Posted 2011-06-25 12:00 PM (#135125) Subject: Weight Distribution Hitch Selection
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Hello all,I just picked up a CM Dakota ES 3 horse slant bumper pull. My truck is a Ford F150 4WD with the Triton 5.4L. Towing home from the dealer empty wasn't bad, but I will need a distribution hitch for when it is loaded up. My receiver is rated to 990# with distribution and my trailer has a max GVW of 7000# fully loaded. That works out to be the trailer + 3 quarter horses + tack, so yes, the trailer will be maxed out around 5% of the time. Assuming a max load and 10% tongue load, I need a distribution hitch that can handle 700# max. My question is whether I should get a 800# distribution hitch (real world requirement plus a little fudge factor) or a 1000# distribution (because my system has a 990# max). The cost difference isn't significant. In fact, the heavier hitches are sometimes cheaper. I honestly didn't buy this truck to pull 10,000# and have no plans on ragging it out by loading it to the max, but if the heavier hitch gives me a bit more safety margin and doesn't make the ride miserable the rest of the time, I'd rather go with it.Nate
Posted 2011-06-25 6:44 PM (#135129 - in reply to #135125) Subject: RE: Weight Distribution Hitch Selection
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
The tongue weight should be 10%-15% of the loaded trailer weight. If youre loaded to 7000# then youre looking at 700-1000# of tongue weight. Get the 1000# hitch, has nothing to do with "safety margin". IF the springs bars are too light they will be unable to transfer weight to the front axle basically making the hitch of little help.
The 2H in my sig goes at 750-950# (as per the Sherline tongue scale, no axle weight math nonsense here) depending on how much is in the dressing room, water is heavy.
Weight Distribution Hitch Selection
