Weight Distribution Hitch Dangers and Safety Tips 

Yes! Thanks for watching!

Definitely no joke man! Appreciate the vote for the Equal-i-zer. You're not the only one who likes it! Thanks for watching!

I agree with plaman. Get rid of that hitch. What a stupid design . I just upgraded to a 37' tt toyhauler and upgraded to the B&W Continuum wdh and love it. Equalizer was also being considered as it is known to be a very good wdh set up but I went with the Continuum for ease of adjustability since my weights will change depending on what toys I put in the garage. It also doesn't have the bars to deal with so hook up and unhooking are so much quicker. Biggest downside is the price but it comes with a lifetime warranty from a great company. Good luck with whatever you decide to do but there are much better wdh's that aren't as dangerous as that one.

@@krispy1k I've heard good things about that continuum hitch. Does it have sway control also?

@DigitalBarbell Does your hitch offer any sway control? This is right from B&W's faq's for the Continuum hitch. I figured your question would be best answered by them. Yes. The continuum has as much, or more friction sway control built into it as the leading brands, although we prefer the term ‘sway prevention.’ Because our bars are always ‘loaded,’ our friction sway prevention is immediate and continuous (hence, the name Continuum.) This ‘loading’ or ‘stiffness’ can help with handling, but in our opinion, sway control components do little to stop sway once it starts. Over the years that we were developing our weight distribution hitch, we studied sway control in an attempt to design the best system. We studied all of them; 2-point, 4-point, adaptive, self-adjusting, self-centering and all the buzz words the industry had invented. We conducted an experiment with the top WD hitches on the market. We set up a truck and trailer in a warehouse and used air castors under the tires to eliminate the ground friction. We then took readings of the hitch’s resistance to sway, or the force necessary to overcome the friction sway control components of each brand of hitch. We learned that all brands provide some level of sway control, but that it takes very little force to overcome them. Some brands don’t load until the angle of the trailer is 2-4 degrees or more. On a 25-foot trailer, this equates to 3-5 feet, which means your trailer will be significantly outside your lane before it has a chance to be helpful.

@@krispy1k I appreciate it!

You're welcome! So glad it was helpful. What camper did you get?

@@DigitalBarbell I am in the process of getting an Outdoors RV 25DVS. I know that I will need a sway bar, but have been very nervous about it as I am somewhat disabled. However, your how to has convinced me that I can handle it.

Isn't the load determined by the link used on the chain regardless of the height the truck was at when connected?

You're welcome, and thanks for subscribing!

Good points! Thanks!

I too use the EAZ-Lift system and honestly I really prefer it. I know some people dislike having the external sway bars I honestly prefer it. One thing to note here is that you don't need to fully load the ball to the point the jack lifts off. You just need enough to lock the pin then raise the jack back up again to set the bars, saves time.

That's a great tip! Thank you!

Thanks so much 🤜🏼

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks so much Carolann! You're right about the jiggle the bar technique! You're sure to be safe that way. Have a good day!

Interesting! What truck and trailer do you have?

I have the 25 FB Flying Cloud and a 2500HD Duramax Chevrolet .@@DigitalBarbell

All good advice! Thank you for watching!

Thanks Sean! I made a full recovery after a dozen visits to the dentist :)

Thanks for watching!

You're welcome! I'm sure they will go through the setup and disconnect procedure. You should definitely be able to jiggle the bars when disconnecting to make sure they're nice and safe. Congrats on the tailer!

I would not even use any system on your setup. A ford ranger could pull it

Interesting. Do you have the blue ox?

Yes. I hook up tbe chain on the 6th link. I imagine my truck height has some bearing on this.

Oh nice! We loved ou LGM! Such a great, high quality camper too.

I’ve heard of that exact thing happening at an angle!

Thanks so much for watching and the thoughtful reply. You make a really great point. I've learned so much in the last year since my accident. Since this video focused so much on what I did wrong I'm planning to make another video just on how to do it correctly, and how WD doesn't fix the situation of a truck that's outmatched by the trailer.

Yeah, we upgraded to an f250 pretty quickly.

The only way to create tension on the bars when the truck and trailer is level is to start with the truck above the trailer when the bars are unloaded.

Good question! Truthfully, I don't know! It looks like a nice system!

Good info! It's so weird that the company that makes the WDH (and the dealer that installed it) give the opposite advice. On this setup (we don't have that truck anymore) there is no chance we'd have gotten much tension on the bars if we only raised the truck a few inches before putting the chains on.

@@DigitalBarbell I’ve said my peace, it’s your video so you do you, but I’m telling you that if you have to do that with your truck the hitch might not be adjusted properly and or you had the wrong tow vehicle. I currently have a 21 3500 AT4 and have never had issues towing with my setup I usually only need 7 links. In the past with half tons and cranking those bars up like this I’ve seen my RV frames all fail in the same spots each time. I have been RVing for 24 years and covered all but one shore line on this continent (the arctic, if you don’t count Anchorage). But what do I know you’re the expert.

