When we bought our commodore back in 2011 it had two tow options and going from memory they were 1600kg and 2500kg (those figures could be way off but they seem to ring a bell) the only difference was if you wanted the higher weight you got a WDH.
We don't tow often with it (used to use our trusty Pajero and now have a cruiser) but when we did it was a very noticable difference between using the WDH and not using it. Even with just a little well balanced box trailer the WDH was miles in front.
Having said that we have never used one with either our old Pajero or the cruiser and never had any issues but can see that in some situations they would be handy.
The thing that worries me is there is no free lunch. Someone earlier mentioned that a WDH was only basic physics and was just moving weight from one axle to another which is correct BUT it is also basic physics that that does NOT happen without exerting an equal force to something to do it and what concerns me is that those kgs are moved say nearly 2 metres (the distance between front and rear axles) by a 1 metre lever which would seem to me (and my basic understanding of physics) that the kg force put on the ball would have to be significantly bigger than the kgs that are moved to the front axle. Obviously that isn't a problem if it has all been designed to take it but I still think about it.
I would love to see a little load cell put underneath a towball (between the towball and the tow tongue) to see just how much downforce was put on it when using a solid WDH.
Anyway I am hoping to get some airbags for the cruiser (arb now have in cab controls for inflate/deflate which seems pretty lazy but also sort of cool!) and will weigh up (excuse the pun) whether or not I need a WDH on the day we pickup the van. I think they have their place but only after carefully adding up the pros and cons.
We don't tow often with it (used to use our trusty Pajero and now have a cruiser) but when we did it was a very noticable difference between using the WDH and not using it. Even with just a little well balanced box trailer the WDH was miles in front.
Having said that we have never used one with either our old Pajero or the cruiser and never had any issues but can see that in some situations they would be handy.
The thing that worries me is there is no free lunch. Someone earlier mentioned that a WDH was only basic physics and was just moving weight from one axle to another which is correct BUT it is also basic physics that that does NOT happen without exerting an equal force to something to do it and what concerns me is that those kgs are moved say nearly 2 metres (the distance between front and rear axles) by a 1 metre lever which would seem to me (and my basic understanding of physics) that the kg force put on the ball would have to be significantly bigger than the kgs that are moved to the front axle. Obviously that isn't a problem if it has all been designed to take it but I still think about it.
I would love to see a little load cell put underneath a towball (between the towball and the tow tongue) to see just how much downforce was put on it when using a solid WDH.
Anyway I am hoping to get some airbags for the cruiser (arb now have in cab controls for inflate/deflate which seems pretty lazy but also sort of cool!) and will weigh up (excuse the pun) whether or not I need a WDH on the day we pickup the van. I think they have their place but only after carefully adding up the pros and cons.