What WDH/Sway Control would you recommend

[Crockett]

Anderson- dont really like the engineering. At first look,, it looked as if the center post needed to protrude further down to get better mechanical advantage for WD. (i.e. Chains parallel to frame and need more angle) also didnot like the horizontal loading on the ball by the coupler. Turns out one andersen issued bullitin has already been released about failures with one style of coupler. Ok prolly for lighter trailers, still dont like the sliding hangers.

Equalizer- bullitproof, highly acclaimed and loved. Heavy models available for larger coaches. Old school thinking was spring bars need to flex a little to take shock loads off of the hitch and trailer frame. Equalizer has no part of this thinking. This is possibly the only drawback to this design. Anyone ever have any frame issues?? Damage from tongue to front of coach?

Hensley, propride, pullrite ect...-the best. Harder to distribute weight due to the distance trailer moved away from the tow vehicle. Some units are HD for larger trailers. Expensive.

Reese, ez-lift, drawtite- servicible when set up properly. 1200lb need the 1.5" trunnion. Otherwise they wear quickly. They do still wear though. Affordable. dual friction bars or dual cam necessary. Equalizer folks usually graduated from these designs.

Blue Ox- I put this setup ina different catagory because it is relatively new and has enough design features to be considered unique. It looks durable and functional with spring bars to absorb impacts. Looking for Blue Ox users to weigh in and post up previous equipment vs. the Blue Ox design...

[schrederman]

As little as there is to the Andersen, I was shocked at the price...

[Crockett]

and I do apologize about my ignorance to the previous threads about the Blue Ox. Im curious as to whether the chain hangers/tension bars have safety issues or function well as well as the anti-sway properties.

[tande]

I too, am interested in "Blue/Ox" testimony .........

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Crockett

Equalizer- bullitproof, highly acclaimed and loved. Heavy models available for larger coaches. Old school thinking was spring bars need to flex a little to take shock loads off of the hitch and trailer frame. Equalizer has no part of this thinking. This is possibly the only drawback to this design. Anyone ever have any frame issues?? Damage from tongue to front of coach?

Never heard of any kind of damage before. Is there a thread or post of this happening?

[clicker1944]

Propride 3P, you will never regret it!

[DodgeCamper]

I just took the rig out for another test run with the intention to pull off and make adjustments to the sway bar. I checked all tire pressures and added a few lbs here and there. But mostly cranked down the sway bar 1.5 more revolutions past where it was originally set. That made a world of difference. Still had just a little sway but I felt it was controllable. I did find that they gave me the 10,000 lbs Reese pro series. I think it's fine for now (a month or two) as we spend on other needed things for the very new RV'rs. ;-)

But I did make the decision to go with the Equalizer when I do go to a new upgraded hitch. I thought about just adding another sway bar for 50.00. Anyone running a dual sway bar setup?

[youroo]

Originally Posted by DodgeCamper

I just took the rig out for another test run with the intention to pull off and make adjustments to the sway bar. I checked all tire pressures and added a few lbs here and there. But mostly cranked down the sway bar 1.5 more revolutions past where it was originally set. That made a world of difference. Still had just a little sway but I felt it was controllable. I did find that they gave me the 10,000 lbs Reese pro series. I think it's fine for now (a month or two) as we spend on other needed things for the very new RV'rs. ;-)

But I did make the decision to go with the Equalizer when I do go to a new upgraded hitch. I thought about just adding another sway bar for 50.00. Anyone running a dual sway bar setup?

I don't know why you are (Cranking down 1.5 more Revolutions) the proper setting for the (Friction Bar Type is Tighten till it STOPS) NO other adjustment! Yes since you are using that type sway bars with that size Trailer,Put on another Sway bar and (Tighten it Down till it Stops also! Youroo!!

[Crockett]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

Never heard of any kind of damage before. Is there a thread or post of this happening?

no thread that im aware of, just giving some logic behind blue ox's decision to have bars that flex. I have seen frames that have driven upward into the box area of the coach, not sure whether that flex is WD induced or not. Usually on older well traveled units.

edit: WD manufacturers have claimed for some time that running too heavy a WD hitch is hard on the trailer frame. This too would seem to validate the concept.

[geotex1]

Crockett, only frame issues I've heard of from WDH use were on old C-channel A-frames. Think about the section modulus and the loading, the answer is quickly revealed why too.

[Crockett]

Originally Posted by geotex1

Crockett, only frame issues I've heard of from WDH use were on old C-channel A-frames. Think about the section modulus and the loading, the answer is quickly revealed why too.

Box frames are better no doubt. But todays sidewalls are rigid as a rock and intolerant of frame flex. It would seem coupling these style chassis with the rigidity of these sidewalls would focus bending moment forces at the A frame/front wall juncture. I have repaired later model coaches in this area(not the frame but the front wall). How much shock loading might be reduced by a flexible spring bar WD hitch is unknown to me.

[geotex1]

Originally Posted by Crockett

Box frames are better no doubt. But todays sidewalls are rigid as a rock and intolerant of frame flex. It would seem coupling these style chassis with the rigidity of these sidewalls would focus bending moment forces at the A frame/front wall juncture. I have repaired later model coaches in this area(not the frame but the front wall). How much shock loading might be reduced by a flexible spring bar WD hitch is unknown to me.

