Do I need Weight Distributing Hitch?

[HawkBoler72]

HI,
I use 2010 Sienna CE van to tow 13' Boler. Trailer with loading total weight is about 1800 lb.
Do I need a weight distributing hitch?
The Sienna van does NOT have the 'towing package', I'm going to add a transmission cooler soon.

I had two trips between Calgary and Vancouver (both at late August), didn't find any problem.

[Jon in AZ]

I don't think so. I pulled a 13' Scamp with a 2000 Sienna and it was fine with the tongue weight. I agree about adding the ATF cooler.

[HawkBoler72]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I don't think so. I pulled a 13' Scamp with a 2000 Sienna and it was fine with the tongue weight. I agree about adding the ATF cooler.

Thank you - Jon,
I didn't feel any problem when I was travelling between Calgary and Vancouver. Because I'm new to tow a trailer, reading more makes me to think the need to learn more.

Regards!
Eric

[Jon in AZ]

Adding an anti-sway bar wouldn't hurt. It's light, inexpensive, and simple. It adds a measure of safety in an unusual situation, such as an emergency avoidance maneuver.

But a full weight distributing hitch is major overkill on a 13' trailer. Not even sure the frame is strong enough to handle the forces applied.

[Wayne Collins]

NO!

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by HawkBoler72

HI,
I use 2010 Sienna CE van to tow 13' Boler. Trailer with loading total weight is about 1800 lb.
Do I need a weight distributing hitch?
The Sienna van does NOT have the 'towing package', I'm going to add a transmission cooler soon.

I had two trips between Calgary and Vancouver (both at late August), didn't find any problem.

I agree with the anti-sway bar. We pull a 17 ft Casita and have the bar. It helps with swaying in the wind and if you have a problem on rainy roads. It feels much more solid and under control. Weight distributing hitch is not needed.

[Kai in Seattle]

Timely discussion for us as well; we have a 16' Amerigo (2150 - 2250 lbs loaded) and a Dodge Grand Caravan TV...have an anti-sway stabilizer bar but haven't used it and were just yesterday discussing if it's worth using for the coming season...after reading all this, we agree it IS and will use it. Glad for the question and the answers. Thanks, all.


BEST
Kai in Seattle

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle

Timely discussion for us as well; we have a 16' Amerigo (2150 - 2250 lbs loaded) and a Dodge Grand Caravan TV...have an anti-sway stabilizer bar but haven't used it and were just yesterday discussing if it's worth using for the coming season...after reading all this, we agree it IS and will use it. Glad for the question and the answers. Thanks, all.


BEST
Kai in Seattle

Casita will not let you leave the factory without an anti-sway bar in use. There's lots of reasons so if you have one use it. If you don't have one get one. They are easy to use and install. We put the holder ball on a second hitch to use on a different vehicle and was able to do it ourselves with a universal hitch and the proper balls. Of course we only need the one bar. Just follow the instructions as it doesn't have to be real tight. You do need to be pretty straight when you put it on the vehicle and trailer. Just remember don't back up with it because you can bend it and ruin it. We just jump out and remove it when backing into a campsite. If at a gas station we try to not back up but have done so for a few feet if we aren't turning or backing up an incline. Hope this helps.

[FRED SMAILES]

I have towed my 74 boler thousands of miles with many different vehicles over many years in all kinds a weather with never a sway problem.
proper tongue weight, toe in on the axle and ideally a nose down attitude on the trailer and be alert of your situation.
fred

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Casita will not let you leave the factory without an anti-sway bar in use. There's lots of reasons so if you have one use it. If you don't have one get one. They are easy to use and install. We put the holder ball on a second hitch to use on a different vehicle and was able to do it ourselves with a universal hitch and the proper balls. Of course we only need the one bar. Just follow the instructions as it doesn't have to be real tight. You do need to be pretty straight when you put it on the vehicle and trailer. Just remember don't back up with it because you can bend it and ruin it. We just jump out and remove it when backing into a campsite. If at a gas station we try to not back up but have done so for a few feet if we aren't turning or backing up an incline. Hope this helps.

Didn't know that about backing up. Since we hadn't used it yet, at least we didn't ruin it from not knowing. Thanks.

BEST
Kai

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by FRED SMAILES

I have towed my 74 boler thousands of miles with many different vehicles over many years in all kinds a weather with never a sway problem.
proper tongue weight, toe in on the axle and ideally a nose down attitude on the trailer and be alert of your situation.
fred

Good pics! Cute Boler--they are, though, aren't they!?

So you're saying no sway problem and NO sway bar?

Our Amerigo seems to have no sway problem but we haven't towed it far, under 2,000 miles last year and about the same planned this year. Never in a storm, always under posted speeds and as you say, alert to the situation.

Still, since we have the bar, we think we'll use it this year. Just not for backing up.

BEST
Kai

[FRED SMAILES]

So you're saying no sway problem and NO sway bar?

Correct

[steve dunham]

We did not use a sway bar with our 1999 16 ft Scamp and encountered sway problems . We use a sway bar with our 2013 , 17 ft Casita and have not had sway issues .
Not sure if the sway bar or the trailer caused or cured the problem

[Jon in AZ]

Sway bars are a little like air bags. The majority of people never need them. Good driving habits lower your risk of ever needing them. They have saved many lives, but they are not effective in every possible scenario. And they come with associated costs and risks, including accidental deployment and airbag-related injuries.

The difference is with airbags you don't get a choice. With sway bars, you get to decide if it's worth it to install a safety device you hope you'll never need.

A properly designed, loaded, and hitched trailer should never need a sway bar across a broad range of normal towing conditions.

[minke]

The sticker on the hitch on my F-250 says that I need a WDH if the trailer weight is >=6,000 pounds or the tongue weight is >= 600 pounds. What does your's say??

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by minke

The sticker on the hitch on my F-250 says that I need a WDH if the trailer weight is >=6,000 pounds or the tongue weight is >= 600 pounds. What does your's say??

Our hitch is astonishingly silent on that issue...but then our trailer is about 2150-2250 fully loaded for camping, so not worried about a WDH.


Our TV has a 3600 lb rating with a 360 tongue weight (our tongue weight is about 220; 240 with the door wide open (surprise!) . But then, we don't tow it with the door open.