How to Determine Need for Weight Distribution for Towing Tear Drop Trailer

Question:

Hi, I have little guy tear trailer witch is 2,200 lbs axel and 100 lbs TW. Id like to install WD System on my trailer. What kind of WD part ,do you recomand? Thanks

asked by: Ben A

Helpful Expert Reply:

If you find that your tow vehicle is sagging in the rear due to the tongue weight of your trailer you can add a weight distribution/sway control (WD/SC) system to level the vehicle and also to prevent the trailer sway that can make towing stressful.

When selecting a WD/SC system the key is knowing the total effective tongue weight (TW) of the towing setup. This means loading up your trailer with all gear and supplies and then measuring the actual TW. To this you need to add the weight of anything in the tow vehicle that sits behind the rear axle, such as a loaded cooler or generator. Items behind the vehicle's rear axle act just like trailer TW. With this total effective TW known you can select a system that will level the vehicle to maintain proper steering and braking performance and to reduce the sway effects of passing trucks and wind gusts.

We offer a handy scale # e99044 for measuring TW but other methods are outlined in the linked article. The ideal situation is that your total TW figure will fall right in the middle of the system's operating range. For a trailer with 100-200-lbs TW you could use the Equal-i-zer 4-Point Sway Control system # EQ37041ET you referenced, or one of the others shown on the linked page.

Please note that your vehicle must have a 2-inch hitch that is rated for use with WD systems. The hitch safety sticker will indicate if this is the case. If you have not yet towed the tear trailer you might want to get some miles under your belt before deciding if WD/SC is needed. The linked article will be helpful in making that determination.

Please feel free to tell me about your tow vehicle as that can be helpful in selecting the correct system.

expert reply by: Adam R