Final say on WDH

[pjcd]

Just joined the forum and I have a question. I just picked up a 2015 21RBS, I've towed for over twenty years and this is my first aluminum frame rig and the general consensus, (on WDH) is that its best to stay away from them, now I'm not too worried, I have a Silverado 2500 diesel. But what about sway control? I don't want to drill the frame, so I was considering an Anderson WDH, they seem to work better at sway control then distributing weight. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Does anyone have long term use with a WDH?

[joanne]

I've towed my 16'Camplite with 2 different 1/2t trucks for 15,000 miles in all kinds of weather without sway control or weight distribution.

For a 21' Camplite and a 3/4 ton truck, I wouldn't bother with sway or WD. If it were a 1/2 ton truck and a 21' trailer, I'd try it without, then decide.

[djsamuel]

I towed my 21BHS with my Ram 1500 using no WDH and had no issues. However, I wanted sway control in case a situation came up where it would be beneficial. I opted for the Andersen hitch and it made for a more comfortable towing experience since it does attenuate bouncing very well. It wasn't bad before, but it is better with the hitch. In addition, I've towed about 6000 miles with the Andersen and have been in some high crosswind situations where other trailers were swaying all over the road, but we were nice and straight.  Part of it may be the fact that the Camplite tows so well, but I think the Andersen makes a difference.

[pjcd]

Thanks for the input, I'll try it w/o anything on my Pa. trip and see how it works. Just a question, has anyone bent or distorted their frame using a WDH?

[ammobob]

I have the same set-up as DJSamuel, 21BHS, RAM 1500 and an Anderson WDS. I agree with his post completely. Doubt you will need any weight distribution with your 2500 but the Anderson did a great job in sway control during our recent 3000 mile trip. Camper stayed right behind the truck in heavy cross winds and more importantly when doing 75 MPH on the interstate around semi trucks. Trailer did not move. I have not seen any posts from anyone, using all styles of WDS, as it relates to frame bending or distortion. No expert here but don't think you could bend the frame with the Anderson system. 

Anyway welcome aboard and good luck with the new camper.

[david]

I am rather amazed at the number of CL owners who install an Anderson WDH just for sway control. The Anderson hitch achieves sway control with a friction cone under the ball. As a result it is subject to considerable wear and the friction cone needs to be replaced periodically.

A cheaper method is with a friction sway control arm like this one: http://etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Curt/17200.html. The only downside is that it does require drilling and using the self tapping screws into the aluminum frame. But the forces on the attachment are much lower than those on a WDH torsion arm.

And to the question of bending or distorting the frame with a WDH on a CL trailer. Tinkeringtechie (I think) reported on this forum twisting the mounting bolts on his WDH when he went over a deep transition in the road.

Also while researching CLs, I talked to a guy at the LL factory, who interestingly was an ex Reese guy. He implied that one owner had bent the frame, but had done so while using a heavy torsion bar or he had cranked up the force much to far. He admitted that the light Reese WDH probably wouldn't be a problem.

David

[pinstriper]

I am still noodling on adding the Andersen, both to help with balance when the load in the trailer isn't quite right (1/2 full fresh tank seems to be the sweet spot), and because the tension actively holds the coupler on the ball.

Recall I had the trailer pop off the ball on our first time out, tech said due to the wedge on the coupler being out of adjustment. We had a friction sway (no-drill bolt-on) at the time, which got bent about 1.5" out of straight, in its heroic sacrifice to keep the trailer from plowing into the back of the tow vehicle.

I think we've heard of at least one other instance here about an out of adjustment coupler. I think those failures are a lot like the bathtub curve for electronic parts. They either fail right away from being out of adjustment at the factory, or it takes a lot of wear and tear to cause their failure. But it does happen, and it happened to us, so it is always on our mind.

I dunno how much it costs to replace the friction cone, or how long it will last, but I can't imagine that would be a significant problem unless they stop making the thing. $50 every 5 years ? meh

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/13743/thread" timestamp="1438092325" author="@david"]
And to the question of bending or distorting the frame with a WDH on a CL trailer. Tinkeringtechie (I think) reported on this forum twisting the mounting bolts on his WDH when he went over a deep transition in the road.

Also while researching CLs, I talked to a guy at the LL factory, who interestingly was an ex Reese guy. He implied that one owner had bent the frame, but had done so while using a heavy torsion bar or he had cranked up the force much to far. He admitted that the light Reese WDH probably wouldn't be a problem.

