Does a big WD hitch let you add weight to the tongue?

[sandgrubber]

Reading through these threads and looking up the products they refer to has gotten me all confused. Confusion comes easy to the ignorant

Any how. My Caravel has a hitch weight of 390 # . . . add propane etc. and I may get that up to 500 #. Most of the WD hitches out there are rated at 1000# and upwards. If I get a 1000# WD hitch (along with the sway bar) does that mean I could chuck a few more things, say a spare tire and a bicycle on the tongue?

p.s. Looks like I'm getting a Silverado C1500 with the 5.7L Vortec 350. . . short bed, ext cab (for the dogs), 141" wheel base. I just located a beauty that fits some other needs as well. As best as I can make out from the specs, my little AS won't much wag that dog. Am I on target to think something like the smaller Eaz-Lift would suffice (and not hurt my pocket book too much . . . I'm kinda broke after buying the AS). That's http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

[n2916s]

No. 1000# bars will,just give you a really stiff connection between you truck and trailer, transmitting every little shock load on the truck back into the trailer.

Mike

[n2916s]

For your little trailer, you might consider the Anderson hitch. It is light, inexpensive and effective for your situation.

Mike

[dkottum]

It isn't just the tongue weight the weight distribution hitch has to lift, it is also any weight you put in the pickup truck bed behind its rear axle. Add that load plus the hitch weight and you have a good starting point for selecting weight distribution bars.

The Eaz-Lift is a good choice because it has round tapered weight distribution bars which allow excellent flexibility, thereby a soft ride. You will need to add one or two sway control bars to mitigate trailer sway. The combination is a good value.

[m.hony]

I'm sure 400#, 600#, and 800# bars are available.

[dkottum]

Here's a good article about weight distribution and selecting bar size:

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx

[Tom_T]

The Eaz-Liftwas recommended to us by the vintage trailer restorer who did the PPI for us, & our 1960 Avion T20 is close to your 18 Caravel in size & weight & single axle, but don't forget the anti-sway bits - even if your truck will have it's own built-in anti-sway towing system (as most newer pick-ups have).

FYI our Avion is listed by the factory brochure as 2680# TW & 280# HW, but with the resto, 2x 30# LP tanks + a Hensley Cub + a Tekonsha RF & steel mount plate on the A-frame + larger water tank at the front wall - it now weighs in at about 542# HW with my Sherline hitch scale.

We went with the Hensley Cub (max 6000# TW & 600# HW version smaller than their Arrow) to eliminate sway for use with a smaller than pick-up TV - as we're looking for a smaller mid-size V8 SUV (a used 2006-10 Porsche Cayenne S). We're happy with it & get zero sway from winds or 18-wheelers with similar sized rented TVs so far, but it's about $1500 new or a bit less if you get their reconditioned ones - & they're lifetime warranted by Hensley.

Once you have the rig set up, go onto Tin Can Tourists & get a subscription to Vintage Camper Trailers magazine & look at their event calendars to find the vintage trailer rallies near you so you can go & hang out with others with vintage kin & AS.

Good Luck!
Tom
///////

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by n2916s

For your little trailer, you might consider the Anderson hitch. It is light, inexpensive and effective for your situation.

Mike

I struggled with the Anderson Hitch for one full season. The weight distribution works pretty much as it should except it will take a while to finesse the chain length. The sway prevention is a joke. It works somewhat in the beginning but it gets steadily worst since the design lacks the counter pressure to center the Trailer.
And it gets real scary down hill getting past up by anything big.
I was stubborn and took me a year to admit that I made a mistake.
The only good thing came out of it was that I became an Anderson expert.
I would not recommend it to anyone.

[gr.austin]

Don't forget that the hensley cub will allow for tighter turns on city street. Also the cub does reduces the sway near completely. And Yes the heavier bars allow you to add more tongue weight. Make sure that your TV does have a towing package so that you get the transmission cooler and extra oil cooler and the correct rear end for maximum towing. Might not need it now but eventually you will.

[polarlyse]

Hey Frank. Sorry to see you had troubles with your Anderson. I've used mine with our 30' Excella for 4 years now with no issues. I hope you advised Anderson of your faults and gave them a chance to troubleshoot it with you. We got home just a month ago from a 12000 mi trip out west with no hitch issues at all. Looking towards a trip to Alaska coming this summer too. The only issue I've come up with is that I seem to have the early edition of the hitch and they have since changed the angle of the chain brackets on the trailer "A" frame. I hope to stop by their place one of these days and see if they'll help me out with that. But mine has been trouble free for many miles of towing.