Weight Distribution and Sway Control -Obsolete for a Self Propelled Trailers?

[Holdmybeer]

TrekDrive would have zero effect on the static hitch weight of the Lightship. Furthermore, even if TrekDrive had some relevance as to whether or not a WDH and sway bar were necessary, which is unlikely, what about those days when TrekDrive is off?

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

To be clear here, on-road and in-camp safety is the number one priority for Lightship. Followed closely by the health of our customers when using the product (it's why we use no wood in the product!)

It is always best to follow the recommendation of the tow vehicle manufacturer in using weight distribution and sway control devices.

But, we do think that the low center of gravity and low aerodynamic profile of the lightship make it particularly stable on the road, trekdrive on or off. We have also done extensive dynamics simulations and testing to make sure that customers feel safe when towing.

Would welcome anyone here to swing by our factory in Colorado and we'll show you how we build it and give you a test drive!

 

[turbopilot]

I am amazed at the number of self nominated experts who show up on Internet forums to pontificate about the subject of proper application of weight distribution hitches.

Obviously, a few contributors to this thread have not read all the facts in context. Last April I had the chance to pull a prototype Lightship with my F-150 PowerBoost. That 3 hours of driving was done with two Lightship employees on board, one of them an engineer monitoring the Lightship via a tablet to the LightShip telematics system.

We made the trip without a weight distribution hitch because we were interested to see how it would perform without a WDH. Also at that stage of testing LightShip was finding that not all weight distribution hitches were compatible with the LightShip force sensors in the hitch. I posted my experience with that test drive and posted my thoughts about the application of WDH's with the low profile, electric propulsion systems of this unique towable.

But for the customer who purchases a Lightship today every rig comes with a Curt 17052 WDH as standard equipment and the suggestion to use it. This hitch as been tested to assure compatibility with the TrekDrive hitch mounted force sensors.

So for all you "Dudes" who post before reading the facts, take some time to understand the context. More importantly understand the LightShip represents new to the world technology that may have some features which appear to defy conventional wisdom of the established towable RV crowd.

 

[Holdmybeer]

I am amazed at the number of self nominated experts who show up on Internet forums to pontificate about the subject of proper application of weight distribution hitches.

Obviously, a few contributors to this thread have not read all the facts in context. Last April I had the chance to pull a prototype Lightship with my F-150 PowerBoost. That 3 hours of driving was done with two Lightship employees on board, one of them an engineer monitoring the Lightship via a tablet to the LightShip telematics system.

We made the trip without a weight distribution hitch because we were interested to see how it would perform without a WDH. Also at that stage of testing LightShip was finding that not all weight distribution hitches were compatible with the LightShip force sensors in the hitch. I posted my experience with that test drive and posted my thoughts about the application of WDH's with the low profile, electric propulsion systems of this unique towable.

But for the customer who purchases a Lightship today every rig comes with a Curt 17052 WDH as standard equipment and the suggestion to use it. This hitch as been tested to assure compatibility with the TrekDrive hitch mounted force sensors.

So for all you "Dudes" who post before reading the facts, take some time to understand the context. More importantly understand the LightShip represents new to the world technology that may have some features which appear to defy conventional wisdom of the established towable RV crowd.

Take a chill pill friend, the facts are trailer drive systems have zero impact on hitch weight and arguable impact on sway. Any argument contrary to your own don't necessarily constitute heresy or necessitate disparagement of anyone who doesn't agree with you.

 

[turbopilot]

the facts are trailer drive systems have zero impact on hitch weight

And there you go again, stating things that are not true and in this case never said in any of the posts. No where did I ever state electric drive systems would reduce hitch weight. Continued trollish activity that is unfortunately not being moderated.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

I am amazed at the number of self nominated experts who show up on Internet forums to pontificate about the subject of proper application of weight distribution hitches.

Obviously, a few contributors to this thread have not read all the facts in context. Last April I had the chance to pull a prototype Lightship with my F-150 PowerBoost. That 3 hours of driving was done with two Lightship employees on board, one of them an engineer monitoring the Lightship via a tablet to the LightShip telematics system.

We made the trip without a weight distribution hitch because we were interested to see how it would perform without a WDH. Also at that stage of testing LightShip was finding that not all weight distribution hitches were compatible with the LightShip force sensors in the hitch. I posted my experience with that test drive and posted my thoughts about the application of WDH's with the low profile, electric propulsion systems of this unique towable.

But for the customer who purchases a Lightship today every rig comes with a Curt 17052 WDH as standard equipment and the suggestion to use it. This hitch as been tested to assure compatibility with the TrekDrive hitch mounted force sensors.

So for all you "Dudes" who post before reading the facts, take some time to understand the context. More importantly understand the LightShip represents new to the world technology that may have some features which appear to defy conventional wisdom of the established towable RV crowd.

Hey Dude I truly apologize as this forum format is different to me. I am having a hard time cluing into to who is saying what. My comment about the trek drive effecting tongue weight was not from you but many others who think it does. I am very impressed that Lightship is including the WDH. I do have not heard of any other manufacturers who does this. It did seem like you were implying, for all the mentioned reason that they are not nessassary. Maybe I miss read that. From one dude to another peace, love and tranquility bro.

 

[turbopilot]

Hey Dude I truly apologize as this forum format is different to me.

These forums can be confusing particularly when misinformation is spread on purpose. Usually the problem is someone pops into the discussion on page 2 and has not read the thread from the beginning for context.

And you are right LightShip is the first manufactured to include a WDH, but more importantly it has been road tested exhaustively by LightShip. No other RV manufacturer tests WDH's or even talk about recommendations in their documentation.

Bottom line for the LightShip is that most owners will likely use the factory approved WDH while more information is gathered about the characteristics of these new to world vehicles. In the case of the LightShip approved WDH (the Curt 17052), it is mostly just a weight distribution hitch with very little sway mitigation without an optional assessory available from Curt.

