How do you know what hitch to buy?

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by KMU

I bought a 33' 273 qbxl. 6,000 UVW, 750 hitch weight, 1,724 ccc. Will be towed with a 2015 Silverado 2500 w/ tow package. I'm having a tough time trying to pick the right hitch for this setup. I really don't won't to spend $3k either. Any suggestions or guidance on how to buy the correct hitch would be appreciated. The dealer recommended a blue ox sway pro.

Get the Andersen it's perfect for your set up . I've towed my 9300lbs TH with my 03 chevy 2500 and it works perfect . now i tow with a 2019 chevy 2500 and the Andersen is all you need . no messing with bars or excessive WHD hitch weights . the Andersen is light and works like a charm .

[D W]

Originally Posted by KMU

I bought a 33' 273 qbxl. 6,000 UVW, 750 hitch weight, 1,724 ccc. Will be towed with a 2015 Silverado 2500 w/ tow package. I'm having a tough time trying to pick the right hitch for this setup. I really don't won't to spend $3k either. Any suggestions or guidance on how to buy the correct hitch would be appreciated. The dealer recommended a blue ox sway pro.

You don't have to spend $3K for a WDH. With a proper set-up you can get the same results for thousands less. Observe your weights and balances when loading your TT and you won't have to worry about sway, either. The most common mistake made is folks purchasing a WDH with a short shank and they later find out they can't open their tailgate when hooked up. I would never tow 750 lbs plus tongue weight without a WDH. It makes it a lot easier on the TV. There's another thread going on in this forum concerning someone who is towing a rig the size of yours with a big ol' diesel 3500 without a WDH. On his first 600 mile trip he found his front tires wearing abnormally on the outer edges (feathering). He stated he had only minimal "sag" on the rear of the TV. Apparently, that little bit of "sag" is enough to take weight off of the steering axle and negatively affect the steering geometry.

Not going to tell you what WDH to buy, just providing info for your decision.

[camshaft]

Originally Posted by D W

You don't have to spend $3K for a WDH. With a proper set-up you can get the same results for thousands less. Observe your weights and balances when loading your TT and you won't have to worry about sway, either. The most common mistake made is folks purchasing a WDH with a short shank and they later find out they can't open their tailgate when hooked up. I would never tow 750 lbs plus tongue weight without a WDH. It makes it a lot easier on the TV. There's another thread going on in this forum concerning someone who is towing a rig the size of yours with a big ol' diesel 3500 without a WDH. On his first 600 mile trip he found his front tires wearing abnormally on the outer edges (feathering). He stated he had only minimal "sag" on the rear of the TV. Apparently, that little bit of "sag" is enough to take weight off of the steering axle and negatively affect the steering geometry.

Not going to tell you what WDH to buy, just providing info for your decision.

Good post. I'm certainly not questioning those who wouldn't use a WDH with the Op's setup, but I went from a Toyota Tundra (where that WDH was crucial) to a Chevy 3500. While I can pull my camper without the WDH, it is soooo much better with it attached that I'm going to continue to use it.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by D W

I would never tow 750 lbs plus tongue weight without a WDH. It makes it a lot easier on the TV.

Ridiculous sir...I prefer 1500 tongue weight over 1000 with my trailer all day. No wdh. Heavy tongue weight on a tv that can handle it makes a better tow. Where do you get this stuff?

Originally Posted by D W

There's another thread going on in this forum concerning someone who is towing a rig the size of yours with a big ol' diesel 3500 without a WDH. On his first 600 mile trip he found his front tires wearing abnormally on the outer edges (feathering). He stated he had only minimal "sag" on the rear of the TV. Apparently, that little bit of "sag" is enough to take weight off of the steering axle and negatively affect the steering geometry.

Not going to tell you what WDH to buy, just providing info for your decision.

The other thread is about a Ram that for sure in the past had a very low hitch weight before requiring a wdh (probably still do but I haven't had one in a few years). It has nothing to do with how the Chevy performed while being tested at its maximum tongue weight for handling under SAE J2807.

Its not magic. Its not guess work. It is tested and proven. What applies to Ford or Ram or GM has nothing to do with the others. They are tested individually and assigned a rating that meets how they passed the test.

[Bhrava]

While you don't NEED WDH, you will need sway control. I don't care what anyone says, no matter what the truck is capable of handling for weight, all it takes is misloading the trailer with too much tail weight and a strong wind to leave skid marks in your undies, wishing you had listened and got a 4 point sway hitch.

First thing you want to do is look at the GVWR of the trailer, and multiply that by 13% which is the optimal weight percentage for a travel trailer. Example, 7600 GVWR is 988 pounds. Now whichever 4 point system you choose, Blue Ox worked well for me, or any of the Equilizer types that use friction spring bars for the sway, select the spring bars closest to that weight, so for this example, select 1000 pound bars if available, or the closest to it without going over. You don't want 800 pound bars for 900 pound tongue, they wont work, likewise you don't want 1500 pound either, you will never get enough tension on either to activate the sway control.

Thats it in a nutshell, good luck with your choice.

[rdolan5]

Bite the bullet and get a Hensley or ProPride hitch! You won't be sorry!

[Hank1967]

I also have the Husky Centerline TS Part #32217 with 800 - 1200 lb bars,
Rated for 800 lb max tongue weight, 8000 lb max trailer weight.
TV is 2019 Tahoe with towing package, trailer is Tracer Breeze RBS20 which Weighs about 5200 lb on the CAT scale.
In 10 - 12 trips so far, no trouble at all. No sway, pulls good in wind.

