Weight Distribution Installations, Reviews, and Demonstrations

Weight Distribution and Sway Control Installation - Video

Heavy Duty Round Bar Weight Distribution

Today we are going to do an install of part number 66067 we have a full size van and an enclosed toy hauler and as you can see here it is kind of sloping down pretty bad. We will go ahead and install weight distribution to help straighten things out. To begin our install we have to uncouple the truck and trailer, get the trailer level and get the measurement off the ball mount. At this point we can go ahead and pull the van out of the way and get a little more working room. We will go ahead and take out the ball mount and then then go ahead and measure for a rise or if needed for the shank for the weight distribution. What we are going to do is measure from the bottom of the coupler to the ground and that is 22 inches. We will do the same thing for the vehicle. We will measure from the top of the hitch on the vehicle to the ground. Roughly it will round off to 18 inches so we will need to raise it 4 inches.... more

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Posted: Fri, 30 May 2008

Weight Distribution Trouble Shoot and Repair - Video

Today what we are going to do is work on an existing weight distribution system and we are going to correct some flaws that we found in it. First off we are going to show you how the bars are set off on here. It is most obvious actually. The bars on here are level with the frame. However, they are way to close to the frame. Plus they are probably tilting upwards so we will need to fix that. Also if you can see on the dual cam sway control, it is sitting nice in there, but should be pointing downward a little. Also why we want the arms to be pointing down just a little bit and away from the frame is that the nuts on the bracket are pretty close to the spring bar here. So you are wanting the keep the contact at 0. So if you had the bars tilted downward just a little bit they can swing underneath the nut which is fine but you need to try and keep every inch of clearance.... more

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Posted: Thu, 29 May 2008

Weight Distribution Trailer Hitches Information - Video

Today we are going to cover a few questions about weight distribution in general that we get a lot. First we will start off with the hitch itself. A common question is can any hitch be used with the weight distribution assembly. Virtually any two inch receiver hitch as the one we have here, can accommodate weight distribution. However there are a few odd ones out there that do not, mainly they are on small SUVs and maybe a couple of minivans, for the most part almost any two inch receiver hitch can accommodate weight distribution. The only real bulletproof way to find out is to look at the sticker on the hitch itself and you will see some numbers on there. The numbers you want to look for here are right here. This one says weight carrying and that is for the hitch itself which means that is the maximum weight the hitch can carry without any assistance.... more

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Posted: Wed, 28 May 2008

Sway Control Installation on a Dodge Ram Heavy Duty Pickup - Video

As you can see here, we're starting off with a weight distribution unit, part # 7903. We need to disassemble part of it and install the sway control system. The first step is to disassemble the weight distribution unit, this entails taking the spring bars off and removing the chains and install the chains on the sway control brackets. Just as a helpful hint, we raised the trailer up to take some tension off the springs to make it easier to take off. We'll take off these U-Bolts and install them on these plates here. What you want to end up with is two to three threads showing through and that will be plenty. With the sway control arms, you'll have to loosen these two nuts so you can center this approximately right here. ... more

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Posted: Fri, 8 Feb 2008

Weight Distribution Installation on a Dodge Ram Heavy Duty Pickup - Video

This part is good for 1200 pounds tongue weight and 12000 pounds trailer weight. Before we start we need to take care of a few preliminary steps, first it's good to get the trailer in line at a nice level spot then take it apart and get some measurements off of it and we'll show you what measurements you need. The first measurements we need are on the truck itself. We're going to measure from the top of the wheel well down to the ground. The reason for these measurements is to make sure we get the truck back to its original height or as close as possible. Finally we need the coupler height with the trailer level on the ground. Just to make sure we need to measure from the ground to the top of the wheel well. On the front wheel we have 39-1/2 inches, and at the rear axle we have 41-1/2inches. from the ground to the top of the coupler we have about 23 inches. ... more

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Posted: Fri, 8 Feb 2008

Weight distribution installation - Trunnion Style

Weight distribution systems allow vehicles to tow heavier trailers with increased safety and ride quality. To get the correct weight distribution system you will need to know a few measurements. This video will demonstrate how to determine the correct measurements and complete the installation of a trunnion style weight distribution system for a horse trailer.

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Posted: Fri, 21 Dec 2007

How to measure for a weight distribution shank

Trailer hitch weight distribution systems are not something we all use everyday. So figuring out which components are needed can be confusing. Luckily, at etrailer.com we do deal with weight distribution systems everyday and are happy to help you get the answers you need. This video will explain how to determine which weight distribution shank is right for your truck and trailer combination.

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Posted: Wed, 19 Dec 2007

Information about weight distribution systems

Weight distribution systems can be confusing. In this article we attempt to break it down in excruciating detail so that you can be knowledgeable about the terminology, components, and different types of systems available. If you are not the type that likes to study, don't worry, you can give us a call or drop us an email and we would be happy to discuss what you plan to tow and get you the weight distribution system that will help you tow it safely.