# So confused on weight distribution hitch! help!



## tozzigal (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi all, We have not camped in ages and just bought a 99' 30 ft. Nomad camper UVW 5000 lbs. We pulled it home with my husband white knuckling on the expressway, lots of sway. 
We have a F150 Super Duty that we pull both our horses in our horse trailer, no problem. We are looking to get the right wdhitch without spending a ton of money. We were told by the local trailer hitch center that a 1000lb. tongue weight Curt Trunnion style with a Curt sway bar would be more than sufficient. Now we are second guessing that we should go to a 1200 lb, but it is a lot more money. Had trailer brake installed today. Will be pulling it about 2-3 times a year 50-150 miles or so one way. Help greatly appreciated!


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Tozzigal,

I understand your confusion but at least you are asking the right questions. Unfortunately I believe you need to get some more information in order to get a good answer.

First, the UVM is somewhat meaningless and might not even be accurate. It is the weight as the unit left the factory but it does not include items that the dealer may have installed, cargo, propane, water etc. You should pack the trailer as if you were going camping and go to a truck scale and weigh both the tongue as well as the rear axles. 

Second, sway can increase if the your tongue weight is too light. The tongue weight should be in the 10 to 15% range of the trailer gross vehicle weight. You can move things around to the front or back of the trailer to adjust tongue weight.

Third, your tongue weight will determine what WDH you should purchase. If your tongue weight was 800 pounds you should only need the 1000 pound bar and not the 1200 bars. Note I'm assuming that when you hook the trailer to the truck it is depressing the back of the truck and that is why you want a WDH. If not a sway bar might be all you need. 

Fourth, I have not looked up the towing capacity of your TV or the Gross Vehicle weight rating of your trailer but lets assume you are under their limits. Now you should look at the sticker on the hitch or the manual and see what the limits are for the hitch. If you had a hitch tongue weight limit of 1000 pounds then you need your trailer tongue weight to be below that number and thus you don't need the 1200 pound bars.

Hope this helps.

Ruide


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