Best weight distributing hitch w/sway control?

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altmans

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2011
Posts
8
Location
St. Paul, MN
Hello everyone.  I own a 2010 Dodge 2500 (Diesel) and we just bought a 2012 Sunset Trail 31BH with a dry weight of 6570 lbs.  I would like to get a weight distributing hitch system and with all the choices out there not sure what to go with.  So far everything I have heard/read steers me to an Equal-i-zer as far as quality and how easy it is to take on and off.

What are your opinions and why?

Pick up the new trailer in a couple of weeks so would like to let RV place know my choice so they can get it set up when i pick it up.

Thanks everyone!!
 
Hello:
For me..... Equal-i-zer.
It is priced right....
Works well.........
Easily assembled (instructions via movies) on line.
But, others are liked by many.
Good luck, and enjoy your RV experiences ......
 
Never tried an Equalizer, but I am really happy with my Reese Dual Cam.

Hensley/Propride is the best if money is not an object.
 
Thanks everyone for their replies.  As far as my research shows Equal-i-zer sounds like the way to go. 

My next question would be how big do I need to go?  If my trailer weighs 6600 pounds dry plus another 1500 for everything else, which totals 8100 pounds, do I go with the 10K one then?
 
Use the trailer GVWR as the weight estimate.  Dry weight plus a guessed load is too likely to undershoot.  And for maybe $25 dollars more I would go at least one size larger - you may want to upgrade the trailer in the future and why have to buy another hitch?
 
Go at least 1,200/12,000 lbs. As Gary mentioned, you need to use your own TT's GVWR but as a comparson, our TT's dry weight is about 6,700 lbs and the GVWR is 10,400. Using an estimated "12% of GVWR" tongue weight means I'm at 1,248 lbs so I went with the 1,400/14,000 Equal-i-zer set up.

Our one and only trip to the CAT Scales in 2009 resulted in the TT coming in at 8,500 lbs packed for a week's vacation.

Admittedly I do not know what my actual tongue weight is but if at 12% (of 8,500), this puts me at 1,020 lbs meaning I could have gone with the 1,200/12,000 model. However,  if I'm heavy on the tongue - closer to 15% - I'd be at 1,275 lbs so I'm glad I went with the higher rating.

If the TT was at GVWR and at 15% tongue weight, I'd be at 1,560 lbs which would overload the Equal-izer. No problem, though, since the hitch would probably fall off the truck at that point anyway!

Enough math for today?
 
It seems all RV dealers have one hitch brand they sell with a new TT purchase. They make money on volume of course. My first TT was 28' pulled with a Dodge 1500 near load capacity. The style is the common chain support on distribution arms with the small ball and flat friction bar. Think about it, on suspended chains there's nothing to keep them steady, they just dangle so to speak. Everything pushed me around side to side. I bought stiffer tires and shocks, no improvement. I added links, I dropped links, I tried height, angle, you name it I tried it. So I finally upgraded my soft 1/2 ton to a Dodge 2500 Cummins. Still handled like a piece of crap in cross winds and around large trucks and commercial buses on the freeway.

Rescued at last! My second TT was a 31' with same 2500 truck. RV Wholesalers in Ohio uses the Equal-i-zer. The design is so simple it was hard believe it would work better. They promised me I would be happy with it. And boy was I ever! ;D  The distribution arms ride in a "cradle" on the trailer frame. Great concept huh. All sway was GONE, honestly, ALL. Best 350 bucks I ever spent on RVing. That's right at least 200 bucks cheaper than on their website. RV Wholesalers sell to their customers "at cost". I feel blessed to own one. Reese now offers one in that design too.

In my honest opinion simpler is better. Stay away from chain suspended distribution bars. Always go one weight class up as suggested by others. Don't skimp on weight capacity. Don't spend a fortune on complicated systems like the Hensley Arrow. You don't need it. Equil-i-zer has my endorsement.

May all your towing deeds be as smooth as mine,
CarolinaCamper

 
I thinks you should choose: Eaz-Lift 48058 Elite Weight Distributing Hitch Kit
See more here: http://careyourcars.com/top-5-best-weight-distribution-hitch/
 
The only wdh I've ever used is our Equal-izer so I can't offer much in the way of comparison. What I can say is that if you have the dealer install it, pay close attention to how it's set up, or at the very least, get the owners manual and have the tech explain to you how it was done. You may very well have to adjust it some after you get your trailer equipped and loaded to camp as the weight and balance will be different then it was empty at the dealer. It isn't a difficult procedure, but I learned from experience that it can make a difference in how the trailer handles. It took me a couple of trips to the scales to get it dialed in just right, but it was well worth the time.
 
Another vote for Equal-I-Zer. The manufacturer keeps making small improvements to an already good system. Their new self-locking clips and pins for example, eliminate fussing with cotter pins.
I'm probably in the minority, but I consider sway control a marketing red herring and of no practical significance. I believe that a properly loaded trailer will track beautifully without sway control, and an improperly loaded one will be a handful to tow no matter what kind of hitch is used.
But a good WDH makes a huge difference in stability just by keeping the tow vehicle's front wheels sufficiently loaded.
 
The Fastway E2 is sort of a mini Equal-I-Zer and should be entirely adequate for a modest size trailer. Same design but one less control point.

http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch
 

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