David
[/quote][font size="3"]David,

I think TT was referring to shearing and bending of bolts on the L-Bracket of his E2 WDH, not any frame distortion. The L-brackets are clamp on with no frame drilling. That is a weak spot on the E2 and apparently is improved with their Equalizer WDH. His coupler did bend, but that's the previously identified problem. Without more details from the ex-Reese guy I don't know how to credit his report.
[/font]

[david]

Charlie:

I should have been clearer. TT's frame did not bend, just the bolts holding the L-bracket twisted and bent.

The factory ex-Reese guy will never talk on the record. They did propose building a 21' CL with the deeper frame of the 28 for about $500 extra to alleviate my concerns, but welding doubler plates after purchase would have been cheaper.

Fortunately no WDH user on this forum has reported frame bending, maybe because most of them are Andersons which don't provide much weight transfer, or maybe bending is a red herring.

David

[tinkeringtechie]

I dunno how much it costs to replace the friction cone, or how long it will last, but I can't imagine that would be a significant problem unless they stop making the thing. $50 every 5 years ? meh

It costs nothing... they'll replace it for free. They ought to considering the price of the hitch and that it's probably a $1 part. By the way... the Andersen guys are really easy to work with. When I ordered my hitch it was supposed be in stock but there was a mixup with the dealer and I believe the sales director from Andersen called me directly to straighten it out and drop ship it for me. 

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote timestamp="1438092325" source="/post/13743/thread" author="@david"]A cheaper method is with a friction sway control arm like this one: http://etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Curt/17200.html. The only downside is that it does require drilling and using the self tapping screws into the aluminum frame. But the forces on the attachment are much lower than those on a WDH torsion arm.
[/quote]Sway control arms have friction surfaces that are non-replaceable and they also wear out. So instead of getting a free plastic cone from Andersen once in a blue moon, you have to buy a whole new arm.

[charliem]

The factory ex-Reese guy will never talk on the record. They did propose building a 21' CL with the deeper frame of the 28 for about $500 extra to alleviate my concerns, but welding doubler plates after purchase would have been cheaper.

[font size="3"]David,

Not sure about this, but will the heat of welding on the doubler weaken and/or change the temper the frame members, thereby creating failure prone spots on the frame? It would depend on where the new welds were, but the doubler ends nearest the front of the camper box might be of concern.
[/font]

[david]

Charlie:

Well, I never did this because I purchased a 16BS that works fine for us. So the following is pure theoretical musings:

The force on the frame for a torsion bar WDH is directly downward from the attachment point. So the stress is highest there and reduces as you go fore and aft. I planned to remove the hitch and carry the doublers forward to the point of the A-frame so the forward stress would also be carried by the steel hitch. I probably would have welded a gusset or diagonal at the front of the box to help with loads aft.

I believe but hey I am no metallurgist, that structural aluminum has no temper. I would have used 1/8" aluminum doublers on both sides of the frame with a bead of weldment top and bottom. That would nearly double its stress carrying capability.

If someone wants to be a guinea pig, I will be glad to offer my unprofessional advice, but not me ;-).

David

[charliem]

[quote timestamp="1438100603" author="@david" source="/post/13752/thread"]I planned to remove the hitch and carry the doublers forward to the point of the A-frame so the forward stress would also be carried by the steel hitch. I probably would have welded a gusset or diagonal at the front of the box to help with loads aft.

I believe but hey I am no metallurgist, that structural aluminum has no temper. I would have used 1/8" aluminum doublers on both sides of the frame with a bead of weldment top and bottom. That would nearly double its stress carrying capability.

[/quote][font size="3"]OK. Sounds like you had a plan. I also passed on the metallurgy degree, but I recalled that it is a problem with steel. I also know aluminum usually has a temper, e.g., T5 or T6, but it may not apply to the tubing LL uses. I think LL may be covering their butts with the non-recommendation (read lawyers). Certainly drilling 1/2" holes near the top or bottom of the frame members would be problematical. Issue closed.   8-)[/font]

[leslie]

Your comments are starting to concern me. I have Camplite 21-BHS. I have the E2 WDH that also has anti-sway, trunnion bars that do not need to be removed when I back up the trailer. The techs at the dealer set it up for a light weight. I have not changed their settings.

The last time I weighed, the trailer was 4200 lbs. with the fresh water tank half full. Jeep Grand Cherokee towing capacity = 6,500 lbs. I check the coupler before every trip, whether it is on the way out or on the way home. Approximately 3,200 miles on it so far. So far, all is good.

I have towed the trailer under different sorts of conditions with my husband following me, driving our pickup (Ford Ranger, towing capacity 3,000 lbs). I wanted him to check for swaying. No problems. I have not felt any sway towing. It feels really solid. I really don't wish to remove this, or go to a different setup. But I am concerned.