flag with me that it does with him.

Anyway, if you could look at the packaging, you might find the answer.

One other issue is the length of the springbars, since you have a 2720SL. This board has had a couple threads lately about the importance of springbar length when you are installing on a 2720SL. I think the conclusion is that the overall length needs to be about 32 inches. A length of 30 inches (apparently another common size) may not work.

Bill

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

Are you able to visit a Harbor Freight and look at one? The HF listing says that this hitch was built by Haulmaster Trailers, and there is / was a company called Haulmaster in Elkhart, Indiana (RV Capital of the World!) I'm unable to find a current link for them, and manufacturing facility at that address is now occupied by a trailer manufacturer called Team Spirit Trailers. Big manufacturing building, big storage lot outside, a common sight in Elkhart. As you may know, a large number of trailer and RV manufacturers in Elkhart have gone out of business in the past couple years, as the TV market crashed. Perhaps Haulmaster was a victim, and was bought by Team Spirit.

Or as Wayne says, the Haulmaster name may be a cheap Chinese knockoff, which raises the same flag with me that it does with him.


Bill

Maybe these pics might help clear that up.

The jacks that I bought from HF were "Haul-Master". I'm not too concerned about them handling the job however because they are not a safety issue and they will never see over 25% of their rated capacity, less then 10% on most occasions.

Funny thing is........even if it didn't say "Made in China", the cardboard was a dead giveaway. What is it with Chinese cardboard? It's all the same too.......

[larrylifelines]

I agree with what you guys have said. I was just hoping someone on this board might have actually installed the HF/Haulmaster WDH. Lacking firsthand recommendation, I'll avoid it. I guess I don't want to wonder, every mile I travel, whether the steel in my hitch is strong enough.

Will check Craigslist, and bite the etrailer bullet if necessary.

Ken

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by larrylifelines

I agree with what you guys have said. I was just hoping someone on this board might have actually installed the HF/Haulmaster WDH. Lacking firsthand recommendation, I'll avoid it. I guess I don't want to wonder, every mile I travel, whether the steel in my hitch is strong enough.

Will check Craigslist, and bite the etrailer bullet if necessary.

Ken

The problem with stuff from HF is that the quality of most of that stuff is not consistent on the same product. I have purchased several items that I've had to return several times before I got a good one (air compressor comes to mind). Once you get one that works, it seems to do pretty well.

What I'm trying to say is, just because one person has had (what they perceive to be) a great experience with that WDH doesn't necessarily mean that you will enjoy the same experience. It's more of a consistency issue.

BTW......do a little homework on the rating that you want before buying. IMHO, a 1,000 WDH may not be your best choice.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by larrylifelines

HF sells a WDH, rated for 1000# tongue weight, for $200:

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...tem-67649.html

I know most people on this list buy a Reese or other name-brand WDH, and that the conventional wisdom probably holds that a cheap hitch won't perform like a more expensive one. But does anyone have actual experience with HF's WDH? What risk would I be taking by getting this hitch from HF instead of something from etrailer or Reese?

Thanks. Just call me cheapskate.

I've never seen one up close, but it looks like there might be less steel in the mounting points for the hitch bars than there is in the Reese hitches, and the distance from top to the bottom of the sleeve that holds the hitch bars is less (in other words the mounting point for the bars is possibly weaker, while the bar is able to put more leverage on it than with a similar Reese hitch). There's no way to tell without loading it up to see where it fails, of course, and I doubt anybody's done that.

Reese:
http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distr...ies/49570.html


There's also a certain advantage in following a proven path: People use all kinds of Reese hitches and no one complains about them (how they work, how they adjust, etc). This one is an unknown. For example, it looks like it has some kind of spring release for the bar, and I'm not sure I'd like that

Some things I like about my Reese hitch are:
- There's lots of adjustment flexibility
- The whole shank/ball/head assembly weighs 35#
- It's relatively compact on the shelf in the Garage, compared to some.