Weight Distribution Hitch for TT

[LONE-STAR]

I was wondering what weight distribution hitch you use when pulling your TT?
Do you like it or do you wish you would have bought a different one. The reason I am asking is because I sold my 5er and ordered a TT toy hauler, so now I need to buy a hitch. Thank for any help. Right now I am looking at the a Equal-I-Zer.

[auntie]

If we are to buy another hitch it will be the Equalizer. Currently we have a friction sway..and it's fine for what we do, since we only tow but twice a year, since we've been seasonal. This is what the dealer put together for us. Knowing more now..we will be upgrading the hitch shoud we decide to tow more. We would have gone with the Equalizer from the get go had we known better.

[bigdisneydaddy]

I bought a Reese dual cam and a new 1200# set up when we got home from Florida. I should have bought it BEFORE we left. Our old trailer was 27 ft and handled Okay with the friction sway control but the new trailer at 32 ft was WAY more than that setup with 800# bars could handle. I have the dual cam installed but I havent had a chance to pull the trailer out and fine tune it.
Everything I read said the Equalizer or the Reese was the way to go, unless you had the money for a Hensley (and I didnt)

[PanFanAL]

We just got our TT, its only 18ft. I am not using an weight distribution hitch. Do you think I should? I did have a little sway when I pulled it to the lake last weekend. But it wasn't bad, and it was very windy. Opinions? confused3:

[LONE-STAR]

I bought a Reese dual cam and a new 1200# set up when we got home from Florida. I should have bought it BEFORE we left. Our old trailer was 27 ft and handled Okay with the friction sway control but the new trailer at 32 ft was WAY more than that setup with 800# bars could handle. I have the dual cam installed but I havent had a chance to pull the trailer out and fine tune it.
Everything I read said the Equalizer or the Reese was the way to go, unless you had the money for a Hensley (and I didnt)

Nor do I have the money for a Hensley but I have heard there the best.

We just got our TT, its only 18ft. I am not using an weight distribution hitch. Do you think I should? I did have a little sway when I pulled it to the lake last weekend. But it wasn't bad, and it was very windy. Opinions? confused3:

I would at least put a sway bar on it.

[Gatordad]

what did you dowith the old 5er Hitch?

[bigdisneydaddy]

We just got our TT, its only 18ft. I am not using an weight distribution hitch. Do you think I should? I did have a little sway when I pulled it to the lake last weekend. But it wasn't bad, and it was very windy. Opinions? confused3:

The combination of weight distribution and a sway control will make your trailer much safer and easier to tow. Travel trailers are relatively light for their large profile and wind and big trucks push them around.

[Big Kahuna]

I went with the Equalizer... It is a great system....:worship:

[Brer Bear]

Equalizer here too. My TT maxes at 12K (toy hauler) so I bought the 14K model. Lot easier that the old friction bar setup. Hensley is probably the best, but $500 vs $3000!!!!:scared1:

[RvUsa]

Reese dual cam all the way!!! I have had a regular WD hitch with friction control, on a 20' car hauler. It Sucked! I bought a dual cam when I got a 26' car hauler, I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!! We bought a new one when we got our 30' coachman TT, and moved it to the new 34' Mountaineer this year. I can tow at 75 mph, and get passed by a semi doing 90 and maybe move back and for a couple of inches.

Now for PanFalAL, I say yes yes yes. I would not tow a pop up with a small TV without WD and some sort of sway. I have an F-350 dually, and still use one. JMHO

[disney4dan]

I went with the Equalizer and love it. I've also heard great things about the Reese Dual Cam. I decided that the Equalizer looked easier to use, and you can leave it on when backing up (call me lazy, but I don't go on vacation to work...) I don't know if you are supposed to remove the Reese Dual Cam before backing up or not.

In any case, it worked fantastic the other day when taking the trailer home after getting new tires. Wind gusts were up to 60 mph and I was a little hesitant to get it, but they wanted the trailer out of their yard. It also handled well in the rain when we went to the White Mountains last fall. I went with a little bit heavier rating than the trailer needed (was not much more).

[RvUsa]

You can back up with the reese, no problem. The only thing that is a little funny is the creaking of the friction on the cams when you go around tight turns, like in campgrounds. But after a couple miles the surface rust is knocked off and all is well. I have never looked at the equalizer, I will check it out, for reference's sake. LOL

[chief19spixi]

Reese dual cam all the way!!!
You got that right.. thats what we use too!!

[LarryJ]

I was wondering what weight distribution hitch you use when pulling your TT?
Do you like it or do you wish you would have bought a different one. The reason I am asking is because I sold my 5er and ordered a TT toy hauler, so now I need to buy a hitch. Thank for any help. Right now I am looking at the a Equal-I-Zer.

My old 26' 6K TT used the round bar WD and a single friction sway control that I used for over 25 years and 100K + miles and worked fine and I actually wore out one of the friction sway bars. That system did take some maintenance and adjustments. When we got our new TT (31' and 7.5K) I worked in with the deal both the 1200 lb Equal-i-zer hitch for $200 and a slide topper for $250 installed. I really like the Equal-i-zer for it's simplicity of parts to hook up, but an electric tongue jack is a real nice addition. It is also a great system for sway. However, the Reese DC straight line system is just as good. Your next step is the $3K/$4 HA or $3+ pullrite systems which are the Rolls Royce of hitch systems, but have their drawbacks in setting up, hooking up, parts, etc.

