Towing with a Pilot without an equalizer hitch

[Globie64]

I'm curious to know how others towing small trailers with a Honda Pilot are set up. The owner's manual says not to use an equalizing hitch, because it will put undo stress on the hitch. This is pretty general, maybe there is an equalizing hitch that is suited to the Pilot, or maybe it's not necessary? We're towing a 2850 dry/3200 laden trailer, and the TV is rated for 4500.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Globie64

I'm curious to know how others towing small trailers with a Honda Pilot are set up. The owner's manual says not to use an equalizing hitch, because it will put undo stress on the hitch. This is pretty general, maybe there is an equalizing hitch that is suited to the Pilot, or maybe it's not necessary? We're towing a 2850 dry/3200 laden trailer, and the TV is rated for 4500.

To not tow that trailer with a load equalizing hitch is an absolute guarantee of "loss of control", that can lead to severe injuries, or worse, for you and you passengers.

If your tow vehicle is not suited for towing, then don't tow with it or get a different tow vehicle.

Andy

[Kosm1o]

It is the tongue weight that you need to be concern with. What is the tongue weight of the trailer and the tongue weight capacity of the Pilot? Too much tongue weight and you create an unstable steering and braking condition for the tow vehicle. I had a lightweight trailer , about 2800# and a 250# tongue weight and towed without equilizing or sway control for years. But the tow vehicle had a tongue capacity of 600#

[Wayward]

Kosmo's got it right. If the tongue weight of your trailer is under the Honda's hitch tongue weight rating, WD could be optional. With reasonable tongue weight and stuff you've loaded in the rear of the SUV, the WD hitch should be optional depending on your driving preferences.

Even if you were to use the WD, I would think that the minimal weight leveraged over to the front wheels from your Globetrotter would not generate much "stress" on the Honda hitch anyway.

Anti sway is a different story.

I also pull a cargo trailer. It is kinda unusual to see WD or anti sway on cargo trailers. I often do not hook up the WD bars when the trailer load is light or, I am able to distribute it in the trailer. Pulling the Airstream with about 800lbs on the hitch, I do not have much control over those variables and use the WD all the time.

[HowieE]

Sound like Honda has installed an undersized hitch receiver. First look at the rating of the hitch and how it is attached to the truck. You may want to look at after market receivers. The original on my Sub failed because GM bean counter cut it down to save money.

Any and all equalizing hitches will put the same amount of stress on the receiver to achieve the same results. You are torquing the frame to add weight to the front axles while reducing the weight on the rear axle.

You really want a WD hitch.

[polarlyse]

Sounds like a Honda engineers way of beating around the bush in order to tell you
that it's not designed to tow a heavier load.

[Globie64]

Its rated for 4500 pounds with a 450 pound tongue weight, according to the manual. Our trailer is 2900 dry, and about 3300 loaded, if that much. We travel light and don't take a lot of stuff, and there is nothing in the TV other than a couple of overnight bags of clothes and our laptops, some tools and a floor jack. The manual says that towing with an improperly adjusted weight distributing hitch is the problem.

[MrJim]

Buried in the info for our 2009 Honda Pilot was the info that it is only rated for 3,500# for travel trailers. The advertised 4,500# limit is for boats. When I asked why, I was told it's because boats have more weight on the back, and thus less on the hitch.

Given that our "new to us" 23' '71 Safari weighs 3530# empty, we concluded from that that we needed to beef up our connection to the Pilot with an Equal-I-Zer hitch, and put as much weight as we can in the back of the trailer, and not carry any more than we have to.

Initially, we had an Equal-I-Zer hitch rated for 10,000#, which is far beyond anything we either need and far beyond anything the Pilot can handle. It made a lot of noise on the road, pops and clicks which we were told were normal, but unpleasant.

Now we have an Equal-I-Zer hitch rated for 6,000#, which is much better behaved and quieter. We also had to go on the road once with just a regular hitch, and that worked fine too. But flat Illinois Interstates at 55MPH aren't much of a challenge.

Maybe I'll have more to say after we try it on a long trip. But I don't intend to push any speed or load limits with a load so close to the rated max.

[xrvr]

The Eqilizer alone can add close to one hundred pounds to the rear of the car. And it is way back from the axle, be aware. Jim

[skinzy]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

To not tow that trailer with a load equalizing hitch is an absolute guarantee of "loss of control", that can lead to severe injuries, or worse, for you and you passengers.

If your tow vehicle is not suited for towing, then don't tow with it or get a different tow vehicle.

Andy

My new Audi SQ5 has the same warning (in manual) about equalizing hitch. May have something to do with their computer traction system. Who are we to believe?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by skinzy

My new Audi SQ5 has the same warning (in manual) about equalizing hitch. May have something to do with their computer traction system. Who are we to believe?

You don't need to really believe anyone or anybody, or even in print.

But you should never, ever, kick the laws of Physics to the curb, which is what load equalizing hitches are all about.

Andy

[dkottum]

In simplest of terms, a load equalizer hitch lifts the back of the tow vehicle to remove weight from the rear axle and transfer it to the front axle. Think of inserting a long steel bar into your hitch receiver and lifting up.

This lifting twists the receiver vertically at its attachment points. If the attachment points or receiver are not strong enough something will tear and break. I think due to the unibody construction (no heavy duty frame) that is their indirect admission.

