Weight Distribution Hitch Recommendation

[Wolfpup8115]

Great Day,

I am just back from my maiden trip with our new FR Wolf Pup. Even though my Tacoma TRD Offroad suspension is beefed up a bit, I still noticed sag and some funny feelings while towing. The Wolf Pup is a 16BHS. I know the tongue weight and load in the truck have a lot to do with the weight distribution. Can anyone recommend a hitch system for my rig?

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

[bergy]

You trying to start a rumble?

A lot of people really like the Equal-i-zer Hitch.

I went with a very similar but a bit cheaper Hitch, the Fastway e2.

[Guspech750]

My Equal-i-zer 4 Point Sway Control works darn good at keeping my Ford Expedition and Grey Wolf 23MK in-line on the road.

[timfromma]

There are 2 types of people.



1. The people who do it my way
2. The people who are wrong.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Wolfpup8115

Great Day,

I am just back from my maiden trip with our new FR Wolf Pup. Even though my Tacoma TRD Offroad suspension is beefed up a bit, I still noticed sag and some funny feelings while towing. The Wolf Pup is a 16BHS. I know the tongue weight and load in the truck have a lot to do with the weight distribution. Can anyone recommend a hitch system for my rig?

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

Unless it's a tiny trailer pulled by a huge truck my opinion is that everyone should use a weight distribution hitch. It's stabilizes the load helps level the trailer and tow vehicle to the position they should occupy and makes a big difference in controlling sway and other hazard conditions that might arise on the road.

That said you have a fairly lightweight rig I would look for the latest weight itch reasonably available. In fact I used a simple $300-ish Kurt when I was sporting 1400 lb bars. When I was sporting 1,000 lb bars and with a lighter load that only required 600 lb of bars.

Go to etrailer.com. look at some products. Look at some of their recommendations. Look at some of their videos. Learn how easy it is to properly install it and then shoes a hitch.

The civil war that was suggested in the first response results if you get too serious on this subject because everybody has their favorite. For some people I think it's I can spend more money than you can. For other people like me I want the support but I'm cheap. I don't mind a little more work hooking up the chains so I go cheap.


Study Etrailer.com and decide

[jboczek]

Get an Andersen hitch. Fairly light trailer, it's a simple hitch that will work great.

[rsdata]

Everybody that spends $400+ ( and much more) for their WDH says they are the best thing since sliced bread.

For a light weight trailer like yours I will suggest using what I use for my 21 foot 5000# Shamrock, which is just slightly larger then your 4,000# trailer.

The Tow Master WDH from Harbor Freight. It uses a design that has been used for years. You can often find a 20% off coupon for Harbor Freight, and that will get you out the door for about $200. You will need to pick up at additional cost a 2 5/16 ball or use the ball that you currently own. This hitch is easy to use, especially if your trailer has an electric jack, which makes it easy to load/unload the spring bars. If you don't have an electric jack on the tongue, use the money you saved buying this hitch and get one and save your energy cranking the tongue up and down.

If you detest HFreight as some do, then look at etrailer dot com and look for a similar Reese WDH for about $60 more. Same design, different name on the hitch. Etrailer has experts that you can call on to make a recommendation. You will find reviews on their website also.

IMO... You don't need the same hitch that people use on their 34 foot 8,000# trailer.

[CurtPutnam]

I am now of the belief that any of the top brands, WHEN CORRECTLY SET UP, will perform equivalently. The Andersen is ½ the weight of the other major brands which is why we went for it. Watch the tubes, read the feature lists, check your budget and go for one or not. Then enjoy your camping.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by rsdata

The Tow Master WDH from Harbor Freight. It uses a design that has been used for years. You can often find a 20% off coupon for Harbor Freight, and that will get you out the door for about $200.

Same here! It ain't fancy, but it works.

[wjo]

Anderson

[hkreck]

Go onto youtube research the best WDH they recommend then go with the one you liked from the videos. There's just too many opinions and chooses out in the real world. Just like with every thing else. Happy Travels.

