Reese WDH Toyota Highlander

[Shortcut]

Yet another WDH posting from an RV newbie--sorry. Still learning the ropes on our 2021 2720 QB TM. On our FWD Toyota Highlander, we have a TWR of 5000 pounds and a tongue weight maximum of 500 pounds. We had the TM out several times without a WDH and FWD traction was noticeably reduced and I was spotting raccoons in the trees at night. I measured the tongue weight at 350-400 pounds (loaded) and all things considered, we are much closer to the vehicle ratings than I expected.

From the Forum discussions, it seemed that most TM owners were using either the Anderson or Reese 600# WDH. TM Dealer indicated Anderson was suggested, but not necessarily recommended by TM.

In the end, I opted for the Reese 600# WDH system (the Reese 400# unit is undersized for the TM2720--look carefully at the Reese data sheets). Some other brands had spring bars that were too short. Check installation diagrams for allowable distances from ball to spring bar brackets. To make room for the Reese frame brackets, I needed to move the TM breakaway switch forward about an inch, and the safety cable backward about an inch.

Now with the WDH installed, I scarcely know the TM is in tow. Vehicle is level, traction is restored, and handling just right. I never had concerns about sway, but the Reese WDH gives a little more confidence about that.

Now....I need to be really careful about loading and approaching the tongue limits of the Highlander. I know that the WDH adds to the tongue load, but the load distribution is worth it for us. Hope our experience helps others.

[Shane826]

The physical WDH may add to the tongue weight, but the physics of the WDH will actually reduce the tongue weight. Go to a CAT scale and check your axle weights with the trailer unhitched, the trailer hitched but the WDH disconnected, and the trailer hitched with the WDH connected. It’s pretty amazing how it moves the weight off the rear axle of the tow vehicle and out to the front axle and trailer axle.

[momto4girls]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

I know this is an old thread, but if the OP is still around...what year is your Highlander?

[rich2468]

Originally Posted by momto4girls

Thank you for sharing your experience!

I know this is an old thread, but if the OP is still around...what year is your Highlander?

Looks like the OP, Shortcut, hasn't been around since last Fall, but I tow my 2922KB with a 2020 Highlander (AWD with a factory hitch) and a Curt Weight Distribution Hitch (with 600 lb bars).

I've used the Curt hitch for two and a half years, but am converting over to an Andersen hitch to save some weight and to hopefully have a WDH which is a little easier to hook up.

Storage of the Curt WDH head and spring arms (when not under tow) takes up a significant amount of space in the rear of my Highlander, as well. I'm hoping the transition to the Andersen will allow me to discontinue carrying a sizable tool box which homes the Curt WDH.

Rich and Lynn
2021 2922KB

[Bill]

Although Shortcut didn't say so, all of the Highlanders, since at least 2010, appear to have 5000 pound tow rating. So that is probably what Shortcut had. Collective wisdom here on the Forum seems to agree that 5000 pounds is adequate.

We had a 2002 Explorer, then a 2006 Explorer, both V-8's rated at about 6500 pounds. Our WDH was a Reese Trunnion hitch (we never did add the anti-sway option to that hitch). We had 1200 pound bars, which were too stiff. I would have preferred 800 pound bars because we tend to travel heavy, but 600 is said to be adequate for a more common setup. I wouldn't go lower, though. The chain and snap-up bracket on the WDH were perfectly easy to set up and take down, and we never has an issue with it. We kept the cheater bar in the rear bumper compartment of the TM, since we had to get into it anyway to reach the sewer hoses.

When we were camping, we always left the hitch head right on the vehicle, with a rubber cup on the ball to keep grease off my pants. I suppose a lockable hitch pin would have been smart, but I never did it. And we always slid the spring bars and the McKesh tow mirrors under the TM, out of sight. So there was no need to put any of it in the bed of the truck or the way-back of the Explorers. Never had a problem.

We have a different tow vehicle today, so the towing arrangement is different. But if I could go back to those Explorers, I wouldn't do anything different except downsize the springbars.

Bill

[TomBeckman]

Hello Fellow Highlander (HL) owner
I currently have a WDH that's rated to 10,000 lbs. I have received some feedback from owners who think that a WDH of that size could cause problems for a TM that is only 3,200 fully loaded (might bend the frame.) The only way I can level the two is by jacking up the HL and TM prior to installing the WDH. This allows me to tighten the WDH significantly tighter than I am able to tighten it when not jacked up. However, this puts much greater stress on the WDH and perhaps the frame when the jack is lowered. I have a swivel hitch on the TM which only allows me to place the WDH bracket on a 5" space on the TM A-frame. The chain-type Husky WDH I installed fits into that space. My worry is that the WDH may cause some problems down the road due to its 10.000 lb. rating or being super tight. The HL bottoms out when leaving driveways or going over humps in road when not tightened super tight.
My HL is weighted to 5000 lbs. U-Haul installed a tow hitch which sits below the bumper. The difference between a Toyota installed tow hitch, which is installed in the middle of the bumper, and the current placement on my HL is 4". I have 245 60 R15 tires and the height from the ground to top of the wheel well is 32". When not towing there is 4 inches of clearance from top of tire to wheel well wheel well. When towing with the WDH fully cranked tight there is about 1- 1 1/2 inches of clearance.

