Recommendation for the Right Weight Distribution System for Towing a 30 Foot Trailer

Question:

Hello, just bought new 30 ft trailer with the following specs. Dry Weight: 5049 lbs Hitch Weight: 560 lbs GVWR: 7560 lbs My question. Do I purchase the 6000 lb hitch with max tonge weight rating of 600 lbs and max total trailer weight of 6000 lb......OR......get the next one up with a max tongue weight rating of 1000 lb and max trailer weight of 10,000 lb. Not sure if 10,000 lb model is overkill. My concern is if 560 lbs tongue weight is with trailer dry, if I was to load it up and overshoot the 600 lb max tongue weight rating.

asked by: Tony

Expert Reply:

To determine which of the weight distribution hitches among the ones you mentioned would be right for your application, you will need to know the actual as-towed tongue weight of the trailer. This would encompass the weight of anything loaded on the trailer. Also, the weight of any gear stowed in the tow vehicle behind the rear axle would need to be considered as tongue weight.

I am including a link to a weight distribution FAQ page that shows a good method of determining your trailer tongue weight using a bathroom scale.

Since the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) on your trailer is 7,560 lbs and the tongue weight range would be 10 to 15 percent of the GVWR, that would be 756 lbs to 1,134 lbs.

Reese Steadi-Flex system # RP66560 is rated for 600 to 1,200 pounds tongue weight so it covers a very wide range and should work well for you. You will just need to add a properly sized ball, # A-90 for a 2 inch or # 19286 for a 2-5/16 inch.

I would not worry about a weight distribution system being overkill because of the gross trailer weight rating. The most important rating to use when matching up a weight distribution system is the actual tongue weight rating.