How to Select Correct Weight Distribution/Sway Control System for Forest River Cherokee

Question:

Looking for a weight distribution with sway control for a 2006 Ford F150 1/2 ton. Towing a 2017 Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS dry hitch wt.- 377#, unloaded vehicle wt- 3097#, GVWR w/brakes - 3877#. What do you recommend? Thank you

asked by: Lisa

Expert Reply:

The key to choosing the right weight distribution/sway control (WD/SC) system, one that will give you the desired weight shift up to the tow vehicle's front axle but without causing any weird handling side-effects, is knowing the fully-loaded trailer's actual tongue weight (TW). Since trailer owners load all sorts of different items in their trailers, and load that cargo differently, it is best to take a trip or two so that you can establish a pattern for your loading of all your stuff. This consistency in how you load the trailer will both let you choose the right WD/SC system and also ensure the best performance from it. You can check out the linked video too.

The total TW you need is the fully loaded trailer's actual measured TW (we offer scale # e99044) plus the weight of any cargo in the tow vehicle that sits behind the rear axle, say a loaded cooler or generator, since this cargo weight will act just like trailer tongue weight. This combined total TW will ideally fall near the middle of the system's operating range.

For an example we'll use a total TW of 500-600-lbs. Your loaded TW is likely to be in this range. For this TW a system like the Reese Strait-Line # RP66073 would be ideal since it works over a range from 400- to 800-lbs of TW. All you need to add to it is the shank and a hitch ball of the correct size for your trailer, either 2-inch # A-90 or 2-5/16-inch # 19286. Reese shanks are linked for you; choose the one with the right amount of drop to keep your trailer level.

The Strait-Line system actually prevents sway in the first place, rather than trying to correct it once the problem starts, thanks to its dual-cam sway mechanism. The cams keep the trailer in line with the truck until you turn, when the cams unlock to allow a full turning radius. This is considered to be one of the premier systems on the market. You can check out our customers' reviews and ratings for this system.