Weight distributing hitch &/or sway

[Spoon]

I have a 98 Palamino Philly and an S10 extended cab PU. I have read somewhere, I can't remember where for the life of me, that it is recommended that a weight distributing hitch is recommended. I can under stand getting the sway too, but buying everything all at once will put a big dent in the ole wallet.

I haven't driven far w/ the truck and camper so I cannot comment on the road handling, nor have i driven w/ a loaded weight either. I am kinda putting out feelers really.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!
Spoon

[Kelly]

Any suggestions?

Yep ~ double check with Palomino about using WDH.  IIRC you can't use one with their PUs.  I had a 1998 Yearling and I think I remember not being able to use a WDH.

That being said ~ I towed that PU with both a Suburban and the Astro van.  Towed great ... never an issue with sway and the tongue weight was pretty low so not much sag.  It may have been the owners manual for your truck that recommended a WDH.

Good Luck.

[tknick]

Weight distributing hitches are designed primarily for the TV and not the PU.  Your TV may require a WDH to safely tow a given trailer.  If your S10 can handle the max tongue weight of the PU using a standard class III hitch then don't worry about it.  If you have excessive sag, or you exceed the weight limits without using the WDH then obviously you would need to use it.  If sag is the only issue, there are all kinds of products that can help with that from air bags to helper springs.  Keep in mind those products do not increase your towing capacities, only help the TV better deal with them.  

As for sway control you can always worry about that later.  If you have a properly loaded trailer and keep your speeds reasonable sway shouldn't be a problem.  If it becomes a problem let of the gas and lightly apply trailer brakes until sway is under control.  then adjust speed accordingly.  If you are dead set on getting sway control there are a variety of sway control products that do not require the use of a WDH (although most WDH have sway control built in).

hope this helps
travis

[fritz_monroe]

Weight distributing hitches are designed primarily for the TV and not the PU.

True, however, there are some PUs who's construction will not allow the use of a WDH.  If your frame is made of a box tubing, you can probably use a WDH, but I believe that the Palomino frame is a U channel type of construction.  My understanding is if you were to use a WDH on this type of frame, you could seriously damage the frame of the PU.

(although most WDH have sway control built in).

Not necessarily.  WDHs like the Reese Mini 350 does include sway control by design.  However, there are as many that do not include sway control.  For instance, the Reese single bar WDH is not designed with sway control built in.  I know that each of the other hitch manufacturers have the same type of WDHs.

[Spoon]

True, however, there are some PUs who's construction will not allow the use of a WDH.  If your frame is made of a box tubing, you can probably use a WDH, but I believe that the Palomino frame is a U channel type of construction.  My understanding is if you were to use a WDH on this type of frame, you could seriously damage the frame of the PU.



Not necessarily.  WDHs like the Reese Mini 350 does include sway control by design.  However, there are as many that do not include sway control.  For instance, the Reese single bar WDH is not designed with sway control built in.  I know that each of the other hitch manufacturers have the same type of WDHs.

Thanks for the info. I will try it w/out anything. My dealer said nothing about it and after reading some I be gan to get confused/worried.

I thought about going w/ the bags if needed. But I don't want to put alot into the truck as I may buy a fullsize truck in the way distant future.

Oh by the way, fritz_monroe, I am a homebrewer too! Good to see another brewer around.  

Spoon

[fritz_monroe]

Oh by the way, fritz_monroe, I am a homebrewer too! Good to see another brewer around.  

There's lots of us around.

[zamboni]

although most WDH have sway control built in

I've found the opposite -- aside from the Equal-i-zer, I've never seen one that has sway built in.  Maybe the Hensley Arrow does, but I'm not sure.

I see a reply to you said the Reese Mini does, but the rigs we've camped with are all big and have "full size" WDH.


The best "all-in-one" is the Equal-i-zer; easy to hitch up each time, no separate sway bars, etc.

[wynot]

As for sway control you can always worry about that later. If you have a properly loaded trailer and keep your speeds reasonable sway shouldn't be a problem. If it becomes a problem let of the gas and lightly apply trailer brakes until sway is under control. then adjust speed accordingly. If you are dead set on getting sway control there are a variety of sway control products that do not require the use of a WDH (although most WDH have sway control built in).
 
hope this helps
travis

Personally, I'd rather have the sway control from the start, but that's me.  I'd hate to find out I need it too late.  On the other hand, I tow a Utah, which has swaying built-in from the factory.  We finally got the camper after some time to a properly tongue loaded distribution. (Our model Utah has about 7% tongue weight from the factory, really light tongue).

[tlhdoc]

I added a sway bar several years ago as "insurance".  I only had sway once, but have had little wiggles several times.