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A Cursory Glance at a Husky Weight Distribution Hitch

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    If you tow your camper, there are many options at your disposal for the type of hitch you want to use with the trailer. Granted, not every model will be compatible with your car or truck, but among them are rear receiver hitches, gooseneck hitches, fifth wheel hitches, and weight distribution hitches. Each of these comes with its own benefits and drawbacks in terms of strength, installation, convenience, and handling.

    In general, there is no “best” type of hitch, and every hitch will present several advantages given the circumstances surrounding your situation. For example, a commonly experienced problem among those who frequently tow heavy loads like boats or campers is that of maintaining the proper tongue weight.

    To put things into perspective, the tongue weight is the portion of the load that presses down on the tongue of the trailer. The tongue of the trailer is the portion that connects to the hitch; where the tongue rests will depend on the type of hitch you use. For example, with a rear receiver hitch the coupling will be behind the bumper of the vehicle, whereas with a fifth-wheel hitch, the tongue will be pressing down over the rear axle of the truck.

    In general, tongue weight should be balanced somewhere in the area of 10% of the gross trailer weight, or GTW. Therefore, if your trailer weight is 12,000 lbs, then the tongue weight (or TW) should be somewhere around 1,200 lbs. Without shifting a load (which often cannot be done) there isn’t much you can do to alter the tongue weight unless you use a type of hitch known as a weight-distribution hitch.

    A weight distribution hitch, which is also sometimes called a load-equalizing hitch, is a hitch that distributes the weight of a load as evenly as possible using a system of spring bars under tension. This can be a real bonus if you have had trouble with balancing tongue weight while towing your camper.

    Because weight distribution hitches balance the weight properly, they can help to control bouncing, eliminate swaying, improve your handling and control of the load you are towing, provide for safer braking and steering, and more. They can even extend your tow vehicle and trailer life because they will help to mitigate some of the stresses of towing.

    If you are looking for a weight-distribution hitch, you can’t go wrong with a Husky weight distribution hitch such as the Husky Towing 31423 Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch rated at 12,000 lbs. This Husky weight distribution hitch offers a dual sway control platform to help stabilize the load and is rust and corrosion-resistant. It is also capable of handling loads up to 12,000 lbs, though if you need a less heavy-duty model with a lower weight rating, you can find many others from Husky and other manufacturers at RV Upgrades at RVUpgradeStore.com.

    If you have additional questions or want to learn more about the other types of trailer hitches at your disposal, then visit their website or contact their team at 866-332-7881.