Best Weight Distribution Hitch For 8,400 lb 24' Enclosed Car Trailer

Question

Question:

Can you advise me on a weight distribution hitch? I have a Tiffin Allegro Bay which sits on a Freighliner S2RV chassis. Its rated to tow 12,000 pounds. I have a 24 enclosed car trailer, loaded is 8400 pounds. I have a tongue weight scale and manage that closely. However, some have suggested a WDH would help move some weight to the front axle. I would love your input whether this S2RV chassis can 100 benefit from a WDH or not. And then what is the absolute best one you sell thats rated for my numbers. Thanks.

asked by: Troy R

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Expert Reply:

Hey Troy, thanks for reaching out. Based on the numbers you provided, I do think your setup would benefit from a weight distribution hitch. With an 8,400 lb loaded trailer, you're likely carrying somewhere in the neighborhood of 900-1,200 lbs of tongue weight, and a properly matched WDH will help transfer some of that load back to the front axle of the coach. That generally results in better steering feel, improved stability, and a more level ride, especially with a longer enclosed trailer behind a motorhome.

For your application, my top recommendation is the Equal-i-zer # EQ37140ET. It has a 14,000 lb trailer weight rating and a 1,400 lb tongue weight rating, which puts it right in the sweet spot for your setup. What makes the Equal-i-zer stand out is that it combines weight distribution and sway control into one simple, proven system. Instead of relying on add-on friction sway bars, the sway control is built directly into the hitch head and spring bars, so it's always working without any extra adjustments. It's one of the most durable and confidence-inspiring hitches on the market, especially for heavier enclosed trailers. The system does an excellent job of keeping the trailer tracking straight, reducing driver fatigue, and helping maintain control in crosswinds, passing traffic, and uneven road conditions. For a coach-and-trailer combination like yours, it's one of the best all-around options available.

What tongue weight number did your scale read last time you checked?

What kind of car are you hauling?

expert reply by: Jesse M

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Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System w/ 4-Point Sway Control - 14,000 lbs GTW, 1,400 lbs TW
(click to enlarge)

Troy R.

6/8/2026

Hey Jesse We haul a Tesla Model Y which weighs a bit over 4500 pounds. Trailer empty is 2799. Trailer fully loaded is 8400 pounds. We hit CAT scales every so often. I have a tongue weight scale and check it any time we have changes in the trailer contents, etc. Last weight was 900 pounds, so 10.7% of total weight. Should be on target with that. I have ZERO issues driving the rig with a simple hitch between the Tiffin and this trailer loaded. I recently came to learn that we are OVER the rear axle max capacity by 9%. I spoke to the guy at Tiffin who leads the Product Development and Engineering groups. He acknowledged the max rear axle rating but said he has been there a long time and never have they had someone show up with a problem due to that or hear of problems happening. He seemed really knowledgable and I feel he was being honest. Will the one you recommended, be easy to setup and also quiet when driving? We won't hear it up front, but I know some are loud and I came across one on your site that seems like the deluxe of all deluxe. Also, when our Tiffin is aired up, the trailer tips back a little bit, even with a hitch that drops several inches, and being at the lowest setting on the hitch. I measured from the bottom of the hitch receiver on the motorhome to the bottom of the trailer hitch piece, and it was a 4" drop and probably needs to be 5 or 6 inches to level out the trailer. I'm unsure where to measure from and to, to say what the actual drop is though. How does the one you suggested work with handling the height differences? Except for it being 16k, are the "extras" on this one worth it or better or is it just not necessary B&W Continuum Weight Distribution System w/ Sway Control for 2" Hitch - 16K GTW, 1.6K TW -- Part Number: BW78FR I don't want lots of overkill honestly. But need to handle the drop and also make sure it will be easy for me to work with once installed. For installment is that something anyone can do or how much expertise is suggested for making sure it is setup correctly? Thanks! Troy

Jesse M.

