Hi there, wondering if those of you who tow with a triton use a wdh? We have a 16.49.1 expanda which we initially towed with a kluger, in this case we definately needed a wdh. We will now tow with our other vehicle a glxr triton, we ate wondering if we still should use a wdh. We tested the triton towing our van unloaded and it seemed to do fine. Without wdh. Although we are wondering when van and vehicle is fully loaded will it be a differeny matter. Cheers
Triton towing 16.49.1 expanda - do we need wdh?
- Thread starter summer01
- Start date
I don't use WDH.......I had air bags fitted as the rear end sagged a bit when van (16.49-2 OB) was loaded....works well
I know of 2 Triton drivers with different vans and set ups. 1 has airbags with a 21ft Windsor full bodied van (GLXR auto, canopy) tows great and level, the other has no air bags with Ezi-lift WDH towing a Windsor Rapid 381 (GLXR manual, canopy, bull bar, pack rack).
So guess I'm not really answering you though outlining the different capabilites of Triton. You'll just have to hook up and load up slowly go for drive around the area and see for yourself, in the long run its you that'll be towing and finding that sweet spot of towing is comfortable motoring.
I recently altered my set up and am pleased with the result. Airbags and no WDH for me now.
Pace.
So guess I'm not really answering you though outlining the different capabilites of Triton. You'll just have to hook up and load up slowly go for drive around the area and see for yourself, in the long run its you that'll be towing and finding that sweet spot of towing is comfortable motoring.
I recently altered my set up and am pleased with the result. Airbags and no WDH for me now.
Pace.
i like the wdh i think it is firmer over the bumps and feel more in control. Drove down to colac on the weekend and the road is horrendous i am sure they made the ride a bit better and safer.My mate had a 16 foot expanda behind his hilux and said he never used a wdh,like Pace said hook up and try before you fork out the money.
Think of it this way Summer.
Traveling say 95kms on a rainy night going around a corner unexpectantly a kangaroo or possum jump out or crawls onto the middle of the road. Then at the same time there is a drop off of about 30 meters on one side and on the other side of the road there is a road train heading your way.
Now tell me what happens to the car and van when there is not a weight distribution hitch on the tow bar.
The load transfers dramatically and yes you are now heading for a semi or off the cliff but yes you might pull up safely without the distribution hitch but your stopping distance has increased because you are trying to stop the car and van from either spinning out or worse case a roll over. But most of all the ground is wet, and you will find that the one wheel that is now carrying all of the load will now lock up for sure.
I don't know about you but I have done testing, without and with the distribution hitch under a emence braking on a quite country street and the difference is unbelievable. With the hitch on I find that the load gets transferred evenly under a braking situation, therefore the car and van pull up with control and quicker. When braking with no weight distribution hitch the car just feels sloppy and it can pull to either side of the road and shift the weight to where you don't want it, hence causing one of many problems that you don't need under pressure on a emergency braking situation.
I tow with a pajero(with Air Bags) and the expanda and the car sit perfectly. Yes it might look level and the van and the car might look right. But the biggest gamble is under braking. When the car has a weight shift, you will then see what the car and van look like under pressure of braking aggressively. I guarantee that the car and van will have huge weight shifts and they will not handle in a safe and correct way you hoped without the weight distribion hitch.
I chose not to gamble with my family life, so I am always going to tow with a hitch on the road.
The only time I don't is off road doing about 10 - 20 km on unsealed tracks were I need the clearance to get to those favourite free camping sites. O yeh!
Hope this helps ya and safe traveling.
Skip
Traveling say 95kms on a rainy night going around a corner unexpectantly a kangaroo or possum jump out or crawls onto the middle of the road. Then at the same time there is a drop off of about 30 meters on one side and on the other side of the road there is a road train heading your way.
Now tell me what happens to the car and van when there is not a weight distribution hitch on the tow bar.
The load transfers dramatically and yes you are now heading for a semi or off the cliff but yes you might pull up safely without the distribution hitch but your stopping distance has increased because you are trying to stop the car and van from either spinning out or worse case a roll over. But most of all the ground is wet, and you will find that the one wheel that is now carrying all of the load will now lock up for sure.
