WDH on KIA Sorento
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Topic: WDH on KIA Sorento
Posted By: Hazelsmom
Subject: WDH on KIA Sorento
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 10:35am
| Hi everyone! Newbie here! I recently bought a 2017 180 which is located in Florida. I need to tow it to Pennsylvania with a 2020 KIA Sorento V6 with an aftermarket hitch. Of course, I want to be as safe as possible. Do I need a WDH or will a sway bar suffice? I’ve read conflicting things regarding using wdh on unibody vehicles. Please help! |
Replies:
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 10:53am
|
The short answer is yes. If your towing capacity is 3500 lbs., once fully loaded to the gross capacity of the trailer, you will be exceeding the towing capacity of your Sorento. If your towing capacity is 5000, as apparently is the case with some of the AWD versions of the Sorento, you'll be within the 5000 limit with a reasonable margin of safety. Using a WHD, if the manufacturer doesn't recommend against it, will give you a much more comfortable ride, better control, and will reduce driver fatigue. Best of luck in bringing your new trailer home. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Hazelsmom
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 11:12am
| Thanks so much for your quick response! Yes, it is an AWD with towing capacity of 5000. I can’t find anything in the vehicle manual that says anything about using a wdh! |
Posted By: Colt
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 11:55am
|
The Curt hitch I bought was not designed for a weight distributing hitch and I don't feel any need for it. I did add a friction anti-sway bar, but the few, short trips I've made without it make me think it's redundant. I'd add one, anyway.
------------- John '16 R-Pod 180 |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 12:35pm
|
With a good WDH, you don't need a anti-sway bar. We use a Fastway e2 and couldn't be more pleased with the ease of use and performance. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Hazelsmom
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 12:45pm
| Thank you, all. I called KIA corporate and the dealership I bought the vehicle from. Couldn’t get any info for or against wdh. I’m going to go ahead and install it! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 4:05pm
|
If a wdh is not disallowed then I agree. Add it, your ride and handling with be improved. It does not increase your towing capacity in any way however.
Either get one with integrated antisway like lostagain's, or separately adjustable antisway, like mine is. It's a personal preference. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 7:51am
|
You really need to consult your manual (not the dealership). Could you? Certainly.. Should you? That's a BIG maybe.. Not recommended with most uni-body's. Run the question by a couple Kia Forums and see what the consensus is. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 8:33am
Which mid size 5000 lb rated unibody suv's don't allow WDH's? The only one that I could find in a quick review was the Subaru Ascent. Subaru is an outlier, once a market segment (and the unibody 5000 lb midsize suv is a well defined segment now), all the manufacturers need to be able to offer the same basic capabilities to compete. Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Ford, and GM all offer SUVs in this segment and all allow WDHs and have 5000lb (in the case of Explorer its 5600 lbs) towing. Of course, you must use the factory hitch as well, which is designed to carry the tongue and wdh moment loads to the unibody frame. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 8:48am
|
Olddawgsrule is probably right about contacting dealers about technical issues since you have no way of knowing whether they are really knowledgeable on the issue. Looking on forums is also problematical. Unlike the r-Pod forum [  ], you have no way of knowing whether people contributing to the postings really know what they are talking about. Just because it's stated in a forum doesn't make it true. And if it turns out to be wrong, you'll have no recourse for the erroneous opinion. If it isn't in the owners manual or some other publicly available technical manual, then contacting Kia customer service is probably your best choice. But, it should be done in writing. It's harder to ignore or give you a hurry up and get off the phone answer that can later be denied. If you send a letter, no one will want to sign his/her name to an incorrect reply and it'll probably be pushed up the food chain to people who are more likely to know.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 10:10am
Read Chapter 5 of the Kia Sorento Manual. Does mention Sway control. No mention of using WDH.. They avoided the subject. So I called the 2020 Kia Sorento V6 as one. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 10:29am
|
If they are avoiding the subject, then all the more reason to request the information from Kia customer service in writing. It's harder to dodge the question. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 12:53pm
Totally agree! As they say "Get it in writing!" ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: Hazelsmom
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 1:32pm
| Thank you all for responding! I have another question! Has anyone used Bluetooth brake controller? |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 2:10pm
|
Doubt you'll get anything from Kia beyond "follow the manual". There's no benefit to them to do so. But that just my expectation, by all means try, see what happens.
WDH's are commonly available and customarily used consumer products, a reasonable person would expect to be able to use one on a vehicle in this tow rating range. If their vehicle was at risk of being damaged by them Kia would have an obligation to inform it's customers of that or risk having to pay for the repairs. So, they are well motivated to say no but not yes.. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2021 at 2:27pm
I can just imagine how big that manual would be if they so met that obligation. Britannica comes to mind.. I would say the same for Forest River, yet they don't either... Reason this group is here! Safe Travels all! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: Jeremy Skinner
Date Posted: 26 May 2021 at 10:09pm
| I have a 2018 sorrento AWD rated for 5000. We’re towing a 171. I couldn’t find much about towing from the manual or the dealer. I ended up using an Anderson WDH. We’ve been happy with it but never tried it without, so don’t really know. |