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Old 10-11-2016, 05:52 PM   #21
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I changed to Blue Ox almost a year ago after using another brand WDH with sway control added for 3 years. I'm VERY pleased with the Blue Ox and I installed it myself in about an hour. It tows quieter, easier and with hardly any sway. I'm also pleased that it is 100% Made in the USA. The Blue Ox is beautifully made and finished.

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Old 10-11-2016, 06:23 PM   #22
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I use an 6K Equal-i-zer 4 point and it can be left hooked up while backing. It is easier to back into tight 90 degree areas like my driveway if you remove the bars but it is not required. For most back in campsites that are angled or have large entrances it has no noticeable effect. I set mine up by myself in a couple of hours and paid under $400 for it a couple of years ago.
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Old 10-11-2016, 07:01 PM   #23
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I have a Blue Ox unit on my Solaire 201SS (Approx 4000lb TT/400lb tongue weight). The trailer tows rock solid. Can sometimes be tricky installing the sway bars and you need to watch out when releasing the bars so they do not release too quickly and bite you. I use the electric tongue jack to assist with getting the sway bars on/off which makes the job very easy. The sway bars can be changed out to accommodate different tongue weights in the event you pruchase another trailer down the road. I would recommend the Blue Ox.
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Old 10-11-2016, 07:31 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by TravelinFam View Post
I've been meaning to do a write up for this as I currently have a 2012 F-150 Crew cab with E2 weight distribution hitch that pulls my 26' 4500 lb Jayco, and a 2014 F-150 Crew cab with Husky Centerline weight distribution hitch that's pulls my 35' 7500 lb Rockwood. I prefer the E2 for the following reasons:
Easier to attach bars, Easier to get bars off, quieter, black vs. gray, less pins. My wife has one truck at the moment, but maybe I can get a video of the first one started. Both good hitches though.
At the end of the season this year, I am going to be upgrading from an E2 to an Equalizer. The E2 is a decent hitch but I am pulling about 6800 lbs with a RAM 1500 crew cab and from all the research I have done, the E2 may be a little less than what I need/want back there.
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Old 10-11-2016, 07:47 PM   #25
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I use an 10K Equal-i-zer 4 point it is the only way to go. And makes it were the wife can handell it with ease I have driven with other TT to see which I perferd and there was no question which way to go. have fun and be safe.




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Old 10-11-2016, 07:47 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by stantyszka View Post
At the end of the season this year, I am going to be upgrading from an E2 to an Equalizer. The E2 is a decent hitch but I am pulling about 6800 lbs with a RAM 1500 crew cab and from all the research I have done, the E2 may be a little less than what I need/want back there.
Although I used others over the past 42 years there are good reasons Equalizer has been selling hitches for 70 years.
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Old 10-12-2016, 08:54 AM   #27
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I have an Equalizer hitch and a 2016 1500 Suburban. The hitch with built in sway control works flawlessly. The advice/service provided by Equalizer is exceptional. A word of caution is what size hitch shank in "drop" measurement you will need. My Suburban and I am sure yours, will require an extended drop shank, because of the vehicle height versus the trailer coupler. The equalizer hitch can be ordered minus the factory supplied hitch shank. You would then order the hitch shank independently, per the requirement of your tow vehicle height. Otherwise, you will end up with the factory supplied shank which is incorrect for your vehicle. The Equalizer website has an excellent program to determine the correct length of shank. The Equalizer brand shank I purchased from an after market supplier was $123.00 versus $179.00 at the factory. RV Upgrades was my source.
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Old 10-12-2016, 08:59 AM   #28
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cheap hich

I have almost exactly the same TT and TV you are asking about. I purchased the cheapie from Harbor Freight, 1000# bars, added one sway controller. Works great for me. Would something more expensive work better? Possibly, but I'm happy. Look at some of the hitches less than $200.00, I've had three and happy. I usually include hitch when I sell a trailer as it adds some incentive to the buyer.

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Old 10-12-2016, 08:59 AM   #29
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Equalizer is great, love mine!!!
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Old 10-12-2016, 09:25 PM   #30
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Bought our Equal-I-zer hitch after being blown all over the road with our old hitch which just wasn't up to the task. Now, in just a few minutes, we can hook up with the Equalizer and basically forget it until we have to unhook which only takes a couple of minutes. You don't need to do anything to back up and the trailer pulls like a dream. If you get a larger trailer someday, you can upgrade the hitch and keep going (if you even need to do so). It's not hard to install and the other users are right - if you don't have the tools to install it, go and get them. It is still probably cheaper than having a dealer do it and you have the tools to make adjustments in the future if needed. Equalizer is a great hitch. Just pin the bars into the hitch, slide them over the brackets on the trailer (use the trailer jack to lift the trailer so they just slide in), and fasten the clips onto the bars. It requires little effort or strength - an easy, quick, setup. My truck and trailer feel like a single vehicle with this hitch. They say it lasts generations, too.
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Old 10-23-2016, 07:47 AM   #31
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I will Highly recommend the Reese Dual Cam WDH. Ours came with the 1st camper 4 years ago, adapted to our TV, then a new TV, remounted on a new camper, than another TV.....
Easy to hook up, rock solid performance and if you can read a ruler and drill a hole you can install it yourself.
Strait-Line Weight Distribution System w Sway Control - Round Bar - 12,000 lbs GTW, 1,200 lbs TW Reese Weight Distribution RP66088
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Old 11-19-2016, 04:11 PM   #32
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has anyone ordered it from Amazon and then had the dealer install?? We spent the whole morning pricing the Blue Ox and E qual izer, went to multiple places, and they were all $200 - $400 more than what they want on Amazon.
But they were all very similar in installation charges. We have Prime, so we wouldn't have to pay shipping.
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Old 11-19-2016, 07:24 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by stoppercamper View Post
has anyone ordered it from Amazon and then had the dealer install?? We spent the whole morning pricing the Blue Ox and E qual izer, went to multiple places, and they were all $200 - $400 more than what they want on Amazon.
But they were all very similar in installation charges. We have Prime, so we wouldn't have to pay shipping.
You mise well learn how to do it yourself, the chances of your dealer getting the setup right is not good. Know your tong weight and get the right bars, if on the edge get the heaver ones.