6/9/2026

@TroyR Hey Troy, so yes the WDH will help reduce the weight on the rear axle slightly so I agree its definitely a good idea. The Equalizer hitch isn't too hard to set up. The initial setup is a bit involved since you have to measure out the bracket placement and adjust the pitch of the head. Once initial setup is done, its quite easy to set up and take down. It can be a bit noisy though since you have metal on metal contact with the bars and brackets. With an RV of that size I doubt you'll hear it but it does make some noise. The WDH I mentioned comes with a 3" drop shank, but larger shanks can be ordered if you need more drop. As far as the B&W Continuum there are advantages and disadvantages. The big advantages of that system are the adjustability, and the fact that it makes virtually zero noise. It does a great job redistributing weight too - as good as any other top-tier system. The disadvantages are the fact that it takes up a ton of space on the tongue. It also significantly reduces your ground clearance. It can be a bit of a pain to set up, and the hydraulic cylinder and lines have been known to leak on occasion. I've also seen some setups where the foot pad on the tongue jack is too large to fit between the load bars, and it has to be trimmed. While it is great for weight distribution, it does virtually nothing to control sway. Also, the shank that comes with the # BW78FR only does 1-1/8" of drop. They do make an "extra drop" version # BW84BR which gives you 3" of total drop. Sounds like that won't be enough drop to level your trailer. Also worth mentioning for WD hitches you don't want overkill. Each WDH has a range of tongue weights it will work with, and you want to make sure your trailer falls within that range. Like for the equalizer hitch I mentioned it is for 1,000-1,400 lbs of tongue weight. If you overkill the weight rating there won't be enough tension on the bars and it won't be as effective. Anyway, hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Troy

6/9/2026

@JesseM - This is tremendously helpful. You said "will help reduce the weight on the rear axle slightly". How little is in a "slightly"? Like in a best case scenario, what might I expect to be removed from the rear axle with this solution? Also on the tongue weight, we are at 900 pounds, so it sounds like if they operate on a range, that 1000-1400 is over my range? My hitch is rated at 12000 pounds, and I'm at 900 pounds of tongue weight with a trailer at 8400 pounds. If I get another shank for more drop, do I lose any durability or stability? I probably mentioned it but I have no sway issues today. I know I am 9% over the rear axle max weight but some tell me it will handle that, while others say get the WDH asap. Some tell me it will drive better with it. I don't know if that's true. With a 32000 pound motorhome and an 8400 pound trailer, I don't know if that's true. I can see it with a pickup and trailer. But I'm not expert. I'm mostly new to all this. Do you have something that shows me how you measure how much drop is needed? Like a diagram that shows where from and to you would measure to know how much drop 3" would add to my setup? Or 5" of drop. I can get help with the install, just trying to make sure I need this, and get the right one. I saw on a YouTube video recently that you install stuff for free if bought from you. Is that true and where are those locations? Thanks, Troy

Jesse M.

6/9/2026

@Troy I don't have an exact percentage number for the amount of tongue weight reduction a WDH provides but a good ballpark number would be like 10%-15%. maybe up to like 20% but it really depends on your specific setup and how everything is loaded. Also, yes with 900 lbs of tongue weight you are over the range for the Equalizer I mentioned so you'd want to go with the next size down part # EQ37101ET (600-1,000 lb tongue weight range. This one comes without a shank so we can order you a larger one separately. The shank part # EQ90-02-4300 for example is for up to 6" of drop so that should work nicely with your setup. The longer shanks carry the same weight rating as the WDH so you wouldn't lose any durability or anything. For measuring the drop I don't have any diagrams or anything but you can put the trailer on level ground and measure from the ground to the center of the coupler ball. Then measure the hitch on your RV measure from the top inside edge of the receiver to the ground. Those two numbers will tell you approximately how much drop is needed. It may require a bit of additional adjustment once you get the WDH setup but the shank has multiple sets of holes so you can adjust if needed. As far as installation, our shop is located in Wentzville, MO which is near St Louis. The free installation really only applies to trailer hitches though. We could absolutely still install it for you, but there would be hourly labor charges. Honestly, if you have a bit of know-how and the proper tools, you should be able to do it yourself without too much trouble. The initial setup is not so much difficult as it is time consuming since it may involve some trial and error before you get it dialed in. As always, let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. You know where to find me now

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Best Weight Distribution Hitch For 8,400 lb 24' Enclosed Car Trailer

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