How to Determine Correct Shank for a Weight Distribution System and a 2014 Ram 2500  

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A properly rated weight distribution (WD) system will keep your trailer and your 2014 Ram 2500 level since it distributes the weight evenly across all of the axles in a towing setup. What you need to do is park your trailer and your Ram on a level surface and then measure from the ground to the bottom of your coupler (with the trailer level) and then from the ground to the top of the inside of your 2-1/2" receiver.

Since you have a Ram 2500 you most likely need a shank with a drop. Simply subtract the height of your coupler from the height of the inside of your receiver and the difference is the amount of drop you need. I have linked a great article to assist you with this.

When looking into purchasing a WD system you want to find one with a Tongue Weight (TW) range that the Total Tongue Weight (TTW) of your towing setup falls in the middle of. To find the TTW of your towing setup you will need to add the TW of your fully loaded and ready-to-go trailer, which you can use part # e99044 for, along with the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle. Keep in mind that a properly loaded trailer will have a TW that is 10-15% of the loaded weight of your trailer.

If you were to load of your Keystone Outback to your 10K capacity then your loaded TW should be 1,000 lbs - 1,500 lbs. If this is the case then the Equal-i-zer # EQ37140ET that you referenced could be a good option as the TW range is 1,000 lbs - 1,400 lbs.

Since the shank that comes with this system is for a 2" receiver you would want to go with part # EQ37141ET instead and then use a shank for a 2-1/2" hitch receiver like tha part # EQ90-02-4900. The only other thing that is recommended is a 1-7/8" thin-walled socket like part # EQ70-00-4800 to help make installing the 2-5/16" hitch ball easier.

expert reply by: Jon G

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