I don't know about you but I have done testing, without and with the distribution hitch under a emence braking on a quite country street and the difference is unbelievable. With the hitch on I find that the load gets transferred evenly under a braking situation, therefore the car and van pull up with control and quicker. When braking with no weight distribution hitch the car just feels sloppy and it can pull to either side of the road and shift the weight to where you don't want it, hence causing one of many problems that you don't need under pressure on a emergency braking situation.
I tow with a pajero(with Air Bags) and the expanda and the car sit perfectly. Yes it might look level and the van and the car might look right. But the biggest gamble is under braking. When the car has a weight shift, you will then see what the car and van look like under pressure of braking aggressively. I guarantee that the car and van will have huge weight shifts and they will not handle in a safe and correct way you hoped without the weight distribion hitch.
I chose not to gamble with my family life, so I am always going to tow with a hitch on the road.
The only time I don't is off road doing about 10 - 20 km on unsealed tracks were I need the clearance to get to those favourite free camping sites. O yeh!
Hope this helps ya and safe traveling.
Skip
Horses for courses. Like Pace, my Pathy with airbags and no WDH, tracks true and level with no pitch or yaw.
Im getting the WDH fitted when i pick up my new 17 footer on Monday. It was an easy decision for me, talked them into throwing it in for nothing.
I recently purchased my 16.49 3B OB and towed it home empty, and there was some bounce even on the freeway, came back Friday from Easter and a week off, towed fully loaded and it felt better...............no WDH on either, HOWEVER at one point on the way home, I noticed some unstability in the van that i could feel through the car, going past a B Double gas truck. So the air coming off it was all over the place, and whilst a WDH wont necessarily solve sway it should help. So based on this I am going to make the WDH investment.
Personally Skippy's comment above made sense.
I have a triton without airbags, stock standard and it sits very level which is why I was thinking 50/50
Hope this helps
Greg
Personally Skippy's comment above made sense.
I have a triton without airbags, stock standard and it sits very level which is why I was thinking 50/50
Hope this helps
Greg
We use a Hayman Reese WDH with our Auto GLXR. Have not really towed it far without the WDH hooked up. The dealer advised us on the WDH for better stability towing.
Hey all
I don't wanna say I told ya so but here in WA last weekend a couple decided to overtake a truck and were not towing with a WDH and therefore had a weight transfer going around the truck and ran off the road and unfortunately man passed away.
From what I have heard they were towing with a 200 series Land Cruiser and a Expanda.
The worst part was for he lost his life for the sake off $350 dollars.
Any chance anyone can explain to me why some people chose to run the gauntlet when it comes to towing whilst there family's life's onboard. I mean come on, for the sake of $350 dollars - "Weird"
RIP to the man and sympathies to his family.
Safe travels
Skip
I don't wanna say I told ya so but here in WA last weekend a couple decided to overtake a truck and were not towing with a WDH and therefore had a weight transfer going around the truck and ran off the road and unfortunately man passed away.
From what I have heard they were towing with a 200 series Land Cruiser and a Expanda.
The worst part was for he lost his life for the sake off $350 dollars.
Any chance anyone can explain to me why some people chose to run the gauntlet when it comes to towing whilst there family's life's onboard. I mean come on, for the sake of $350 dollars - "Weird"
RIP to the man and sympathies to his family.
Safe travels
Skip
Hey all
I don't wanna say I told ya so but here in WA last weekend a couple decided to overtake a truck and were not towing with a WDH and therefore had a weight transfer going around the truck and ran off the road and unfortunately man passed away.
From what I have heard they were towing with a 200 series Land Cruiser and a Expanda.
The worst part was for he lost his life for the sake off $350 dollars.
Any chance anyone can explain to me why some people chose to run the gauntlet when it comes to towing whilst there family's life's onboard. I mean come on, for the sake of $350 dollars - "Weird"
RIP to the man and sympathies to his family.
Safe travels
Its an interesting debate and unfortunately no one governing body has stipulated for or against.
I understand its a sensitive area WDH vs Airbags but until the cause of these incidents is defined as having a direct impact to the incidents or further possible incidents and a governing body rules that you must have one or the other then I think its just little quick to lay the blame on one particular item.
This is my personal opinion and opinion only.....
For me I had a WDH and now use airbags on the pathy.
Can I tell the difference between the two? Not really even in differing situations of load shift it feels the same.
