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Weight Distribution hitch
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smedleyludlow View Drop Down
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Posts: 19 		Post Options Post Options   Quote smedleyludlow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Weight Distribution hitch
    Posted: 17 Nov 2021 at 8:38am
We have dragged our 176 probably 15,000 miles or more and never had any problem with sway.  But I don't go much over 70, occasionally 75 downhill.  The R3 recurve is new tho, Only about 3k miles on it. Prior to the R3 I used a sway bar. 
Projects take longer than expected, cost more than expected and will go wrong at the worst time.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Nov 2021 at 4:51am
Don't wait to see if you have sway and then attempt to use sway control to tame it. If your load is properly balanced then you won't have sway to begin with.

Weigh your rig as loaded for travel and be sure the tongue weight is at least 10% of total trailer weight, preferably 11%. There have been incidences of sway in rpods at around 10%. Be sure to include water weight in the FWT (with gray and black empty) if you plan to boondock, and also water weight in the gray and black tanks on your return (with the FWT empty). Water is very heavy, water weight changed the tongue weight by about 3% on my rig.

You can obtain your trailer and tongue weights at a public scale by going through the scales twice, once with the trailer and once without it. On the first run get the combined weight of the two tow vehicle axles, then roll the trailer on and get the total combined weight. Trailer weight is the difference between the two total weights. Tongue weight is the difference between the weight of the two tow vehicle axles from the first and second runs. You can check all your other trailer and TV weight specs axles max combined weight) at the same time.

Move load forward or aft
so your tongue weight stays at least 10%. Or remove it. Then add the sway control system as backup.
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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smedleyludlow View Drop Down
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Posts: 19 		Post Options Post Options   Quote smedleyludlow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Nov 2021 at 10:12am
Originally posted by richfsi

I’m most concerned with possible sway issues. Do they make a hitch to just address sway issues?
I forgot, sway control is built into the R3 Recurve.  It can be tightened for more control or loosened completely for backing.  Adjustment is done using an Allen wrench. Te bars don't have to come off for backing.
Projects take longer than expected, cost more than expected and will go wrong at the worst time.
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smedleyludlow View Drop Down
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Posts: 19 		Post Options Post Options   Quote smedleyludlow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Nov 2021 at 9:40am
Originally posted by richfsi

I’m most concerned about sway control. Do They make just a hitch to address possible sway conditions?


The bottom line is if you detect ANY sway, slow down. 

I use a Camco R3 Recurve towing an RPod 176 with a Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Ultimate with a mushy rear end. There is about 300 lbs tongue weight.  The 400 lb spring bars positioned alongside the frame are insurance against dragging.  It works well although there was a gap of 0.080 between the hitch head and shank that Camco said closes when 260 ft lbs are applied to the bolts holding it together.  Instead, I fashioned an 0.080 shim that I put between the shank and hitch head that closed the gap before tightening the bolts.  I used a 1/2 in drive ratchet and 5 foot fence post as a cheater bar to tighten the bolts.  It's worked well for over 2,000 miles now. 
Projects take longer than expected, cost more than expected and will go wrong at the worst time.
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riotkayak284 View Drop Down
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Posts: 162 		Post Options Post Options   Quote riotkayak284 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 2021 at 2:10pm
Highly recommend the Andersen system..... Been great for my 182G

https://andersenhitches.com/collections/wd-hitch
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3226 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov 2021 at 11:51am
Originally posted by offgrid

Originally posted by richfsi

I’m most concerned with possible sway issues. Do they make a hitch to just address sway issues?


I wouldn't recommend that route for your rig but yes they do. 

You could get something like this


If you don't have a wdh you will have to weld a tab to your ball mount. 



This is all I have ever used towing a 177 for the past 11 years; 8 of them towing with either an '08 or '13 Ford Explorer.  Many road and weather conditions with no issues or problems.  Cost was $40 when purchased back in March 2011 so not surprised to see a cost increase.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2020 at 7:15am
Originally posted by richfsi

I’m most concerned with possible sway issues. Do they make a hitch to just address sway issues?


I wouldn't recommend that route for your rig but yes they do. 

You could get something like this


If you don't have a wdh you will have to weld a tab to your ball mount. 

You will like towing that 190 with your Highlander much better with a WDH though.....

The best thing you can do to limit sway risk is to load the trailer properly, keeping the hitch weight to at least 10 and preferably more like 12% or higher of total trailer weight. In practice that's not hard to do as long as you don't haul around graywater because that tank is behind the axle. 
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1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2020 at 7:01am
Originally posted by Toyanvil

I will bring up the down side of Weight Distribution Hitch's used on Rpods, since no one else did. Rpods are known for axles bending from being over loaded and a WDH will add weigh to the trailer axle, if you load your Rpod close to the limit a WDH can put you over. This is why I asked how it tows without one. I have towed trailers for over 40 years and have never needed one for a trailer under 4000 lbs.

You raise a good point regarding increased trailer axle weight, and I wouldn't recommend a WDH for someone with a heavy tow vehicle. But trailer weight is not the criterion you should used to decide to get a whd or not, its the hitch weight of the trailer relative to the maximum hitch weight of the tow vehicle. Towing a relatively heavy trailer like a 190 with a relatively light and short wheelbase vehicle like a Highlander, a WDH makes a big difference. I have a similar rig and I am right at the my max hitch weight spec, while I have several hundred pounds of headroom on my trailer axle. At the tension level I put on my wdh I put an additional load of about 90 lbs on the trailer axle but reduce the load on the Highlander rear axle by about 270 lbs. That is a huge improvement for the Highlander for a small increase on the rPod. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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richfsi View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Quote richfsi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2020 at 6:07am
I’m most concerned with possible sway issues. Do they make a hitch to just address sway issues?
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richfsi View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Quote richfsi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2020 at 6:05am
I’m most concerned about sway control. Do They make just a hitch to address possible sway conditions?
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