Recommended Weight Distribution For Small Tent Camper

Question:

I am looking for a ball mount or weight distro system. I have a chevy suburban and it has a 5000lb rating without distro, but a 10000lb rating with distro. My current trailer is a lightweight tent trailer which requires a from my Suburbans hitch, but I would like to get a larger hybrid at some point. Is there a system that I can get that would work for all senarios whether it be a less than 5000lb trailer that requires a or a larger trailer that may or may not require the but does require distribution, or do I just have to purchase two separate ball mount systems? Thanks

asked by: Dustin

Expert Reply:

The best way to determine what system will work for you is to know what your total tongue weight is. The total tongue weight is the tongue weight of your fully-loaded-ready-to-tow trailer added to the weight of any cargo you place behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle. You will then want to find a system where your total tongue weight falls near the middle of the tongue weight range for the system. Getting a system that is too small will be useless, but getting a system that is too big will result in a stiff, uncomfortable experience.

There are some systems that cover a large range of tongue weight. Generally, the tongue weight of a trailer should be between 10 and 15 percent of the trailer weight so for a 5,000-lb trailer it could be between 500 and 750 lbs. For a 10,000-lb trailer it can range from 1,000 to 1,500 lbs. When you add any cargo behind the rear axle of the towing vehicle you can wind up with a couple hundred more pounds of added weight.

For the tent trailer you currently have you will want to determine the tongue weight before choosing a weight distribution system. If your trailer weighs about 4,000-lbs and you add about 100-lbs for cargo behind the rear axle I recommend a system like the Strait-Line Weight Distribution System w Sway Control, part # RP66083. This is designed for a trailer that weighs up to 8,000 lbs and tongue weight between 400 and 800 lbs. This system also features anti-sway which helps keep the trailer from swaying when in high winds or when large trucks pass by.

Without knowing what size trailer you plan on using in the future, this system may take care of that trailer as well.

Since you need to tow the trailer as level as possible you will probably need a high-low adapter for your weight distribution system. I have attached a helpful article about weight distribution and also a link to our website for the high-low adapters we offer.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L