hitch question

[a1coolmom]

After towing our popup long distance last weekend I am searching for a solution and hope this great forum can help. When we travel on cement or concrete roads and  some back country rocky roads we got alot of bounce in the hitch that transfers to the truck (Toyota Tacoma) We were thinking maybe we need to go to a weight distributing hitch but want to be sure before we spend the money that it will help with the problem. Right now we just hitch up right to the truck with a 2" hitch & ball.We hope to move up to a hybrid (I know,I know don't start!!) eventually so we want to buy with that thought in mind. what is the differences in 2 bar,round bar, sway bar? I know if I go to the local dealer they will want to sell me the most expensive but I want the right one for the job. Hubby is a mechanic so installation is no problem. We have not had any problems with sway so am I to assume that I don't need a sway bar? Help me out here and don't make it too technical to I can explain it to him why I need it. My stomach didn't like that bouncing!Can anyone explain why its worse with the cement roads?
Thanks in advance, you always have the right answers!

[Gone-Camping]

I don't think the WDH will eliminate bounce back, but it might help. However, you didn't indicate what kind of trailer you have, and not all of them are capable of using a WDH...Seems to me the Starcraft among others that state you should not use them because of the type of frame on the trailer.

The size of the trunions depend on the anticipated load weight on the toungue...and typically the PU will have less tongue weight than a Hybrid. I wouldn't get anything rated under 600# tongue weight for the Hybrid (though I'm using one rated at 400# and it works ok, I think it needs to be bigger)...

[NightOwl]

this is probably a stupid thought/question,  and if it is, there are people here who will set you straight and not let me lead you astray.

But how are the shocks on your truck and are your wheels aligned and tires balanced? Are any of your tires "bruised"?  Maybe if some of them are off, it might contribute to what is happening?   Hmmm, your DH is a mechanic so come to think of it, I dont imagine he'd let this happen to any of his vehicles.

I agree with Cliff, though, if you arent having sway you probably dont need a
WDH.  We have one--an Equalizer and it is fantastic (espensive, too ) but we  got it because our manufacturer (TrailManor) advised us to.  We're glad we did; the trailer is big (wagon is 17 feet long closed )  and tows wonderfully even with  our  4 litre, 6 cyl TV . No sway and no bounce.

I dont suppose  the length of the hitch tongue or the way it seats onto the truck receiver could be a factor, guys?

[campingboaters]

There are a couple reasons to get a weight distribution hitch (WDH).  The first is to level the TV with the camper.  The second is to distribute the weight of the hitch/tongue of the trailer to BOTH axles on the TV.  The third purpose of a WDH is to prevent the bouncing that can occur at the hitch point.  
 
 Without a WDH, the hitch can pivot up and down so you have the camper bouncing one direction and the TV bouncing in another direction.  Typical OLD concrete highways have larger expansion joints causing the old ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.  Over time, this can REALLY get a TV and camper going up and down -- especially if you are driving faster than say 55 MPH.  WITH a WDH, the entire rig (TV AND Camper) move together AND use the TV shocks to reduce the bouncing. There are NO shocks on a camper.
 
 Based on the above, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a WDH, but which one is a matter of preference.  I've heard wonderful things of the equalizer hitch, but I believe it's more expensive.  Plus, you have to see what will fit YOUR camper.   Newer Coleman campers need a WDH with only one lift bar because of the tongue lift point being on the side of the tongue instead of in the center.
 
 Hope this helps.

[Admin]

I had product tested the Advanced Air Hitch.
It has an air bladder on the hitch that absorbs some of the bounce from the trailer.  This is exactly what it is designed for.  I found it worked much better on larger bumps like railroad crossings etc...

Chances are, you would get the standard duty class 4 hitch.  It can be ordered with a sway controller ball, and / or a weight distributing bracket.

http://www.advancedairhitch.com/receiver_hitches.html

Please tell them that Pop UP Times sent you over!

[campingboaters]

That Air Ride system is HEAVY and BIG!   The WDH's are heavy too, but they come in several manageable pieces vs one big piece.
 
 I tend to hitch the camper myself and when we get to a campground, I like to remove the WDH (with sway) from the truck because we usually drive places without the camper and it sticks out too far for my comfort.  I don't think I'd be able to place or remove the air-ride hitch by myself.

