Will Fastway e2 WD System Work on Trailer with Higher A-Frame Mounting Points

Question:

i will be towing my new to me 2008 Fleetwood E2 and need a weight distribution hitch and liked the FA94-00-0800 but had some concerns because of how tall the attachment area of the trailer would be. i cant seem to find any info on this hitch with my pop up. i would prefer this hitch over a chain style one and was wondering if i would run into any issues and possibly just need an extension of some sort. any help is appreciated. thank you.

asked by: Tim D

Expert Reply:

The Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control # FA94-00-0800 referenced in your question should be perfect on your trailer to prevent and correct sway-control issues. You will just want to confirm with the trailer's manufacturer that it is okay to use with a weight distribution system, as a lot of pop up campers do not have strong enough frames to support them.

If one can be used, there are a few things to consider:

First, when choosing the best weight distribution system it is important to calculate the total tongue weight of your setup. The total tongue weight is the loaded tongue weight of your trailer plus any cargo stored behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle.

I did some research on your 2008 Fleetwood E2 and it looks like the dry weight is around 2,545 lbs, although you will want to make sure this number is correct. A trailer's tongue weight is typically around 10-15% of the gross weight, so we can estimate the dry tongue weight to be about 305 lbs. We will want to allow for some wiggle room to account for the added weight of your loaded trailer. We can then add 200 lbs as an estimate coming from your tow vehicle to bring us to a rough total tongue weight of 505 lbs.

Using this number, the Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control # FA94-00-0800 is a great choice. As long as your loaded and ready-to-tow tongue weight, including the weight carried behind your tow vehicle's rear axle is less than 800 lbs, I recommend this system for you.

This system actually includes an adjustable shank with a maximum rise of 6-3/8" from the top of the hitch receiver opening, so you should not have an issue keeping your vehicle level even with the mentioned higher A-Frame on your trailer.

You will just need to add a compatible hitch ball like the Tow Ready # 63840 to complete the system.