Weight Distribution

[Denny_A]

.....if you've ever seen a group of folx (from a distance) waving their arms about and talking excitedly---then you have an idea what's going on here. They were responding to you initially, but now are excitedly responding to each other's word pictures. Do as Bill originally suggested (search on "Pilot" & "WDH") and it should all become clear.

Bottom line; a WDH

a) lifts the sagging hitch, b) forces the front of the tow vehicle down, and c) "distributes approximately 1/3rd of the tongue weight to the trailer axle......that is each axle shares the tongue weight so that both vehicles are level AND safe for the hiway!

Denny_A

Hi All,

Please forgive my ignorance with all this. I have spoken with a couple of RV dealers (not TM dealers-none close to where I live). The last one recommended the Blue Ox WDH and sway bars. I've told them I have a swing away tongue on the TM and since they aren't familiar with TMs they're not sure what I'm talking about. I'm assuming the swing away tongue isn't going to be a problem. Your thoughts?

Denny,
Thanks for that picture. I needed a laugh.

Sorry for the repeated posts but I looked at threads pertaining to WDH and Pilots, as Bill suggested, and now I have more questions. Is "Equalizer" a brand name? Does the WDH get installed on the trailer or the TV? According to some threads I read, a sway bar really isn't necessary with TMs.

Carol, Equalizer IS a brand name, but it is one of those brand names the have become synonymous with WDH. Kind of like Jello is used for all kinds of gelatin that isn't really the Jello brand - Freon is used to refer to refrigerant etc. Equalizer is a good brand, but there are many others and they all do the same job - some in different ways - and in widely varying price ranges - somewhere between about $300 to $3500. Obviously you don't need the $3500 model to tow a TM!

Thanks. With all this information I feel I can make a more informed decision when I speak with the dealer. This site continues to be priceless.

Carol see post under purhasing new 2720 regarding Pilots and WDH

Carol,
I would suggest taking a picture (or several) of your TM's hitch so a dealer can better understand what you are talkin about. We have an Equalizer hitch installed and it required some adjustments on our TM and we DON'T have the swing away hitch.

Most of the Equalizer WDH slides into the TV receiver. underneath the ball there are two square tubes that pivot side to side and the "bars" slide into. The other end of these bars (or chains on other brands) has to connect to the TM somehow. With an equalizer this happens by mounting an "L" bracket to the frame of the TM in the vicinity of the tongue. The frame of the TM at this point is 2-3 inches wide looking straight down on it and 4-6" tall, similar to a 2 x 4 standing up on the 2" edge. The "L" bracket gets attached with the long part of the L along mounted vertically, flush up against the tall part of the frame. This leaves a 2" lip parrallel to the ground which the end of the bar coming from the hitch rests on. A pin that passes through a hole in the lip keeps the bar from sliding off the lip.

How and where the "L" mounts to the frame is what "can" cause you problems. It normally is held to the frame by sandwiching the frame between the L and a flat piece of metal place on the other side of the frame from the L. Bolts that pass between the flat piece of metal and the L passing above and below the frame (I will try and add a drawing attachment)

In our case, there were things mounted on the inside of the frame that "interfered" with the placement of the flat piece of metal. Our VIN metal plate had to be relocated or it would be covered up and our emergency breakaway relay had to be moved out of the way. You may be more constained due to the swing away hitch on what is in the way and where it can be mounted. That said, lots of people with swing hitches use WDHs so it can not be an insurmountable problem. How ever, I would closely watch the "dealer" that installs the WDH for you to ensure they move things instead of cover them up and if they move your emergency breakaway switch, there is still enough play in the cable that you don't end up pulling the plug out fo the relay the first time you make a right hand turn.

Bill

Thanks Bill. I'll make a note.

I have a Honda Pilot as well and pull at 2619. Without using the weight distribution hitch I saw the same thing. Once I put the weight hitch chains in place no more problems. It rides level all around. I would highly recommend it.