[CurtPutnam]

The equalizer is a great hitch but not everyone likes messing with the bars. Check out the Andersen as an alternative. We have the 2½" receiver and use the hitch to pull close to 9K lbs. We traded up from a Husky Center Line and very happy we did.

[Mike134]

As you can see it's like asking should I buy a Ford, Chevy, or Ram. Seems if you stay away from the old fashioned add on friction bar for sway control you'll be happy.

[flyflotrtim]

Originally Posted by bikendan

My recommendation too!

Another vote for Equal-izer. However as you can see most of us like what we are using.

[dmayo13]

Originally Posted by KMU

I bought a 33' 273 qbxl. 6,000 UVW, 750 hitch weight, 1,724 ccc. Will be towed with a 2015 Silverado 2500 w/ tow package. I'm having a tough time trying to pick the right hitch for this setup. I really don't won't to spend $3k either. Any suggestions or guidance on how to buy the correct hitch would be appreciated. The dealer recommended a blue ox sway pro.

I have had 3 different TT wd hitches and my current one is the Andersen wd which also controls sway w/o having bars. The Andersen is the best I have had by far. It is also light so hitching and unhitching is much easier. Costs about $500 and worth EVERY penny.

[Sturge8]

I have a 31' trailer at 7400lb dry weight. I pull it with a 2015 Ram 2500 Cummins. I selected the Andersen 'No-Sway' Weight Distribution Hitch. I love it! Easy to install/attach and adjust for traveling. My Trailer and truck are well balanced and very slight sway. And you can back up with it attached. This hitch didn't cost me an arm n leg either. Also another great feature is the whole apparatus is very light weight. About half the weight of my previous set-up, so I don't have to struggle. This is a hitch set-up to take a look at.

[NJKris]

etrailer.com has a great WDH selector. It's how I decided on proper sway bars at my hitch weight. Too much is just as bad as not enough.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Bhrava

While you don't NEED WDH, you will need sway control. I don't care what anyone says, no matter what the truck is capable of handling for weight, all it takes is misloading the trailer with too much tail weight and a strong wind to leave skid marks in your undies, wishing you had listened and got a 4 point sway hitch.

...

I don't need sway control. I understand loading, axle placement, pendulum affect and I do my part in proper trailer loading -every single time I load. Sway is not brought on by some magic...it requires an outside force (f/e wind) applied to improper loading on a poor design. Remove the improper loading and there is no sway.

Sway control is not a band-aid for one to not do their due diligence on properly loading a trailer. Nor will it save you from an improperly loaded a trailer. At best it will help on a marginal set-up. Improper loading is the root cause...start there and it ends there.

[phillyg]

If you're asking about the receiver hitch that bolts to your TV frame, you need one rated for 10000/1000lbs.

[Rick J]

Whatever you buy DO NOT GET THE ANDERSEN!! I tow trailers for a living and have my own scales. The Andersen does not transfer any weight back to the trailer axles or steer axle. We use Blue Ox Anti Sway.

[hobienick]

Originally Posted by Rick J

Whatever you buy DO NOT GET THE ANDERSEN!! I tow trailers for a living and have my own scales. The Andersen does not transfer any weight back to the trailer axles or steer axle. We use Blue Ox Anti Sway.

Rick, you have made this statement a few times on this site. Can you help me understand what I am seeing with my Andersen WDH. When I hitch my TT up to my F150 without a WDH the rear is low. I can see this by looking at the wheel well gap at the front wheels vs the rear wheels. I measure the difference in the gap to be sure that I am not seeing things. I also measure the distance of the receiver tube to the pavement.

When I hook up the chains on the Andersen and adjust them properly I am able to even out the gaps at the wheel wells. I am also able to raise the distance of the receiver tube. Effectively, I am returning the TV to level without the help of air bags or other leveling devices.

If the Andersen is not moving weight off of the rear axel of the TV, what is it doing? I would really like to understand what is happening.

[CurtPutnam]

Originally Posted by Rick J

Whatever you buy DO NOT GET THE ANDERSEN!! I tow trailers for a living and have my own scales. The Andersen does not transfer any weight back to the trailer axles or steer axle. We use Blue Ox Anti Sway.

I, too, have evidence that contradicts your statements. I have a heavier truck and a heavier trailer with which the Andersen effectively transfers weight to the front axle as well as very effectively controlling sway. It does this more effectively than my Husky Centerline. My wife can handle it - unlike the Husky.

The only reports I have read to the contrary are with grossly mismatched TV & TT - as in trying to tow a 10K trailer on a Ram 1500. That RAM is going to squat no matter what.

[SailorSam20500]

Something to think about which I have yet to see a good discussion of. How much WD is needed for a given hitch to provide sway protection. It's my understanding that the pure friction units increase the sway control as the pressure on the sliding metal surfaces increases. For a pure sway bar (no WD), that is the amount of tension applied when installing. I've read that on these, sway control is very negatively affected if they get wet. For certain, you can run a Propride or Hensley with zero WD and still get full sway control.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

It's my understanding that the pure friction units increase the sway control as the pressure on the sliding metal surfaces increases. I've read that on these, sway control is very negatively affected if they get wet. For certain, you can run a Propride or Hensley with zero WD and still get full sway control.

You are correct for example an Equalizer 4pt relies on friction to decrease the trailers attempt to sway. Any type of lubrication including water will decrease it. The more pressure you put on the spring bars to transfer weight to the front axle the more friction you will have. Does it justify spending 3K for a propride?