New Hitch Selection ??

[ProfessorRay]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. We recently purchased a 2021 Rockwood 2506S that we will pick up in a month. I'm trying to learn about the correct sway control hitch to purchase. What is the difference between the steel bars versus the /bars in the weight distribution hitches? Any suggestions on which hitch to purchase?? I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4. Thanks for any advice.

[Chris Pastuzyn]

Congratulations on your New camper, Welcome to the forum from New Jersey, I have the Blue Ox and haven't had any issues, Nice and quiet 2 grease points,You will get many options from the knowledgeable people here.

[Ole_blue]

An equalizer brand hitch will serve you well also. I like how all points of contact help control the sway. They are a bit noisy but get over it and drive. Only noisy at gas stations and rv camp sites.

I would look for used and repaint if needed to save. I paid a buck fifty for mine in New condition.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Ole_blue

An equalizer brand hitch will serve you well also. I like how all points of contact help control the sway. They are a bit noisy but get over it and drive. Only noisy at gas stations and rv camp sites.

I would look for used and repaint if needed to save. I paid a buck fifty for mine in New condition.

If you're talking about the actual 4 point Equal-i-zer WDH, you can get Bracket Jackets for the L-brackets which help decrease a lot of the noise.

[Ole_blue]

Originally Posted by bikendan

If you're talking about the actual 4 point Equal-i-zer WDH, you can get Bracket Jackets for the L-brackets which help decrease a lot of the noise.

I would but have a yukon I pull with thats a short wheel base. I need every bit of sway control I can get so when I get caught around a car hauler I can keep it between the lines.

[kcmusa]

I have the equalizer and it works for me. It has steel bars that control sway and act as weight distribution.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Ole_blue

I would but have a yukon I pull with thats a short wheel base. I need every bit of sway control I can get so when I get caught around a car hauler I can keep it between the lines.

Bracket Jackets don't affect sway control, on the 4 point Equal-i-zer.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Ole_blue

I would but have a yukon I pull with thats a short wheel base. I need every bit of sway control I can get so when I get caught around a car hauler I can keep it between the lines.

Where did you get a new 4 point Equal-i-zer for $150? I got mine 14 years ago for $400 and that was cheapest price I could find.

[jay2703]

I've used both the Anderson No-Sway and the Fastway e2 WDH's. Both seemed to stop the bounce and the sway. I think the e2 is a little easier to hook up and unhook. I use the electric tongue jack to lift the truck/trailer and set the spring bars.

[Ole_blue]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Bracket Jackets don't affect sway control, on the 4 point Equal-i-zer.

Not trying to argue but I honestly thought the 4 points of sway control were the 2 at the hitch and then each end of the bar dragging along the hanger. If I used the sliding bushings, wouldn't it just be 2 points?

When I grease it up per instruction manual, it's a lot quiter but I couldn't give a crap about the noise. I'm not embarrassed, it works. Grease only last about 1 trip.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Where did you get a new 4 point Equal-i-zer for $150? I got mine 14 years ago for $400 and that was cheapest price I could find.

The way I read it was "Like New" being "USED"! Youroo!!

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by ProfessorRay

Hello, I'm new to this forum. We recently purchased a 2021 Rockwood 2506S that we will pick up in a month. I'm trying to learn about the correct sway control hitch to purchase. What is the difference between the steel bars versus the /bars in the weight distribution hitches? Any suggestions on which hitch to purchase?? I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4. Thanks for any advice.

Look into the Andersen . no grease needed and works like a charm .

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Ole_blue

Not trying to argue but I honestly thought the 4 points of sway control were the 2 at the hitch and then each end of the bar dragging along the hanger. If I used the sliding bushings, wouldn't it just be 2 points?

When I grease it up per instruction manual, it's a lot quiter but I couldn't give a crap about the noise. I'm not embarrassed, it works. Grease only last about 1 trip.

The plastic bushings reduce the friction but they don't remove it. They still reduce sway, but perhaps to a lesser degree.. You should NEVER apply grease to the slide area. The factory recommend grease points are where the bars PIVOT on the hitch, not on the slide area.

[Tundra 2014]

The Equal-I-Zer w/ bracket jackets. They are very adjustable, just make sure you get the right weight range as the 10K and 12K use different heads, bars are not interchangeable. We have pulled over 25K w/ this set-up, very pleased. I had two different WDHs prior, this is the best so far for the price. The jackets keep it from sounding like you are "Crushing Rocks" at low speed tight turns. The sound does not hurt anything, just got tired of other campers looking at us as we drive through the campground. People said the sound would go away as it wore in, ours did not. You will see many campers using this WDH.
The Henleys and Pro-Rides are good also, but more than double the price.

[CaptnJohn]

Only need to know 2 things,

TT = Equalizer 4 point with sway control
5er = B&W

[jjuscg]

Originally Posted by MR.M

Look into the Andersen . no grease needed and works like a charm .

