A weight distribution system used with a hitch on a vehicle and a trailer, the weight distribution system comprising a jack with a foot attached to and configured to raise and lower a front portion of the trailer; a moment bar with a forward end attached to the hitch so as to pivot about a generally vertical axis, and a rearward portion, the moment bar configured to exert a forward moment on the vehicle in response to an upward force on the rearward portion; an engagement member positioned between the jack and the rearward portion, whereby the jack can exert the upward force on the rearward portion; wherein the engagement member comprises at least one arced surface whereby the engagement member maintains the upward force on the rearward portion despite vertical or horizontal pivoting between the vehicle and the trailer is disclosed.

A weight distribution hitch system comprising a vehicle attachment member comprising a forward end configured to rigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extending rearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upper portion comprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotally attach to a coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured to receive a moment bar; a moment bar having a modulus of elasticity, the moment bar comprising a moment bar forward end attached to the lower portion of the rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as to prevent rotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end; a releasable tension member comprising a top portion configured to be pivotally supported by a frame member of the trailer and configured to pivot about a horizontal axis, and a bottom portion configured to support the rearward end of the moment bar; and a moment bar preload mechanism configured to push up the moment bar rearward end to thereby preload the moment bar; wherein, when the moment bar rearward end has been preloaded, the releasable tension member can be pivoted between a first angular position and a second angular position below the preloaded moment bar; wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposes an upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposes a forward moment on the vehicle is disclosed.

An adjustable bracket assembly for a weight distribution system is shown and described herein. The adjustable bracket assembly may include a plurality of bracket members including at least a first bracket member, a second bracket member, a third bracket member, and a fourth bracket member arranged to be adjustable relative to one another and be selectively attached to a frame of a towed vehicle. The plurality of bracket members may be coupled to a plurality of fasteners to allow the plurality of bracket members to be adjusted relative to one another and to provide clamp forces relative to the frame of the towed vehicle. An attachment assembly may be coupled to the first bracket member and be configured to be attached to a spring arm of a weight distributing system that may be coupled to a towing vehicle.

A weight distributing trailer hitch and associated method are described. The weight distributing trailer hitch can include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. The weight distributing trailer hitch can also include a ball portion to facilitate coupling with a tongue of a trailer. In one embodiment, the weight distributing trailer hitch can further include a spring bar vertically pivotal relative to the hitch portion, and an adjustment mechanism actuatable to selectively adjust a tilt angle of the spring bar relative to the hitch portion to vary preload on the spring bar and adjustably distribute weight of the trailer relative to the vehicle. In another embodiment, the weight distributing trailer hitch can further include a spring bar for distributing weight of the trailer relative to the vehicle, and a load measurement device to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball.

A weight distributing hitch for towing a trailer includes a pair of deflection bars extending rearward from a ball mount head. A distal end of each deflection bar is supported by a deflection bar support connected to the frame by a height adjustable bracket assembly. A first resistance feature on the deflection bar support engages a second resistance feature associated with the deflection bar to restrain the deflection bar from sliding relative to the deflection bar support and thereby preventing swaying of the trailer relative to the towing vehicle. A longitudinal position of the second resistance feature relative to the deflection bar or a longitudinal position of the first resistance feature relative to said deflection bar supported by said deflection bar support is adjustable to position the second resistance feature in engagement with the first resistance feature when the deflection bar is supported on the deflection bar support.

A weight distribution hitch system used with a hitch on a vehicle and a trailer, the system comprising a jack with a foot and a motor configured to raise and lower a front portion of the trailer; a moment bar with a forward end attached to the hitch so as to pivot about a generally vertical axis, and a rearward portion, the moment bar configured to exert a forward moment on the vehicle in response to an upward force on the rearward portion; an engagement member configured to increase the upward force on the rearward portion of the moment bar upon movement of the jack in one vertical direction and to decrease the upward force upon movement of the jack in an opposite vertical direction; a sensor configured to determine at least one of current and voltage across the motor, to thereby infer the upward force on the rearward portion; and a switch configured to turn the motor on or off depending on the inferred upward force is disclosed.

A weight distribution system used with a hitch on a vehicle and a trailer, the weight distribution system comprising a moment bar with a forward end attached to the hitch so as to pivot about a generally vertical axis, the moment bar extending rearwardly along a center longitudinal plane of the trailer toward a rearward portion, the moment bar configured to exert a forward moment on the vehicle in response to an upward force on the rearward portion; a bracket attached to a trailer frame element, wherein the bracket is above the first rearward portion and further from the center longitudinal plane of the trailer than the rearward portion; and a tension member combined with a tension mechanism so as to increase and decrease a tensile force between the bracket and the rearward portion, to thereby increase and decrease the upward force on the rearward portion whereby sway of the trailer is reduced by biasing the system back to the centerline when the vehicle and trailer are out of alignment is disclosed.

A weight distribution system used with a hitch on a vehicle and a trailer, the weight distribution system comprising a jack with a foot attached to and configured to raise and lower a front portion of the trailer; a moment bar with a forward end attached to the hitch so as to pivot about a generally vertical axis, and a rearward portion, the moment bar configured to exert a forward moment on the vehicle in response to an upward force on the rearward portion; an engagement member positioned between the jack and the rearward portion, whereby the jack can exert the upward force on the rearward portion; wherein the engagement member comprises at least one arced surface whereby the engagement member maintains the upward force on the rearward portion despite vertical or horizontal pivoting between the vehicle and the trailer is disclosed.

A weight distribution hitch system comprising an attachment member with a forward end configured to rigidly attach to a vehicle and a rearward end extending rearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upper portion with a ball mount configured to pivotably attach to a trailer coupler; a lower portion with a barrel coupling allowing pivoting about a vertical access, but not allowing pivoting about a horizontal access; and a moment bar comprising a moment bar forward end fixedly attached to the barrel coupling and a moment bar rearward end wherein the moment bar imparts a forward moment on the vehicle when an upward force is applied to the moment bar rearward end is disclosed.

A spring bar coupling device is described for coupling a spring bar of a weight distributing trailer hitch to a trailer frame. The spring bar coupling device can include a spring bar support operable to interface with and support a spring bar of a weight distributing trailer hitch. The spring bar support can have a vertical support arm having a first coupler opening, and a lower spring bar stop extending from the vertical support arm to provide a lower interface for the spring bar. The spring bar coupling device can also include a channel bracket having at least two opposing walls defining a vertically oriented channel operable to receive the vertical support arm, and a second coupler opening in at least one of the two walls. The first and second coupler openings can be configured to be aligned with one another at a first coupling location when the vertical support arm is located at least partially within the vertically oriented channel. In addition, the spring bar coupling device can include at least one coupler operable to extend into the first and second coupler openings to couple the spring bar support to the channel bracket.