Larry

[LarryJ]

BTW with the Equal-i-zer all three tongue wt. systems 1K, 1200 and 1400 use the same WD bars, but the 1400 has a heavier hitch head system and hardware. I planned on trying to run close to 900 on my new trailer and went with the 1200 system, but depending on tongue wt. you might consider the 1400 system with a TT Toy Hauler.

Also, IIRC the Reese does offer up to a 1700 lb tongue system that I don't think Equal-i-zer goes up that high.

Your two tow vehicles can jerk about just about anything and you might want to talk to Equal-i-zer tech folks which I understand are fantastic before making a final decision (I think the main tech there is Josh) on what they recommend as to how high to go if you choose that system.

Larry

[bigdisneydaddy]

Interesting things I found about the Hensley when I was shopping. Their HQ is in Davison (East of Flint) which is only 30 min from my home. Jim Hensley (the inventor) sold the rights to Hensley Mfg and was not involved beyond that. Something about Hensley's rights expired, he started a new company that is also based in my area. Jim Hensley took his old design and improved on it and he is now involved directly in the company that makes them. The new company is called Pro Pride and they are based very near my house.
You can find used Hensley's on E-bay and I believe that hensley mfg refurbs them for a fraction of new cost.

[LarryJ]

Interesting things I found about the Hensley when I was shopping. Their HQ is in Davison (East of Flint) which is only 30 min from my home. Jim Hensley (the inventor) sold the rights to Hensley Mfg and was not involved beyond that. Something about Hensley's rights expired, he started a new company that is also based in my area. Jim Hensley took his old design and improved on it and he is now involved directly in the company that makes them. The new company is called Pro Pride and they are based very near my house.
You can find used Hensley's on E-bay and I believe that hensley mfg refurbs them for a fraction of new cost.

This is all true from what I have read, but one thing IIRC is that Hensley will not warranty a hitch from someone that is not an original owner unless you get a new warranty from HA or a refurbished hitch from them direct and I don't know the cost involved in that.

Larry

[PanFanAL]

Now for PanFalAL, I say yes yes yes. I would not tow a pop up with a small TV without WD and some sort of sway. I have an F-350 dually, and still use one. JMHO

Well actually it is not a pop-up, it is an 18 ft TT. But I am towing with an Ext. Cab F150, it is pretty heavy, so it doesn't get pushed around a lot. But I will look into something better before I head off to the Fort. That is a lot farther than I have evertowed before. I want to be safe.

[RvUsa]

Well actually it is not a pop-up, it is an 18 ft TT. But I am towing with an Ext. Cab F150, it is pretty heavy, so it doesn't get pushed around a lot. But I will look into something better before I head off to the Fort. That is a lot farther than I have evertowed before. I want to be safe.

I wasn't saying that yours was a popup, I was just saying that I personally wouldn't do it. LOL, I love my reese, and I always err on the side of caution. F-150 with a 18' isn't too bad, if you are comfortable, then go for it, just take it easy, and most importantly, be safe and have fun.

[LONE-STAR]

what did you dowith the old 5er Hitch?

Going with the 5er a friend of mine is buying it.

BTW with the Equal-i-zer all three tongue wt. systems 1K, 1200 and 1400 use the same WD bars, but the 1400 has a heavier hitch head system and hardware. I planned on trying to run close to 900 on my new trailer and went with the 1200 system, but depending on tongue wt. you might consider the 1400 system with a TT Toy Hauler.

Also, IIRC the Reese does offer up to a 1700 lb tongue system that I don't think Equal-i-zer goes up that high.

Your two tow vehicles can jerk about just about anything and you might want to talk to Equal-i-zer tech folks which I understand are fantastic before making a final decision (I think the main tech there is Josh) on what they recommend as to how high to go if you choose that system.

Larry

Thanks for all the good information. If I remember right the total weight of the trailer loaded is around 12,500k. So I was planning on going with the 14000k hitch. I learned from my dads TT that the elec. tongue jack is a must.

[ffpm63]

Dual cam anti sway always kept mine straight

[PanFanAL]

I wasn't saying that yours was a popup, I was just saying that I personally wouldn't do it. LOL, I love my reese, and I always err on the side of caution. F-150 with a 18' isn't too bad, if you are comfortable, then go for it, just take it easy, and most importantly, be safe and have fun.

Thanks John. I do appreciate everyone's opinion and advice. I had been towing a popup, and it was no problem with the truck, but I am still trying to decide about the new camper. Like I said it did try to sway a little in the wind. I do want to be safe. I'll think about it somemore. What do you think about just an anti-sway bar?

[RvUsa]

I don't know, I think it would help for sure, but I also feel that the WD part does a lot to increase control as a whole. It takes the weight and transfers it to the front wheels so you can steer better. Like I said before, I am all about safety, especially when my DW and son are with me. I have a dump trailer that weighs 15k when loaded, and I don't have sway or WD on it, it is only about 15' tho. But I don't go very far and I don't have the family with me when I am towing it. LOL

Hope this helps.

[PanFanAL]

Yeah, that is my concern too. My DW and DS(2) will be with me when towing the camper. I have a 16' trailer that we carry a tractor and equipment on, and have never thought about other hitches. But hauling that camper for 6-7 hours driving to the Fort makes me a little nervous.