Can Weight Distribution System be Used on 6,000 Pound Boat Trailer

Question:

I have a question about weight distributing hitches. I have a boat that weighs about 6000 pounds and I routinely haul it on a run that is about 6 hours. My F250 handles it no problem, however, my wifes SUV struggles a bit more. We have weighed it and confirmed we are within the vehicles specs, however, I was wondering if a weight distributing hitch would help. However, I have never seen any boaters use weight distributing hitches. Is there a reason for this? If not, what would you recommend. I dont have my scale data in front of me, but I believe my tongue weight is between 600 and 800 pounds. Thanks for your help!

asked by: Jonathan P

Expert Reply:

A weight distribution system will typically be helpful whenever the trailer's weight is more than 50 percent of the tow vehicle's weight, which will certainly be the case with your 6,000 pound boat and your wife's SUV. You didn't mention the specific towing issues you were having with the SUV, but other indications that a WD system will provide benefits is if you are experiencing trailer sway, difficulty steering or stopping, and rear sag on the tow vehicle when hooking up the trailer.

Boat trailers usually have pole tongues instead of a standard A-frame, which makes installing a weight distribution system a bit different, but definitely possible. This may be the reason why you don't see many boat trailers with systems installed - that and typically a boat trailer won't have as much tongue weight as a regular travel trailer.

When looking for a weight distribution system, the most important factor to consider is the total tongue weight of your setup. This number includes both the loaded tongue weight of your trailer, along with any added cargo weight coming from behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Ideally, this number should fall somewhere near the middle of the operating range on the system you choose.

If you have a tongue weight with the boat loaded of around 600 to 800 pounds (using a scale like the etrailer # e99044 will help you to verify this), a good option will be the Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System # EQ37100ET. This system features a tongue weight capacity of 600 to 1,000 pounds and will do a great job of evenly distributing weight over the axles of your SUV and trailer. Its integrated 4-Point Sway Control will limit any side to side movement of the trailer.

Then, if you do have a straight/pole tongue on your boat trailer, you can simply use the Pole-Tongue Adapter # EQ95-01-5950. This will attach to the trailer's tongue and provide the needed mounting points for the sway-control brackets on the weight distribution system.

I have attached a short video demonstration on the recommended system, along with an FAQ that you might also find helpful.