Weight Distribution and Sway Control for a 1999 Chevy Suburban and 10K Horse Trailer

Question:

I read through many of you QandA and found them to be very helpful but nothing quite answered my questions. I have a 3/4 ton suburban rated to 10k lbs. My hitch is rated at 10k and 1000lbs tongue weigth and 12k and 1200Ibs with weight distributing. I have a 3 horse trailer Ill be pulling that weighs 5500lbs empty with a tongue weight of ~550lbs. While I wont be pulling to often empty I think Id be fine pulling it without a weight distributing hitch as it would only be short distances empty. Fully loaded with 3 horses, hay in the hay rack, water in the water tank, saddles, etc it will be close to 10k lbs and 1100lbs tongue weight. We would be loaded like this a few times a year driving several thousand miles. We would also have some trips with maybe 1 or 2 horses and not as much extra gear but probably only a few hundred miles at a time. So basically we could have it anywhere from empty to fully loaded. Would it be better to buy a WD system rated at 1000 or 1200lbs and if so what would that affect when I only have say 8000lbs and 800lbs of tongue weight? I guess Im wondering if it would be better to be over rated on the WD hitch or under and how would the ride and distribution be affected both ways? Im alos only looking at a system with sway control like the reese straite line trunnion system or similar. Thanks for your advise.

asked by: Scott

Expert Reply:

It is always better to go with a larger system rather than one that is not rated high enough. A system that is rated too low will not be effective because the tongue weight will exceed the ability of the spring bars. On the other side, a system rated much higher than the actual tongue weight will provide a stiffer ride. So it is always better to go to a higher rated system than a smaller one.

For you I think a system rated for 800 to 1,500 pounds would be more ideal because that will cover most of the bases. You can use Strait-Line system, # RP66130, which includes the dual-cam sway control. You will just need to add a shank with the proper rise or drop you will need and a properly sized hitch ball for the trailer coupler.

For a shank, there are different options depending on the rise or drop you will need to tow the trailer level. I have included a link to the options for you. For a ball use # 63840 for a 2-5/16 inch diameter.

I have linked instructions, FAQs, and a video for weight distribution and sway control for you.

expert reply by: Michael H