Weight Distribution hitch |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2630 |
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Topic: Weight Distribution hitch Posted: 30 May 2020 at 11:42am |
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The only challenging thing about installing a WDH is that a couple of the torque values are ~~ 250 ft-lbs, and most people don't have a torque wrench that goes that high. It is not terribly difficult to MacGyver a workaround though.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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Toyanvil
Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2019 Location: Bakersfield Online Status: Offline Posts: 157 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 30 May 2020 at 9:17pm | |
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.
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 30 May 2020 at 10:12pm | |
Equal-i-zer's torque specification are: The hitch ball is 430 ft-lbs. The shank bolts are 320 ft-lbs. The sway bracket assemblies are 75 ft-lbs. See the Equal-i-zer site for details.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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richfsi
Newbie Joined: 28 May 2020 Location: Madison, WI. Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options Quote Reply 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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richfsi
Newbie Joined: 28 May 2020 Location: Madison, WI. Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options Quote Reply 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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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 31 May 2020 at 7:01am | |
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.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 31 May 2020 at 7:15am | |
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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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3226 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 11 Nov 2021 at 11:51am | |
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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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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riotkayak284
Senior Member Joined: 29 Apr 2016 Location: Nashville, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 162 |
Post Options Quote Reply 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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smedleyludlow
Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2016 Location: Huntsville al. Online Status: Offline Posts: 19 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 16 Nov 2021 at 9:40am | |
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.
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Projects take longer than expected, cost more than expected and will go wrong at the worst time.
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