Best WD/ sway control ?

[Vols]

what is the best available system for travel trailer towing? all companies say that they're the best. the the Hensley arrow looks good but wow expensive and suggestions?

[jackhartjr]

We got the Reese Dual-Cam system and LOVE it! No sway, even if a tractor-trailer passes, we don't feel it, if I drop the trailer off the edge of the road, when I bring it back on, it does not throw itself across the other lane.
Jack

[fonzie]

I have been using the ProPride 3P hitch on my 8319SS trailer (35 feet) through crosswinds of 70 km/h (45 mph), heavy rain, meeting transport trucks and large buses and IMHO is the best hitch on the market, no sway and no white knuckle, maybe more expensive but for safety I will save money somewhere else......

[tentcamper1]

Originally Posted by jackhartjr

We got the Reese Dual-Cam system and LOVE it! No sway, even if a tractor-trailer passes, we don't feel it, if I drop the trailer off the edge of the road, when I bring it back on, it does not throw itself across the other lane.
Jack

x2

[great white]

Husky centerline hitch here.

Active sway control, WD.

It's essentially an equil-i-zer hitch design with spring pots to help control/correct sway.

I pulled from west coast to east coast this year. Mountains, winds, weather, semi's, etc.

Not a hint of sway, no groaning or noise, not one complaint.

Well, I did break a spring plate in that 7000km pull. But Husky overnighted and entire hitch head assembly to me in a campground to replace it.

No cost.

Very impressive customer service.

[DDC]

Hensley is expensive but is the best one I've ever towed with. Can you really put a price on safety?

[hoffkm]

The only three hitches that change the geometry of towing a bumper pull trailer are the Propride, Hensley, and Pullrite. Any one of these three are the best from an engineering standpoint (and why I pull with a Hensley). Anything else limits or reduces the sway, it will never eliminate it due to the geometry of a bumper pull setup.

[bikendan]

if you did a search on your subject, on any RV forum, you'd find that the Equalizer and the Reese Dual-Cam are the most popular WDHs out there.
the reasons are that both have built-in sway control, they are both well priced for their features, and they are a quality product.
the Hensley and the Propride are both highly regarded but only you can decide if they are worth that much.
for most, the two mentioned above perform almost as well as the two expensive ones, for a lot less money.

IMHO, i liked the Equalizer's simplicity, compared to the Dual-Cam.

[Walke]

I have RV-ed with Husky, Equalizer and Reese, they all CONTROL sway and do their job as a weight distribution device. They are priced under $1000 and are a reasonable way to have adequete safety when towing.
The best engineered hitch as stated above is the Hensley, ProPride type of hitch. We now have a Hensley and it is the best when you do not put a price on total safety. One way to describe the difference is to say this, if you know the difference between "steering your TV and TT combination down the road" and "driving your TV and TT combination down the road" don't stop until you have purchased a Hensley hitch. The feeling of a TT following your every move at any speed with complete control and solid response is the true feeling that you are DRIVING and not STEERING your rig.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by jackhartjr

We got the Reese Dual-Cam system and LOVE it! No sway, even if a tractor-trailer passes, we don't feel it, if I drop the trailer off the edge of the road, when I bring it back on, it does not throw itself across the other lane.
Jack

X-3

[BigRed]

I have had an equalizer-4pt (which I liked and had very little sway issues)and just purchased Hensley Arrow this year. The Hensley Arrow is hands down the best "NO-SWAY" hitch out there,very noticable difference!. The Pro-Pride 3P is just as good,I like orange better than black otherwise I'd go Pro-pride. Anyway same person designed both. If you have the money and safety is important....go with Hensley Arrow or the Pro-Pride. As was mentioned above the Equalizer and others just control the sway. The Hensley and Pro-Pride eliminate the sway "Period", with the design the trailer can't sway period ! If I knew what I know now I would have bought the Hensley Arrow or Pro-pride right off the bat!. I have even purchased a Hensley for our 20'- Inclosed Cargo Trailer,what a difference pulling that also ! As far as I'm concerned, if you have a family spend the extra money for the best hitch and safety !!!

[jackhartjr]

BigRed, you said, "As was mentioned above the Equalizer and others just control the sway."
I would say that the Duel-Cam also eliminates the sway too!
Jack

[BigRed]

The dual-cam also controls sway,per there web site. It doesn't stop sway. The Pro-Pride and Hensley "Stop" sway because its physically impossible for the trailer to sway because of the geometry of the hitch.

[great white]

Meh, control sway prevent sway.......whatever. That's a discussion that will never end. You just have to go to any RV site to find proof that it will never be a settled point.

As long as the freakin thing doesn't sway I could care less.

Both get the job done.

Just don't cheap out and thoroughly research what you plan to go with for your particular setup.

[jackhartjr]

Well said great white!
All I know is that no matter how fast I go, or what I pass or what passes me, it don't sway!
Jack

[Walke]

If you are steering your rig fast, or steering your rig past other vehicles, you will have no sway with "sway control" hitches. If you ever have a panic situation where you have to "drive" (swerve) your way out of danger, only the Hensley or ProPride will FOLLOW your tow vehicle with solid control.

