| Author | Message | ||
     Greg Adams (Gadams) New Member Username: Gadams Post Number: 7 Registered: 02-2004 |
I'm probably buying a camping trailer in the next few months. My wife says backpacking is my sport and she will gladly man a base camp as long as it has ac and facilities. Anyway, although this thing will easily be in the weight limits of a d2 (4000lbs), all the rv gurus recommend a weight distributing hitch because of the short wheel base of the disco to allow sway control. Does anybody know why LR says not to install this type of hitch? Further, how does this thing work anyway and will it affect my clearance or other off road issues (when the trailer is not attached of course)? BTW, yes I know I will have a hard time getting out of my own way with this trailer. | ||
| Lance Doyle (Discokayaker) New Member Username: Discokayaker Post Number: 35 Registered: 11-2003 |
While I don't have experience using a weight distribution hitch on a DII, I do tow a 3500lb. (450lb tounge weight) trailer pretty frequently. I have begun using my DII as the primary tow vehicle and have towed roughly 1000 miles thus far with no problems using only a friction sway controller. With the stock suspension the rear end sagged pretty substantially and you could feel slight amounts of sway from time to time. I installed OME 781 springs last weekend and took the trailer for a short drive and the difference is pretty substantial. Vehicle and trailer felt "tight" with very little sway effect on the vehicle. Long and short of it, in my experience with a 3500 lb. trailer weight distribution really isn't needed. Your trailer will probably be loaded differently and thus your experience will probably vary. FWIW, Lance | ||
| flyor (Flyor) Member Username: Flyor Post Number: 87 Registered: 05-2003 |
Lance, what's a friction sway controller? D | ||
| Timothy A. Green (Tree_trimmer) Member Username: Tree_trimmer Post Number: 64 Registered: 02-2004 |
Greg, I have gone through the same question with my D1. I tow a relatively heavy camper for a D1 and use a weight distributing hitch and a friction sway control. If you want to read a lot about my experience (too much for here) email me. I will write you a book! [email protected] | ||
| Kevin Novakowski (Kln) Member Username: Kln Post Number: 42 Registered: 02-2002 |
A weight distributing hitch will not help with trailer sway - it will equalize the load on the vehicle front to back. "Does anybody know why LR says not to install this type of hitch?" This would only apply to rovers with EAS (electronic air suspension). http://www.rvstuffusa.com/standardfrictionswaycontrolbyreese.html I'm going to install this "type" of sway control to deal with the 100km/hr winds we get in Southern Alberta. kln | ||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 1149 Registered: 09-2002 |
Kevin, That's what you get for living in a chinook belt.  | ||
| Lance Doyle (Discokayaker) New Member Username: Discokayaker Post Number: 36 Registered: 11-2003 |
Flyor, the sway control I use is the exact one in the link above. Kevin is correct in that the sway control does nothing to distribute the weight of the trailer. With the trailer I tow, sway was a much bigger factor then weight. Lance | ||
| Kevin Novakowski (Kln) Member Username: Kln Post Number: 43 Registered: 02-2002 |
Yeah - Last time I was out at Indian Graves I drove by a 5 foot standing tree stump snapped by the wind - not rotted - about 10" in diameter. | ||
| Timothy A. Green (Tree_trimmer) Member Username: Tree_trimmer Post Number: 66 Registered: 02-2004 |
A weight distributing hitch will affect sway as having too little weight on the hitch will cause the vehicle to sway, and having too much weight on the hitch will cause swaying and control issues. | ||
| Dave Statler (Falconx84) Member Username: Falconx84 Post Number: 138 Registered: 02-2004 |
Get one with trailer brakes if you can. They make a world of difference. Also, if it's approaching this weight, try to get one with 2 axles. A single axle either puts too much or too little on the back of the disco. I have a D1, btw, and I think the towing capacity is different.
Also, my manual says not to use a weight distributing hitch and I don't have this feature My guess is that the stock hitch distrubutes "enough" weight as it is not resting solely on the rear bumper. but has a couple extra braces as compared to the average class 3 hitch. | ||
| Kevin Novakowski (Kln) Member Username: Kln Post Number: 45 Registered: 02-2002 |
I remember thinking this is stupid when I read that statement about the weight distributing hitch in the manual. I mean everyone here pulls with one. Prior to buying my trailer, I talked to the Rover dealership here in Calgary. They found it odd also and stated that there is no good reason why you shouldn't. Various trailer dealerships also told me the same thing. The dealership where I purchased my trailer had supplied this style of hitch to a couple of other people with Discoveries in the past. The tech stated that it was only the Rovers with EAS that gave a problem as they seemed to have difficulty finding a level base. Does anyone else have some comments on this "should NOT be used" issue? |