Does it apply to all scenarios? Defiently not and I think this is the biggest issue as it depends on the type of vehicle, load in the vehicle not just the bags vs WDH.
Back on topic horses for courses but at the moment i am running airbags and ok with them for now!
Sorry to sound like a complete novice, but I'm in the process of buying my first Expanda ( up from a camper trailer ) and trolling this forum to get as much info as I can pre purchase. I know what a WDH is but airbags?? Sure in the car cabin but in this thread context I am completely lost.
Welcome
!Airbags are fitted inside of the rear springs and inflated by a compressor to stop the car sagging have a look here -
I am a subscriber for a WDH.
Never tried airbags though.
I have always struggled with the entire concept that the purpose of these two options is interchangeable.
I have tried to justify this with some form of scientific background trying to troll for answers on the Internet but nothing. So why is it that a WDH which purpose is to apportion the load more evenly across the entire rig is interchangeable with airbags which I thought was for a stiffer ride and prevent sagging in the back with a load.
So there is the can of worms. Bring on the comments.
Never tried airbags though.
I have always struggled with the entire concept that the purpose of these two options is interchangeable.
I have tried to justify this with some form of scientific background trying to troll for answers on the Internet but nothing. So why is it that a WDH which purpose is to apportion the load more evenly across the entire rig is interchangeable with airbags which I thought was for a stiffer ride and prevent sagging in the back with a load.
So there is the can of worms. Bring on the comments.
Ah ha! thanks for the explanation. I've looked at the WDH and thought that was pretty good. Most likely to go that way and ESC for the van as well. Came back late last year from a Uluru and had a few interesting experiences avoiding wildlife. thought it best to spend a couple of grand on safety and avoid the alternative.
I am a subscriber for a WDH.
Never tried airbags though.
I have always struggled with the entire concept that the purpose of these two options is interchangeable.
I have tried to justify this with some form of scientific background trying to troll for answers on the Internet but nothing. So why is it that a WDH which purpose is to apportion the load more evenly across the entire rig is interchangeable with airbags which I thought was for a stiffer ride and prevent sagging in the back with a load.
So there is the can of worms. Bring on the comments.
Its a touchy subject just like 10amp plugs
!Essentially by putting the van on the back of the car weight is taken away from the front of the vehicle which reduces breaking ability and gives much lighter steering. Try it for yourself, just a heavy trailer on the back with no wdh or airbags and you will feel the steering is much lighter and breaking more difficult in turn.
I have experienced this even with a WDH but I have not put it on the right chain link so its not setup right.
To correct this you have to transfer the load back on to the front of the car to improve steering and breaking control.
The school of thought is that a WDH not only lifts the rear of the vehicle but transfers the load back to the front of the vehicle.
The school of thought on air bags is that it only stops the rear of the car from sagging but does not actually return the weight to the front of the car.
There is many schools of thoughts on what is correct or not correct but this is a generalised view of what people consider.
For me personally my intention of the air bags and testing was to tow without and without them pumped up.
I can honestly say in my experience without the air bags pumped up I do notice a signifcant difference in steering capability and braking ability.
With them pumped up it is corrected, that said my ball weight and tow weight overall is not very much compared to some of the bigger vans so does not apply in all scenarios.
All said and done I find it a pain in the backside to carry the compressor and air gun and have to pump up the air bags where as the weight hitch was just two bars, snap and your on but I also did not like the constant cracking noise coming from them.
So happy medium I am on air bags and so far happy with them.
I will point out again that not one ruling governing body has stated you need one or the other to tow legally and even some manufactures recommended against using a WDH from either the vehicle completley or with there tow bars even though they have 3+ tonne tow limits.
Again its all subjective and really until a governing body implements a study for and against and rules on one or the other then its purely subjective and experience based.
Seeing as its in the context, how much should one expect to pay for a WDH depending on brand etc, heading to the Sydeny show hoping to save a few dollars, just need to work out whether its worthwhile or not to buy at the show
They can be had for between $500 - $800 depending on where you get it from.
http://www.caravanandrvworld.com.au...shanks-and-accessories/Hayman-Reese-550-Hitch
http://www.saddlermotors.com.au/all-products/hayman-reese-550-hitch-std-ball.aspx
I paid $550 for my Hayman Reese when RRP was $725. That was 2 years ago so maybe someone has a more up to date figure but be sure to shop around before the show.