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Old 04-29-2016, 07:30 PM   #1
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Question Where to store weight distribution bars

Where do you store those greasy weight distribution bars when not in use?
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Old 04-29-2016, 07:52 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by toes in the water View Post
Where do you store those greasy weight distribution bars when not in use?
Depends...

At home they went in a rack under the porch that was made out of PVC pipe.

When were were camping I would leave the entire hitch head on the trailer and swing the bars under the A-frame, or just lay them across the A-frame.

Aaron
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Old 04-29-2016, 08:32 PM   #3
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Howdy,
My bars had a hole in the head part that goes into the ball mount. That hole fit the snal up brackets perfectly. I stuck them onto the snap up brackets by that hole. Very sturdy too.
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Old 04-29-2016, 09:55 PM   #4
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That is really cool. Unfortunately I don't have that brand. Thanks
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Old 04-30-2016, 12:06 PM   #5
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My dealer told me he doesn't ever grease them just a shot of wd-40 before a trip. They stay nice and clean so I can store them in the pass through in the front. Never had a squeak or a problem.
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Old 04-30-2016, 01:15 PM   #6
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I do not use a weight distribution anti sway hitch. The new trucks come with anti sway and if you have a ultra light you do not need one if you tow within limits. It is just another way to get more money out of the uninformed. They are a waste of time and money for small ultra light trailers. Just another thing to mess with. If your trailer starts to fish tail just tap the trailer breaks and slow down. There I just saved you $500.00. Your welcome.
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Old 04-30-2016, 05:26 PM   #7
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I use the Blue Ox Swaypro. The grease is in the hitch head not the spring bars. I store them in the pass-thru.
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Old 04-30-2016, 05:38 PM   #8
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I do not use a weight distribution anti sway hitch. The new trucks come with anti sway and if you have a ultra light you do not need one if you tow within limits. It is just another way to get more money out of the uninformed. They are a waste of time and money for small ultra light trailers. Just another thing to mess with. If your trailer starts to fish tail just tap the trailer breaks and slow down. There I just saved you $500.00. Your welcome.
He's pulling a 32 ft camper that weighs 7000lbs. A good wdh is a must.
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Old 04-30-2016, 05:47 PM   #9
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When I was using the old WD hitch, I made a storage deal from a steel plate and a couple of pieces of round steel fence post welded to the plate. The whole thing evolved over a couple of seasons, it started as a result of the jack sinking in soft ground. First came the steel plate, the steel post bit came as a result of the DW rubbing her pant leg against them when I just layed them across the A-frame.

Once I had the camper were I wanted it, the plate went under the tongue jack. The spring bars went into the fence post.

I've lost track of it since the Hensley is self storing. If I come across it I'll post a picture.
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Old 04-30-2016, 06:34 PM   #10
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Where do you store those greasy weight distribution bars when not in use?
I store them in front storage of trailer in a plastic container. I used some paper towel core tube to put over the greasy ends. Put some tape over one end of cardboard tube and slide over the bar.

Also store the hitch on the trailer tongue.
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Old 05-01-2016, 01:08 AM   #11
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I set mine across the battery boxes and cable lock the chains to the tongue.
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Old 05-02-2016, 07:09 PM   #12
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Chily
I really like that mount. I looked but could not find it anywhere. Where did you purchase yours? Do you have a part number per chance?
Thanks
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Old 05-02-2016, 07:40 PM   #13
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Chily
I really like that mount. I looked but could not find it anywhere. Where did you purchase yours? Do you have a part number per chance?
Thanks
I did something similar. I bought a receiver extension and welded it to the bottom of the A-frame. A little cleaner install and virtually impossible to steal my hitch.
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Old 05-02-2016, 07:45 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by masterblaster View Post
I do not use a weight distribution anti sway hitch. The new trucks come with anti sway and if you have a ultra light you do not need one if you tow within limits. It is just another way to get more money out of the uninformed. They are a waste of time and money for small ultra light trailers. Just another thing to mess with. If your trailer starts to fish tail just tap the trailer breaks and slow down. There I just saved you $500.00. Your welcome.
I find it hard to believe that you think the above info would be useful to anyone. Had you looked at the OP's rig you might have noticed that it weighs ~8000# loaded.
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Old 05-02-2016, 10:42 PM   #15
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Hi aguablanco, No I did not notice that he had a 8,000 trailer. The info I shared is my experience. May I be so bold as to ask you a question? Why do you need a 10,000 WDH when your trailer only weighs 6,000 fully loaded? I find it hard to believe that a truck rated to tow 9,400 lb. needs a WDH when the trailer only weighs 6,000 lb fully loaded. I myself chose not to spend money when I do not need to. My information might not be helpful to you but you are only 1 person on this forum and if my information can help some one else not to spend $500.00 or more on a WDH they do not need then I would have helped someone. Thank you for your input.
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Old 05-03-2016, 02:07 AM   #16
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Hi aguablanco, No I did not notice that he had a 8,000 trailer. The info I shared is my experience. May I be so bold as to ask you a question? Why do you need a 10,000 WDH when your trailer only weighs 6,000 fully loaded? I find it hard to believe that a truck rated to tow 9,400 lb. needs a WDH when the trailer only weighs 6,000 lb fully loaded. I myself chose not to spend money when I do not need to. My information might not be helpful to you but you are only 1 person on this forum and if my information can help some one else not to spend $500.00 or more on a WDH they do not need then I would have helped someone. Thank you for your input.
Just my two cents... I also have a tow limit of close to yours and a trailer that weighs roughly what yours does. I absolutely needed WDH as the stock springs on the truck do not allow level towing of the trailer... Which is the other reason most people need a WDH. Lastly, I had that auto sway control on my F-150 kick in once towing my previous rig... It nearly wrecked us.
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Old 05-03-2016, 03:50 AM   #17
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I got it from amazon, did have to buy longer bolts, as the tongue is 5 inches.

