Ram 2500 and Andersen Anti-Sway

[cmac7203]

Sold my 4,600 lb, 26’ camper and bought a 7,300 lb, 27’ camper. TV is 2500 Ram. I needed very little WD with the former, and wondering about the latter. I am considering Andersen. Arthritis in hands makes it a bear to handle the 75lb hitch, the 20lb torsion bars, and then connecting friction anti-sway on both sides.

Anyone out there hauling 7,300+ lbs with a 3/4 ton? I’m really interested in what WDH you use, especially if anyone using Andersen for that scenario. I am NOT after any info on TV, just what hitch you are using. Hoping that will focus response.

Thanks everyone, from a codger.

[007matman]

I'm pulling a 7400lb 32.5' camper with a 1-ton dually with the hitch I bought for my 2010 Escalade (1/2 ton). It's a Fastway E2 Trunnion style.

Never had an issue with the hitch. Performed well with both vehicles.

[aceinspp]

Just purchased my 2500 Ram and transferred my Equalizer 4point over from my 2500 Chevy. works great. Later RJD

[cmac7203]

Thanks 007matman and aceinspp!

[Brewhedd]

Bought the dually for a future fiver now towing the 6000 lb Rockwood. Still use the Equalizer hitch. Heavy but it has always worked. Amazingly still felt a small amount of sway without the hitch.

[BigH]

My trailer max gross is 10,000. I'm typically loaded to about 9,500 with measured tongue weights near 1,500. Across the windy plains or the eastern mountains with the cruise set to the flow of traffic on the interstates...works great with a small correction when I pass big rigs.

I don't use a wdh.

[FordHauler]

Hensley Hitch will solve your problem.
The entire hitch head and weight distribution bars stay with the trailer each time you unhook. Nothing to pick up. Back into the receiver when ready to go and in 10 minutes you are ready to roll. You use your cordless drill/driver to set tension. No pain to the back or arthritic limbs!
I bought mine on Craigslist in 2014, hauled that 36 foot bumper pull from Florida to Kentucky and back and forth 5 trips. Then in 2016 to Alaska and back to Kentucky (17,300 miles on the AK trip), then back to Florida. No sway.
When I traded for this 5th wheel, in Florida, I kept my Hensley because some day I will go back to a bumper pull and it will still do the job.
I get nothing from Hensley for this review, I just really liked the setup. I found the hitch to do exactly what they said it would do, eliminate sway.
Check it out for yourself. Happy towing. No....mine is not for sale.
Travel safe

[cmac7203]

I have read that the Hensley hitch is pretty heavy, around 200 to 250 pounds? If that is the case that was a lot and it can wait. Should I calculate that again I think my overall payload weight?

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by cmac7203

Sold my 4,600 lb, 26’ camper and bought a 7,300 lb, 27’ camper. TV is 2500 Ram. I needed very little WD with the former, and wondering about the latter. I am considering Andersen. Arthritis in hands makes it a bear to handle the 75lb hitch, the 20lb torsion bars, and then connecting friction anti-sway on both sides.

Anyone out there hauling 7,300+ lbs with a 3/4 ton? I’m really interested in what WDH you use, especially if anyone using Andersen for that scenario. I am NOT after any info on TV, just what hitch you are using. Hoping that will focus response.

Thanks everyone, from a codger.

The Andersen is perfect for your set up . it's a great WDH for you . My TV 2500hd TH 9300 TW around 1200 26,000 mile towing with the Andersen works great easy set up, lite , non greasy, no sway, no bounce , tow like TV and TH are one . wind , big rigs ,etc no problem . i would recommend to anyone .

[Lins]

I lot of people say you don't need WDH in an HD truck, but I find it makes for a better towing experience, especially when the road surface is less than desirable. Anything tows nice when it's flat and smooth, but you want a nice setup in an emergency situation. I've towed a variety of trailers, and our Rockwood TT is the worst handling by far, and it's the only one I would not tow without the WDH hooked up if I'm going any further than just down the road. I need to keep the tongue weight right around 700 lbs to keep it happiest. I now have an equalizer 4 pt rated for 1000lb tongue weight and it's a nice upgrade from our garbage Curt we originally started with.

