Canucksluv2camp
Calgary, AB, Canada
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We are going to invest in a Reese WDH and wonder what size TW/Bars we will need for our trailer. Our new trailer has a hitch weight of 806# (dry weight of trailer is 7000#) which would seem to put us in the 800# TW range, however, when we add 60# of propane, at least one battery, and the weight of the hitch on the truck we will be over 900#. Should we be looking for something in the 1000# TW range instead?
The Reese 61009 seems to be the only one I can see that has the 1000# TW. We want a Reese WDH that will allow us to add the Dual Cam feature in future if we determine that we need it. Thanks for all responses.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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You NEVER want to base your choice of spring bars on the empty tongue weight because NOBODY tows around an empty trailer. When the trailer is fully loaded it will weigh as much as 15% of it's own GVWR so THAT would be the weight you need to use. Just make sure your spring bars are capable of handling at LEAST that much weight. If you base the spring bars on the empty weight you will be overloading them when you get your stuff loaded. Try to get as CLOSE to the maximum tongue weight as possible. Having too STIFF a spring bar makes for a very rough ride and too light makes it bouncy and can cause spring bars to break. Good luck / skip
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Caddywhompus
Southeast WI
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Good answer from skipnchar. Brochure tongue weights are notoriously WAY off the real-world.
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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1000-lb bars will most likely take care of it. Weighing the actual real tongue weight on a scale is the only true way to know what size bars are needed. Bars should be rated for at least equal to the actual tongue weight. Err on the side of heavier bars rather than lighter.
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Canucksluv2camp
Calgary, AB, Canada
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Okay, so the GVWR of the trailer is 8754#. We expect to load it to around 8000#. When I look at the Reese products most of their 1200# TW products state, "designed for tongue weights between 600 and 1200 lbs." Would it be okay to buy this size product?
We will be trying to keep our tongue weight just under 1000#. The 1200# seem to be more common and thus cheaper than the 1000# products. Thanks again for all your advice.
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Bob/Olallawa
West of Seattle
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I would buy the 1,200 lb. bars, better to be over rated by 250 lbs than under rated by 50. Ride might be a bit stiffer but it is easier to transfer the weight with the heavier bars.
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cachingcampers
Niagara Region,Ontario
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skipnchar wrote: Having too STIFF a spring bar makes for a very rough ride and too light makes it bouncy and can cause spring bars to break. Good luck / skip
OK, I'll bite.
Never heard of this scenario, care to enlighten me?
OP, take your GVWR and mulitply it by 15%, that will get you a number for fully loaded max TW. Size your hitch from that number.
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Caddywhompus
Southeast WI
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cachingcampers wrote:skipnchar wrote: Having too STIFF a spring bar makes for a very rough ride and too light makes it bouncy and can cause spring bars to break. Good luck / skip
OK, I'll bite.
Never heard of this scenario, care to enlighten me?
OP, take your GVWR and mulitply it by 15%, that will get you a number for fully loaded max TW. Size your hitch from that number. Skip is 100% absolutely correct. Just because you never heard of it doesn't make it untrue.
Spring bars need to flex, just like the leaf springs over your rear axle on a typical pickup truck. If they are too stiff, they can't flex and not only does the ride get rough, but you can actually do damage to the trailer and/or tow vehicle if THEY bend instead of the spring bar!
If the bars are too soft, they won't transfer enough weight until they are OVER tensioned, which in time will fatigue and fail the tempered steel causing it to crack. Same thing would happen to leaf springs if they were constantly overloaded and pushed beyond their elasticity.
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cachingcampers
Niagara Region,Ontario
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No links to any tests huh 
As I said, first I've heard of this theroy....
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