Weight Distribution System Needed for 3,000 lb and 6,000 lb Trailers

Question

Question:

I currently have a Jayco 154BH small travel trailer 15 foot...about 3K pounds and about 300 pounds on the hitch. I am currently using a Ford F150 to tow and Ill have about another 100 over the hitch. I currently use a Curt friction sway bar only. This setup has been good so far, but I will be starting a lot of cross-country travel, and I am looking at within a year moving up to a 24-26 foot travel trailer in the neighborhood of 6K/600 pounds. What Im looking for is a recommendation on a weight distribution system that I can use now and later...with or without sway controls.

asked by: Joseph A

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

I can help you find a Weight Distribution (WD) system that works for you, but since it looks like you will have a pretty big range of weight capacities it is impossible to use the same WD system without changing out at least the arms.

You will want to choose a WD system with a Tongue Weight (TW) range that the Total Tongue Weight (TTW) of your towing setup falls in the middle of. To find the TTW of your towing setup you will need to add the TW of your fully loaded and ready-to-go trailer along with the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle. Keep in mind that a properly loaded trailer will have a TW that is 10-15% of the loaded weight of your trailer.

If your trailer has a TW of 300 lbs when it is fully loaded and you have 100 lbs of equipment behind the rear axle of your Ford F-150 then you need a WD system that covers the 400 lbs in the TW range. If the 600 lbs TW of your future trailer is with it loaded then that means your TTW will be 700 lbs (with the same 100 lbs behind your rear axle) and you need a WD system that hits that weight capacity in it's TW range.

I recommend going with a Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution. The part # BXW0556 has a TW range of 350 lbs - 550 lbs which is perfect for your current setup. Once you get the bigger trailer then you simply need to upgrade the bars to part # BXW4006 for a TW range of 550 lbs - 750 lbs or part # BXW4007 for a TW range of 750 lbs - 1,000 lbs.

Not only are the bars interchangeable but this system also includes a built-in anti-sway system that will work better than your current Curt Friction Sway Control # 17200 and will allow you to backup without disabling anything.

I have attached a few review videos for you to check out as well as some helpful articles that you can reference.

expert reply by: Jon G

1

Answer 1

When choosing a weight distribution system, you will want one that has a tongue weight capacity range that encompasses 10 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight when it is loaded and ready to tow. For your trailer, 10 to 15 percent of the gross…

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Answer 2

Ideally you want your loaded tongue weight to fall right in the middle of the tongue weight range of a weight distribution system. Since trailer tongue weight is typically 10-15 percent of the total trailer weight the Blue Ox Sway Pro part #BXW0550…

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Answer 3

Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control - Clamp On - 6,000 lbs GTW, 550 lbs TW #BXW0550 has a 7 hole shank where the BXW0550-S has a 9 hole shank. Other than that, the two systems are identical according to my contact at Blue Ox. We carry…

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Answer 4

Out of all the weight distribution hitches we offer I personally prefer the Blue Ox SwayPro because it's the easiest to install and use. With your tongue weight being less than 10% of your GVWR you could definitely benefit from loading more in…

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Answer 5

The Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution System part #BXW0550 is a great option for a trailer with 500 lbs of tongue weight. It has industry leading sway control as well as weight distributing properties. It can be installed on a pole tongue trailer…

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Answer 6

We can get your 2019 Viking 17FQS travel trailer with about a 4,280 lb GVWR set up with the right Blue Ox SwayPro, which is simply determined by the tongue weight. Since the tongue weight is going to be somewhere in the range of 10 percent to 12…

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Answer 7

I have attached a link to our product page of the weight distribution hitches we offer that have a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 lbs. We do not offer any hitches with a 5,000 lb towing capacity. One of the systems I recommend is the Blue Ox…

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Answer 8

It is possible for some spring bars to be interchanged based on their size, but that won't increase a weight distribution system's capacity without adding the appropriate head unit. The replacement spring bars that are rated for 1,200 lbs TW…

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Answer 9

Weight distribution system bars like the Blue Ox Sway Pro #BXW4006 all work well over a range of loaded trailer tongue weight (TW). These particular bars are suited for a trailer with a loaded TW of 550 to 750-lbs. All Blue Ox bars are shown on the…

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Answer 10

You would need to go with lower rated spring bars on your Reese Strait Line WD system since you are going to a much lighter trailer. If you have too high rated bars you will have a very rough ride quality. Since your total trailer weight is 6,000 lbs…

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Answer 11

The Camco Water Heater Element #CAM02143 is what you need for the SW6DEL water heater. According to our research this element will replace the heating element perfectly in your Suburban water heater. You can also use the Camco RV Water Heater Anode…

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Answer 12

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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