[Terier]

Must say I've never encounter any sway while towing with a sway control other than the top 2 choices mentioned. Maybe it's because I never been in a panic or danger situation but I do tow around big rigs in the general Los Angeles areas. I also need to mention that the speed limit on freeways here when towing is 55 mph which might play a role in this too.

I don't doubt the top 2 choices here are the top choices but I think there can be other good choices out there too that provide safety as well. On the other hand there many poor choices out there too.

[great white]

Originally Posted by Walke

If you are steering your rig fast, or steering your rig past other vehicles, you will have no sway with "sway control" hitches. If you ever have a panic situation where you have to "drive" (swerve) your way out of danger, only the Hensley or ProPride will FOLLOW your tow vehicle with solid control.

Well, as I said, this conversation is one that can go on forever and it has on many sites.

Admittedly, I've never used a Hensley or a PP so I can't speak to how well they do or do not work.

But I can speak to how well my setup works.

I have made avoidance maneuvers with my rig:



Including, but not limited to, avoiding cars pulling into my lane while traveling 65 mph+, avoiding cars pulling out in front of me at intersections, last minute changes at interstate toll booths (don't ask!) and pulling the trailer back on to the road after it has jumped a shoulder while traveling through a construction zone.

The scariest and most telling event was a semi deciding he wanted back into the outside lane at about 60 mph and he just started coming over.

With authority!

I don't know if he didn't look, was frigging with the radio, fumbling with a smoke, was falling asleep or just missed it but I had no choice but to literally YANK it over to the shoulder. I had to go so far ALL the LH tires (truck and trailer) left the road surface and were tracking through soft gravel at around 55 mph (sorry, was a bit too busy to look down at the speedo to be exact with the speed!).
Once I'd dropped back enough, I made my way back on to the paved surface. No muss, no fuss. Trailer tracked straight and true through it all. Well, no muss/fuss other than my sudden urgent need to find a rest stop and go for a 20 minute walk....

This is well outside of the normal push/pull of a semi or cross winds on the plains. I've towed through all that also.

Up and down the west coast, Continental divide, prairies, plains, appalachians, coastal. You name it, I've towed through it (well, I draw the line at snow so far).

I've also towed this rig through the Canadian NWT. if you want to find out if you rig is going to move around one you, head north to what is termed "roads". If it doesn't squirm around on you there, it never will.

I'm not retired, so when I get an opportunity to go, I go. Weather and other conditions are what they are.

I'm also military, so when they say I'm moving, I'm moving. Pack the house up, hook up the trailer and move the family. Whenever and where ever. That's a big reason why I've towed in bad conditions/traffic/etc. Waiting for better conditions is just not an option.

Never once has it "whipped" the truck, never once has it done anything other than follow the truck in it's tracks (as much as any trailer can that is).

Maybe my setup is just really "dialed in", maybe the Husky Centerline has attributes better than other wd/sway hitches. It is not a very commonly used hitch after all. It's basically a WD/sway hitch with it's own "special twist".

Honestly, I can't tell you What's the deciding factor with my rig. Probably all of it taken together.

But I won't be changing the Husky out for an H/PP anytime in the forseeable future.

Like I said, I could care less how it does it as long as it gets the job done.

Nothing personal in this response either, just some real world experiences with one specific hitch, one specific truck and one specific trailer.

[BigRed]

I'll stop after this......there is a big difference between a trailer that could sway and Can't sway...the Hensley and Pro-Pride can not sway! Period,all the others can under curtain conditions sway. The only conversation that can go on and on is which of the 2 "NO SWAY" hitches are better (Pro-Pride 3P or the Hensley Arrow). That is why I'll always mention both when talking about hitches. Because you can argue over and over which is better. Also if you haven't ever pulled or seen a Hensley Arrow or Pro-Pride how can you make a statement as if you know?? I have pulled with both types. The poster asked for information on what is the best of the best hitch. Is it expensive yes but worth every penny for the people that have purchased one. I have never heard of one person the bought a Hensley or Pro-Pride that didnt like it. -- Nothing personal either just real world experiences with "2" different types of hitches and which is better in my experience and how each is designed. -- Peace !

[Terier]

I gather from all I have read on various websites the two top choices are the top two choices based upon experience. Where I'm coming from is some of the replies can sometimes come across like if we are not using one of the top 2 choices we are playing with danger.

I have no problem with people supporting those two particular brands at all or even informing others of what the difference could be. So many people here have so much valuable information to share so please keep on sharing.

Now it sounds like I'm flip-flopping all over. Maybe I'm not making much sense as I am still recovering from a concussion from being rear ended on the freeway the other night. Leaving the hitch in place protected the truck but gave me one big headache. Right now focusing takes more effort so I might not be using the right words.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that I may not have one of the top 2 choices but what I have is gets the job done too.