trailer: C&C alum 2h slant bp, v-nose w/ dress rm, approx wt=2960lbs dim 7x7x15

tow vehicle: 2000 Nissan frontier crew cab  SE v-6  4x4 autom. 3.3liter sohc v6, 170hp @400rpm, 200ft-lbs @ 2800 rpm, wheelbase:116.1/overall length 196.1.  payload 1200, tow cap 5000, tongue weight 500  solid rear axle w/ multi leaf spring susp. not sure about gear ratio. Installed reese hitch & digital brake controller, they couldnt install WDBars due to the configuration on the front of the trailer, they would have to cut the platform behind the coupler(has a plate ontop of the frame) 

ok, I bought this new trailer way back in march...because it is a super trailer, moderate in weight, and according to posts here, and the mfgr..very well balanced.  So I am afraid to haul, I am getting differing opinions from nissan dealer, trailer hitch outfit, and the C&C folks.

C&C say trailer is so well balanced, I should not need WDB/anti sway with my  Nissan tow vehicle.

Hitch folks & dealer say I should do WDB, and since no one wants to cut up the front end of the trailer..hence I havent even plated the thing  

am I being unneccessarily paranoid, I have to haul 1mare & her foal 123miles ea way on one trip, and 153miles ea way on another. I am worrying about trashing my truck and putting my mares in danger...is a total of say 300miles 2x's this summer gonna do us in?

dont forget the lack of a transmission cooler..for flatland drives. Illinois/Indiana 

I so hope you all can put my mind at ease, or offer suggestions (larger truck not available at this time)

thanks in advance! pls give me words of wisdom..first trip is aug 28th!  

well this doesnt seem to difficult.......find someone to cut the plate and in install the WDH.  i cut my own, but surley someone will do it for you. without a WDH on a smaller vehicle the "pucker" factor will be high(aka nerve racking). also having an external tranny cooler installed will prolong the life of the transmission, shouldnt be to expensive.

if c&c told you that the trailer is well balanced and doesnt need a WDH that person is ignorant at best and possibly just plain stupid. but this is a common occurance in the horse community, i had similar problems with not being able install WDH on a few new trailers i looked at due to tongue length (30") problems. when questioned the manuf. usually stated "balance" or "you wont need one"....when i inquired why they would make a product that would not accept a industry standard saftey device, they basically didnt have a valid answer. "balance" has nothing to do with the tongue weight pushing down on the bumper and levering the front wheels off the ground. there is going to be 10-15% of the trailer weight on the tongue for stability no matter the balance.

while this is a great forum, may i suggest checking out the rv forums? in my observation BP have an undeserved stigma in the horse community, hence few people know how to properly set up or use a WDH. so you would likely have better luck on the rv forums.

good luck, and be prepared to hear how your frontier is not large enough to safely tow and stop a horse trailer.

thanks guys, I bought truck new, not expecting to tow with it at all..just hay/grain, and commuting 100 miles/day.

no summer place, I have (2) inspections to take my babies to for registration purposes..anyhow I am not taking more than hay for the day, halter, lead, h20 bucket..so I should be below max weights.

I am in process of finding a "safe"/oxymoron tow vehicle, but this has to do for the next 6 mos or so..

trailer hauls super empty, dont know its there, unless I look in the mirrors..I am afraid of the moving cargo issue w/ smaller truck.  the outfits I contacted either dont want to cut or weld for some unknown reason, so this whole thing makes me queasy (sp?)  I planned to bite the bullet, load one mare for a test drive today, but it is raining in our DROUGHT I will still give it a try and see how the whole rig sits when loaded..are there places besides the interstate scales to weight these thing?  

Because you are hauling a mare and foal, you are more likely to have them moving around - plus if you are speaking of "inspections".. I'm gonna guess you've got some kind of warmblood mare - who probably tips the scales OVER 1200 pounds.

Because of the movement factor and your short wheelbase - either cut the cover to the A-frame coupler on the trailer, or remove it.  AND - having the brackets welded to the trailer will make it easier for you to hook up.

A collision / repair shop can cut or remove the top plate and weld the brackets on. An RV place can sell you and help with installing the WDH.  You need to have instruction on how to properly connect everything.

I've hauled 5000 pounds of loaded trailer with an extended cab F150 4x4 and felt the wiggle of the trailer when other vehicles have passed me - and since you will be driving slowly - you'll have lots of vehicles passing you at a higher rate of speed.
Believe me, you want and need the WDH and Anti-sway. 

If it's hotter than blazes where you're at and going to - have the trans cooler added.

Sooo..... $600 or more later....  maybe you want to hire someone to haul for you? (at $1 a mile??)

WEIGH Stations: Any grain store / elevator or gravel site will have scales for you to drive onto.

Good Luck with your inspection!

You can look at it in two ways.

1) - WDH is not sway control it is weight distribution
       This is a set up for forcing the rear of the truck up when you 
       have a heavy load and thus remaining level.

       Look into the WDH for the front to rear control

2) - Air Bags - this is also a weight distribution system but really helps
      with the left to right roll

I pull a 20' goose neck stock trailer with 8 horses cramed into it with a short bed 1/2 ton Dodge. All I run are the air bags under the truck. And a real good brake controller.

I would differ in opinion, here's why. 

The WDH "IS" sway control since it places more weight and "Traction" on the front wheels.   The lateral traction of the front wheels resists the forces of the trailer trying to pivot the TV around the back wheels.  If the front wheels don't resist the side force from the trailer with their traction against the road, the TV goes for a spin.  Likely ending up in a ditch or worse, the other lane

Also the air bags don't distribute any weight except from the springs to the axle.

This is why GN's are so popular with the horsey set and anyone else with heavy trailers.  The Hitch weight is distributed between the front & back wheels without any extra hardware.  AND the trailer doesn't have the long lever of a rear bumper hitch to move the TV sideways.  So no sway...

I pull a 20' goose neck stock trailer with 8 horses cramed into it with a short bed 1/2 ton Dodge. All I run are the air bags under the truck. And a real good brake controller.

My friend you pretty much exceed the limits of your vehicles towing capacity before you even add the weight of your trailer. Good luck with that tranny life expectancy.
 

Doesn't say how far or how fast it goes though...

Maybe downhill both ways ... LOL

eeek... hopefully not far... we had trouble with a Steel 4H combo (5ft SW) and a 1/2 ton (Dad's old rig)... it was certinaly overweight and after a year we bought a 1Ton. And I would expect a cramped ride for the horses to say the least.

I suppose you do with what you got... and hope you don't get pulled over!