V Style Trailers / Sway Control

[mike2tall]

I'm new to the travel trailer life. I rented a travel trailer last year and went to SD and to CO with my family. Towed a 23 foot trailer with my 98 K1500 4x4 Suburban. Had a great time and no issues with TV or TT except for the fact that my I realized my TV was not big enough.

I am purchasing a 2002 Ford Excursion tomorrow with the 7.3 engine. Hopefully this will take care of the TV problem. I plan on better shocks, already has E load rating tires, maybe airbags, etc. My wife really likes the V Nose TT. We are looking at the V-Cross 30VFKS or the Rockwood 3008W.She likes the kitchen in the front out of the way.

Now here is the problem I have come across. Not wanting to have any issues with sway, I am interested in the Hensley, ProPride or Pullrite Hitch.
Now that she has settled on a V Nose TT, I find out that none of these three hitches will work with this style of TT unless you want to do some cutting on the TT. Not what I want to do on a new TT. I really like the Pullrite with the upside down fifth wheel hitch design, but I talked to them today and they said no luck.

So what is everybody using for this style of trailer for sway control? Will anything work or fit?

Thanks

Mike

[stevo]

Hi Mike
Have a windjammer with an Equalizer Hitch.
Works great,easy to set up and use.
Cheers
Steve

[mike2tall]

Thanks for the quick response.

Is this what you have?

Equal-i-zer® Hitch - Product Info


ike

[stevo]

Hi Mike
yes thats it,if you decide to go this way shop around as the price varies quite a bit depending on the dealer!
Steve

[kz08h5]

I have V-Lite and use an Equal-i-zer hitch. When adjusted correctly and with proper tongue weight I have virtually now issues with sway. The dealer originally set mine up with an empty trailer. It pulled great on the way home. One my first trip it was a real pain. Any passing semi truck about drove me off the road. The Equil-i-zer is easy to adjust and I also found out more tongue weight helped.

[BigRed]

We have and Equalizer Hitch w/V-nose Rockwood Windjammer 3065,pulls great! Just so you know a Hensley Arrow, ProPride will fit on a V-nose trailer. On some V-nose the wieght distb. Post's are in front of the doors but you can pull a pin and they are out of the way! (Hensley Arrow,ProPride) You just need to decide if $2500+ is worth it for a hitch like that. Dont get me wrong they ARE the best hitches around for no sway. but we have an Equalizer and have experianced no sway problems at all. So its up to you !!

[SaskCampers]

This is an answer from Sean at ProPride when I asked about using the ProPride with our V-Lite.

Hi John,

We do have hitches on trailers like the V-Light. In fact, if you look at our Facebook page you'll see one on a Rockwood Windjammer. The front end is almost identical to the V-Light. The coupler is also a bottom mounted coupler. Go to http://www.Facebook.com/ProPride and click on the "Photos" tab. You can see the hitch on a V-nose trailer.

We make an extended drop hitch bar so the heights won't be a problem if you need one.

Sean

[hunt4240dw]

With the longer wheel base that my Tahoe, the Equl-i-zer brand hitch will be great. Just make sure you get the right weight hitch for the TT. The front kitchen units have a heavy hitch weight.

David

[mike2tall]

Thanks for all the replies. There is nothing better than experience. That is a good thing of forum boards. A place to learn from each other.

I have my beast of a TV now. Been looking long and hard for a 7.3 Excursion. Long wheelbase, tow capacity, people hauler, etc. I had my Suburban, loved the vehicle, but just not the same as the King of SUV's. I am also a diesel power lover. From being on the farm with tractors to my ZTR lawnmower to my daily driver 45mpg Jetta.

I wondered about the ProPride and Hensley especially since if the Equalizer works, why they wouldn't. It appears to depend on the length of the weight equalizer bars and how they attach.

Yes, the kitchen in the front makes for almost a thousand lb. tongue weight. The 2011's are less than the 2010's though. After all the research on the Ford Truck Excursion boards either different rear springs or air bags will be a necessity.

Thanks,
Mike

[kalik282]

Mike,
Congratulations on the new TV!

I also tow with an Excursion, (2004 6.0L PSD), and like the way it tows. I added air bags and an on-board compressor/switch to keep things level. I use the Reese Dual-Cam WD Hitch, and have no trouble with sway.

Happy camping!

John

[old guys]

We tow with an equalizer 4 point hitch and couldn't be happier. After some initial re-adjustments by our dealer on the rear bar mounts it towed even better. You are correct that the vfks has a quite heavy tongue weight so get a hitch that is heavy enough. Fine tuning to get the trailer sitting level for the load you are carrying is actually fairly simple to do yourself. Old Guys

[great white]

Don't have a V-lite, but I haul a 2011 831RLBSS with this:

Featured Product: Center Line

www.huskytow.com/FTP/PDF/P01045_HTCH_CenterLinePDF.pdf


No Complaints when towing.

However, it is subject to some of the limitations on a standard "equilizer" style hitch.

IE: You need to be inline with the trailer in order to remove the weight bars, etc....but you don't need to disconnect them to reverse.

I usually line up the trailer, remove the bars and then back it in to the spot.