[adrienbaker]

Another vote for the Andersen. I think it's a perfect fit for your application. Lightweight, easy to use, no noise, great sway control and no need to disconnect to back up.

Adrien

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by timfromma

There are 2 types of people.



1. The people who do it my way
2. The people who are wrong.

That about sums up every internet forum...


To answer the OP's question, in 8k+ miles of towing the Husky Centerline TS has worked great for our needs.

My answer will be right until the next person posting says that all Husky products are garbage....yet can't provide data to prove the statement.

[Bhrava]

What works for one, may not work for another. Example, I had a 2014 F150, the good old steel bodied pickup. I had a 2014 Coleman 274BH no slide travel trailer, 28' ball to butt. I used an old Husky round bar WDH that I have for my horse trailer. It had 800# bars and worked great, just needed to add one sway brake to it to control sway. Never have any issues dragging the trailer across country.

Well, 1/11/17 a guy lost control on ice and slid in front of me, destroying the 2014. I replaced it with a 2016 F150. That husky would NOT work with the newer body design at all. I could not get it to keep the truck and trailer behaving. Just going over the expansion joints on I-80 was enough to have it moving the front of the truck back and forth. I replaced it with a Blue Ox, and it cured it.

So why did it work so well on one truck, but not the other? Can't answer that, but I do know from others with the 15 and up F150 that they experienced the same issues.

While the husky and other less expensive WDH may work well for some, don't assume it will work well for others. If you truly want a hitch that has good sway control, you need to spend some money on one that uses 4 point control instead of the sway brakes. Sway brakes are nothing more than two brake pads clamping down on a sliding steel bar. If you get them too tight the trailer can dogtrack, too loose and you don't get efficient sway control. Set up a 4 point WDH properly and every time you hook up it will work exactly the same as the last time.

There are several brands making 4 point sway, so the choice is up to you.

Equilizer and E3 tend to be noisy since they rely on steel on steel friction, though there are quiet pads that can be installed. Blue Ox is one of the easier ones to set up since there is no head angle setting required, BUT, you need to get a long handled breaker bar if you want to avoid getting your fingers smashed taking the bars off. It is completely silent in use while turning and backing.

They all have their little quirks, so do some research on them and find the one that you think best suits you.

[Guitar G]

Our previous rig was a Tacoma pulling a Freedom Express 192RBS, about 4000 lbs. We used the Fastway e2 with the truncheon bars, rated at 8000/800. Never has a problem with sway, and the truck stayed level under load. When we got a larger trailer, we stayed with the e2 -- just got one rated for more weight. Have been very happy with this one, too. As others have said, it's very important to have it set up correctly. We had it done by our RV dealer.

[D W]

I'll just say this...

Any WDH is just a dumb inanimate object. It has no brain. It can't think. The key to making a WDH work is your "set-up". You can spend up to $3K for a top of the line hitch, but if the set-up is wrong, it's worthless.

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by D W

I'll just say this...

Any WDH is just a dumb inanimate object. It has no brain. It can't think. The key to making a WDH work is your "set-up". You can spend up to $3K for a top of the line hitch, but if the set-up is wrong, it's worthless.

This is absolute truth!

[thatoneguy]

Originally Posted by Wolfpup8115

Great Day,

I am just back from my maiden trip with our new FR Wolf Pup. Even though my Tacoma TRD Offroad suspension is beefed up a bit, I still noticed sag and some funny feelings while towing. The Wolf Pup is a 16BHS. I know the tongue weight and load in the truck have a lot to do with the weight distribution. Can anyone recommend a hitch system for my rig?

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/llBvOePWnC4

[Cowracer]

I am rabidly fond of my ProPride P3. Yes they are hugely expensive. Yes, lots of people are thoroughly happy with their Equalizer/Anderson/Reese/Whatever for a lot less money. But for me... I have never been comfortable pulling my 35' 10K (loaded) camper till I got one.

With that said, Just about any hitch has their fan-base and detractors. Don't go off any one recommendation.

Tim

[Undercover Poe]

I have an F250 and I use a CURT WD hitch. It’s the bomb.