What is the best way to level truck when towing?

[Omega Woods]

One downsides of taking weight off the rear axle of the towing vehicle Is less rear traction. For a 4wd vehicle, this may not matter when trying to go, or you may never be in a situation where it matters.
For braking, more weight on the front axle has pro/cons. You may stop quicker with more front braking, but less weight on the rear mean it’s more likely to jackknife…unless the trailer braking is more effective (and not skidding, etc..) than the lightened rear wheel braking of the tow vehicle.

Good points. I amend my statement. In my opinion, the benefits of weight distribution outweigh the drawbacks for most towing applications.

 

[sandman2234]

Wow, wasn't it mentioned that the aluminum trailer manufacturer would void the warranty if a weight distributing hitch was used? Any yet everyone seems to still be suggesting them? With aluminum being what it is, with the tongue kept in a bind, (which is how a WDH works) I can understand why NOT to use a WD hitch for this case.
I called GM when I wanted to pull a rather large camper behind a Chevy 1500, which was within it's towing specs, but it did make the truck squat quite a bit. They said I could install overload springs that would keep ride height level with no problem to the warranty as long as I didn't exceed rated towing capacity. Air bags will probably do the same thing, so I would consider doing that rather than any WD hitch.
David from jax

 

[Peter 315]

I like and use Timbren SES on my F350 on the rear..

 

[RjCorazza]

I believe people are recommending WD hitches with the understanding that the OP will not use the spring bars on the aluminum trailer.
I use the WD hitch without the spring bars when towing light, which is no different than a standard non WD setup.

 

[IXLR8]

My receiver is 2-1/2" square, I do have an insert for a 2" receiver. Tag on receiver shows a max 1500lbs tongue weight with a max of 13,000 towing weight. No mention of a weight distributing hitch.

 

[Bearsixty7]

My receiver is 2-1/2" square, I do have an insert for a 2" receiver. Tag on receiver shows a max 1500lbs tongue weight with a max of 13,000 towing weight. No mention of a weight distributing hitch.

Best check your manual. Some manufacturers use the same hitch on different trucks and the hitch rating may be for a heavier duty truck than yours. My F350 SRW has a 3" receiver that is also used on the F350 DRW and the F450 (I believe) so the hitch numbers are higher than the SRW F350's actual capacity (18K) .

 

[dodge man]

The sticker I showed above for my F150 for the hitch exceeds the tow rating of my truck by something like 1500 or 2000 pounds so yes, the sticker is just for the hitch, not the truck.

In theory I’d say a WDH could make the rear end to light but I’d think it would take some serious effort to make that happen. I personally have never used one.

 

[wolfpack2]

FYI, V-5 does not mean class 5 hitch. V-5 means the hitch complies with VESC-5 regulation from 1968.

 

[dodge man]

I always wondered what the V5 meant exactly.

 

[timswi]

I use a wd on my 9500# camper with a 2019 GMC 2500. I adjust the spring bars so that the 2" rake is removed leaving the truck level.
A friend wound his bars up so tight that the rake was still there. He was all over the road from doing that. Effectively removed too much tongue weight.