When you raise your truck up a few inches it should release the tension on the chains substantially.

Wouldn't the link on the chain used determine when the tension on the bar is released?@@R3lyc

@@DigitalBarbell yes and I don’t nor have I ever needed to jack the truck up to the point where the trailer is nearly lifting up the back end of my 9000 lb trucks tires off the ground, then apply the chains in such a way that they would be under tension in that current configuration. Then lower the truck to the ground and shift excess weight back onto the trailers frame where it was not designed to handle it. You aren’t just shifting weight from the trailer to the truck, you are shifting weight from the truck to the trailer too. That’s why they are weight distribution bars. Manufacturers such as GD go as far as to state that they will not cover “Damage caused by the tow vehicle hitch, equalizer, stabilizer” I wonder what would happen if I tried this method with my quad on the truck and all loaded up to its max GVWR of 12,000 lbs. I’m sure nothing would happen to the 7800 lb RV, right? I have the very same distribution system you showcased in your video and it has performed fine for me without having to jack the truck up to such an extreme. That is way too much stress on an RVs frame as far as I’m concerned. My previous 2016 Flagstaff required 20 hours of welding on the frame due to damage caused by a distribution bar system. The damage was extensive, right from the front to axels. It overloaded the trailer axles immediately and the combination of a loaded HD truck and bouncing on the road lead to extreme cracking in less than 2 seasons RVing across the USA. But like I said you’re the expert, I’m just some dummy out there with real world experience, I have no skin in this game, I’m not looking for hits likes or subscribes. I’m saying be careful using a DH and use a properly mated tow vehicle for the rig. If one was to run a DH system loaded to the extreme I’d highly advise keeping the trailer and the tow vehicle level at all times, and removing them when reversing.

Couldn't agree more. Shortly after I made this video we upgraded to an F250. Even though the Airstream was within the "towing limit", the payload was maxed out which wasn't a safe situation. Thanks for watching!

Doesn't that have more to do with which link on the chain you use vs. how high the truck was?

@@DigitalBarbell That’s true. I have Husky Centerline WDH so no chains and I have to jack the backend up to get some torque on the bars. Either way, you don’t need a ton of torque on the bars to get a good towing experience. Nice camper BTW 🤙

Thanks! We love it too! @@scstinger5

Yep! That trick works!

There’s a learning curve for sure! After a year with I feel much more confident. Thanks for watching!

Seems like a lot of people are a fan!

Hey there. When we had the tundra, we just had the weight distribution bars. We’ve since upgraded to a three-quarter ton F250. Still using the blue ox, no airbags.

You make some great points! We got a 3/4 ton truck after the accident and are still testing setups.

I agree. I have the BO pro, and mine runs at 6 links. I have never heard of anyone going to 9. That is way too much tension on the bar. When I hook up and unhook, I never have to use the wrench unless I am not on level ground (e.g. one side is higher than the other). It sounds like the setup is wrong (or maybe you are not using the correct BO weight rating.

You make a good point! We bought the WDH from the Airstream dealer at the same time as the trailer. They installed it and set it up. We've since upgraded to a 3/4 ton truck though.

Solid point! We upgraded to a 3/4 ton truck a few months ago.

@@DigitalBarbell Excellent -- and it just bothers me seeing this so much in recreational areas. OEMs are happy to tout a 10k trailer capacity or whatever, but rarely admit that the tongue weight many of the trailers at 10-15% of their total weight is well beyond the payload/tongue weight capacity of half-tons. You end up seeing loads of bumper-pull campers being leerily pulled by nose-high trucks.

Yep! Buy a heavy camper and learn real quick about payload! Then the choice is up to you if you want to be safe. @@DaaaaaangSon

Yes and no. You’re not wrong about payload. But if you’re pulling a travel trailer the tongue weight is behind the axle. The axle acts as a fulcrum, the tongue weight pushes down, taking weight off the front axle. Even if there’s no visible sag this still happens to some degree. The only way to know for sure how much is to visit a CAT scale. Weigh just the truck, then the truck and trailer, then the truck and trailer with WDH. You might be surprised.

Good stuff! Thank you Shane! @@shanedenmark5536

You're welcome!

Good question... I think Airstream is in bed with Blue Ox, so they push them on new Airstream owners like us.

@@DigitalBarbell got ya. Not an airstream customer personally. But check out other hitches. The Husky has been trouble free for us.

People like the chain based systems because they can change the weight distribution simply by changing the number of links +/- depending on their current load out. Other systems require changing the hitch head height, which is far more work, especially if you don't have torque wrenches capable of 100s of ft lbs. The weight of my trailer can change by 500+ lbs depending on if I'm out for a weekend or a week requiring adjustments to my hitch.

great point! @@zenderxt

Hey there, Shoot me a message on IG and we can chat 👍🏻

What’s the payload capacity on the jeep?

I’ll check it out! Is it also a sway control system?