[aceinspp]

I know one thing you will not tow a V-lite without a WDH. Bought my first one in 2011 had a Chevy dully left dealer with a junk WDH and that trailer was all over the place. Tried towing with out and just as bad and the tt even was level with the truck. Later RJD

[cmac7203]

Yeah, there is never been a question about using weight distribution or not using weight distribution. I intend to use weight distribution. The questions about the weight of the hedge concerning my arthritis and what works for people in different set ups.

[cmac7203]

OK thanks everyone for the great tips. I’m going to order the Anderson today

[myredracer]

Probably too late but afraid I wouldn't have gone with an Anderson. They are reportedly only good up to about 600 lbs TW and you'll have more like 800+ lbs. I do hope it works for you tho.

One thing that helps is having a good tongue jack like a Barker or Husky with a ball screw design and with higher rating so you can lift the rear of the truck faster (and quieter). Raising the rear of the truck higher can make it a lot easier to get spring bars on.

If you want good sway control, there are a few excellent WDHs with integral sway control like Equal-i-zer, Sway Pro and Reese DC. If you have a choice, trunnion style bars are easier to handle than the ell-shaped type. I have mild arthritis and have a Reese dual cam WDH with trunnion bars - easy to engage the bars as long as the ball/coupler is raised high enough. Excellent sway control. We have a 29' TT, 7K lbs towed by an F250.

If you remove your hitch head/shank all the time, perhaps check your state regulations. Blue Ox has a bolt on device that reduces hitch play and since it's a bolt-on affair, you may be able to leave it on. I installed one and our regs. allow it to stay on.

[Vladivar]

2017 Ram 2500 CTD running a Blue Ox SwayPro with #2000 bars to pull our 36’ 9800lb TT. Not a hint of sway and totally quiet. If I raise the tongue to a decent height when hitched, getting the bars on and off is easy.

[cmac7203]

I know that blue ox hitch is a great hitch, but how much does it weigh?

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by myredracer

Probably too late but afraid I wouldn't have gone with an Anderson. They are reportedly only good up to about 600 lbs TW and you'll have more like 800+ lbs. I do hope it works for you tho.

One thing that helps is having a good tongue jack like a Barker or Husky with a ball screw design and with higher rating so you can lift the rear of the truck faster (and quieter). Raising the rear of the truck higher can make it a lot easier to get spring bars on.

If you want good sway control, there are a few excellent WDHs with integral sway control like Equal-i-zer, Sway Pro and Reese DC. If you have a choice, trunnion style bars are easier to handle than the ell-shaped type. I have mild arthritis and have a Reese dual cam WDH with trunnion bars - easy to engage the bars as long as the ball/coupler is raised high enough. Excellent sway control. We have a 29' TT, 7K lbs towed by an F250.

If you remove your hitch head/shank all the time, perhaps check your state regulations. Blue Ox has a bolt on device that reduces hitch play and since it's a bolt-on affair, you may be able to leave it on. I installed one and our regs. allow it to stay on.

That remark on the andersen being only good to 600TW is BS . i tow my TH with 1200 lbs TW and the andersen is great . over 26,000 miles . tows like dream . from west yellowstone MT to Fort Myers Fl every year and back for the last 4 yrs and never an issue . the andersen is perfect for his set up . now if you have a small truck and big trailer get a hensley pro-pride . But the andersen is great and anybody who says other wise has never used one or had one and didn't know how to use it

[stevejd235]

I agree with Mr M. I have been using my Andersen on a 10k TH with a TW around 1,200. Feels rock solid all the time.

[woody9]

FWIW, had my Andersen about 5 years now and love it. Trailer near 10k 36’ TT and a brand x 3/4 ton diesel CCSB. Like the quiet WD, ease of hookup and no sway to speak of (don’t think anything helps in certain conditions... like being in the center of a semi sandwich with 30+ mph crosswinds! Lol)
Don’t use any WD with my 7k cargo trailer and with driving conservatively no issues with that setup.
Just my $00.02 worth; your mileage may vary!

[Brewhedd]

Originally Posted by Lins

I lot of people say you don't need WDH in an HD truck, but I find it makes for a better towing experience, especially when the road surface is less than desirable.

No doubt. I can take naps while towing now.