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05-10-2015, 06:02 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
2014 23' International
Salt Lake City
, Utah
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 85
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WD Anti-sway hitch for LR3/AS 23D
We're getting our first Airstream in a couple of weeks. We're new to everything including towing. I've been posting some questions and I've been trying to learn what I can about the best set up for our configuration but I'm just going to have to ask--
What might be the best option for a weight distribution and anti-sway hitch for our configuration?
Before anyone just yells out their favorite hitch, here is our situation.
Towing with a 2006 LR3 V8 tow weight 7770lbs; hitch weight 770lbs; Land Rover Quick Release hitch receiver; self-leveling air suspension.
2014 Airstream 23D Gross weight 6000lbs; hitch weight 720lbs
Here are some points I don't need addressed:
Tow vehicle options
Different Airstream options
LR hitch weight stated in manual vs hitch weight on hitch receiver
Curt fixed hitch receiver as it drops tongue weight to 600lbs
Land Rover recommendation to not use WD system
OK, now here is where I'm at, which is not very far.
ProPride
I would gladly fork out the money for the ProPride if that was the best way to address my #1 concern which is safety and it worked great, distributed weight, etc. However, it is like 200 lbs!!! Don't have much lee-way in tongue weight. So I'd be buying a hitch that is going to redistribute it's own weight?
Andersen
This would be my second choice from what I've learned about it anti-sway and anti-bounce properties and quiet operation despite that it seems it's lacking a bit when it comes to WD, at least it only weighs about 60 lbs. However, it's not recommended with use with the Airstream trailer coupler and we would have to cut it off and re-sodder a new one on?!?! That feels like a deal breaker. I don't know that I can commit to that one like that.
The rest, Blue Ox Sway Pro, Equalizer, etc. are noisy and clack around a lot from what I've read. I sure would like to not have that going on as an already slightly paranoid towing newbee. How am I supposed to tell if something wrong is really going on if I just ignore all the noises. That's not all, but it seems harder to tease out the differences between these and make a choice. Still dealing with an extra 100 lbs or so.
This is where I throw my hands up in the air, I just don't know.
How does a person that's never owned a trailer or towed anything choose the best product under these tight weight allowances? (I have found LR3 Airstream and trailer towers so please no discouragement. Just need to make a good decision here so we can be prepared to pick up the trailer which is out of state. I'm a little scared of you people after reading some of that Andersen thread ).
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05-10-2015, 06:32 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Sioux Falls
, South Dakota
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,164
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Congratulations on your new Airstream!
Any hitch will make some noise because you have metal on metal. Some hitches specify a certain lubricant in specific places, while others say NO lubricant. Follow the instructions for your hitch. When you get your trailer and hitch, go for a ride with a service person with the trailer attached. Point out any new sounds and the service person should be able to tell you if that is a normal sound or not.
Yes, a weight distributing hitch will have to distribute some of its own weight, and a heavier hitch will have to distribute more weight than a lighter one. That hitch weight will also be part of the weight your tow vehicle will have to handle.
__________________
David Lininger, kb0zke
AIR 54240
Heartland mpg 181 (sold)
1993 Foretravel U300 (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS
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05-11-2015, 08:19 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
2014 23' International
Salt Lake City
, Utah
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 85
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My husband called Can Am today and they basically told him towing with the LR3 would be fine. Just use "a WD system". For best value, they recommended the Eaz-Lift WD Hitch and mentioned they also sell Blue Ox and Husky. That was it, noting that doing the kind of hitch reinforcement they are accustomed to doing on smaller TV's was not likely to happen in our area. Plus, we wouldn't have anywhere to put the spare tire (that's just our observation).
Need to make a decision Thinking of just getting the Sway Pro.
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05-11-2015, 08:24 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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Blue Ox is not noisy.
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05-11-2015, 08:46 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Venice
, Florida
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,024
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Being a newbee as you said, ease of use is also important. On my first Trailer I was talked into a Reese Round Bar & although it did the job it was a lot of work to connect & disconnect especially as it had dual friction bars to put on & take off. I had a 36 ft trailer & a 3/4 ton Ford diesel TV that together all worked well.
Like yourself, I've done the research on Hensley, ProPride, Anderson & all the rest at this buffet table of WD Hitches & have narrowed it down to the Equalizer 10K for my application of a RAM 1500 pulling a 25ft Airstream. Here's why: It works very well & it's easy to use. How do I know that....simple, I got rid of the Reese on my last setup & replaced it with a Equalizer. I've talked with many people in all kinds of tow situations & it's a hitch that always seems to work & work well.
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05-11-2015, 08:59 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2024 23' Flying Cloud
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 501
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We have an Equalizer. This is our first WD hitch, although we have towed boats for years. Our dealer seems to have it dialled in very well. It is very easy to use in daily practice. In slow speed turns, as in a campground, it can sound like the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Cannonball, Deep in the Heart of Texas!