@@DigitalBarbell Yes, it has great sway control. We tow a ORV 280 34' over mountain passes in the PNW with no problem. Ram 2500

Do you mean the height of the tongue?

Yes

@@rickrichardson5329 Sometimes the simplest answer is the best! Thanks!

Yeah the tundra was outmatched for the 850lbs of tongue weight. We upgraded to an f250

😜😳😜

Ute?

Is the blue ox considered an old style? It also has sway control.

@DigitalBarbell the blue ox system is great the same as any chain based system really. The reality is most of the "unsafe" claims come from people using tow vehicles unsuitable for the trailer they are towing. The "just send it" crowd are many sadly.

Luckily we upgraded to a 3/4 ton truck

Good deal! We were noobs when we bought the Airstream as far as WDH's and this was the one the dealers push...

So once you know the tongue weight, how do you decide the chain length?

That your favorite WDH?

I had a Blue Ox WD hitch and had an incident with the wrench smashing my knuckles into the bottom of the propane bottle cover. I replace it with an Equalizer hitch. So much easier to both hitch and unhitch. And, the sway control is definitely better.

Sounds like a keeper James! Both the hitch and the wife!

Blue Ox has sway control too.

We'd never had a WDH before, and for some reason airstream pushes the Blue Ox units. Lots of people like the equalizer it seems!

First before you do what?

Good advice! The Airstream dealer intalled the WDH on the trailer and walked us through the hookup procedure on delivery. I thought the part about raising the truck was crazy too. When I got popped with the wrench, the truck was up in the air with the bars more straight than they are when fully loaded. Still enough to darn near knock me out and mess up my teeth! Thanks for watching.

I urge you to call your manufacturer’s tech support line. If the company has any merit, their tech will make things really clear. Dealer info is at best ‘hit and miss’.

How high do you lift?

The higher the truck is raised the less tension on the bars.

I'm sure they have their advantages! Now if Airstream would make one ;)

Appreciate it! Since I have invested in this, what’s the best way to set it up safely?

I don't really see a way to get that particular distribution hitch to be safe on your rig. The biggest issue with it is that you have those huge propane tanks in the way and that limits the room you have to maneuver around and control the stored energy from the trunnion bars. I guess there are some trailers that that setup might work ok on but anything with a tool box or tanks on the tongue is going to be awkward. Most of the other distribution set ups have the cam lock that positions you to the side of the tongue. The S cam distribution hitch I mentioned gives you weight distribution with the added sway control built right into the hitch. I can't express how much of a difference they make and having a Muchmore pleasurable experience when towing. It will almost eliminate any sway you would get from side winds and or passing semi trucks. Sometimes in starting a new adventure in life you can make the wrong purchase but you're young and have a beautiful family. The last thing you want to do is leave them because of a few hundred dollar mistake. If there is anything I can do to help you all your need to do is ask. We own a small campground and have been RVing for our entire adult life. @@DigitalBarbell

It’s old?

You're right on all accounts! The Tundra was replaced with an F250 not long after :)

It's not too bad once you get the hang of it. It does make me miss our 5,000lb bumper pull though!

You make a great point! We upgraded to an F250 shortly after this video. Airstream lists the 27' international @ 850lbs tongue weight which was borderline for the Tundra, but in taking it to a CAT scale, we found that it was more like 1100lbs when fully loaded. Ouch! Thanks for watching! Check out our new video with the F250.

Optional in TX

🤷🏽‍♂️

You're very welcome! We have more trailer content coming so be sure to subscribe!

Any particular reason?

Or maybe because of what happened to me?

That was brutal what happened to you. I've owned a TT since 2007 up until just recently switching to a 5th wheel. The chain setup provide little to no sway control. I started with one similar that had the friction sway control piece that you clipped on to one side and it was knuckle with every semi truck that passed. I switched to an Equalizer brand and it was a totally different experience. Others make similar styles so I'm not promoting them by any means but that style of hitch just simply performs better and is a much simpler design.

@@F450FTW Thanks! I think we'll try a few long trips with the F250 and the blue ox and then make the call.

Shirts were banned for the summer in our county in TX. Something about the drought!

Well I clicked on it cause all I saw was the shirtless man so guess it’s working for views. Next time wear shorter shorts.

Because he can! In the summer in Texas It's against common law for dudes to wear a shirt while working around the house, unless you're welding.

AMEN AND AMEN #texasforever@@dangibb1329

I actually don't know if we "had to". That's just how the Airstream dealer set it up and showed us how to do it. We upgraded to an F250 recently.

Noted

Would that take the place of the whole blue ox system Sean?

I was referring to only the jack system to make the Blue Ox safer but upgrading the entire system is certainly something to consider. We replace the Blue Ox on Airstreams every day.

I appreciate it! @@SeanWoodruff

You are putting away too much tension on the bars by lifting the truck so high. Going to bend your frame

Just following the instructions for the WDH...

Thanks for watching! Lots of people love that WDH!

I mean… you’re not wrong!