Some have reinforced the hitch receiver by welding a steel angle or tube to the receiver and connecting the other end by welding or bolting it to the body structure somewhere forward, near the axle. Or custom made a stronger hitch receiver with similar supporting leverage. A disadvantage of this technique may be if you get hit from behind at the hitch receiver (when not towing) damage may also occur at that forward attachment point. If this is done, it should only be done only by someone with great experience and understanding of what they are doing. There may also be other implications such as warranty or insurance.

It is usually a good idea, when using a weight distribution hitch on this type vehicle especially, to choose one with tapered and flexible weight distribution bars that are rated for the trailer and tongue weight, but not substantially more. Flexibility at this connection can help prevent damage to your tow vehicle receiver and the Airstream itself. Especially at steep driveway entrances.

doug

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by MrJim

Initially, we had an Equal-I-Zer hitch rated for 10,000#, which is far beyond anything we either need and far beyond anything the Pilot can handle. It made a lot of noise on the road, pops and clicks which we were told were normal, but unpleasant.

Now we have an Equal-I-Zer hitch rated for 6,000#, which is much better behaved and quieter.

As you found, I don't think hitches are something where 'bigger is better'. You really want to match your hitch to the weight of your rig as much as possible to ensure the hitch performs as it was engineered to.

[wncrasher]

Whatever you may read on these forums, do not use an equalizing type hitch unless you have a body on frame type vehicle.

A unibody structure, like you'll find on these crossover SUV's, minivans, etc., cannot handle the stresses thru the structure that a WD hitch setup will induce.

[tarnished]

Drive a few miles and check it out. If ok hit the interstate. If ok keep going and don't look back!
Paul

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by wncrasher

Whatever you may read on these forums, do not use an equalizing type hitch unless you have a body on frame type vehicle.

A unibody structure, like you'll find on these crossover SUV's, minivans, etc., cannot handle the stresses thru the structure that a WD hitch setup will induce.

Somewhat. The unibody structure itself is much stronger than body on frame of similar vehicles. The problem is attachment points for the receiver, and the lift and stiffness of the w.d. hitch

I think some new unibody SUV's are designed for use with w.d. hitches. Jeep Grand Cherokee/Dodge Durango come to mind. On the other hand there have been a number of full-size truck receivers unable to take the lifting of them. Chev/GMC come to mind.

Pretty hard to group it all together.

doug

[JimGolden]

Stability of the trailer matters a whole big bunch too. As in, NEVER load your trailer tail-heavy.

The old adage is 10%-15% of the trailer's weight should be tongue weight. So if you have a 4000lb trailer, your tongue weight should be at least 400lbs and even 600lbs is fine. That is a simplification.

The real deal is that you want the center of gravity (CG) of the trailer to be 10-15% ahead of the centerline of the axles, for stability.

Trailers are similar to aircraft here. A nose heavy airplane is OK as long as you're flying fast enough to have enough airflow over the elevator to keep the nose up. But a tail heavy airplane is a death trap bomb. They are unstable, and will eat you alive.

So is your trailer. A trailer loaded properly will have the CG 10-15% ahead of the centerline of the axles. If loaded thus, it will tow nicely with or without weight distribution. Better with, but with a heavy tow vehicle you could get by without.

With an ultralight tow vehicle, a heavy trailer, and a tail heavy one at that, you are asking for trouble.

Let's look at an example. Say you have a 31' Excella from 1977. It weighs 6000lbs loaded. Let's say you measure from the ball to the center of the front axle, then you measure from the ball to the center of the rear axle, and the exact point between them is 19' from the ball. You want the CG of the trailer to be somewhere around 10% to 15% ahead of this point. So 10-15 percent ahead of that is 3.1 feet to 4.6 feet ahead of that. So 19' minus 3.1 feet is 15.9 feet from the ball. The trailer should balance ahead of that. You can figure that with scales, but the easier way for Harry Homeowner is "tongue weight."

Anyway, don't load your blacksmith tools in the back. Put the weight forward in your trailer and it will tow much better. I saw a Bobcat on a flatbed trailer, loaded at the rear, sway, then do a 180 jack knife at 60mph, and then flip 90 degrees to the right and roll the whole rig up and over the guard rail.

You want your rig to be stable.

Make sure it's nose heavy

See ya,

[aceflys]

I am towing a 66 Caravel with a 09 Grand Caravan. My van is rated to tow 4000 lbs. and 400 lbs. on the hitch.(The Caravel is around 2400 lbs and we travel light) I was on the fence about WD hitch. I worried about the stress on the vintage frame. So i decided not to go with the WD. I have now towed my AS around 10,000 miles with the Caravan. I have had no issues. I have been planning on installing airbag on the van. But haven't done it yet. I think your Pilot can handle that GT with ease. I do have over 30 years of towing under my belt. But I'm no pro.

[Stefrobrts]

This explains why the PO of my trailer (a very experienced RV traveler) told me to tow it with the fresh water tank full (it's right up front centered under the front window). A little extra weight on the nose is a good thing!

[dkottum]

Extra trailer tongue weight increases the stability of the trailer but decreases the handling and braking of the tow vehicle. That's why you need weight distribution, the best of both worlds.

doug