How Big a Hitch Equalizer???

[Sundance]

I am confused on what size equalizer to get. I am pulling a 26' Argosy that comes in at 3800 dry. But almost every equalizer is like 6,000 to 10,000 range.

[TomW]

I think the Reese-brand hitches are better suited for vintage Airstreams.

I use a Reese dual-cam antisway hitch with 550 lb spring bars with my 3/4 ton tow vehicle to tow my Overlander.

Tom

[dwightdi]

You did not fill in your profile so we do not know what type and rating your tow vehicle has. It makes a difference. With my one ton dually with the crew cab and full size box, I easily pull my Overlander 26 without equalizer bars or damping control. if you have a smaller rated SUV, you will need something. Find out your ball weight and start from there.

[Bob Thompson]

I would go with the 600/6000 pound hitch. It should produce a good ride for the trailer and a good ride for the tow vehicle. If you go up to 1000 lb. bars, the hitch will transmitt firm jolts to the tow vehicle when going over rough expansion joints etc. because the trailer weight isn't heavy enough to flex the WD bars. I can feel some in my own case where my trailer weighs about 5200 lbs. I went with the 1000/10000 model and can feel sight jolts on highway expansion joints, but in my case, the 600/6000 would have been a bit on the light side.

[Sundance]

Thanks for replies. I have updated my profile. My tow vehicle is: 1995 Chev 3500 6.5 TD Dually Ext Cab Long Box. I towed the Argosy 26' home with my 96 Chev 2500 with wind and it towed extremely smoothly. This truck is a long box extended cab, not a dually. If I don't need sway control with the dually......... all the better. But I want to be sure I am set up right.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Sundance

... If I don't need sway control with the dually ...

You can get along without weight distribution with a 3500, but anti-sway is another thing.

For safety's sake, I recommend you at least have some sort of anti-sway device.

Tom

[Sundance]

Thats how little I know about these hitches. I assumed weight equalizing and sway control were the same animals.

[TomW]

Here's what Reese says about both:

Trailer Hitch-T-One Connectors

Tom

[Bob Thompson]

Sundance, on the Equal-I-Zer hitch, they are one in the same. I agree, you can get along without the weight distribution with the 3500, but sway control would be important. FWIW, I have a sway control setup, virtually identical to the one shown on the website TomW provided, which I'm trying to sell. It comes with the ball for the hitch head, the friction slide, and the ball/mount plate for the trailer frame. I bought an Equal-I-Zer and don't need it. I'm asking $35 for it. Let me know if you are interested.

[SilverToy]

I think I have the answer here..... I would recommend getting the 600/6000 Equal-I-Zer set up. They are a terrific unit that should serve you long and well. The safety provided as an addition, behind that great TV you have, will just serve to give you even more piece of mind when you get out on the road.

Do it. Then get out there and enjoy the heck out of the trailer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report back (With PHOTOS!!!!) after you get back - you can post on this very thread so they have continueity.

Axel
SilverToy

[85MH325]

I am also a Reese Dual-Cam fan, having used them exclusively for over twenty years. They incorporate sway control and weight distribution. The single advantage they have over the Equalizer brand is the self-centering action of the cams. I believe they are also a little more expensive than the Equalizer. I also recommend that even when towing a trailer with a truck large enough that weight distribution isn't needed, sway control IS needed.

Roger

[dwightdi]

Your tow vehicle is the same as mine as is the trailer. I have Reese hitches with sway control and used them at first on the Overlander but then conducted some road tests without the bars and could tell no difference so I have been running without the frictional contol for three years. I works great and you do not have to remember to disconnect it every time you park. The trucks will try to push you off the road with or without the bars but even my wife can drive the dually in Interstate truck traffic without a worry.

[CanoeStream]

I wouldn't tow consistently without antisway. I will move my uncompleted Argosy to and from storage without it at modest speeds. Nobody needs antisway until that momentary situation that will occur. The more miles you put on, the more you'll settle into the old pilot's adage -- 99% boredom, 1% sheer panic. Antisway will save your tow in many or most of these marginal control situations. When a 4- to 5000 pound trailer gets a mind of its own, it will destabilize your control of any normal tow vehicle. There are a lot of duallys transporting RVs for dealerships -- pull up alongside on the freeway and you'll see antisway bars engaged.

Weight distribution is just part of the bargain when you install modern antisway gear.

[Sundance]

Thanks for the great advise. I will go with anti-sway for sure. I just need to figure out which one now. The friction style is surely a bunch less money.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

I have Reese hitches with sway control and used them at first on the Overlander but then conducted some road tests without the bars and could tell no difference so I have been running without the frictional contol for three years.

First, are you talking about the friction sway control devices, or weight distributing bars, or do you have a Dual-Cam setup?

I have to say that I don't think that running without sway control is a terribly good idea simply because it's inconvenient. It's sort of like saying "I've run for three years without a spare tire and never had a problem." You won't have a problem until you have a problem, and then if the equipment isn't installed to deal with it, you'll likely either crash or become an immediate sway control convert, or both.

It's said there are two kinds of motorcycle riders; those who have crashed, and those who are about to. Trailers and sway are very similar. If you are aware and control the causes of sway, likely you'll never need it; however, it's really cheap insurance against the unexpected.

I really recommend sway control.

Roger

[CanoeStream]

Friction antisway can be a bother for needing regular adjustment and changing effectiveness during wet weather. You can hardly beat a Dual Cam or Equalizer -- set it up once and (almost) forget it.

[thecatsandi]

I have a reese dual cam between my F-250 and my 06 Classic 31. Once setup correctly... This is the key to any Anti-sway/WD it works great. It took three tries to get it right. Now I have to keep looking in the mirrow to see if the trailer is still there. Mine has 1200 pound bars for a 1000 pound tongue weight.

[wanderer1]

Back in 2006,I worked with a fema contractor pulling tt's between fema sites.We drove Ford f-350 dually's,and ran u.s.goverment lic plates.We ran whatever speed we had to in order to get the job done (nuff said).We never used any w/d or sway control of any type,only a 10k hitch and safety chains were used.We towed 26' to 33' trailers,and I personally never had any sway problems even at the speeds we operated at.Now with my own ram 2500 ( non dually),I use w/d and a sway bar and also try to keep speed around 60 m.p.h. My point:two extra tires does make towing much more stabile,at least fema thought so.