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Old 12-03-2023, 08:11 AM   #2
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
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With a tow rating well over 6000 pounds, and a length of over 210 inches, your truck probably doesn't need a weight-distributing hitch. I would feel comfortable buying a good weight-bearing hitch. Make sure the hitch and the ball are rated for at least 5000 pounds - more is better - and go with it.

You will want to know how much drop the hitch should have. The goal, of course, is to use a hitch that makes the TM level when you hitch it up. A useful rule of thumb is that when you slide the hitch shank into the receiver, the top of the ball should be 19 inches above the ground. The final value could be an inch or two up or down from that, but it will be close enough to make your trip.

I suggest that you go through the Trail Manor Technical Library on this Forum, and find and read the articles/tutorials on towing and hitches, including weight-distributing hitches. The Library is located at
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...splay.php?f=42

If your Frontier has any kind of booster shocks or auto-leveling system, the first step should be to disable it. One of the articles in the Forum's Technical Library will go through the reasons why.

If you decide to get a WDH, there are articles on how to adjust it.

Finally, when you get home and get the job done, your last step should be to load up your camper into ready-to-camp configuration, then find a CAT scale in your neighborhood and pay $10-12 to get a 3-axle weight measurement. Check the weight on the truck's rear axle against the Gross Axle Weight Rating - Rear for your specific truck, and ensure that the actual weight it is within the rating. (The rating can be found on a label in the driver's door or door frame. Don't confuse the GAWR-R with the GVWR.) Don't forget to leave an allowance for whatever additional weight you plan to add to the bed of the truck. You can expect the actual weight to be surprisingly close to the rating. If it exceeds it by any significant amount, this indicates that you do, in fact, need a WDH.

Congratulations on your new camper.

Bill
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