Question
Do Rivian R1T owners need a weight-distribution hitch for a Pebble?
7 months ago
So no weight-distribution hitch for your Pebble pulled by your Rivian R1T. Any concerns based on Rivian’s official stance that over 5,000 lbs requires a WDH? I have zero experience with WDHs and would prefer to continue that way, but don’t know how to analyze or balance Pebble’s lack of recommendation for a WDH with Rivian’s recommendation to use one. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.
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I have not been running a WDH with my Pebble. Basically, you need a WDH if the weight of the trailer tongue pushes the rear of your tow vehicle down enough to cause the back of the truck to “squat” and the front to rise.
For example, look at—or even measure—the amount of clearance between the top of the tire and the fender in the front and rear, comparing the natural position of the Rivian without the trailer versus with it hitched. When unhitched, the spacing is pretty much the same front versus rear. If the clearance shrinks a lot in the back and increases a lot in the front when hitched, that's “squatting.” That would indicate that your truck has too much weight on the rear axle and not enough on the front.
Insufficient weight on the front wheels can make the steering “light” and affect handling, potentially to the point of the front wheels not having strong enough contact with the ground to steer effectively in an emergency. The main purpose of a WDH is to redistribute that weight from the rear axle of the truck back to the front truck axle and the trailer axle so that the truck rides level and steers properly.
I don't see any visible “squat” on my truck and, more importantly, have not felt any loss of steering with the Pebble, so I haven't felt the need for the WDH. One of these days when I find myself near a CAT scale, I'll get my truck weighed by itself and then with the Pebble hitched. Comparing the weights on the front and rear axles of the Rivian in its natural solo state versus with the Pebble hitched will provide an objective measure of exactly how much weight the Pebble is taking off the front axle. In the meantime, I'm relying on the fact that I have not felt any loss of steering while towing the Pebble. My rig has felt completely stable and under control at all times.
The air suspension and auto-leveling of the R1T will counteract “squatting.” A visit to the scales would be informative, and I would expect to see all of the tongue weight on the rear suspension. The R1T has ample capacity for this load. Loading the frunk will help maintain balance.
The other function of a WDH is anti-sway, and I have found no sway tendency with our Pebble/R1T combo. I’ve shaken it a bit in safe conditions to try to induce such, and the Pebble has been steady. The R1T has electronic anti-sway controls, though I know little about that feature in the Pebble.
Rivian’s WDH recommendation necessarily addresses all trailers, following industry standards, and I’ve seen nothing from Rivian specific to the Pebble.
I happily retired my Equalizer WDH with the Airstream and intend to continue towing the Pebble without. There is a bit more hobby-horsing over large dips at speed with the single axle and no WDH, so slow down as appropriate. Note that a WDH such as Equalizer comes with definite cautions about use in poor road/weather conditions.
As another owner said, this topic is ripe with folklore and marketing. I won’t offer recommendations for anyone in this regard, as trailer loading, driving style, skill, and personal confidence vary widely. I would encourage study from reputable sources to help with this decision.
The subject of weight distribution when towing is complex and full of folklore, but the answers are data driven. Each tow-vehicle manufacturer publishes recommendations for Front Axle Load Restoration (FALR) when towing. Some manufacturers also include electronic sway control as part of tow packages.
Whether or not you need a weight-distribution hitch is not something you determine by feel. It is something you measure and test. Weight distribution and sway control are linked. I recently had a chance to test a Lightship response to sway initiation. This is a serious subject.