WBCCI #4387, Air #84080
Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums
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05-11-2015, 09:08 PM
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#7
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2 Rivet Member
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Vacaville
, California
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 24
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WD Anti-sway hitch for LR3/AS 23D
Agree with mrprez blue ox good hitch.
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05-11-2015, 11:05 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2015 25' FB Eddie Bauer
2013 25' FB Eddie Bauer
2012 20' Flying Cloud
Small Town
, *** Big Sky Country ***Western Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,860
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Great luck with the EQ brand ... or is it attention to detail when I set it up ???
__________________
2015 25' Eddie Bauer Int'l FBQ / 2023 Ford Lightning ER
2022 Ford F350 6.2 V-8; equalizer hitch + Shocker air hitch
Honda Eu3200; AIR# 44105; formerly WBCCI 2015.1
Terminal Aluminitis; 2-people w/ 3+ dogs
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05-12-2015, 11:09 AM
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#9
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3 Rivet Member
2014 25' FB International
Metuchen
, New Jersey
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 114
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Hi Lola,
Congratulations and welcome to the family. =)
You don't have much wiggle room with your setup so I would consider going with a
Reese WD. The shank with ball will add around 50 lbs, which will bring you to your limit. Sure it's noisy, and nerve racking at first, but you get use to.
You could also consider switching out the deep cycle batteries with Lithium Ion ones. They are very expensive but have a longer use life and weight considerable less 15 lbs vs. 53 lbs. That's a 76 lbs. reduction on the tongue weight.
Smart Battery® | 12V Lithium Ion Batteries for RV Marine and Automotive
Good luck on your decision.
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05-12-2015, 11:11 AM
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#10
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New Member
NEW BALTIMORE
, Michigan
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2
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We're a month into owning our first airstream. It's a 23D as well. Towing with a 2015 Yukon, we decided on a Hensley. I'm no expert, but I test drove with the equalizer and didn't like the noise. The Hensley is mostly silent, easy to use (with a backup cam), and through two trips (one extremely windy day) haven't felt a single second of sway. They sell remanufactured hitches that are like new.
When I look at my Yukon specs there's a 'max tongue weight' and a 'max tongue weight with WD hitch'. I think adding the WD hitch adds an extra 400+lbs to the max allowable tongue weight.
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05-12-2015, 11:41 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2014 Interstate Ext. Coach
Sedona
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,084
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I used to have a 19' Flying Cloud towed by a Toyota FJ Cruiser. I chose an Equalizer as a compromise between cost and function. It took multiple attempts to get the load balancing and sway control to my liking, but it was eventually quite good. One of the problems with the Equalizer was the clamps on the A-bar would move around - even by as much as an inch. This was due to the A-frame not being box-shaped. It was eventually resolved by welding the clamps to the A-frame.
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05-12-2015, 11:41 AM
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#12
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2 Rivet Member
2014 23' International
Salt Lake City
, Utah
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 85
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Thanks for the tip on the batteries GenXair.
Local, I think the Hensley, like the PridePro, is just too heavy for our set up : (
Interesting about the max tongue weight with WD hitch.
We called Blue Ox to get some recommendations on the whether to use the 800# or 1,000# bars and to see what kind of WD we might be able to expect. He recommended the 1,000# but had literally nothing to say about WD % or amount of any kind. Disappointing.
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05-13-2015, 05:38 AM
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#13
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Vintage Kin
Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,014
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WD Anti-sway hitch for LR3/AS 23D
Quote:
Originally Posted by LolaT
We're getting our first Airstream in a couple of weeks. We're new to everything including towing. I've been posting some questions and I've been trying to learn what I can about the best set up for our configuration but I'm just going to have to ask--
What might be the best option for a weight distribution and anti-sway hitch for our configuration?
Before anyone just yells out their favorite hitch, here is our situation.
Towing with a 2006 LR3 V8 tow weight 7770lbs; hitch weight 770lbs; Land Rover Quick Release hitch receiver; self-leveling air suspension.
2014 Airstream 23D Gross weight 6000lbs; hitch weight 720lbs
Here are some points I don't need addressed:
Tow vehicle options
Different Airstream options
LR hitch weight stated in manual vs hitch weight on hitch receiver
Curt fixed hitch receiver as it drops tongue weight to 600lbs
Land Rover recommendation to not use WD system
OK, now here is where I'm at, which is not very far.
ProPride
I would gladly fork out the money for the ProPride if that was the best way to address my #1 concern which is safety and it worked great, distributed weight, etc. However, it is like 200 lbs!!! Don't have much lee-way in tongue weight. So I'd be buying a hitch that is going to redistribute it's own weight?
