When near GVWR, is weight distributing hitch neccesary above 7k lbs?
 

Got a interesting question.

Let's assume that a 5k lbs trailer does not need a weight distributing hitch, but that it is operating with GVWR to spare.

Now let's compare it to a 7000 lb trailer that ford says does. The marginal increase of 2000 lbs puts an extra 200ish lb extra weight on the hitch, which is about 4 or five feet aft of the rear axle. This torque reduces the weight on the front axxle and therefore reduces steering/braking ability. A weight distributing hitch restores this weight. Here is the interesting question, what if I restore the front axle weight by means other than the weight distributing hitch? What if I place another adult in the cab that is about 200ish lbs extra weight about 4 or 5 feet in front of the rear axle, so as to basically cancel the effect of bumping up the trailer weight. In this case, is a weight distributing hitch still necessary? If the answer is yes - can we understand why, because it seems that the front axle weight should be roughly comparable to the 5k load w/o a weight distributing hitch but a nearly empty cab.

Thoughts?

The answer per Ford is...a weight distributing hitch for required for anything over 5000 lbs.

If you are going to be on the same road as me ya you need one.

Wouldn't it just have to be in front of the rear axle, since that is the "fulcrum point" that lifts the front tires off (if you imagine having a enormously heavy trailer for the moment).

No, the weight put between the 2 axles on the truck will distribute over the 2 axles depending on where the weight is located on the truck. . In the above scenario you've laid out, adding weight mid-truck would not only add weight to the front axle but also the rear. In order to return the front back down, the added weight would have to be directly over or in front of the front axle.

Reading through this, I'm not totally clear on the hesitation to add an element of safety to yourself, your family, vehicles and all others on the road. If it's marginal, add the WDH and love the fact that it tows well.

I am simply being curious, and will not hesitate to use one if necessary.

That's true.

That's not quite true. If I wanted to remove weight from the rear axle, and put it on the front axle, then above is true. My original question though was concerning just restoring front axle weight, which placing extra weight between the front and rear axles could do.

I'll keep quiet about this ;)

If you have 700 lbs on the hitch it is unloading the front axle some amount. lets just say ~300 lbs for a 145" WB truck. That unloaded weight isnt because the truck is magically lighter, its because that weight was also trasnfered to the rear axle along with the entire tongue weight. So now you have 1000 lbs(700 tongue+300 transfered) on the rear axle just from the trailer. Then you get in the truck and some of that weight is added to the rear axle. Then you add a 200 lb person as "ballast" and some more additional weight is added to the rear axle.

So all in, before you've even loaded gear in the truck, you have increased the rear axle loading by probably 1100+ lbs. At this point, you are now probably close to or exceeding the RAWR without anything else in the truck.

So no. I dont think counter weighting is a good solution.