Best Weight Distributing hitch?

[Charlesaf3]

Did a search here, and nothing popped up. Etrailer carries the Reese and the Strait-line.

Can't really tell which is best - anyone have a recommendation?

 

[jwstewar]

Are you looking for weight distribution or sway control?

If looking for WD, I don't think there is a lot of difference in any of them. More of what you want to buy. I've currently got both Curt & Reese and other than weight ratings, can't tell a whole lot of different when I use them.

If you are looking for sway control, from what I've been told you can't do any better than Trailer Sway Elimination | Sway Control | Truck RV Trailer Hitch Accessories | ProPride, Inc.. A bit pricey, but supposedly excellent service and the hitch works well. Would love to have one for our camper, just can't afford the $ right now. I've also heard some good things about the Reese Dual Cam. Decent results and much less $ than the Propride.

 

[mbrule]

I agree, if it is weight distribution that you need primarily than any of them seem to work well. But, for sway control there are a lot of options:

The ProPride looks nice
Hensley arrow is a top of the line unit
Reese, Drawtite and all the others have options not as pricey and likely less effective

On my camping trailer I use a standard old style friction sway control and it is somewhat effective. This particular trailer is light in the tongue (bad for sway and reduces the effectiveness of some anti sway devices. It is the worst towing trailer that I have ever had, I would love to spring for one of the higher end options, but think I am better off looking for a different trailer. I digress...


Do your research and understand what you need, unless you can afford one of the higher priced options.

 

[jwstewar]

.....
The ProPride looks nice
Hensley arrow is a top of the line unit
....

The ProPride is the latest design by Jim Hensley - yes the same Jim Hensley that originally designed the Hensley Arrow.

 

[Diamondpilot]

May not be the best but is a great price and will do everything you need with a Tundra and a Car Hauler type trailer.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...on/194052-awsome-price-weight-dist-hitch.html

Chris

 

[mbrule]

May not be the best but is a great price and will do everything you need with a Tundra and a Car Hauler type trailer.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...on/194052-awsome-price-weight-dist-hitch.html

Chris

WOW!!! Great price!

 

[mbrule]

The ProPride is the latest design by Jim Hensley - yes the same Jim Hensley that originally designed the Hensley Arrow.

Thanks Jim, noticed that after some reading.....

Do you know anybody that has used either hitch?

 

[jwstewar]

I haven't seen one in person, but I know a lot of folks on a couple of the RV forums I'm on that have them and really love them. I guess the biggest advantage of the ProPride hitch over the Hensley is it is a bit easier to hook up and it does away with the "Hensley bump." oh...and a bit cheaper w/ better customer support.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Check out this one:

Equal-i-zer Hitch - The “American Original” with 4-Point Sway Control and Weight Distribution

 

[Hematite]

Did a search here, and nothing popped up. Etrailer carries the Reese and the Strait-line.

Can't really tell which is best - anyone have a recommendation?

If you want the best reasonably priced unit, this is it. Etrailer also has this unit. You'll never have to worry about sway because it's designed to stop sway before it starts, unlike ineffective friction devices. I have this on my equipment and travel trailer and there is nothing like the stability it gives you while towing.
Reese Strait-Line Trunnion Bar Hitch and Dual Cam HP Sway Control | RV Supply Warehouse

 

[Charlesaf3]

Thanks all. The Hensley looks nice, but the cost is crazy. Do I really need that? Especially with the lower windage of an equipment trailer?

Nissan looks like a great deal. Am I correct in understanding that sway control needs to be mated to the weight distributing hitch, and probably should be part of the package?

Which leads to the question (and a search I should make) what do I need to know about sway control with a heavy load?

Thanks.

 

[Skyco]

Thanks all. The Hensley looks nice, but the cost is crazy. Do I really need that? Especially with the lower windage of an equipment trailer?

Nissan looks like a great deal. Am I correct in understanding that sway control needs to be mated to the weight distributing hitch, and probably should be part of the package?

Which leads to the question (and a search I should make) what do I need to know about sway control with a heavy load?

Thanks.

Nissan deal is fantastic but ends TOMORROW 3/18 so hurry

I've never needed a sway control on any trailer, and I've had a bunch over the years, own 6 now, some up to 15,000 lbs. IMO if the trailer sways then correction needs to be applied to how the trailer is loaded, if that can't be done, then a sway control is 2nd choice. :2cents:


One other thing- the rating of the equalizing bars should be matched to your trailer tongue weight..you don't want 1000 lb bars for a 500 lb tongue weight and vice versa. Too strong of bars make the ride harsh and may even bend your tongue, too light and you don't get the "equalize" lift needed...

