Weight Distribution Hitch FAQ's

Quite often you will see vehicles towing heavy loads with the front of the vehicle pointing skyward. This is the result of additional weight pushing down on the rear of the vehicle – as is the case when towing caravans or trailers. When this happens, it completely changes the characteristics of the vehicle’s stability and engineering. As a rule, towing heavy loads is in itself a cause for poor vehicle handling and often results in increased tyre wear and fuel use. More importantly, the lack of weight over the front of the vehicle will affect steering control and braking efficiency; making the vehicle less responsive and potentially dangerous to drive. While driving at night, the high front end will also cause misdirection of the head lights (ie: they point up) which further exacerbates the aforementioned condition. These issues are all easily addressed however with the aid of properly engineered and installed weight distribution hitch. Just as the name implies, a weight distribution hitch system re-distributes the towing weight more evenly across the vehicle. It transfers some of the tow ball download to the vehicle and more evenly across the trailer’s axles.

First you need to determine your total hitch weight. Your hitch weight is your tow ball download combined with your boot load (all items carried in the rear of your vehicle). Your tow ball download should take into account your loaded trailer, if it’s a caravan this may include things such as water, fuel and waste systems. The weight distribution hitch must be capable of handling this weight. For example if your trailer’s download was 350lbs (159kg) and your boot was carrying another 200lbs (90kg), that’s a total of 550lbs (249kg) therefore you would require our 600lbs (272kg) weight distribution hitch. You must also ensure that the gross download weight and gross trailer weight does not exceed the vehicle and tow bar’s capacity.

The shackle bolts supplied with each Milford Tow Bar have an ultimate safety factor more than 2.5 times of the maximum light vehicle tow rating requirement of Australian Standard AS4177 and are in fact 70% stronger than the Standard's requirement for a 3500kg rated trailer safety chain.

Extreme articulation (jack knifing) and severe approach and departure angle issues will detrimentally effect the product including damage beyond repair. At all times we recommend to avoid jack knifing to the extent that the WDH comes into contact with the trailer frame or WDH spring arms, and to disconnect the spring arms during severe approach or departure.

Off-Road / Universal style couplings are not compatible with Milford Weight Distribution Hitches due to couplings approach/departure interference with weight distribution head plate.