What hitch set are you using with your 30ft and longer trailers

[shadow7663]

Just recently upgraded from a 23ft TT to a PT Avenger 33BHS TT with a over all length of 36'10". Just curious to see what everyone else is using for a WD/Sway control set up on these long trailers and how much sway you are experiencing?

When we bought ours from the dealer they did not educate us on these systems and they set us up with old Pro Series 1000/10,000 WD with friction control anti sway system which did great on the 23footer but not so good on the longer unit. I was able to research the Equal-I-zer brand and found a great deal on a 1year old 1200/12,000 system on Craigslist. Bought it and set it up on the TV which is a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab with the Cummins Diesel.

After set up and all hooked up the TV my front end only sits 1/8 of an inch higher and the rear is the same height hooked up as it is not hooked up ( not hooked to the trailer at all). After about a 40 mile test drive it did considerably better but still had some sway, With that said, wind gusts coming from the side during test drive were 20-25mph. Is this normal or do I need to make more adjustments?
PS the trailer is loaded as it would be for a trip

[jgroff]

i'm not expert but did you check your hitch weight? web has it sitting right at 10%. maybe have to put more up front to increase it and see what it does. then adjsut the wdh

[Sgt. Schultz]

We are pulling the same unit, last year we used the pro series with 1k/10k as well - I found that balancing the weight was a key issue. With the layout it is really easy to rear load & lighten the tongue if not careful.
For this year I am switching out the OEM receiver in the truck to a 16k with 1600 WDH limit to allow for heavier bars and more tongue weight & switching to an E2 with 1200 trunion bars from the pro series.
Even though it towed well last year I think these changes are in order to accommodate a factory directed suspension change that raised the unit 4 - 6"
IMHO keep the tongue weight around 12% GVW to get the best towing

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by shadow7663

I was able to research the Equal-I-zer brand and found a great deal on a 1year old 1200/12,000 system on Craigslist. Bought it and set it up on the TV which is a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab with the Cummins Diesel.

That Equal-i-zer should work well with that trailer.

Originally Posted by shadow7663

After set up and all hooked up the TV my front end only sits 1/8 of an inch higher and the rear is the same height hooked up as it is not hooked up ( not hooked to the trailer at all).

If you are doing the fender measurements and not inflating airbags, then I don't see how those measurements are possible. When you hook up 1000 lbs. to your truck, then something has got to settle.

Originally Posted by shadow7663

After about a 40 mile test drive it did considerably better but still had some sway, With that said, wind gusts coming from the side during test drive were 20-25mph. Is this normal or do I need to make more adjustments?
PS the trailer is loaded as it would be for a trip

Loaded for a trip is good. 20-25 mph winds can cause some sway, especially with a 37' trailer......but should not cause excessive lane movement. IMHO, you need to head to some scales to see to see what is going on with your setup.

This is copied from a previous post of mine on how to weight on CAT scales.

Ideally, you should do 3 weigh-ins. Most CAT scales just charge $1 or so for reweighs.

Without changing any cargo or passenger seat arrangement, and 1 axle (consider the 2 trailer axles as 1) completely on a different section of scales:

1 weight with the SUV and trailer with the spring bars in place.

1 weight with the SUV and trailer without the spring bars in place.

1 weight with just the SUV without the trailer. Again, leave passengers and cargo just like they were with the previous weigh-ins.

The weight of the 2 SUV axles with the trailer hooked up without the spring bars in place minus the weight of the 2 SUV axles without the trailer will give you true tongue weight.

The front axle of the SUV with the trailer hooked up and spring bars in place should be equal to or very close to the weight of the truck without the trailer.

Substitute truck for SUV.

You can also weigh on a single platform scale, but is a little more difficult with some calculations thrown in.

[mlong]

My dealer set me up with a Blue Ox Sway Pro 1000/10,000 WDH. My TT is only 30' and TV is a Silverado 1500. Driving home from the dealership on the interstate at 65 mph I had no problem with swaying. THis is my first experience using a WDH so I don't have much to go by. I just know it is easy to use. I will know better after this weekend as we are taking our first trip which is a 1 hr drive on the interstate.

Blue Ox - Weight Distribution

[comfun1]

I used to have a Reese. Two years ago we bought a new trailer and I bought an Andersen Hitch, works great no grease, no noise, no heavy bars. I'm sold on it.

[MagnoliaTom]

I just recently bought a Husky centerline hitch off CL. Much better than the regular round bars and sway control friction bars. The centerline hitch has the 1400 pound bars and sway is virtually eliminated. My trailer is the same length as yours and I tow mine mostly with a diesel Excursion. After I'm hooked up, my rear end is about 3/4" lower than unloaded and front is about 1/2" or so lower. I've only towed twice with it so I am still getting a feel for whether it is truly dialed in.

[mlong]

Originally Posted by comfun1

I used to have a Reese. Two years ago we bought a new trailer and I bought an Andersen Hitch, works great no grease, no noise, no heavy bars. I'm sold on it.

I never saw that hitch before. Very interesting concept. The Blue Ox bars are not as heavy as many others, the grease is contained within the fittings and there really is no noise. I also like the fact that I do not need to remove the bars when backing up.

If I'm ever in the market again I will definitely consider the Anderson.

[shadow7663]

Thanks for all of the replies so far. I'm going to hit a scale in the next few days and see exactly what is happening with the tongue weight. Also I am going to find a different "flat spot" and double check all of the measurements just to be sure and report back.

[another_newfie]

With our TT we used an equal-I-zer hitch Equal-i-zer® Hitch - The “American Original� with 4-Point Sway Control™ and Weight Distribution.

Worked flawlessly in tens of thousands of towing miles.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by MtnGuy

...If you are doing the fender measurements and not inflating airbags, then I don't see how those measurements are possible. When you hook up 1000 lbs. to your truck, then something has got to settle.

Don't remember the tongue wt on our tt, but with the bars engaged, the front fender measurements were around 1/8"-1/4" lower and the rear was about the same amount. In other words, the whole truck lowered around 1/8"-1/4".

The 5er does about the same but I have to air up the airbags to get it back to unloaded height.

[fonzie]

I'm using ProPride 3P hitch with 1400lbs bars and no sway.......

Trailer Sway Control Hitch Guaranteed to Eliminate Trailer Sway - ProPride 3P

[DDC]

I use a Hensley, unit is level and no sway.

[shadow7663]

UPDATE!!!! Issue resolved

This was eating me alive so I just couldn't wait any longer. After further inspection I noticed the passenger side "L" bracket was one hole lower than the drivers side.....(my fault) Raised it to match the drivers side went on a test run. It was noticeably better but still a tad bit of sway in 18-20mph wind gusts. Made another adjustment mid trip by raising BOTH "L" brackets another notch and bingo sway is gone.

Did another set of measurements and found after my last adjustment the rear of the truck is sitting 3/4 of an inch lower then when it's empty and steer axle stayed the same as when empty. Thanks again for all of the replies and hope someone can learn from my mistake....LOL

[Platokidd]

equal-I-zer 14k on my long tt , works good and no sway!

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Don't remember the tongue wt on our tt, but with the bars engaged, the front fender measurements were around 1/8"-1/4" lower and the rear was about the same amount. In other words, the whole truck lowered around 1/8"-1/4".

The 5er does about the same but I have to air up the airbags to get it back to unloaded height.

Chevy recommends not to have the front squat lower then stock height.