WDH or not?

[0rion]

I guess I don't understand how you don't see it as dangerous. Nose high, reduced braking, and reduced steering. Not to mention having the potential of having the tail wag the dog. Everyone is definitely entitled to their opinion and to do things how they want. Ihave my family in my truck with me when I tow. I take every safety precaution I can. A 3-4000 lb trailer I may not worry about it too much but you get in the 5k and over range and I'd be using a wdh with sway control.

 

[AFMoulton]

I guess I don't understand how you don't see it as dangerous. Nose high, reduced braking, and reduced steering. Not to mention having the potential of having the tail wag the dog. Everyone is definitely entitled to their opinion and to do things how they want. Ihave my family in my truck with me when I tow. I take every safety precaution I can. A 3-4000 lb trailer I may not worry about it too much but you get in the 5k and over range and I'd be using a wdh with sway control.

Thank you. He doesn’t see it as dangerous, till his truck can’t steer to avoid something and he plows into someone and kills them or their family. But hey it’s not like that’s exactly what happened to some of my family.

If you are towing anything over 5000# it’s your responsibility to do it correctly. When you don’t you put other people lives in danger.


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper St MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 4 Qts 5W-30 and 3 Qts 0W-40
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[KSH]

Buy a propride. Won't have to worry about anything else after that.

 

[csuder99]

Buy a propride. Won't have to worry about anything else after that.

Or the Hensley Arrow. That's the type of answer you'll find a lot on RV forums, just throw money at it.

Back to the OP's question. The fulcrum analogy was already mentioned but it goes both ways. The longer the wheelbase of the tow vehicle and the heavier the engine the less the front axle gets unloaded by the tongue weight. If the OP's truck was a crew cab long bed with the Cummins (which is almost a 1000 lbs heavier than the 6.4) it would not need a WDH. 6.4 short bed I would think yes, but the WDH doesn't need to be cranked as much as on a half-ton. Ideally determine the change in front axle load with and without WDH compared to truck only.

 

[Kid_Hauler]

I drive a 2014 2500 Tradesman 5.7 HEMI HD. I tow a a 36' trailer weighing in at about 9500lbs. I have towed it without the weight distribution and sway control hitch and I don't like it. The truck bounces a lot and the trailer wags like a dogs tail. Three or four miles from the trailer storage I don't worry about it. Anything longer than that and I always use it.

 

[TomB 1269]

As most have stated it is all in the dynamics of the truck. If the truck does not squat with 800lbs on the tongue then it should not be an issue. However, if it does not squat but still lightens the front axle by 500 or 600lbs then it should be considered a serious issue. Also the wheelbase of the TV and the length of the TR need to be taken in to account. A short bed truck with 800lbs on the tongue and not squatting with a 15 -20ft trailer is a lot different then on pulling a 30ft TR. The 30ft TR also tends to have a higher center of gravity which means it has more leverage on the TV. With the greater leverage comes the need for greater traction, and not just on the rear axle but on the front to maintain lateral stability and stop the trailer from pushing the nose left and right.
I have an enclosed trailer that can run about 600lbs of tongue weight, and had no concerns pulling it without WDH on my previous truck. However it is only 20ft long or about equal length to the truck. Its total weight was only about 60% of the truck, and the truck had load control shocks on the rear axle and only set down an inch from stock (i would be very hesitate to do so with the new truck as it does not have load control shocks, in addition it is a coil spring rear axle vs leaf), which still left an inch of rake from front to back. There is only one or 2 possible scenarios with which the trailer could upset the truck, and the only one I could think of is a trailer tire blow out on the highway. However at the trailers length, the trucks weight and running at a speed in which I still had power from the engine I was not overly concerned. I knew that if a tire went I could floor it and the worse case would be I'd total the trailer as it flopped around behind me.
Anyone not taking in to account the possibility of a tire blowout when setting up and towing their trailer is in my opinion is nieve.

 

[Michael McCabe]

I just upgraded to the 2500 from my 1500...I always use the WDH

 

[GsRAM]

I'm pretty sure all the physics is kind of "baked into the cake" with payload ratings. Meaning, tongue weight of a trailer at the hitch is the same as in the bed. I agree realistically it's not the same thing as there is a moment arm from the point over the rear axle to the hitch point but that's already accounted for with the ratings. I guess another way of putting it would be that the engineers plan for worst case so all of the payload applied at the hitch (which they do when bragging about max tow rating).

