Is Pro Series Weight Distribution Recommended for 870 Pounds of Tongue Weight

Question:

Towing starcraft 34 rt with 2017 ram 1500 5.7 liter v8 hemi. Front deck with cargo area. Dry hitch weight is 416. 2 -20 lb. propane tanks =80lb., generator 100lb., battery 60 lb, and dog with kennel 55 lb. Truck bed behind rear axle only 2 loaded coolers I estimate at 150lb. In front of front axle are totes of supplies with row of fire wood along front of box. By my estimate total tounge weight 870lb. There may be more weight at times on front deck of camperkids bikes or little more wood. Towing on mainly highway with little distances on gravel and uneven roads. Will this hitch be sufficent.

asked by: Adam

Expert Reply:

It sounds like you've done some reading already and yes, it sounds to me like the Pro Series RB3, part # PS49583, will work for you. It's rated up to 1,000 pounds of tongue weight and you'll be under that with your 870 pounds. Not by a lot but you don't want to be too far under because your entire ride will be pretty rough.

With that being said, the Pro Series doesn't include any type of sway control. I recommend upgrading a bit to the Fastway e2, part # FA94-00-1000, that's also rated for 1,000 pounds tongue weight. It includes sway control to help keep the trail inline.

For either of those two systems you also need a hitch ball with a 1-1/4 inch shank. Use # A-90 for a 2 inch ball or # 19286 for a 2-5/16 inch.

expert reply by: Charles S