This forum is packed with folks having a lot of experience with traditional RV's. But the Lightship is new with owners just now getting the chance to experience the Rv.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

To be clear here, on-road and in-camp safety is the number one priority for Lightship. Followed closely by the health of our customers when using the product (it's why we use no wood in the product!)

It is always best to follow the recommendation of the tow vehicle manufacturer in using weight distribution and sway control devices.

But, we do think that the low center of gravity and low aerodynamic profile of the lightship make it particularly stable on the road, trekdrive on or off. We have also done extensive dynamics simulations and testing to make sure that customers feel safe when towing.

Would welcome anyone here to swing by our factory in Colorado and we'll show you how we build it and give you a test drive!

Rory,

The fact you do include the WDH proves you are above the curve. My concerns of pulling a trailer with 300 lbs over vehicle tongue capacity is not sway. Its stress on the rear of tow vehicle and braking.

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

Totally get it. We went without the WDH primarily for testing purposes, as we are trying to accumulate miles in all cases a customer might see on the road (whether advised or not). In practice, our user interface does ask the customer if they are using a weight distribution hitch ahead of enabling trekdrive. (And recommends it).

We also run new buyers through a 4 hour orientation on the day of delivery that includes a tow demo, and we provide advice on properly loading the trailer, using WDH (with/without sway control), and managing cargo.

Sorry for stoking a fire here!

 

[Holdmybeer]

Totally get it. We went without the WDH primarily for testing purposes, as we are trying to accumulate miles in all cases a customer might see on the road (whether advised or not). In practice, our user interface does ask the customer if they are using a weight distribution hitch ahead of enabling trekdrive. (And recommends it).

We also run new buyers through a 4 hour orientation on the day of delivery that includes a tow demo, and we provide advice on properly loading the trailer, using WDH (with/without sway control), and managing cargo.

Sorry for stoking a fire here!

You haven't stoked any fires as far as I'm aware. It should be made clear however that contrary to what the title of the thread implies Self Propelled has nothing to do with static hitch weight, it does have everything to do with linear force, but those aren't to be conflated, and whether or not a WDH is necessary nor likely much if anything to do with sway control. Sway occurs when it is induced, the Lightship's profile and weight distribution ( center of gravity) are the factors relative to inhibiting sway, not it's drive system and even if the drive system hypothetically were a factor, what about when the drive system is off?
So, to the thread's question, no, self propelled trailers will not make weight distribution hitches and sway control obsolete.

 

[Neal]

I am revising my previous reply here (which I deleted). Let's just keep it civil please, I'll leave it at that.

Thank you.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I am revising my previous reply here (which I deleted). Let's just keep it civil please, I'll leave it at that.

Thank you.

Thank you Neal, AI is precisely why I comment on threads like this.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Totally get it. We went without the WDH primarily for testing purposes, as we are trying to accumulate miles in all cases a customer might see on the road (whether advised or not). In practice, our user interface does ask the customer if they are using a weight distribution hitch ahead of enabling trekdrive. (And recommends it).

We also run new buyers through a 4 hour orientation on the day of delivery that includes a tow demo, and we provide advice on properly loading the trailer, using WDH (with/without sway control), and managing cargo.

Sorry for stoking a fire here!

It was that thread title that caused me to jump in. Coming from the off-road trailer space there are so many very heavy models with articulating hitches that can't take a WDH. Rigs that have over 1,000 pounds of tongue weight being pulled by 1/2 trucks. I mention this to owners, dealers and manufactures that most 1/2 ton trucks are limited to 500 pounds dead tongue weight capacity and they get all bent and act like I am making stuff up. Typical response is. " I have driven my trailer 10,000 miles like this and everything is fine" or "it feels fine to me no sway " or " I have air bags and dont have any squat at all". So I am not trolling just trying to help people roll safely. I do apologize for the "dude" references that was me being a wise arse.

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

It was that thread title that caused me to jump in. Coming from the off-road trailer space there are so many very heavy models with articulating hitches that can't take a WDH. Rigs that have over 1,000 pounds of tongue weight being pulled by 1/2 trucks. I mention this to owners, dealers and manufactures that most 1/2 ton trucks are limited to 500 pounds dead tongue weight capacity and they get all bent and act like I am making stuff up. Typical response is. " I have driven my trailer 10,000 miles like this and everything is fine" or "it feels fine to me no sway " or " I have air bags and dont have any squat at all". So I am not trolling just trying to help people roll safely. I do apologize for the "dude" references that was me being a wise arse.

No problem from our side, we like the debate!

 

[Holdmybeer]

It was that thread title that caused me to jump in. Coming from the off-road trailer space there are so many very heavy models with articulating hitches that can't take a WDH. Rigs that have over 1,000 pounds of tongue weight being pulled by 1/2 trucks. I mention this to owners, dealers and manufactures that most 1/2 ton trucks are limited to 500 pounds dead tongue weight capacity and they get all bent and act like I am making stuff up. Typical response is. " I have driven my trailer 10,000 miles like this and everything is fine" or "it feels fine to me no sway " or " I have air bags and dont have any squat at all". So I am not trolling just trying to help people roll safely. I do apologize for the "dude" references that was me being a wise arse.

However, keep in mind for example a typical class III hitch ordinarily found on 1/2 ton trucks would have two hitch weight limitations. One is standard tongue weight/weight carrying( WC) 500 lbs and the other is tongue weight with a WDH/ weight distribution( WD) 800 lbs. Additionally and this is where folks can become animated, that same hitch with a WDH goes from a 5k to an 8k. ** attributed to leveraging weight ( downward force) off the hitch and rear frame (stress) of the TV.