Depends on the frame design. There are various approaches to designing the A-frame. With many TT frames being "platform over rail" the real structural connection and reactions of the A-frame are direct to the rails and that front wall support sees hardly anything as it functions as a closure panel. Then "through platform" and "platform integrated" A-frames as you more commonly see on utility trailers and enclosed ball-tows react very differently. However, we're really sailing away from what the OP was inquiring about.

[Keith Seck]

I have been running my blue ox since last September and I love it. I had no sway with 40 mph winds.

[Crockett]

Originally Posted by geotex1

Depends on the frame design. There are various approaches to designing the A-frame. With many TT frames being "platform over rail" the real structural connection and reactions of the A-frame are direct to the rails and that front wall support sees hardly anything as it functions as a closure panel. Then "through platform" and "platform integrated" A-frames as you more commonly see on utility trailers and enclosed ball-tows react very differently. However, we're really sailing away from what the OP was inquiring about.

Though weve done some sailing I believe we were able to dock it on at least one concept. Deck over rail are not nearly as sensitive to an equalizer style WD hitch. You are correct, the frames I have had issues with are not deck over but "lite" duty and others that do not utilise that design. Thank you for the fairly obvious enlightenment...

[CharLou]

We just purchased a new TT, 7,200 GVWR and installed a new Andersen hitch and just drove 500 miles and it performed very well. Our old trailer had cam sway bars, which were heavy and cumbersome. I really like this new hitch. Performed better than the sway bar type hitch. Amazon had the best price.
It was easy to install, my wife and I assembled and installed in an hour.
Good luck.

[HONDAMAN174]

Update on my anderson. Short trip- 70 miles each way. Was a much more relaxed driving experience. Only movement was from buses passing but to be expected. Going to play with tire pressures on trailer next to see if can dial in closer- running D tires at 50 currently and will start to move up to see if setup gets better or worse.




We went with welding supports vs. weld brackets directly so can pull unit off if we move to other TT.


2014 Stealth Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7 "Clifford"

[Crockett]

[QUOTE=HONDAMAN174;801487]Update on my anderson. Short trip- 70 miles each way. Was a much more relaxed driving experience. Only movement was from buses passing but to be expected. Going to play with tire pressures on trailer next to see if can dial in closer- running D tires at 50 currently and will start to move up to see if setup gets better


We went with welding supports vs. weld brackets directly so can pull unit off if we move to other TT.

The welding of the bracket support is pretty much mandatory. I work with an RV rental yard next door and they ran with the Anderson hitch. All their coaches are smaller than yours, and from observation i doubted larger units would equalise. I see a fair amount of distorsion of the bushing. In a previous post you mentioned not being able to get the front down. Thats pretty critical to get suspension back to specs(caster, camber, toe in). Curious if this later pic is after the welding and if you were able to get it to equalise better or not?

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by driftinby

I'm new to all this with no prior WDH experiance. My research has the Anderson as my first choice for my F150 and new Grey Wolf 26dbh (31, 750# tw) but I'm concerned what happens to the hitch when either the TV or TT are on higher ground. Those road situations where the nose of the TV and back of the TT are up in the air and the safety chains are dragging. I see this being an issue when I bring the TT home and back it uphill into my driveway. Has anyone with the Anderson experienced this? Do you need to remove the triangle plate or loosen the WD tension?

You don't have to do anything when towing, backing up hill down hill etc . with a standard wd hitch yes you'll have to take off and anti sawy bars and most likely take off the bars on very tight angle where you have dips and rises when backing up

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by Crockett

no thread that im aware of, just giving some logic behind blue ox's decision to have bars that flex. I have seen frames that have driven upward into the box area of the coach, not sure whether that flex is WD induced or not. Usually on older well traveled units.

edit: WD manufacturers have claimed for some time that running too heavy a WD hitch is hard on the trailer frame. This too would seem to validate the concept.

you say wd did damage to the TT because of flex bars used . mostly to oder units . Same with the andersen . any coupler damaged had been used withg an old style wd before upgrading to the andersen . when coupler damage was noted it was on couplers that were 20 to 30 yrs old on Air streams and none knew if the damage was present before the switch .

you say you think the ball should protrude further down for better WD . when the way it's set up now the andersen offers better ed then by lengthening the shaft . the same forces are at play Andersen goes about it in a new and innovated way . standard wd add to bounce the andersen does not . std wd need to have added anti sway , the andersen does not .

can a std wd lift the rear end of a 1/2 ton truck towing a 10ton rig yes they make up for small TV . acutely making the roads more dangerous by people towing what they should not with an undersized truck

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

Update on my anderson. Short trip- 70 miles each way. Was a much more relaxed driving experience. Only movement was from buses passing but to be expected. Going to play with tire pressures on trailer next to see if can dial in closer- running D tires at 50 currently and will start to move up to see if setup gets better or worse.

Attachment 70978
Attachment 70979

We went with welding supports vs. weld brackets directly so can pull unit off if we move to other TT.


2014 Stealth Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7 "Clifford"

Looks good . you did mention soft suspension . that may cause a lack of WD . as your ass end may drop further then it may on a truck with a harder rear suspension