http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Products...v+bumper+hitch
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Old 05-03-2016, 05:59 AM   #18
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Hi aguablanco, No I did not notice that he had a 8,000 trailer. The info I shared is my experience. May I be so bold as to ask you a question? Why do you need a 10,000 WDH when your trailer only weighs 6,000 fully loaded? I find it hard to believe that a truck rated to tow 9,400 lb. needs a WDH when the trailer only weighs 6,000 lb fully loaded. I myself chose not to spend money when I do not need to. My information might not be helpful to you but you are only 1 person on this forum and if my information can help some one else not to spend $500.00 or more on a WDH they do not need then I would have helped someone. Thank you for your input.
There is a huge difference between tow capacity and the payload, or put another way the amount of weight my truck can have pressing down on it. While I may be able to tow close to 10K# that doesn't mean I have that much cargo capacity. There are plenty of 5's that might be under my tow capacity, however, the pin weight would be over my cargo capacity. Another thing to keep in mind is that the 10K WDH is the max rating for that hitch. While I could have gone with a lighter unit I relied on the advice of the, at least I hope, experts at the hitch store where I bought it. Their reasoning seemed sound to me. You may want to look into Learn the Towing Basics - Capacity Guide, Trailer Weight, Hitch Types ? Hitch Info
for some basic starting info. There is more on the web if you care to learn.

So you and I have very similar trailers and trucks. Do you not notice that the front end is higher when the trailer is hooked up? Do you not think that all of the weight on the hitch could, without a WDH, cause handling problems during rain, snow or some kind of road event? While I have only been towing travel trailers for less than a year, roughly 3000 miles so far, I have been towing for my business and recreation for decades. Many times with more than the weight of a 5'r. I suggest that you may want to measure the front and rear bumpers without a load and then again with a load and see what you discover. You may not like the results. BTW, while your truck may have sway control how does that control any sway of the trailer? It may help, but I wouldn't bet my or my wife's, or my fellow travelers, lives on it.

I'll end by being so bold as to ask you a question. How many miles have you towed a load in excess of 6000# that is somewhere near 10.5' tall and almost 8' wide? Even most work trailers don't approach those statistics.
RichH
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Old 05-03-2016, 11:36 AM   #19
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Hi, I will answer your question. I have never towed a load in excess of 6000 lb. The travel trailer I have weighs 4412 lb. 1588 lb net weight cargo cap. = 6000 lb. fully loaded. I do not travel with full tanks. I doubt My wife and I would ever load 1588 lb. of cargo. I have only towed in Florida and so far the truck and trailer have never swayed when being passed at 75+ MPH by big rigs and cars. When we put the trailer on the truck I do not see any lowering of rear end of the truck. We have a 2016 Chevy 1500 with a bed slide and Leer capper, full tow package rated at 9400 lbs. Trailer is a 2010 Kodiak 24rbsl. I do "feel" a down ward air pressure push the rig when we get passed by 18 wheel rigs going 75+mph but have no sway yet. So I feel safe now. However if I think we needed the WDH I would get one. I am a make do kinda of guy and come from the old school of thought "If it ain't broke don't fix it." Alot of people are very passionate about WDH I had no idea?? That is my experience. Safe travels.
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Old 05-03-2016, 02:29 PM   #20
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Thank you chily3
I ordered it this morning. Safe Travels
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