Weight Distribution Hitch - do I need one?

Sounds like you need a stabilizing hitch (if there is such a thing) rather than a weight distribution hitch.

Even though our dual axled caravan is very stable, we took it a short way, on a good bitumen road, without putting the WDH bars on a few days ago, and we could really feel it - slight up and down movement. With the bars on, you don't feel it there. I can't say if it helps with stability from air drag - but it is recognised as safety feature that caravanners shouldn't travel without (except on roads with extreme dips and crests where travel is very slow anyway).

Motherhen

Fit a WDH which will also afford you some degree of stabilisation. Cheap insurance. So far you haven't experienced any problems. What wait until something goes wrong and end in disaster - for you or someone else.

There is no acceptable compromise regarding safety.

If you are seeking reassurance and/or justification re caravan safety and stability, I suggest you have a read of the accompanying Coronial Report Link Good luck with your travels.

Anti Sway hitch

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Have a look at this coupling, I have used the earlier version (2000) and found it worked well in the area you mention Terry

It works like a vice grip on the tow ball with friction pads gripping the ball acting like a shock absorber on the hitch.

When towing my caravan, I wouldn't leave home without one.
Toolman

Terry,

As luck would have it, up until 6 months ago we owned a Jerry Can and a 16' Freedom.

Towed it without a WDH with mixed success. The Old Man insisted on loaning us his WDH. The difference is amazing. I tend to get along at a fair old lickety split and it used to get the sways up in corners and windy conditions. This disappeared with the WDH.

It is my opinion that carvans should be illegal to tow without one, they make things so much safer.

You could also have a look at www.terracan.australia4wd.com for opinions from Jerry owners.

Jim.

If everything is to specs plus a bit of margin you don't need one.
Weight distibution is used to increase the possible load on a towbar (withing specs of course).

If the towing behaviour changes with a weight distribution then something else is out of wack. tires too soft, springs too soft or car or trailer overloaded, shocks not up to the task etc etc ..

A weight distribution assembly can compensate to a certain degree for other shortcomings but does bot "solve" the problem.

this is the towbar I use

http://www.torklift.com/p.php?w_page=superhitch

and at the end the shockerhitch

http://www.shockerhitch.com/

I tow a 4.5T boat trailer and there was no difference with or without weight distribution in driving behaviour. The weight distribution would only increase the tow bar rating (see link if you are interested). My tow vehicle however is a 5.2t truck and in most cases of towing problems the vehicles are not up to scratch. Adding airbags in the towing vehicle is a better solution in many cases.

When a trailer has a sway problem then mostly it is too heavy for the springs, does not have shocks or is unevenly loaded or all of the above.

have fun
gmd

Mate, if you are going to the Territory you will have no problems, if you stick to major roads as they have some of the best in Aussie.

I would not be concerned at all as you have tried out your combination and it has no problems.

Many years ago in a land far far away, I towed an 18foot Viscount from St George to Brissy with a FC holden/ 2 blown pistons and FA brakes. Made it down the Toowoomba range in 1 piece.

No weight distributing hitch, don't even know if they had them then

I'm guessing your ball weight is in the vicinity of 140/150, a WDH will definitely enhance an already sweet ride.

If the hell storm following an overtaking roadtrain is your concern, you will need a sway control. You can get a stand alone friction sway control or a sway control that is incorporated in the WDH.

Hi Terry Cann,

I have been towing all sorts of trailers since the mid 60s
and we bought our first caravan in 1973. It weighed just under the ton (a ton and a tonne are near enough to equal for our purposes).

This van came with a distribution hitch set up so I wasnt going to knock it back. Even with such a light van, from the moment I had gone 1 mile I was sold on that WDH.

I would not tow anything over about 750kg without one while it was available. Do yourself the greatest favour you will ever do yourself and your family and get one and always use it.

You will not be sorry.

Regards,
Bruce.

Two links here that might be of interest to you ,

Weight Distribution Hitches

HEAVY VEHICLE ROAD COURTESY

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Read what an industry person has to say on the subject.

Site Link

PeterD

I,ve been towing trailers ,a van and a boat aroud Australia and up and down the east coast for years never needed a towing aid because the vehicle was set up correctley to start with.Keep 60% of the weight in front of the axel and the van won't want to sway or wander stick to the legal speed limit so you don"t hold up miles of traffic like some ignorant people do which only creates more hazards on the road and you won't be looking in your mirror as much so you don't wander all over the road looking at the traffic behind you. This is only my advice hoping not to stir up the wingers.

Whenever this question crops up you always hear the the old refrain "I've towed everything on wheels everywhere and I don't need a wdh" Funnily enough, you never hear someone who's used a wdh ever saying they don't need one, it's always the opposite. Those who have used them wouldn't tow without them must be something in that I think.
I've towed vans both with and without wdh's and I'll never own and tow another van without a wdh.
Regards Andrew.

Many thanks to all who contributed, your thoughts and input have been extremely helpfull.
It seems that there are some very good opinions here both for and against the use of a W.D.H.
I feel on balance that it is probably better to err on the side of safety and have decided to have one fitted.
This is a great site for novice vanners.
Thanks again to everyone