I thought Reese Pro-series was for 5th Wheels. I checked the Reese web site and couldn't find W/D under this name.
I am new to AS, about to take delievery of my 31' Classic. My TV is a Dodge 2500hd 4wd sb Cummins. Before I take delievery I need to resolve which W/D - sway system to go with. It seems to me it is a coin flip between Reese Dual-cam and Equal-i-zer. I thought I saw someone had a problem mounting the equal-i-zer on the A frame where the protector plate is. Can anyone verify that? Any thoughts or guidance to help this newbie along in getting the right system would be great. Thanks
Hiker, your upgrade path is a very common tail. I did it.
I towed my Bambi 19', with a '96 Impala SS using Reese weight bars and friction sway control. It did a great job. The Airstream dealer gave me 1200lb bars that worked well with the large rear overhang of the car and the soft suspension.
When I went up to the 25', the first season, I did a bunch of upgrades to the car...3.73 gears, more robust control arms, shocks, springs, cooling and for the sway control, I upgraded to the dual cam HP. The 1200 lb bars did well in that setup, but when I went to the Suburban the next season, the 1200lb bars did little since my overhang was short, the leaf springs in the 3/4 ton were tight. So I started playing around with smaller bars, going from the original 1200lb bars I had to 800lb bars down to the 600lb bars based on the info on this forum about being "overhitched".
That said, my exp has been that this setup with the Suburban works well. It is true that a Hensley may do a better job, but the others that are out there can do a great job as well if properly matched to the situation. In the end it's a judgement call based on a few things and of course your wallet. Hensley is fairly pricey and though any of the hitching systems can be bought on eBay for a lot less than retail list, the Hensley also commands about a $1500 average price on eBay used. To give you an example, I got my 800 and 600# bars for about $30 to $40 (each set) and the dual cam HP I bought on line, new, for $179.00. In my personal opinion, and I know the Henley folks are going to tar and feather me, but I personally could not justify the expense of the Hensley when I have had an excellent exp with my Reese Dual Cam HP.
Hope this helps.
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It seems to me it is a coin flip between Reese Dual-cam and Equal-i-zer.
Unless I missed something in my physics class I can see little comparison between the dual can system and the Equal-i-zer. Yes they both use friction, but the dual cam system relies on the force necessary to move the bars up and off the cams while the Equal-i-zer only uses the surface friction against the bar. That surface friction will vary with ware and require constant adjustment to maintain any level of friction while the dual can system is almost completely selfadjusting to this ware. Yes I do have to readjust my dual cam system about once a year to correct for ware but I accrue mileage.
As for the rotational correction attributed to the points at the head the angular displacement during sway is so small as to alsmost be negligible and thus offer little if and damping force. Again a point of constant adjustment to correct for ware.
The problem with the Reese hitch is the fact that very few installer ever adjust them correctly when installing the system and thus customers are often dissatisfied.
The problem with the Reese hitch is the fact that very few installer ever adjust them correctly when installing the system and thus customers are often dissatisfied.
This is VERY true. I installed my myself and it took some fine tuning before I got the sweet spot.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Hiker... First Congratulations on the trailer upgrade! You have a very similar story to us. We went from a 19' Bambi to a 25' Safari a couple of years ago. We have the Reese Dual Cam and had a lot of sway at first then after considerable research and finally going back and reading the manual carefully I was able to stop any sway issues. The key was making sure that the trailer was lifted a bit before securing the chains (it is in the manual). We did this with both our first truck (Toyota Tundra) and now the GMC Sierra 2500. There was no sway with the Toyota but when big trucks passed by we still got pushed around but all as one unit. I was debating the Hensley as you are, but then we decided to move to the GMC. I can tell you that we have no sway with this combination and we are very pleased. We have towed about 5,000 miles so far with this combination and had no problems... Good luck in your decision and see you at the next NE Unit Rally!
Unless I missed something in my physics class I can see little comparison between the dual can system and the Equal-i-zer. Yes they both use friction, but the dual cam system relies on the force necessary to move the bars up and off the cams while the Equal-i-zer only uses the surface friction against the bar. That surface friction will vary with ware and require constant adjustment to maintain any level of friction while the dual can system is almost completely selfadjusting to this ware. Yes I do have to readjust my dual cam system about once a year to correct for ware but I accrue mileage.
As for the rotational correction attributed to the points at the head the angular displacement during sway is so small as to alsmost be negligible and thus offer little if and damping force. Again a point of constant adjustment to correct for ware.
The problem with the Reese hitch is the fact that very few installer ever adjust them correctly when installing the system and thus customers are often dissatisfied.
In at least 20k miles of use, I hane not noted any WEAR on my Equalizer. I re-torque the 2 nuts a couple of times/year but that is about all the maint I have to do. Eq is very easy to set up initialy and use...
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Life is Good-Camping all around New England
Good people drink good beer-Hunter S Thompson
I've messed with my hitch ball height and angle and I've towed for short distances without checking my tire inflation on both the tow vehicle and Airstream .... NOT gonna repeat!
If you've got one soft tire, or your Airstream isn't riding level on all four or six tires then the best hitch in the world won't help. I have a Reese Dual Cam that works fine for my combo 25' FB SE towed by a 2500 Suburban, and that's the combination where I learned how awful an Airstream can handle when it's nose is low and it's butt is high!
Get a good hitch, but practice good safety FIRST TIME, EVERY TIME. Yes Virginia I do spend an hour with a crappy little 12 volt compressor checking all eight tires before I tow --- even if I'm just going a few miles. I might get a better compressor soon, but I won't skip this vital "check air pressure" step EVER again.
Paula
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Today is a gift. That's why they call it "the present"
One other thing to note, is that with a full tank of water, our Airstrem tows even better. Must have something to do with nearly 336lbs of water weight right over the axles, but there is a noticable difference when it's empty compared to full, even half full.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
OK, Now I'm really confused.
Just bought our first Airstream, 1975 Sovereign 31'.
Driving south, about 600 miles to pick it up.
Have new Chysler Aspen, tow ready.
Which do I use to pick it up with, or what?
Ted
Quote from twinki ;;I know the Henley folks are going to tar and feather me, but I personally could not justify the expense of the Hensley when I have had an excellent exp with my Reese Dual Cam HP.
Twinki--concider your self ''Tared and Feathered'{not really}. I thought the same thing until I took their money back free trial. Had a dual cam reese and thought it was the greatest but after a day fo hard gusting side winds across Texas I decided to try a Hensley. Nothing I have ever used compares !!-----------Pieman
I adjusted the ball mound and the chain links until the TV and my trailer looked level. Then as a result of Inland Andys posts and a few others I went to the local CAT scales and adjusted the chain links on the trunion bars until the weight on each axle was a close to matching as possible around 3100 lbs on all four axles, +-100 LBS. This gave me my best results.
Beginner
Over the years I have made numerous postings about setting up a Reese hitch and using a scale to insure weight was placed on the front axle of the TV. Your comment about "equal weight on all four axles " has me confused. Are you saying you adjusted until the trailer axles were equal?
If that is the case I would like to know if when you finished if you took a final weights on the truck axles. I generaly set up using the fender heights on the TV and checking the weight increase on the front truck axle once done. I would be interested in your method.
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.... NOT gonna repeat! 
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