Do I need a WD hitch?

RossFam05BH · 08-24-2004, 07:27 PM

Hi all,

We have our 30' 2005 Safari LS Bunkhouse on order and it should be delivered in early October. We're really excited about it but we are complete RV trailer neophytes. Our tow vehicle is a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 HD, crew cab, long bed, with the Duramax/Allison combination. I use the truck to tow a 16' flatbed trailer loaded with 12000 lbs (sometimes more) of logs for my business, and I have learned the hard way that the distribution of the load is critical to safe towing. I haven't used, and did not even know about, the universal application of weight distributing hitches to tow RV trailers until reading these forums. To those of you that have a similar tow vehicle/airstream trailer combination, could you offer some advice/comments on whether a weight distributing hitch is necessary to tow a 30' Airstream trailer?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

Tin Hut · 08-24-2004, 07:53 PM

I had the Reese Dual Cam HP on my last trailer 24' and was very satisfied with it. Just installed a Hensley for my 28' & don't have enough road time on it to give you an opinion other than it better live up to it's price.

RivetED · 08-24-2004, 08:43 PM

I tow with a 3/4 ton cc, short-bed. Pretty close to your's. Eventhough the truck can handle the trailer without a W/D hitch I use one. I prefer the safety of the increased steering wheel grip combined with the better ride we get with W/D. I wouldn't tow our A/S without W/D. Sway cntl. is another story.

With any type W/D there is some intrinsic sway control. You can add friction sway to many and a few have sway control designed in, ie: Reese Dual-Cam, etc. I don't use a Hensley, but it also is a W/D hitch with 'advanced' sway control. The design and balance of Airstream trailers is so superior my experience has been that, IMHO, sway control is not a 'major' concern. I feel for most tandem axle A/S trailers with an adequate tow vehicle friction sway is sufficient, any more is for peace of mind, personal decision. This can get to become a religious discussion, there are many threads on the subject, but keep in mind weight dist. is a mostly different consideration than sway control.