It took me 3 adjustments after the dealer install to get it right. Went from horrible control to easy towing. One adjustment was to replace the 1000 lb bars with 1500 lb bars. Actual tong weight 1345 lbs..

If you are not at all comfortable doing it yourself, find someone you trust. I was at my dealer today and there published shop rate is $147/hr.
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Old 11-19-2016, 07:48 PM   #34
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Frank is right. You might as well do it yourself. Equal-I-zer has a whole series of videos to show you how to do it. And you can call them if you have a problem. If you do your homework at the start and get the right bars and hitch for your unit (you can call them about that, too), you will be able to do it yourself pretty easily. I, too, had to take my hitch apart because the dealer guy put it on wrong. I caught him on some of it, but, he did things like clamp my emergency brakeaway cables inside the trailer frame clamps instead of running them around. I caught it in enough time to keep the clamps from severing the wires or eating through the insulation and fixed it. You only need a couple of wrenches (which you will need to check it every year anyway) a tape measure and follow the instructions. Hardest part, and most tedious, is getting the trailer and the TV level for towing and most of that you will have to do once you get the trailer loaded and home anyway. Best of all, when you are done, you A: know it is right, B: know what to do to make adjustments on it, C: know how to fix it if something goes wrong on the road. I bought an extra set of pins and clips just in case one got lost, so we could still use the hitch. Of course, haven't lost one yet, just being careful. Equalizer really works well, and it is easy to install. You will save the hourly rate ($147 I heard) and then the taxes on the money you had to make to pay the bill in the first place (SS, Medicare, Federal Income Tax, State tax?) which could add up. Plus you won't be experienced in how it goes together when you are on the road. I bought my hitch at the dealership with the trailer and was worried about the warranty, otherwise, I would have done it myself (which I had to do after I got it home anyway.). Good luck!
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Old 11-19-2016, 08:54 PM   #35
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Just use care to compare apples to apples, some include the right shank and ball, some don't. Getting a long torque wrench , sockets and wrenches will help you so much in the future to make adjustments.
Support number at Equalizer answers the phone, seems to be helpful,
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Old 11-19-2016, 09:08 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by stoppercamper View Post
has anyone ordered it from Amazon and then had the dealer install?? We spent the whole morning pricing the Blue Ox and E qual izer, went to multiple places, and they were all $200 - $400 more than what they want on Amazon.
But they were all very similar in installation charges. We have Prime, so we wouldn't have to pay shipping.
You would be better off installing it yourself. You may have to buy a few tools, but you should have these tools on hand anyway for maintenance. You will need to buy the 2 5\16" ball for either unit and it will need to be torqued to over 400lbs of torque. That an expensive torque wrench and socket, just find a shop that works on large equipment or trucks to tighten ball, then handle the rest of install yourself.
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:07 PM   #37
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Blue Ox is $615.00 delivered from Tweetys. http://tweetys.com/sway-pro-weight-d...g-hitches.aspx
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Old 11-20-2016, 09:14 AM   #38
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Originally Posted by uhduh camping View Post
You would be better off installing it yourself. You may have to buy a few tools, but you should have these tools on hand anyway for maintenance. You will need to buy the 2 5\16" ball for either unit and it will need to be torqued to over 400lbs of torque. That an expensive torque wrench and socket, just find a shop that works on large equipment or trucks to tighten ball, then handle the rest of install yourself.
This is the way I went with my Equal-z-er. The shop charged me $20 to tighten the ball and took 5 minutesd. When all was said and done the cost for a 6K hitch and having the ball tightened was under $500 where the dealer was just above $800 (just under $700 if I provided the hitch to dealer). That's on top of buying the new trailer. As has been mentioned Equal-i-zer customer support is very good about answering questions and in assisting to get the hitch setup correctly. I called them a couple of times about expected measurements and component placement.
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Old 11-20-2016, 10:02 AM   #39
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Another vote for the Equalizer 4point WDH. Have a shop install the ball for you and do everything else yourself. You could torque the ball yourself but the cost of the very large socket may be more than the shop will charge you to do it.

To achieve the higher torque needed for some of the nuts use a breaker bar with a steel pipe extension and stand or bounce a bit on it. Force x distance = torque. Your weight applied at the right distance will work. For example, if you need 400 ft-lbs of torque and you weigh 200 lbs. stand on the extension at 2 ft. from the ball (200 lbs x 2 ft = 400 ft-lbs.). Just be careful doing this.
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