Tongue weight (tw), Frontal area, Trailer sway control – Ram Trucks 2014 Chassis Cab Commercial - Diesel Supplement User Manual

Page 259: Weight-carrying hitch, Weight-distributing hitch

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Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward force exerted on the

hitch ball by the trailer. In most cases it should not be less

than 10% of the trailer load. You must consider this as

part of the load on your vehicle.
Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum height multiplied by the

maximum width of the front of a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control
The trailer sway control can be a mechanical telescoping

link that can be installed between the hitch receiver and

the trailer tongue that typically provides adjustable fric-

tion associated with the telescoping motion to dampen

any unwanted trailer swaying motions while traveling.

If equipped, the electronic Trailer Sway Control (TSC)

recognizes a swaying trailer and automatically applies

individual wheel brakes and/or reduces engine power to

attempt to eliminate the trailer sway.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue

weight, just as if it were luggage located at a hitch ball or

some other connecting point of the vehicle. These kinds

of hitches are the most popular on the market today and

they are commonly used to tow small and medium sized

trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works by applying lever-

age through spring (load) bars. They are typically used

for heavier loads to distribute trailer tongue weight to the

tow vehicle’s front axle and the trailer axle(s). When used

in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions, it pro-

vides for a more level ride, offering more consistent

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