Good explanation about WDH as they might relate to an LR3
I found a lengthy discussion about the LR3 and WDH on rv.net
Caddywhompus
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Southeast WI
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Posted: 06/10/06 12:35pm Link | Print | Notify Moderator
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Let me preface my reply with the following statement: I am NOT a LR expert, so any advice I offer must be verified by a LR expert. I am qualified to give advice on general towing and hitch setup...etc.
First of all, let's clear up some common misconceptions and terminology. The towing industry has never settled on a standard definition of hitch ratings. Some hitch makers use different standards than others. Sometimes hitches are broken into classes by capacity only, others times they are not.
Generally speaking, a Class III hitch is a 2" receiver with a WC capacity of 500/5000. If these are the only ratings carried, then the hitch is NOT certified for WD applications. Sometimes class III hitches have higher ratings, I've seen as high as 1000/10,000 for custom class III hitches, and as low as 350/3500. Blame the hitch industry as they don't seem to follow any standards.
A class IV hitch can be defined one of two ways. Commonly, it can be a hitch with a rating higher than 1000/10,000. It can also be a class III hitch used in a WD application. This is were the dual ratings come into play. In order to certify a class III hitch to pull a trailer over it's class III rating, the manufacturer will REQUIRE a WD hitch be used as it lessens the stress the receiver will endure.
In order to make a hitch capable of being used in a WD application, it's mouting must be carefully considered and designed. When the WD hitch is tightened the rear mounts (closest to ball) will be pushed upwards into the vehicle, and the front ones will try and pull down. The hitch makers mitigate this by making the forward mounting points much farther away from the rear ones. On mainstream trucks, this means the side plates are much longer. The longer sideplates give the leverage needed to pull down on the vehicle's frame without pulling out of the mountings.
There are many vehicles I'm aware of that have strict class III hitches. Jeep Wranglers, Mitsubishi Montero, Izuzu Trooper...etc. Even some aftermarket hitches carry a class III rating but do not allow WD mode. A good example is the step bumper hitches you can buy for trucks with rear step bumpers. They bolt on to a step bumper with 2 bolts only and give you a 2" receiver right under the bumper. These are class III hitches only because they don't have the forward mounting points far enough up the frame to handle the twisting moment a WD hitch would apply to them. If you use a WD hitch on a vehicle that doesn't specifically allow for it, you run the risk of the front mounts failing. You can also have problems getting the hitch to setup correct because it won't transfer enough weight with such a short lever arm. I believe your LR hitch is WC only.
In England, trailers typically have much lower tongue weight percentages, so a 7700 pound trailer might only have a 500 pound tongue weight. This is why WD hitches aren't common in Europe.
If I was in your shoes, I would want a statement from someone at LR giving me an official stance on the WD hitch. I would not trust the dealers (most don't have a friggen clue how a WD hitch even works), or any well-meaning friends or relatives telling you it's OK. In fact, I wouldn't even trust the advice on this forum without some verification. They won't be there to help hold the trailer if the hitch fails someday!
I hope this clears things up for you.
-Jimmy
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