Is it bad to have a hitch with much larger capacity?

[janerivinius]

Hello, I'm in the market for a hitch.

I have a 2001 Excella 31 Hitch weight 690# - Tow weight 8300#
Drive a 2016 Tundra double cab, tow package 5.7 - tow capacity approx 10,000 #

On Craiglist I see a Reese WD equalizer hitch rated for 17,000 lbs - hitch weight 1,100# and up - price $200 - new in box.

Are there negative implications to going "too big"? I realize it is more than I need, just wondering

I'd appreciate any input - I'm a newbie.

[azflycaster]

Reese equalizer? They are two different brands, this is confusing. Does the hitch have anti sway as well or does it just distribute the weight?

[DKB_SATX]

First off, is the 690# tongue weight you quoted what's measured on a scale loaded up ready to travel? Or the "spec" number Airstream quoted? If 690 lb is the Airstream number, I wouldn't be surprised to find a real number north of 800 lb with full fresh water and your beer & skittles for the week. That's probably putting it close to the range of the bars you mentioned, but the manufacturer's recommendation would tell you. My brand, for examples, has the bars as "up to" ratings. (e.g. they sell 750-lb bars and 1000-lb bars... if your real tongue weight was 690, they'd recommend the 750-lb bars, but if it's 800 they'd recommend the 1000-lb bars. However, the hitch works a bit differently than the Reese or Equal-I-Zer hitches so it's worth reading the setup instructions or asking their customer service people before you take MY statement as useful.

[HowieE]

YES

Use the lightest bars you can to give a good ride and reduce effects on the trailer.

If that is a Reese Straight Line hitch and has the shank and head included consider it and buy used lighter bars as soon as you can. You will save money overall

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by janerivinius

. . .
Are there negative implications to going "too big"?
. . .

The general answer would be "yes" -- with a host of clarifications to be made.

Your trailer, tow vehicle, hitch, weight-distribution equipment, sway bars, and so forth, should all make for a consistent harmonious package in which every component is in balance.

No one component should be "too big" or it will throw the entire package off-balance IMO.

The devil is in the details . . . of course!

You have opened what is typically a can of worms here by asking, in essence, "what is the best hitch for my trailer."

Prepare yourself for a weekend of inconsistent viewpoints, perhaps some hot-headed discussions, and so forth.

Have fun!

Peter

PS -- Here is another similar thread -- Overkill? -- just started:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ll-180757.html

[malinois38]

I tow a 28” International with a 2008 Tundra Crewmax (5.7L) and a 10 yr old Reese straight line hitch. I have found through trial and error that the 800lb bars are the sweet spot for my combo. Yours should be similar. The 1200lb bars were just too stiff and not good for a smooth ride. BTW my tongue weight is 940lbs per CAT scale and trailer hovers around 7,000 lbs vamp ready.

[polarlyse]

We have what seems to be the same / similar trailer. A '01 Classic 30'er. Our hitch weight was originally 880# measured using a scale and ready to travel with at least a partial tank of fresh water. During solar system installation new AGM batteries were moved inboard and the weight was reduced from 880# to 800#.

[Mrjkq]

An Equalizer WD hitch with 1000 lb bars is ideal for your set up. Going to big will cause your trailer to ride stiff & may cause problems down the road. I use that exact hitch to tow mine. BTW, it's not a Reese, Equalizer 4 point WD hitch is a brand itself not a model name for Reese.

[janerivinius]

Thank you - it is what I read in the specs...

[janerivinius]

Thank you - I appreciate your help

[JohnTF]

I got a really good deal on a new Reese equalizer complete for like $150 , this was rated at about 14,000 or so , its been a few yrs.
I've been stuck just living in my Airstream and not moving much , form spot to spot local , so only used a few times .
I agree with using what spec. is called for , but I would rather use what I got cheap for short uses , than nothing at all .
I try to use a little less tension when hooking up .
Now if I can find the guy that has the 4-8 thousand lb. & needs more , I would swap in a heart-beat

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by janerivinius

On Craiglist I see a Reese WD equalizer hitch rated for 17,000 lbs - hitch weight 1,100# and up - price $200 - new in box.

Are there negative implications to going "too big"? I realize it is more than I need, just wondering

I'd appreciate any input - I'm a newbie.

I'd pass. The problem with a too big equalizer is that the bars will be too stiff. That's a great price but keep looking for a 10,000/1,000. I found mine on Craig's list for $150.
Believe me, why you pick up one the the 1,000 bars you'll swear it can't possibly bend, but it does. Too stiff will result in a lot of jarring of your trailer.

[gecko]

As others have said, your WD should be proportional to your rig. Too stiff can injure tow vehicle or trailer frame in the worst case, but wil certainly at least shake the heck out if the trailer. Too soft and you’re not getting the support you need.

I have a different question, though. If your Excella is 8300 lbs loaded, your hitch weight should be 10-15%, or a minimum of 830 lbs. Yiu need to shift some weight forward. Ideally, moving anything stored behind the axle forward would be the best way to do this.

But first, get your rig onto a scale (or buy or borrow or fabricate a tongue weight scale) to see if the 690 is actual weight or spec weight. This is one of the most significant weights and easiest to fix (if you’re too light forward!) for trailer balance, handling and safety.

[tjdonahoe]

The stinger may be a 2.5 “ .....you probably need 2”

[jimfa440]

That hitch would give you a very rough ride. That said, it's a good price and whatever the hitch, you can purchase spring bars with lighter capacity, giving you WD as well as a smoother ride. My $0.02.

[GammaDog]

Read Gecko's comment carefully and first. He hit the nail on the head.

Before any discussion about the merits of any particular detail of the hitch setup, the basics need to be addressed. The first step in setting up a trailer to minimize the chance of sway is getting the tongue weight in the sweet spot of 10-15% of the trailer's gross weight.

There are lots of folks on the Fourm who understand the specifics of your trailer as Airstream built it and who have successfully set up and towed them. They might comment on typical weights and balances of that trailer as built, but I would start by getting accurate, current weights (total and tongue, at least) of your trailer as it is now. I would be surprised if Airstream delivered a trailer that has less than 10% of its weight on the tongue, even when empty of water and propane. Recent vintages can struggle to stay under 15% fully loaded. Until the tongue weight is in the 10-15% range there's no point in discussing fine points of hitch setup.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by janerivinius

Hello, I'm in the market for a hitch.

I have a 2001 Excella 31 Hitch weight 690# - Tow weight 8300#
Drive a 2016 Tundra double cab, tow package 5.7 - tow capacity approx 10,000 #

On Craiglist I see a Reese WD equalizer hitch rated for 17,000 lbs - hitch weight 1,100# and up - price $200 - new in box.

Are there negative implications to going "too big"? I realize it is more than I need, just wondering

I'd appreciate any input - I'm a newbie.

Your trailer wasn’t cheap.

Your tow vehicle wasn’t cheap.

But “hitch rigging” is the final third of a successful, stable rig. One Third of the equation. It isn’t minor.

A Hensley-patent hitch (Hensley brand or Pro Pride) is cheap for what it does. Makes all the older types obsolete.

Other than trailer disc brakes nothing else will make as much of a difference. As the pickup is the weak link for stability, the best hitch will help considerably.

.