I think this hitch will work for my 1992 Dodge 1 ton full size van: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-H~41910.htm?vehicleid=1992797
Now I need a weight distribution hitch...which are here: http://www.etrailer.com/c-wd.htm But I am not sure which one to get. Plan on an 18 foot trailer and hauling 116, 123, 126's, etc...that weight range. Thoughts? Chris --- On Thu, 1/15/09, Fmiser <fmi...@gmail.com> wrote: > From: Fmiser <fmi...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [MBZ] TRAILER & block heater for Chris > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Date: Thursday, January 15, 2009, 2:38 PM > > Christopher wrote: > > > That sounds really nice. What is a weight distribution > hitch? > > To make a trailer dynamically stable, at least 10% of the > mass > needs to be in front of the trailer axles. 15% is better. > 50% > is best (it's then called a "semi-trailer" > -like the big > trucks use - rather than a "full trailer"). With > a majority of > the mass in front of the trailer axle, side-to-side > disturbances tend to be self-canceling. With more mass > behind > the axle, the oscillations self re-enforce. This is a > common > cause of upside-down trailers jack-knifed in the ditch. > > With a ordinary hitch, mass = weight. So a 2,000 lb (900 > kg) > trailer and a 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) car on it the gross > weight > of the trailer is 6,400 lb (2,900 kg). 15% of that is 960 > lb > (435 kg). That's how much weight will be on the very > back of > your van. It _will_ raise the front. > > The solution is "weight distributing". It is a > bulky hitch > assembly that's commonly seen on camper trailers. With > the aid > of one or two spring bars, tension is applied at the hitch > point lifting the back of the tow vehicle. The result is > some > of the weight is "distributed" to the trailer and > steer axles > - but the mass stays so the stability is not affected. > > Now that I have one, I can't see ever doing without it > - at > least when the trailer gross is more than 1/2 the truck > weight. > > -- Philip > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
