How to Choose the Best Fastway Weight Distribution Hitch for a 7000-lbs GVWR Trailer

Question

Question:

Always tow with a MINIMUM tongue weight of 10 of the gross trailer weight.inch The above sentence is from the Fastway e2 owners manual for this product. However, this weight distribution hitch and all the others as well it seems is only rated for a MAXIMUM of 10 tongue weight. It says 8,000 lbs maximum loaded trailer weight and 800 lbs maximum tongue weight. How do these two statements from the manufacturer go together? I have always read that tongue weight should be between 10-15 of the maximum gross weight of the trailer. The Fastway e2 owners manual seems to back up that assertion. Yet, with their own product you can barely achieve the minimum. To be specific, I am looking to tow a trailer with a max loaded weight of 7,000 lbs, well within the 8,000 lbs max loaded trailer weight of this hitch. But if I get to the minimum tongue weight of 700 lbs + the weight of the hitch itself about 80 pounds I am just about to the max rated tongue weight of the hitch. If I shoot for the middle of 12 tongue weight 840 lbs for a 7,000 lb trailer I am exceeding the maximum tongue weight before I even include the hitch itself. Am I supposed to buy a weight distribution hitch that is rated to many thousands of pounds over my trailers loaded weight just so I can achieve proper tongue weight? Why is the tongue weight maximum rating equal to the minimum acceptable tongue weight? Thanks for your help.

asked by: Orin B

0

Expert Reply:

I'll start this off by saying that you are correct in saying that you generally want your tongue weight to be between 10-15% of the total weight of your fully loaded trailer. The overall capacity of the hitch is really not nearly as important as the tongue weight range, and when you're choosing a weight distribution system you want that tongue weight to be towards the middle of the tongue weight range prescribed for that particular weight distribution system. It should also be noted that the weight of the weight distribution hitch does not count towards your overall tongue weight since you're measuring tongue weight before that component is installed; so this should clear up some of the confusion on that portion of your question.

With all of that being said, there is a better option than the Fastway e2 # FA94-00-0800, which has a prescribed tongue weight range of 400 to 800-lbs. As I mentioned above, while the total weight capacity of that hitch might be inline with your trailer specs-the tongue weight range on the hitch is the most important thing that you're looking for, so it's not a good choice for your trailer. Realistically, the Fastway system may be rated for trailers up to 8000-lbs, but it's going to be much more commonly used by trailers that are around 4000-lb to 6000-lbs GVWR.

Since the GVWR of your trailer is going to be 7000-lbs, your tongue weight should fall in the 700-lbs to 1050-lbs range depending on how you're loading your trailer. I would instead recommend using the Fastway e2 # FA92-00-1000 which is designed for tongue weights between 600-lbs and 1000-lbs. This Fastway e2 system is a much better fit for your trailer because the tongue weight of your trailer is going to fall closer to the middle of the range on the weight distribution system. This system does not come with hitch ball and will require one with a 1-1/4" diameter shank like the # EQ91-00-6100 and a thin walled socket like the # EQ70-00-4800 to install it.

Using a system where you're not at the edge of the tongue weight range like you would be with the # FA94-00-0800, is going to provide you with a much better solution to not only distribute weight, but help reduce trailer sway in an effective manner.