Picking Out Weight Distribution Hitch for 2020 GeoPro G19BH

Updated 12/23/2019 | Published 12/21/2019

Question:

Hello I have a few questions about the Weight Dist. Hitches 1 Is the hitch specd according to trailers stock Tongue Weight 360 or to weight after storage and any additions added to front of trailer? 2 Trailer UVW is 3088.Is this the weight that I use to pick the hitch or would it be total weight I expect to have on the trailer when loaded? 3 Do you have pin to ball distance available for the hitches ? I assume it is longer than a standard ball mount hitch. 4 Can you provide bracket attachment point distance to ball mount? 5 Do these hitches basically balance the load on the trailer axle or is extreme care still needed when loading the trailer. 6 Why are the lower weight rated hitches so much more expensive than the higher weight hitches? Thank You

asked by: Ed

Expert Reply:

When picking out a weight distribution you go by the loaded tongue weight of the trailer. This is the tongue weight of the trailer when it's fully loaded and ready to tow so like in your case when the storage is loaded on the front of the trailer. It also includes the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle too. You ideally go with a system with a tongue weight range that your trailer's tongue weight falls right into the middle of.

So your unloaded tongue weight is probably around 300 lbs. So if when loaded it didn't weigh much more than that the system I'd recommend is the Strait Line part # RP66083 which has a tongue weight range of 200-600 lbs. Or if you will have it loaded decently and have some weight in the rear of the tow vehicle the next higher rated system is the # RP66083 which has a tongue weight range of 400-800 lbs. This system has the best sway control out there that works to fight sway before it starts.

For the Strait Line kits the sway control brackets mount 19-3/8 inches back from the ball center, and then the brackets for where the chain hangers mount will be right at 33 inches back from ball center.

The distance from the center of the hitch pin hole of the shank to the center of the hitch ball center is right at 14 inches. With systems like this you still want to put as much weight forward in the trailer as possible but this does help equalize the load. Proper trailer loading techniques are still required.

The pricing question is harder to answer definitively as the prices change pretty frequently, but the higher rated systems are more popular so it appears to be a volume thing. Since we sell more of the higher rated systems it's easier to offer them at a lower price.

expert reply by: Jameson C