Would you buy a WDH?

[jbrown5030]

Haven't pulled the boat anywhere since getting the Ram. I have a boat that's 4500 pounds dry. It'll often have 100 gallons of gas, and giant pile of whatever **** my family puts in there. Pulling with a 1500 4x4 5.7 with 3.92s. All stock tires and suspension. Do you guys that haul all the time think I should invest in a WDH?

 

[Tumbleweed]

What kind of trailer brakes are on it? Surge brakes don't play well with WD hitches.

 

[Hd74ica]

You know the hitch weight? Based on my past experience with trailer and a 1500 Tradesmen yes I needed. Trailer was 5000 lbs wet. Put boat and boat trailer on your truck hitch. If it sags you need WDH.

 

[jbrown5030]

It's an aluminum tandem axle, sorry forgot to mention that. Yes, it does have surge brakes. They need work, but they are there.

 

[crash68]

If your brakes need work, you may want to consider upgrading to electric over hydraulic disk brakes.
You may want to check with the trailer manufacturer about using a WDH being that it is aluminum.

 

[mtofell]

So, with boat + trailer + fuel + stuff in the boat + stuff in truck bed you will likely be looking at 6500-7000#. That's definitely WDH land for for that truck.

 

[jbrown5030]

check with the trailer manufacturer about using a WDH being that it is aluminum

It's a Performance Trailer out of Florida, but they don't seem to have any sort of web site so they may have gone under. Is there any way to verify if a WDH can be used on an aluminum trailer other than manufacturer confirmation?

 

[crash68]

It's a Performance Trailer out of Florida, but they don't seem to have any sort of web site so they may have gone under. Is there any way to verify if a WDH can be used on an aluminum trailer other than manufacturer confirmation?

It appears that Performance Trailer has been defunct for several years now.
Asking the manufacturer is the sure fired way. Being that isn't an option maybe search some of the boating forums, you'll probably find a mixed response of yes and no.
With surge brakes you have to watch what type of WDH set up you use. The hitch still needs to move and some WDH hinder that.
The aluminum needs to be just as strong to support the weight of the boat but it's how you mount the WDH to the trailer that is the big concern with aluminum. I would look into one that clamps on verses having to drill holes in the trailer.

 

[VernDiesel]

Not sure what WDHs are available for a boat trailer as they don’t have the A front like other trailer frames have. I have transported an 8k plus boat with my 1500 with axle to frame air bags and load tires and it did fine. 15,060 CVW per CAT scale.

Distribution of weight is key IE you only need 10 percent TW for most boat trailers. So even a 9k boat should be loaded for a 900 pound tongue weight. Naturally this means loading heavy things in the boat above the axles and not up toward the tongue rather opposite of where there is often the most room for loading supplies.

Same goes for your truck in the cab or in the bed against the cab is ideal for weight distribution as you will see on the axle weights on your CAT scale slip. With a 7k or less boat you should have no problems.

 

[LoneStarSilver]

What does WHD stand for. I do not recognize the acronyms.

 

[geekything]

What does WHD stand for. I do not recognize the acronyms.

Weight Distribution Hitch. A form of equalizing tongue weight between front and rear axles as opposed to mostly rear axle only.

 

[Shiva]

What does WHD stand for. I do not recognize the acronyms.

W eight
D istributing
H itch

 

[Ratket]

I would tow it and see how it feels. You may be supprised.

 

[Mr.AK902]

I wouldn't worry to much about it, most boat trailers are designed to work in conjunction with the boat so you have little tongue wait compared to other trailer types.

I tow an aluminum work barge for our sea farm, its 24x10 with a knuckle boom and a 115 HP out board on a 26' aluminum trailer with no WDH and its fine... towing a camper of that size is a different story as the weight is most time uneven in reference to the rear axles.

I tried to use my towingg needs as an excuse to upgrade to a 3500, but it really isn't needed.

 

[LoneStarSilver]

Weight Distribution Hitch. A form of equalizing tongue weight between front and rear axles as opposed to mostly rear axle only.

Thank you I have never heard of it!!

 

[Hd74ica]

Thank you I have never heard of it!!

Towing with a WDH is night and day difference. You'll be amazed.

 

[geekything]

Thank you I have never heard of it!!

No problem. They become increasingly necessary the more weight you tow. I'm told a good rule of thumb is that once you hit 5,000lbs you should be investing in a good WDH.

 

[TRCM]

No problem. They become increasingly necessary the more weight you tow. I'm told a good rule of thumb is that once you hit 5,000lbs you should be investing in a good WDH.

Unless it is a boat........with surge brakes

 

[Joshwaa]

When the boat is fully loaded get the tongue weight. That will tell you for sure. WDH are for heavy tongue loads mostly also anti-sway. The way most boats are set up there is not as much tongue weight as say a travel trailer.

 

[Ocelot]

I don't know much about boat hitches, but I have an Equalizer brand WDH hitch for my camper and wouldn't want to tow it without one. My camper is on the smaller size at only 21' and maybe 5000 lbs loaded for camping, but the built in anti-sway on the Equalizer brand is great and makes towing so much nicer. With the Equalizer, there's no chains to tighten on the bars and it's simple to hook up and disconnect by raising and lowering the tongue and truck with the power jack on the trailer.