We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!
Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)
I have researched this greatly as well. I was going to do this with my Explorer. You can search the forum and you will see I had the same questions. I do want to give you a word of caution as I elected not to go with the tongue adapter and WDH. Reason, your trailer does not have enough space to mount the tongue adaptor. If you look closely at the measurements for locating the tongue adapter on the equalizer web site it needs to be mounted in a specific location. The welds, brackets for the folding tongue, trailer jack and bow stop all get in the way to mount this where it needs to be.
One can call me stupid, but I also came to the realization that WDH with sway bars and WDH hitch have two different meanings. Ex: I made a pit stop at Menards to just get a hitch and ball to tow a small trailer and it said weight distribution hitch on it. (I grew up and was taught that the WDH was everything including the sway bars, brackets etc). I then started questioning myself and tried to understand the meaning of a WDH. Is it the hitch only and ensuring the capacity of the hitch is within the rating of the tongue load? I started thinking that ford is implying the hitch only. So, I went to my dealer and asked them the intent in their advertising and was told what I was thinking and that it is the hitch only.
I am still a little confused to this day. I did end up trading the vehicle to know that I had the capacity to pull my boat safely. The Ecoboost Explorer could pull it just fine but was too small for my liking and knowing I was at max. You have a 1/2 ton pickup. I wouldn't hesitate pulling your boat without the equalizer set up. The concern I would have is GCWR. If your within that...tow away. JMHO
Thanks for this reply! I called equalizer during my research and they told me also about the location. I hadn't measured it out yet, but now I know. I am going to just tow the thing. I did find a cool adjustable Hitch that measures tongue weight that I might purchase. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00REOUYME/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2UUWCCR4G5EFA Probably don't need it, but it's cool!
@MattFX4 not to hijack this thread but I also painted mine years ago and it still looks great. I used rustoleum galvanized primer on the whole thing with rustoleum black on the crossmembers, tongue and bow brace (wanted them smooth) and then rhinoliner on the side frames fenders and steps.
As for the f-150, looks like everyone covered the facts. I am glad my 210 is under 500/5,000 and I use an EAZ lift wdh for the travel trailer (7,000#). If I had a 240, I probably would not try to fit a distribution set-up either. I would probably look into either Roadmaster active suspension or a Timbren suspension enhancement. I upgraded brakes to Kryo-treated rotors and Hawk pads after driving through the mountains with the camper and fighting warp. Very happy now. Stock rotors have a reputation for warping. Awesome truck though. I love mine.
@Pete I have just about the same truck and boat as in weight as you. Your boat fully loaded should barely be over 5000 lbs
The factory trailers that come with are boats are not made to attach a WDH because of the sliding break release tounge they have. I towed a 8,500 trailer trailer I use to own with my same truck - then I used a wdh with sway control. If our boats were more boxy like a camper trailer where wind could catch then yes I would suggest a wdh with sway control. I tow a few hours to the beach and hardly know it's back there.
I think You will get a better value installing in airbags in your truck as I did instead..... airbags will keep your truck from squatting and take out some of the stress from the back of the truck frame. Ford will recommend wdh because of the soft suspension they put in these trucks and keep the truck from squatting so much. When the truck squats you have less front end control amd less braking power because the front end is lifted.
Trust me, you not going to brake your hitch or frame on your truck with these boats.
Thanks Benny for the post! I have decided to quit worrying about it. I am researching air bags now to help it level out and I did get a good hitch that allows me to level out the boat trailer. I am moving to Alabama this summer so I'll have a great opportunity to see how it tows on a 7 hour drive.
for more reference, I tow my 24' (over 5000lbs) with an old 2003 ford expedition. It does have a 5.4 liter and the towing package, I believe I'm rated for up to 9k lbs.
