I was thinking about upgrading to an F250 (somthing I probobly should have but do not need 75% of the time) while talking to my uncle and then came up with the idea of a buying a weight distributing hitch instead.

This is the skinny,
My current working truck is an 83 F150 with a 4.9 and T18 manual. (I find the power to be sufficent so please keep this to to load related points please.) I got the thing for less than $700 with bald tires but only 44k miles on it The GVWR is 6200 or so. I added a set of those monroe load helping spring over shocks to bump up the rear axles capacity a bit. If anyones currious they do help but at about 50% the rate monroe rates them for.
That helped a bit but this is the main issue,

When towing trailers like I am used to doing I get the swiging bannana going on. I do need the ability to tow around 7k safely on a frequent enough basis and want some more safety while doing it. I usualy tow a 7k car trailer loaded at a total trailer weight of 4-6k but do occasionaly push towrds the 8-9k range every few years. I also pull around a single axle dump trailer that has a 5200# axle rating occasionaly.

Will a weight distributing setup get me looking a little more level? How do I choose one to fit my application properly? I would like some adjustability in it. My dad had one on a camper when I was a kid and you could vary the distributed weight by changing links on the chain. Do they still come this way?

Main goal here is to level it out and get some more steering and braking authority. I do realise that I am asking a half ton to do a 3/4 tons job but only tug a trailer about 10 times a year so do not want to spend thousands on rectifying the situation.

Thanks for the help.

 

You are in the 1/2 tn range for what you are doing...just an older truck.

Add a trailer brake controller if you have already...you did not mention that.

Yes a weight distribution hitch is necessary and maybe mandatory depending on where you live.

You did not mention if you were pulling off the bumper so I assume not. You have a reciever under the bumper? If otherwise get a reciever rated higher than your biggest load plus 10%.

Reese makes what you are looking for as well as others. etrailer.com is a good resouce.

These will all help with the tail waging and the ability to control you load.

 

I have a reciver hitch and brake controler. How do I select the proper weight distribution?

 

Here is what I think would work best for you:

Reese Weight Distribution w/out Shank - Trunnion Bar - 12,000 lbs GTW, 1,200 lbs TW Reese Weight Distribution RP66022

Good for up to 12K.

 

12000lbs!

I have towed trailers that heavy with older half tons and 3/4 tons. Seems like a bit of overkill.

On reading they said that you want to have some leeway on the heavy side. I figure 600-800lbs is a normal tounge weight and 1000lbs is loaded to the gills. So do I need the extra load?

Do they offer much adjustability for when towing lighter loads like my farmall cub which weighs a wopping 1900lbs with mower attached? I.E. can I set it up to only distribute say 500lbs?

Thank you for the help thus far.

 

Based upon what you said you towed and the varied loads I am incline to go with something that I pointed out..

Better to have some extra then to be caught short.

As an example my 5th wheel is 15,400 lbs...so technically a 16K hitch would be fine...but what if I were stuck somewhere and instead of the 5th wheels turning I was dragging them. Is that still the same amount of resistance or is there more? I could easily push the limits.

That is why I hitch is 18K.