Safety of Towing Without Weight Distribution System

Published 01/13/2009

Question:

I have a 96 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel reg. cab 8 foot bed class 4 hitch, which the sticker on it says max towing of 10,000 lbs. and thats all. my trailer is a 28ft. sunnybrook model 6500 trailer weight empty.I have no sagging of vehicle without using W/D system, but i haven`t tried towing like that, i do have a friction sway bar for it. My question is, is it safe to tow without using W/D system for my application???

asked by: John

Expert Reply:

You have 3500 lbs to play with here, so towing that trailer should not be a problem. You do not need the w/d system to extend the towing capacity of the hitch, but the systems do have other benefits. Because a w/d system removes some of the tongue weight from the rear axle and transfers it to the front axle of the tow vehicle, using the system can increase performance in steering, traction, and stopping while also decreasing trailer sway.

You have a fairly long trailer, and I am not sure how effective that friction sway control is. You might want to see if you are happy with the way the trailer tows as it currently is. You can always add a system later if need be. If you determine that you need a system, I would recommend the High Performance Trunnion Weight Distribution System, item # RP66022. This system can also be used with our top of the line Dual Cam High Performance Sway Control System, item # RP26002. This system halts trailer sway in its tracks, before it can begin.

expert reply by: Mike L