This is a 2 part question...
1) Why does everyone recommend getting a new hitch receiver rather than using the stock one that came with most F250/350 SDs? Also why is there different ratings for a normal tag trailer and one that has the WD setup?

2) How does a WD device work that is different from a normal tag trailer other than the stabilizing arms that comoe off of the hitch and hook to the trailer.

Any information you can supply would be very helpful. I am just trying to gain a better understanding of how they work and how they are more beneficial in the long run.

 

the second part of your question basically is this: the device with the arms going to the trailer IS a weight distributing hitch. It helps to level the traier and truck by effectively acting as a spring and pushing the load upwards.It's kind of like having a load spring under your hitch pushing from the ground, just not exactly like that. The reason you can tow more with WDH is because of the load sharing, and the additional hitch points, rather than leaving all the stress on the ball.

 

The reason the WD hitch can handle more load is that it puts less load right on the ball and "forces" the load to shift to the front truck tires and to the trailer tires and away from the truck rear tires.

It has been a long time since highschool/college physics but in general the load leverl/weight distributing hitch "rotates" the weight around the ball kind of pulling the ball up and forcong the nose of the truck down and also forcing the trailer load down. This has the effect of removing weight from the rear axle of the truck.

Loading the truck involves not exceeding many weight ratings. The most important are GCWR(Gross Combined Weight Rating), GVWR(Gross Vehicle WR), GAWR(Gross Axle WR, front and rear) The WD histch doesn't really affect anything other than the GAWR by moving the effective load forwards and back.

I am getting too wordy.

The regular hitch just dumps all the load on the rear truck axle. The WD Distributes the load over ALL Axles. The hitch reciever, that square box thing under the bumper is usually the same for a WD hitch and regular ball mount. Most times you will see two weight ratings on the hitch, one for WD and one for regular. That just reflects the amount of load downwards right on the hitch. With a WD, you can handle a heavier trailer because this load is less for the same weight trailer.

Those "stabilizer bars" are NOT stabilizers, at least not specifically. They are the "springs" that shift the load as described. I would recomment an anti sway setup since it WILL Stabilize the trailer, especially in cross winds and when passsing big rigs.

Good Luck, use a WD hitch whenever you can since the ride will be much more relaxing and safer.

Jim Henderson

 

I guess that helps alot for the second part of my original thread but I am still wondering why so many people are going away from the factory receiver that is supplied with the truck. I don't understand why everyone is saying that having a WD device will lower the actual capacity of the receiver. For something that is rated technically at 12.5K, I don't understand how a WD device will cause it to drop down to 5K like i have heard some people mention in the past. I don't want to go out and get something that I am not even going to be able to use. I am going to be carrying a 25-30ft full enclosed race trailer, that will include the car along with the pit box and spare parts. There is an existing WD device for the trailer, but it is old and has been mistreated. Not by me of course but thats beside the point.

Sorry for being so long winded, but I am trying to learn what I can before I go doing something that is going to harm me or possibly others along with over $150K worth of equipment.

 

I think they have it backwards. Look for a rating on the hitch. If there is one, it will invariably show a much greater load for WD than regular.

Maybe what they mean is that the effective weight on the rear axle or ball is lower with a WD compared to the regular assuming the same trailer. This would be correct.

The other reason some people move away from factory bumper hitches is that 1) They are often too high or 2) They often have a lower WD and regular rating than a good frame mount hitch.

As a reference check out any JC Whitney catalog in the trailer hitch section and they almost always have a small table showing weigth ratings for Class I II III hitches with and without WD. The ratings are all much great with WD. My 2005 JCW catalog #694T-01 dated Jan 1/7/2005 has this table at the bottm left of page 116. I bet Uhaul has something similar.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Yeah I think they must have it backwards. I mean why would Ford put something on that would drop its rating when addinig something that would be of assistance to the user. Now I'm glad I got that catalog the other night.

Thanks for the help. I think I understand alot more about how it works now.

 

The new 15,000 lb hitches from Ford are coming through with 2 1/2" receivers. Perhaps people are having trouble finding these style receivers?

People will talk about a hitch two different ways: The maximum pulling weight and the tongue weight. The pulling weight is how heavy a trailer the hitch will let you pull before you start pushing your luck. The tongue weight is another serious limit. The tongue weight is how much weight you can put down vertically on the hitch. General rule for calculating tongue weight is to take 10-15% of your trailer weight for that number.

People use WD hitches because it effectively drops your tongue weight by transferring the load toward the front axles and back to the trailer. This translates into less stress for the ball and a more even ride height. People frequently add sway control bars as well to dampen the sideways movement of the trailer.

A WD setup typically has two bars made of spring steel set on eigher die of the hitch ball, usually below that surface. These bars run back to the A-frame of the trailer, where chain clamps are mounted. The trailer end of the springars have chains bolted to them, which you connect to the trailer clamps. To adjust how much weight you distribute, you change the number of links between the bar end and the trailer. Most say you can't use less than five links, because that starts messing up your ability to steer. The bars themselves also come in different sizes. I've seen 500, 750, and 100lb ones. I've got 1000s and a single sway control on my car hauler.

 

My f350 is rated for 11,000 lbs towing, the factory hitch ( with WD) is rated for 12,500 I have no reason to doubt it. Heavier trailers should be towed with a fifth or gooseneck.

Cowboy got all about right, the weight bars should be rated at 10% of your towing weight, and adjusted so they are parallel with the trailer.

 

With the exception of one or two companies the WD bars on the hitch do nothing but move the weight to other axels than the rear of the tow vehicle. The receiver on your truck is rated for 10% of the rated load or in your case 1250# for a 12,500# trailer. The issue here is not the gross weight of the trailer but the tongue weight. You are supposed to have at least 10% of the load on the tongue to allow control and not have it start to shimmy down the road. In a TT this is pretty fixed and most are from 13 to 15% of the total trailer weight, in your case this can be a variable with load and packing. In your case you need to find out what kind of load you are running on the tongue so you do not exceed the rating of the hitch, you also need to know the weight of the trailer so that you do not exceed the GCVWR of the truck.