For a trailer under 3,500 pounds I use a friction brake bar, but no weight distribution hitch. The nice thing about a shorter 15' (18' 6" total) trailer is that I can get off road with the Power Wagon where few people go to search for fossil and petrified stuff. Can park it in a crowded Moab City Market parking lot in 2 spaces and get out easily. Camp all seasons with it from a low of minus 38 to a high of 118 degrees Fahrenheit.
My biggest issues are ground clearance, tough tires, and the trailer turning radius has to be extremely tight. Ground clearance is limited to the height of the axle on some tough BFG KO2 235 75R15 tires on a 5" lifted trailer. The turning is tight at 180 degrees.
Accidentally jack knifed it 90 degrees in snow today due to it suddenly went sideways while backing it up on some ice. No damage to the trailer or to the truck. Just left some trailer gravel shield dirt/dust marks on the truck bed panel showing that it had lightly contacted.
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