Please provide me with a few details regarding your HL and your TM hitch, and how you were able to level your TM and HL. How does it compare with the figures above?.
Incidently, Paul, the owner of TM told me that none of the TM trailers need a WDH if the vehicles are level with each other prior to hitching. He expalined that the axel is designed so that weight is distributed very well which reduces sway. That makes me wonder: If I buy and Anderson ball mount with an 8' rise that brings the HL up to the level of the TM that perhaps I may longer need a WDH hitch?

Any thoughts from other Highlander folks would be greatly appreciated.

[Bill]

Tom -

You may need to review the concept of leveling the trailer and tow vehicle. Please forgive the length of this post - it is not as hard or fussy as it sounds. Do this.

1. Park the tow vehicle (no cargo) on a level surface, with the TM close behind it, but not hooked up. The tow vehicle is now "level" by definition. Measure and record the vertical distance between the ground and some point near the front of the vehicle. Maybe the underside of the front bumper, or the top of the front wheel well - doesn't matter as long as it is near the front. Do the same thing at the rear. Now load the TV with the amount of cargo weight you envision for camping.

2. Load the TM with the weight and distribution you envision for camping. Using the tongue jack, level the TM with something like a bubble level on the frame. Measure the distance from the ground to the top of the hitch cup. As a quick check, this is commonly something like 19-20 inches.

3. On the tow vehicle, install the WDH into the receiver, but don't put any weight on it yet. Adjust the ball height to about an inch higher off the ground than you measured in Step 2.

4. Now put the TM hitch on the hitch ball, but don't engage the WDH mechanism yet. The weight of the hitch on the ball will cause the rear end of the tow vehicle to sink as you have observed, and at the same time, the front end of the tow vehicle will rise.

5. Start to increase the amount of lift from the WDH. As you adjust it, the rear of the tow vehicle will rise, and the front will sink. The goal is to adjust the WDH until the amount of "sink" on the rear end of the tow vehicle (compared to the original measurement in step 1) is equal to the amount of "sink" on the front end (also compared to step 1). The tow vehicle is now level again, but closer to the road than it was before the load was added.

6. The final step is to determine if the TM is level. If it is, you are done. If not, you will need to go back to step 3 and change the unloaded height of the ball. Since the adjustment points are probably an inch apart, there is no need to strive for precision.

Here is one further comment, based on my experience with a Reese WDH with spring bars and lift chains. The spring bars are supposed to be springy. That is, the bars will bend a bit as you go over speed bumps or gas station exit swales. If they are too stiff, they won't bend, and that stresses the frames. If they are too flexy, they will tend to be floppy and bouncy as you travel. You want something in the middle. The springiness is expressed as a weight rating. I started out with 1200-pound bars for my 2720SL, and they were too stiff. A long discussion here on the Forum seemed to settle on 800-pound bars as a good rating for most TM cases. The exact number is not critical, but we had several reports of floppy-bouncy results with 600-pound bars.

Perhaps you already knew all this, and if so I hope you are not bored. But it sounds like you are starting with a very low hitch, under the bumper, and trying to bring everything up to level by cranking up the spring bars. In other words, step 3 is missing?

The weight rating of the WDH itself (10,000 lbs in your case) is not of direct interest as long as it is safely above the weight of the trailer. It is the rating of the spring bars, as well as proper adjustment, that matters.

Questions are welcome.

Bill

[dab1950]

Tom and all HL owners,
I have a 2018 Highlander LE+(front wheel drive) and tow a 2006 2720SL. My hitch is an after market U-Haul 2" receiver rated at 5000 lbs. My WDH is a generic(likely Harbor Freight) 10,000 lb rated hitch with 1,000 lb spring bars. I can level the HL and the TM with the chains on 2nd and or 3rd chain link. So, not a lot of stress on me or the TM. It rides nicely and without sway.
I concur on Bill's setup instructions above and highly recommend these instructions. The first time through might seem tedious but after a couple times, it will be more intuitive and easy to repeat.

Safe travels and happy camping.