Andersen
This would be my second choice from what I've learned about it anti-sway and anti-bounce properties and quiet operation despite that it seems it's lacking a bit when it comes to WD, at least it only weighs about 60 lbs. However, it's not recommended with use with the Airstream trailer coupler and we would have to cut it off and re-sodder a new one on?!?! That feels like a deal breaker. I don't know that I can commit to that one like that.
The rest, Blue Ox Sway Pro, Equalizer, etc. are noisy and clack around a lot from what I've read. I sure would like to not have that going on as an already slightly paranoid towing newbee. How am I supposed to tell if something wrong is really going on if I just ignore all the noises. That's not all, but it seems harder to tease out the differences between these and make a choice. Still dealing with an extra 100 lbs or so.
This is where I throw my hands up in the air, I just don't know.
How does a person that's never owned a trailer or towed anything choose the best product under these tight weight allowances? (I have found LR3 Airstream and trailer towers so please no discouragement. Just need to make a good decision here so we can be prepared to pick up the trailer which is out of state. I'm a little scared of you people after reading some of that Andersen thread ).
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6000-lb TT GVWR. At .92 of maximum, 5,520-lbs. TW of 12.5%, 690-lbs. A guesstimation of a max load and an ideal TW percentage.
WD tensioned should leave 75-80% of TW on TV, so 540-lbs split between front and rear axle.
The Can Am approach is to get the ball as close to the TV as possible with significant rearward tilt on the hitch head. A fairly ordinary WD hitch at that point ( light in weight).
There are comments here by Andrew Thomson on LR vehicles. Search.
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05-13-2015, 07:09 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
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Lola T,
Take a look at the Reese SC hitch in the appropriate weight range. It is not too heavy, controls sway in a similar way as the Equalizer, rides better than the EQ because it has some flex, makes no noise, and has no restrictions on backing up.
We've been using one for a couple of years now, and like it.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
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05-13-2015, 07:42 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Bend
, Oregon
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 761
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Hi LolaT, glad you found airforums!!I enjoyed the thread in the LR forum!
I have the Equal-i-zer Sway control WD hitch as it is light and easy to set up. The noise is only present at low speed tight turns, more importantly, when you back up, you have to release the friction bars, this is tiresome.
The hitch has worked very well for us but is a compromise with a focus on weight and cost at the expense of versatility and total performance.
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05-13-2015, 08:39 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1977 31' Sovereign
1963 26' Overlander
1989 34' Excella
Johnsburg
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,944
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Reese has been the one I use most (although I do own a Equalizer). You may not need the HP model. Reese self centers. I do use a frictional dampener in some circumstances.
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05-13-2015, 09:36 AM
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#17
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4 Rivet Member
2015 30' Classic
Sherwood
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 479
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Agree with mrprez, Blue Ox Sway Pro is quiet, no backup restrictions and no sway so far for my application on a '08 Range Rover HSE. If it makes noise, it is probably not tensioned correctly for the TW.
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05-13-2015, 03:32 PM
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#18
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2 Rivet Member
2014 23' International
Salt Lake City
, Utah
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 85
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NWRVR, do you have the Land Rover Quick Release Hitch Receiver or did you use something else? I would be interested in learning more about your set up which is similar to ours. We have an LR3 V8 with same weight limits. We are in the process of installing the Prodigy P3 Brake Controller and maybe looking for a backup camera.
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05-13-2015, 04:06 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Bend
, Oregon
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 761
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NWRVR
How does that set up tow? I have an 2007 LR3 V8 HSE and so far have not even tried my 25ftRB with it. I am think of upgrading to a RR or LR4 next year but have not been feeling so great about the ability to tow my AS, any experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated!
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05-14-2015, 01:20 AM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
2015 30' Classic
Sherwood
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 479
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LolaT
NWRVR, do you have the Land Rover Quick Release Hitch Receiver or did you use something else? I would be interested in learning more about your set up which is similar to ours. We have an LR3 V8 with same weight limits. We are in the process of installing the Prodigy P3 Brake Controller and maybe looking for a backup camera.
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My RR HSE has the Westphalia factory hitch with a 550 lbs tongue weight limit. I don't know what the quick release is unless it is the 2" box receiver for a stinger with a 5/8" clevis pin to lock it in. I also have the P3 brake controller. Airstream Adventures Northwest sold and set up the Blue Ox Sway Pro with 1,000 lbs bars on my TV but I had Land Rover install the brake controller, 7-way plug, relay, ECU and update the software for towing.
The set up tows smoothly and I don't feel the AS until I get into the mountains. I tow in sport mode to use the gears to keep the speed down going down grades and on a long uphill grade the transmission will shift down to maintain 50 - 55 mph at 3,500 rpm. I only have approximately 600 towing miles making three trips from Portland to the coast over the Coast Range and I am very happy with the set up and handling.
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