What kind of effect do those have when you're not towing? Do you notice a difference either in a bad way or a good way?

I was in a hurry, and I didn't have very far to go, so I thought it would be "OK". I decided after that that the couple of minutes to hook up the WDH would not be the deciding factor in the future.

We tow our 179 with an Equalizer 4 point, 600 pound bars. Very happy tow package with our ford Expedition EL

Vann

Tacoma Sport/R-Pod 179.

Off to buy a WDH.

Originally posted by GlueGuy Someone someday is going to have to explain in detail what this giant resistance to using a WDH is all about. It solves several real problems, and you move on.

In my case it isn't a 'resistance' to using one but rather for the following: the dealership told me it wasn't necessary for my setup (177 at 2415 lbs being towed by an Explorer) and since I have never used one and feel comfortable driving with a simple Curt friction bar ($40) over the past 10 years and 34,000 + miles without incident over many various road and wind conditions, I don't like to fix it if in my mind, it doesn't need fixing.

A properly balanced load means that there is adequate weight on the front wheels in order to be safe.  If the shifting of stuff around only occurs in the trailer, then your reference to a teeter totter would be exactly the problem; just a question of on which side the fat kid is going to sit.  Unless the shifting around of stuff adds weight to the TV's front wheels by adding weight at the most forward end of the bed, how would it ensure adequate weight transfer to the front wheels?  Maybe really heavy passengers in the front seat of the truck?  

It'd be interesting to see the results of weighing the whole rig, not just the tongue weight.  How much weight is on the front wheels, the rear, the trailer?  What would the results of the weight distribution calculator show?  Again, the bottom line is a safely balanced rig.

As to whether it is more simple than using a WDH, that is not necessarily the case.  The extra couple of minutes I spend hooking up our e2 is far more simple than futzing around with moving stuff fore and aft to achieve a balanced load.  To each his own. 

My point is not to just do the simple, buy something, yet learn what the issue/problem actually is and attempt to cure that. I own the same basic truck he does and balancing cured the issue. You seem to have missed that..

I've towed the 182g with my F150 without a WDH. Truck was level and could hardly tell it was back there until I hit a steep grade (4.6l) and she'd downshift. 

Fan or not of WDH, using one is not the first step. Learning the cause of the issue and curing it to the best you can first is always the best direction. 

I 'know' first hand that I don't require WDH to level my TV's (Taco or F150) and had 12% tongue weight (420). I used sway only to control in windy conditions. Now that Wouldn't leave home without.

Safe travels all.

Now THERE is a novel solution!

Problem solved!

Oh yeah. Another solution. Put a receiver on the front and PUSH the trailer!

All I am saying is that the picture shows a midsize pickup truck with too much weight aft.  Weight needs to be moved forward.  A WDH can take care of that.  You could add weight to the rear of the trailer to lighten the relative tongue weight, but that may be at the expense of increasing the potential for sway, an unpleasant condition.  

WDH's are not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.  For a little more than $300 you can solve the balance and weight transfer problem, have a lot more directional stability, sway protection, and comfort in cross-winds and other challenging driving conditions, especially on long trips.  

When I look at our F-150 it is clear to me that this supposedly full sized pickup is more balanced with a WHD and it sure drives a lot nicer.  Certainly, I could do with out it, but I'm not into white knuckle driving.  Why bother?  When I connect up the WDH, everything looks more balanced, and the weighing of the trailer at the CAT scale proved that to be the case with more than 150 lbs. transferred to the front wheels.  

It's clear that you are no fan of WDH's and that is your prerogative.  But others, by sharing their preferences are not trying to unduly influence the OP's request for information.  They're simply sharing their experiences.  

Just add a front receiver hitch and hitch rack and load up a big honkin' genset and a few cinder blocks....

Oh ya, balancing the load and buying the right tow vehicle. Life was so much simpler then...

Buying a system because you don't wish to figure out how to load? Okay for you I guess? Is this what we wish to teach or pass along?? Should we not at least show how to find and cure the main cause?

Hey, I get you guys bought into this, as did I! I learned and only wish that others don't spend the dollar before understanding the real issue and how to over-come.

Ford's ratings, as I understand them, state you only gain 120lbs in tongue weight with WDH. Heck, that's almost the weight of the hitch! No gain seen. The original issue remains. 

You are unbalanced. 

Your F150 (like mine) has higher capability than the Tacoma we are discussing (wifies rig). The weight placed on the tongue 'does not move'. It remains on the tongue. 

For Ford to recommend that bothers me. Just another reason I'm looking for a pre "85 Ford.. F250 or better. Okay, decent shape under $6K....