Is this WD hitch any good?
#1
06-27-2008, 09:15 PM
Is this WD hitch any good?
Well, I'm pretty excited today cause my new cargo trailer came in to my dealer.
8.5 x 20 setup as a "poor mans" toyhauler.
I will be towing with my 2000 Expy 5.4 in my sig. I figure I will be near 6000 lbs gross counting passengers and gear in the trailer. That is at my max tow rating according to my owners manual with 3.55 axle ratio.
Trailer is listed at 2900 curb weight and hitch weight of 290 lbs. I am guessing I will double that hitch weight when I have gear in the trailer even though I try to balance my load as best I can.
The dealer said they can get me this WD setup fully installed including road test and a follow up test when I have the trailer fully geared up. All of this for $239.99 turnkey. Bars, stinger, ball the whole shebang included in the price.
http://www.robin-aftermarket.com/infoRB.shtml
I cant remember if it is the round or trunnion bar system. Is this brand and system any good?
It does not have sway control though. I had a 16' trailer of the same make before and used just a ball only now WD or anything. Never had a bit of problems. Stress free pulling.
Do I need sway control? I could always go with this. I have used EZ-Lifts version with good success in times past. Its a basic way of accomplishing sway control but it worked for me.
http://www.robin-aftermarket.com/infoSC.shtml
8.5 x 20 setup as a "poor mans" toyhauler.
I will be towing with my 2000 Expy 5.4 in my sig. I figure I will be near 6000 lbs gross counting passengers and gear in the trailer. That is at my max tow rating according to my owners manual with 3.55 axle ratio.
Trailer is listed at 2900 curb weight and hitch weight of 290 lbs. I am guessing I will double that hitch weight when I have gear in the trailer even though I try to balance my load as best I can.
The dealer said they can get me this WD setup fully installed including road test and a follow up test when I have the trailer fully geared up. All of this for $239.99 turnkey. Bars, stinger, ball the whole shebang included in the price.
http://www.robin-aftermarket.com/infoRB.shtml
I cant remember if it is the round or trunnion bar system. Is this brand and system any good?
It does not have sway control though. I had a 16' trailer of the same make before and used just a ball only now WD or anything. Never had a bit of problems. Stress free pulling.
Do I need sway control? I could always go with this. I have used EZ-Lifts version with good success in times past. Its a basic way of accomplishing sway control but it worked for me.
http://www.robin-aftermarket.com/infoSC.shtml
Last edited by Enigma66; 06-27-2008 at 10:21 PM.
#2
06-30-2008, 11:39 AM
I've not heard of that brand, but it looks like your regular type of WD hitch. I have a EAZ-LIFT setup and it's pretty hefty and been working fine for over 6 years.
Keep most of your heavy stuff up front to keep the tongue weight to around 12% of the trailers total weight and you should be fine with that setup. You should not need that friction sway control device.. I've never needed one with towing a 22' TT..
See how you do and then go from there. A lot of how stable your tow is going to be is making sure you setup the hitch so that it's level, or just a tad nose down. Nose up will not be good. Make sure you have the WD bars tight (crank up on the tongue jack after you hitch up to the truck so that you actually lift the rear of the truck up a bit. Then set the number of links on the chain to the one that still requires you to use a cheater bar to snap up and then lower the jack). This will give you the most WD and level you out if you have a heavy TW.
Good luck!
Mitch
Keep most of your heavy stuff up front to keep the tongue weight to around 12% of the trailers total weight and you should be fine with that setup. You should not need that friction sway control device.. I've never needed one with towing a 22' TT..
See how you do and then go from there. A lot of how stable your tow is going to be is making sure you setup the hitch so that it's level, or just a tad nose down. Nose up will not be good. Make sure you have the WD bars tight (crank up on the tongue jack after you hitch up to the truck so that you actually lift the rear of the truck up a bit. Then set the number of links on the chain to the one that still requires you to use a cheater bar to snap up and then lower the jack). This will give you the most WD and level you out if you have a heavy TW.
Good luck!
Mitch