 

[mbrule]

Sway control.....

I properly loaded balanced trailer with appropriate tongue weight will not be much of a sway problem.

Speaking from experience: I currently have four trailers 18' car hauler, 14' very heavy dump trailer, 26' camping trailer, 10' utility trailer. All dual axles with brakes except the utility trailer. And have had and towed many others.

One by one:

The car trailer has never been a sway problem I do not use load levelers or sway control, but carefully position the load to balance the trailer and tongue weight on my 3/4 to pickup.

The dump trailer, I don't really use on the highway much, but again balance the load and use no load leveling or sway control.

The utility trailer will sway sometimes, again not sway or load level controls. But it is a single axle and light enough to not be an issue.

The camper is a swaying machine tows terrible!!!! Worst towing camper I have ever had. There are a number of reasons: first it is a big box so wind a trucks affect it profoundly, second it is light in the tongue about 400 lbs for about 7000 lbs of loaded trailer, third there is a large section behind axles increasing the moment arm. I try to front load it, and have moved the spare tire to the tongue. I use load leveling (old style Reese) and a friction sway control it is still a "white knuckle" ride every time. Ideally the tongue weight on such a trailer should be 10% - 12% of trailer weight. Without that tongue weight a system by Reese as suggested by Hematite is not effective at reducing sway as it depends on tongue weight.

I have had other campers that towed fine. This one is poorly designed IMHO.

I once lost control of a rented car trailer and got into an uncontrolled sway and spun out. This was because car was loaded backwards causing very little tongue weight and the trailer brakes not being connected, one way to stop swaying is to apply trailer brakes. This was a bad situation where I did a number of thing wrong!


That said with an equipment / car trailer, depending on your load and your ability to shift it fore and aft to balance the load, you will likely have very little if any trouble even without sway and load leveling control.

Sorry for the long post and take my (free) advice, experience, opinion, and conjecture for what it is worth!!!!

 

[Charlesaf3]

Thanks a lot for all the good advice

 

[Charlesaf3]

so I bought a curt, because it was local, and had some concern about U-bolt sizing. Haven't used it yet as had no weight on the trailer - trying to use it dry raised truck tires in the air... so it clearly works. Bars come off easily, which is nice for towing empty or lightweight trailer.

Setup instructions for Curt are pretty mediocre though. Talk with tech support ahead of me...

 

[thomas nguyen]

I think, Eaz-Lift 48058 is the best.
Can see more here is: Top 5 Best Weight Distribution Hitch – Review and Top Picks | Care Your Cars

 

[fried1765]

I think, Eaz-Lift 48058 is the best.
Can see more here is: Top 5 Best Weight Distribution Hitch – Review and Top Picks | Care Your Cars

I have a 14K Equal-i-zer hitch that I use with my 14K equipment trailer.
It is heavy to put on and take off, plus a bit greasy, but I think it does a great job.

 

[Charlesaf3]

old post... The curt has been fine, though the design had some problems. I believe it has been changed and they have fixed it (way the trunnions were held in).

I inherited a reese briefly and bent it. So not a fan of Reese... The Curt is heavily built with good customer support.

 

[jwstewar]

I'm going to change my response from what I gave back in 2011. Still think ProPride is the best, but it still doesn't fit in my budget. I'm using my WD hitches much more now. I've got a 750# Reese (it was Dad's he used with their old camper), a 1000# Curt with two different heads (one for the truck, one for the Suburban because it requires much more drop), and a 12,000# Reese. Even though I broke the head on the 12,000 Reese, I know why, and Reese sent me a new one (technically I have two of those heads now, because I had to buy one to get me home when it originally broke). I've been real happy with their performance. The Curt seems strong, but I can't keep it adjusted. No matter how tight I tighten the hitch head up, even when using the pins that came with it, the hitch head will actually slide and you lose the affect of the WD bars. If I were to buy again, I wouldn't buy the Curt, it would be a Reese all the way.

 

[alexramsey]

Just to be clear, there are two separate concepts here. A weight distributing hitch works to level the tow vehicle by distributing the weight of the trailer front to back. You don't mention what the hitch weight is but if you take 15-20% of the total weight you can still have 600-800 pounds on the hitch. With a light truck, weight distribution would absolutely be a good idea, in my opinion.

The second concept is sway control. . That keeps the back end of the trailer from fishtailing as you buck side winds and semis on the road. Absolutely a good idea too. With weight distribution and sway control you should be ready to roll.