Interesting video there. I saw this some time ago and had a bit of a laugh as it appears to be a marketing piece and the title "weight distribution hitches explained" is a bit of a joke because there is a bit left out of the explanation if you want an objective demonstration.
I am not arguing the pluses and minuses of using/not using a WDH but I will point out what is missing and misleading with that video.
Firstly, you are not replicating the handling dynamics of a caravan by placing a whole heap of weight in the front storage compartment. To achieve optimum stability, any competent caravaner will distribute weight as evenly as practical throughout the van. Without weight over the van axle or rearward of the axle it is going to handle like a dog. The lurching shown at 3:50 in the video could be due or partly due to this as well as my third point below.
Secondly, there is no mention of the additional 26kg that you are adding to the ball weight just by using the WDH kit. The factory Isuzu tow bar tongue weighs 5kg. The WDH kit weighs 31kg.
Thirdly, there is significant additional leverage applied by the fact that the WDH tow ball sits further back from the axle than the genuine Isuzu tow ball (see photo, top = screen shot from video in opening post with WDH tongue, bottom = photo of my MU-X with genuine Isuzu tongue). In the video, the actor
explains the leverage effect to his advantage by demonstrating that a 250kg caravan ball weight actually adds 383kg to the ball of the MU-X. The fact is that that figure of 383kg changes depending upon how far away the tow ball is from the rear axle. The video is misleading in that when they do the weighing without the weight distribution bars attached, they are still using the longer weight distribution tongue which will give a higher weight figure than would be the case if using the shorter Isuzu tongue. When talking about leverage this small difference will make a substantial change to the end result figure.
So, if you do use a weight distribution hitch with the MU-X, I would guess you would have to apply enough tension on the bars to lift between 40kg and 50kg off the ball before you achieve any result over what you would have without a WDH and with the genuine tongue. There is not really any explanation of how the WDH actually transfers weight or the necessary forces that are applied to both the van and car. The demonstration showing the ruler and pen doesn't really cut it.
Also, in the brake tests, is the driver really stepping on the brake pedal as is meant to be done when emergency braking in a vehicle equipped with ABS. I don't think so!!! Now, I know that a good driver can pull up a car quicker with the ABS deactivated but for the purposes of this test that wouldn't or shouldn't be the case.
Anyway, make of it what you will
Cheers
Martin
in Trips Old and Planning!