WDH needed on '17 Limited Expy for 7,600lbs?

I can personally recommend the Equalizer (brand) 10,000 pound WDH (6000 to 10,000 capacity). Available several places, here's one: https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Equal-i-zer/EQ37100ET.html. I have used this same hitch for the past 14 seasons with my 6000ish pound hybrid travel trailer with a tongue weight in the 700 pound range. Two propane tanks and two golf cart batteries on the tongue.

• Tongue weight: 600 lbs - 1,000 lbs
• Maximum gross towing weight: 10,000 lbs
• Ball size: 2-5/16" (you can change this size)

No chains or sliding sway control bars to fiddle with. Run the tongue jack up (electric helps) or jack knife the trailer and the weight bars drop on. Setup is a bit of trial and error BUT with the Expedition I can give you my settings which will be very close to what you need -- there were no changes needed moving this hitch from my '07 to '17 trucks as the receivers are the same height off the ground, etc. Nor, as I recall, were there any changes needed moving the hitch from my '02 Explorer to the '07 Expedition.

-- Chuck

I run the same WDH as Chuck. We swap it between my Expedition and my son-in-laws F150. Nearly identical setup so we leave it alone. Going on 3 years of towing and no issues. 6300 lbs or so dry weight, about 700 lbs tongue loaded up. Good luck!

You also need to read the owners manual for the boat trailer. Most boat trailers have the tongue braking system, which i believe means you CANNOT use a weight distributing hitch as it would reduce the trailer breaks and put more strain on the truck.

I had a Malibu VLX and towed with a Chevy Avalanche and did not use WDH, but the boat sat nicely on the trailer and was pretty properly balanced. Usually boats are mated to the trailers pretty well so as to eliminate the need for the WDH.

Pretty well balanced is just part of the equation. A 4000 pound boat on a 2000 pound trailer should have a 600 pound tongue weight and be right at the non-WDH limit. 600 pounds on the ball is still gonna sag the rear end and lighten steering control.

1. Weight on the ball must be under 600 (620?) pounds on our trucks regardless of HD Tow. More than 600 requires a WDH and the HD tow package.
2. Maximum towing capacity for trailer is not just dependent on the HD hitch but on the engine and transmission temperatures which get bigger radiators with the HD tow option.

State laws pretty much demand brakes on trailers over 2000 pounds loaded (with some exceptions).

From the Equalizer (brand) website FAQ:

Can I use the Equal-i-zer hitch with surge brakes?
Yes, the Equal-i-zer hitch is compatible with surge breaks. The rigid frame brackets allow the spring arms to slide back and forth freely so that they don’t interfere with the function of the surge brake mechanism.

Click to expand...

Note this is specific to Equalizer.


-- Chuck

That's good to know! I didn't need it, ski boats etc, especially dual axle like my Malibu usually are well balanced.