Trailer tongue weight, the weight of the WDH, any cargo in the bed and passengers in the cab all count as payload. Your limit on the door sticker is your limit for all of the a above, period.

Some choose to disregard that limit for a variety of reasons which i won't get into or debate here.

I choose to abide by the payload limit and that's one of many reasons I upgraded to a 2500 series truck. To each their own of course. My .02.

 

[Snyd]

WDH is a no brainer and mandatory according to RAM.


2016 RAM 2500 Owners Manual. Just sayin....

 

[Old Cop 66]

Interesting commentary.
Nice engineering observations, and real world experiences.
I too have a 2500, 6.4. Crew cab factory tow installed, class V hitch.
I used to tow a 35’ fifth, but just got tired of squeezing it into seemingly smaller and smaller camp sites.
Went down to a 30’ TT a couple years ago, do not use a WDH.
Now, now...

TT EMPTY is 6800, CCC is 1841 pounds. I do not carry water, and, have a lot of empty cabinet space. Bed of truck carries maybe 300 pounds. Heavy is not a problem.
The 2500 is cool sprung, it squats 1.25 inches in the rear when the TT is set on the ball. No problem with dynamics here.
Stopping. No problem there either. I put on a very good set of E rated ST’s, first trip out, I was tried by a “swoop and squat”.
I stabbed the brake... when the smoke cleared, the idiot was gone, he ran a red light camera, I was supposed to be his shield I guess.
At any rate, I had almost a thousand dollars in new tires, that had amazingly flat spots on one side!
But, I stopped, FAST!
New tires again the next week.
Through all this, everything stayed straight and true, with the minor exception of the smelly lump in my shorts.
Ram HAS to put that direction in the manual, too many hungry lawyers, and idiot drivers looking to meet them.
My experience too includes WDH, when I was towing a heavy load with a half ton truck.
Been towing 400,000 at this point, with a 3500, now a 2500, as I have a much smaller load to deal with.
Er if you may, and absolutely er on the side you are comfortable with...
BTW, have anyone ever noticed large “bumper” pull multiple horse trailers. Horses averaging 1000 pounds the each, plus gear, feed, trailer weight.
And for you guys near the coast, have you seen some of those big tri-axle boat trailers, complete with huge boat, and gear, no WDH on either of these things!
Enough already!
Tow safe... keep the grease on the bottom

 

[Snyd]

Naww...no need for a WDH.... I seen other guys not use one....

Might as well get rid of the trailer brakes while your at it....

Guys that don't use the WDH seem to forget, or not realize that its purpose is NOT to eliminate squat. It's to put weight back on the front axle. You could have no rear suspension, angle iron instead of springs and the leverage of the tongue weight will still make the front end light.

Too much testosterone around here telling guys what to do. At some point the testosterone looses and physics takes over. I just hope you don't kill anyone else when it does.

 

[AFMoulton]

Naww...no need for a WDH.... I seen other guys not use one....

Might as well get rid of the trailer brakes while your at it....

Guys that don't use the WDH seem to forget, or not realize that its purpose is NOT to eliminate squat. It's to put weight back on the front axle. You could have no rear suspension, angle iron instead of springs and the leverage of the tongue weight will still make the front end light.

Too much testosterone around here telling guys what to do. At some point the testosterone looses and physics takes over. I just hope you don't kill anyone else when it does.

Thank you.


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper St MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 4 Qts 5W-30 and 3 Qts 0W-40
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[HiddenHollow]

That was quite the conversation I sparked! I towed with and without the WDH and I like the feel of the truck and trailer with the WDH. The trailer will only squat the truck a couple of inches so the tongue weight isn't too bad. The toy hauler is set up in a way that its pretty evenly loaded with something in the garage or not. The load is over the trailer axles. Thanks to everyone for the info.

 

[2003F350]

That was quite the conversation I sparked! I towed with and without the WDH and I like the feel of the truck and trailer with the WDH. The trailer will only squat the truck a couple of inches so the tongue weight isn't too bad. The toy hauler is set up in a way that its pretty evenly loaded with something in the garage or not. The load is over the trailer axles. Thanks to everyone for the info.

Glad to hear you're doing it safely.