[gsm x2]

Perhaps this is way off base and too simplistic, but is it possible that the locking mechanism on the hitch is too loose and that's why it feels like it is bouncing too much? Are you getting a clunking noise as it bounces?

Scott

[brainpause]

All of the above ideas sound good to check. But I wanted to add a "vote" for something that has already been mentioned.

It sort of sounds similar to what can happen to a fifth wheel trailer when it isn't front-loaded enough. Fivers and their drivers call it "porpoising," because they tend to bounce up and down like a porpoise.

Make sure you have 10-15% of your trailers total weight as your tongue weight (i.e., for a 3000# trailer, you should have 300-450 on the tongue.

Larry

[mike4947]

A good suitablely sized WD hitch can work wonders in the hobby horsing. But I'd look at the easier fixes first if the rear of the TV isn't sagging.

Things like the tires on the TV. Certain vehicles (a good example is the GM Astro/Safari vans) come with really lousy OEM tires and a lot of sway/hula/hobby horsing on them can be fixed by upgrading to LT ratherr than P grade tires.  Even the tire pressure can cause bouncing. Try increasing it to closer to the TV tire's maximum pressure.
Some other vehicles just do not have the stock shocks to prevent the motion.
Also if you're towing off the bumper without a receiver hitch that can cause the motion as well if the trailer doesn't set level when hooked up.
 
Last of all there are certain roads that no matter what you do the ride is going to be terrible. We avoid severals sections of the PA turnpike as they cause us grief no matter what we tow with or what we're towing.

[springer02]

We have experienced bounce on concrete surfaces. Specifically, jointed concrete starts a bounce that sort of builds upon itself and makes for an unenjoyable ride and could even, I suppose, create a dangerous condition at highway speeds.

As best as we can tell, it has everything to do with tongue weight. When we increase tongue weight some, this goes away or is greatly minimized. How we pack makes all the difference.

Dave

[a1coolmom]

We have experienced bounce on concrete surfaces. Specifically, jointed concrete starts a bounce that sort of builds upon itself and makes for an unenjoyable ride and could even, I suppose, create a dangerous condition at highway speeds.

As best as we can tell, it has everything to do with tongue weight. When we increase tongue weight some, this goes away or is greatly minimized. How we pack makes all the difference.

Dave

I don't want to appear any more dumb about this subject than I already have, but how can you add weight to the tongue? I can't load farther forward than I have because it would be over the bed and the top wouldn't be able to latch down.
We have tried the pressure differences in the tires(which are better than average Michelins)and checked the hitch components. We have decided on purchasing a WDH but are still kicking around what size, most seem overkill.I only plan to tow 5000# and most start at 7000 and up.

[Kelly]

I don't want to appear any more dumb about this subject than I already have, but how can you add weight to the tongue? I can't load farther forward than I have because it would be over the bed and the top wouldn't be able to latch down.

You can add weight to the tongue by moving more of your gear in front of the axle ~ between the axle and the front of the trailer.  You can also rearrange your gear so the heavy stuff is toward the front.  I had the opposite problem ~ too heavy on the tongue ~ so I put the heavier stuff to the rear of the PU.

Can't help with the WDH questions ~ but I'm sure lots of others can!  (My van requires it for trailers over 2000 lbs and I have a PU that you can't use it with.  Thanks goodness the trailer weighs in at 1970 lbs!)

What kind of trailer do you have?  Are you sure you can use WDH with it?

[a1coolmom]

You can add weight to the tongue by moving more of your gear in front of the axle ~ between the axle and the front of the trailer.  You can also rearrange your gear so the heavy stuff is toward the front.  I had the opposite problem ~ too heavy on the tongue ~ so I put the heavier stuff to the rear of the PU.

Can't help with the WDH questions ~ but I'm sure lots of others can!  (My van requires it for trailers over 2000 lbs and I have a PU that you can't use it with.  Thanks goodness the trailer weighs in at 1970 lbs!)

What kind of trailer do you have?  Are you sure you can use WDH with it?

I was told by a "hitch guy" that the only trailers that you can't use a WDH with,clearly state that on their frame with stickers. I am presently towing a lightweight starcraft p/u,the "meteor" with a Toyota Tacoma but hope to move up to a hybrid weighing under #5000.But all the hitches I've seen so far have much higher towing caps and seem overkill.Is there such as thing as too much capacity?