Equalizer works well, as do many others. However, most are VERY heavy to handle. If you're old enough to start noticing weight lifting is painful, look at the Anderson. Easy to use and less than half the weight.

I got mine about a year ago. It doesn't seem to equalize the load as well as the torsion bar styles, but is certainly adequate unless you're dealing with really high tongue weight. But my experience is that it is FAR superior in sway control - no more white knuckle incidents when the semi's pass, and my back is much happier too!!

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

Only need to know 2 things,

TT = Equalizer 4 point with sway control
5er = B&W

You mean 3 things......TV = RAM

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

You mean 3 things......TV = RAM

Not if it's a Ram 1500![emoji38]

[SailorSam20500]

Just my view of this kind of discussion and only applies to bumper pull trailers...
Most folks will swear by the specific hitch they own. Personally, from my reading, the breakdown between which hitch in a specific group is pretty much equal - take your pick.

The first two groups rely on some form of friction to absorb and dissipate sway energy. According to an engineering study done in England, there is a maximum on the amount of energy the hitch can manage. Will you exceed that maximum and have major problems is unknown until it happens. Many folks on this and other forums report that they have never experienced it. It seems that the recommendation for using these hitches is that after you sent the trailer on the ball and lock it down, you use your tongue jack to raise the rear of your truck enough so that you can apply the WD bars without a lot of effort. This procedure is reversed for unhitching. At least one experienced tower on this forum thought he had raised his TV enough to remove the tension, he was wrong and as he released one of the bars, it snapped loose and busted his toe. I have read of other injuries reported when folks were applying or releasing the tension from their WD bars. From my reading, all hitches in the first two groups require you to somehow store the WD bars while not towing. Some of these have issues with greasy surfaces that can be annoying. Some of these hitches dissipate the energy by two pieces of metal under tension sliding across each other - this is where the noise comes from. Some are louder than others. Put grease in the wrong spot and you disable sway control. One thing that seems to be different in some of these hitches is the weight - so check if that is important to you. As I recall, Anderson seems to be in the light class.

So in the lowest class ,by cost, are various non-integrated WD/sway setups. Figure a cost of up to about $500 new. Some of these recommend disabling the sway control when backing up or in wet weather.
Second group is the integrated sway/WD group. Cost of up to about $900. May have better anti-sway capabilities. Seems like none of these require that you disable the anti-sway to back up. Group includes among others Equalizer 4 point, Blue Ox, etc.

Third group and significantly more expensive includes Pull-Rite and the near twin Hensley and Propride. These three hitches are claimed to be sway elimination hitches. They work by moving the effective hitch point very close to the TV rear axle. As such they tow "like" a fifth wheel. Pull-Rite is a custom installed hitch and is not available for all TVs and most likely cannot be moved to a new TV. Hensley and Propride are based on patented technology developed and licensed by a guy named Jim Hensley. It uses geometry and a set of linkages to allow the TV to turn normally but prevents the trailer from initiating a pivot (sway} at the hitch point. These two hitch heads are semi-permanently attached to the trailer and are heavier than the others. Many claim these hitches significantly increase TW, however a valid argument against this and claimed by others is that because the design increases the distance from your trailer axles to the hitch point, the effective difference in tongue weight is generally in the range of +/- 25 lbs. One other side benefit of this increase in distance, you will almost certainly be able to drop a trucks tailgate while hitched up, not possible for many using other hitches.


My view is that sway control increases as you go from the first to third group. The middle group will probably control somewhere near 90-95% of sway occurrences. The third gets you somewhere near 98%. If you have a backup camera on your TV, once you master the learning curve for these hitches, you will be able to hitch and un-hitch faster than with any other WD hitch, all things considered. WD bars are also permanently attached to the hitch head, so no need to store them separately. WD bars are put under tension by using a jack on the Hensley Cub and Arrow along with the Propride, no chance of breaking a toe or sustaining other related injuries.

In my reading, I have seen lots of posts of folks asking for help "dialing in" hitches in the first two groups when the poster has experienced uncomfortable sway. This is especially common where the trailer dealer installed the hitch or they moved the hitch to a new trailer or got a new TV. Folks starting out with hitches in last group will post that they have a problem hitching up, in my mind, an easily learned skill.



Which is the "BEST" hitch is very subjective. Lots of trade-offs. The obvious one for the last group is cost. Properly used and understood, all are good options if you consider all of your requirements.


I own and am very satisfied with my Propride which I think is marginally better than a Hensley.


A way to reduce cost on any hitch is to buy used. Hensley and Proprides come up for sale when the owner moves to a fifth wheel trailer, otherwise they tend to move them from one trailer to another. It seems to me that other hitches are available used because the owner is getting out of RVing or have become sufficiently unhappy with them that they are trying a different brand.


Good luck with your decision and safe travels

[CurtPutnam]

Welcome from Southern California!
The Andersen is the lightest of the WDH hitches and IMO the easiest to hook and unhook. No need to lever up bars are remove bars that may be under stress. We moved from a Husky Centerline