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If using a rear-drive vehicle, it's necessary to remove the spring bars when launching and
retrieving. Due to the lifting action of the spring bars, the rear wheels of the low
vehicle may spin as the weight distributing system lifts the back of the vehicle to
transfer weight to other parts of the vehicle and trailer. With spring bars in place, you
will also need to make wider turns. If the turn is too tight, the bars and brackets will
distort and maybe even strike the tow vehicle.
Most important is that the chains must be angled correctly to allow the trailer surge
brakes to operate properly. Surge brakes engage when the coupler is pushed forward by the
trailer tongue, and they disengage when you accelerate and the coupler is extended. If the
chains won't allow this motion, braking action can be impaired. If the coupler doesn't
release completely, the trailer brakes will drag, heat up, and possibly fail the next time
you need to make a fast stop. Check with the manufacturer of your brake-coupler for
information on how to set the chains. Various adapters are also available to compensate
for surge brakes and or trailer design.
Automotive manufacturers have various recommendations for the use of weight distributing
hitches. Their emphasis, though, is based mostly on towed weights, with tongue weights
that are 10 to 15 per cent of the total towed weight. Boat trailers, however, generally
have tongue weights in the 5 to 8 percent range. Using a weight-distributing system with a
light tongue weight can be unsafe
As beneficial as a weight-distributing system can be, it must be used properly. It's
intended to be used with a heavy tongue weight, not necessarily with heavy towed weights.
The key word here is "tongue weight".
TONGUE WEIGHT
Tongue weight is the weight of the trailer on the hitchball. This can vary considerably,
depending on how the boat is positioned on the trailer. Since most trailer boats have a
heavy engine on the rear and a long tongue, the distance from the trailer axle to
the hitchball, they tend to have lighter tongue weights than travel trailers. Its not
unusual for the boat/trailer package to have a tongue weight of 200 pounds, for a
3000-pound towed weight.
Some auto manufacturers require a weight-distributing hitch with towed loads of 4000
pounds, but that's based on a tongue weight of about 400 pounds. In a case like this, a
weight-distributing hitch would reduce that tongue weight to a little more than 200
pounds.
However, if you already have a 200 pound tongue weight and you reduce that weight, it will
be too light. Light tongue weight causes trailer sway, which can be dangerous.
HITCH WARRANTIES
Those manufacturers who belonged to the Trailer Hitch Manufacturers Association (THMA),
set standards for hitch safety. These standards include numerous product tests to ensure
the hitches meet specific safety outlines. The products that pass these extensive tests
are allowed to display a "V-5" label. Showing it, meets the maximum safety
requirements of the THMA. Not all hitches carry the V5 label, but it's definitely a good
indication of the product's quality.
Regardless of which hitch you choose, keep in mind that it must be street legal. You must
use safety chains and a breakaway, trailer-braking system. It's always a good idea to have
some way to lock the coupler in place; certain actions while towing can uncouple a trailer
if there is no locking device to hold it in place.
Have you been to our section with information about hitchballs?
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