Weight Distribution Hitch & Sway Control options

[waninae39]

this is what the eze-lift looks like on a q5

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-s...amper-2915372/

[waninae39]

Originally Posted by Mario Simard

Our dealer just installed a Husky CenterLine on our 22FB-Volks Touareg combination. Haven't tried it yet.

By the way, I see that you are also from the Ottawa area. You probably already know that RV Canada no longer carries the Airstream Line. We bought ours in October and it must have been one of their very last sales. They continue to service them however. I heard that Airstream has slightly reduced the number of dealers throughout North America.

Hope to meet you some time.

hi

i only found three dealers Montreal , London and Vancouver.
the best price we found was from upstate new york. They made us an offer that was $8k below any best price in CAN. tax and all costs included

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Bob662

Andy at CanAm recommended to me the Eaz-Lift and Husky friction sway bars. He likes the Husky bars because they are effective and quiet (no squeaking, groaning, etc.).
I substituted the Curt hitch because it had zerk grease fittings for the bars; otherwise it's almost a duplicate of the Eaz-Lift. Were I doing it again, I'd probably use the Eaz-Lift -- just as good, less money, and the zerks don't really matter.

Just smear some extreme pressure grease in the sockets for the bars, and you'll be fine.
I use C-5 Colloidal Copper, or graphite grease.
When you take the bars off, the 'nubs' will still be a little shiny at the pressure points, but not much.

Look after your equipment, it will look after you.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by waninae39

hi

i only found three dealers Montreal , London and Vancouver.
the best price we found was from upstate new york. They made us an offer that was $8k below any best price in CAN. tax and all costs included

But then, did Canada Customs nail you for import duties?
If not, very lucky you.

[waninae39]

Originally Posted by MelGoddard

But then, did Canada Customs nail you for import duties?
If not, very lucky you.

NO no issue; nothing to hide or lie about

there are NO duties

i even called CBS ( cnd border services) before ordering. They told me that airstream import into Canada has NO duty as it falls under NAFTA . all i paid was a $190 fee to register and PST/GST.

If i bought it here i still have to pay PST. Thus i saved > $8k on the price difference and only paid $190 & GST

With the registration paid, you can now get a provincial license plate. go to the CBS website and check it our yourself. Also, NY state has no sales tax on buying the camper there , thus no refund to worry about. The US dealer even did all the needed CDN paperwork which you show to CBS as you cross.

http://www.riv.ca/CBSAEntryRequirements.aspx
Provide Vehicle Import Form – Form 1

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...-12-1-eng.html

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by MelGoddard

I understand that it is a very good hitch, however...........
As a retired Aircraft Mechanic, (A.M.E.) the idea of metal rubbing on metal rubs me the wrong way.

Trailer Trash waiting for spring.........."

I hope you only drive with your trailer in a straight line then, because every time you turn you have 700-1200 pounds of pressure grinding your metal hitch ball into your metal trailer coupler

Then there is the issue with braking / stopping your car. Metal-resin brake pads grinding on metal disks...

...then there are clutch plates in your auto transmission box...

[waninae39]

Originally Posted by waninae39

NO no issue; nothing to hide or lie about

there are NO duties

i even called CBS ( cnd border services) before ordering. They told me that airstream import into Canada has NO duty as it falls under NAFTA . all i paid was a $190 fee to register and PST/GST.

If i bought it here i still have to pay PST. Thus i saved > $8k on the price difference and only paid $190 & GST

With the registration paid, you can now get a provincial license plate. go to the CBS website and check it our yourself. Also, NY state has no sales tax on buying the camper there , thus no refund to worry about. The US dealer even did all the needed CDN paperwork which you show to CBS as you cross.

http://www.riv.ca/CBSAEntryRequirements.aspx
Provide Vehicle Import Form – Form 1

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...-12-1-eng.html

another link showing all Airstream models are fine
http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/...fety/VAFUS.pdf

[i2oadRunnei2]

Add us to the 2014 Touareg TDI with Equalizer pulling a 23D. Love the setup and can honestly say we can't compare it to anything else since this is our first Diesel and AS.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by wulfraat

I hope you only drive with your trailer in a straight line then, because every time you turn you have 700-1200 pounds of pressure grinding your metal hitch ball into your metal trailer coupler

Then there is the issue with braking / stopping your car. Metal-resin brake pads grinding on metal disks...

...then there are clutch plates in your auto transmission box...

What's your point???
Read further down, about lubes!

"If it moves, lube it.
If it doesn't move, paint it.
If it talks back, salute it"!
Old Air Force, Sgt.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by waninae39

no no issue; nothing to hide or lie about

there are no duties

i even called cbs ( cnd border services) before ordering. They told me that airstream import into canada has no duty as it falls under nafta . All i paid was a $190 fee to register and pst/gst.

If i bought it here i still have to pay pst. Thus i saved > $8k on the price difference and only paid $190 & gst

with the registration paid, you can now get a provincial license plate. Go to the cbs website and check it our yourself. Also, ny state has no sales tax on buying the camper there , thus no refund to worry about. The us dealer even did all the needed cdn paperwork which you show to cbs as you cross.

http://www.riv.ca/cbsaentryrequirements.aspx
provide vehicle import form – form 1

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...-12-1-eng.html

nice!:d

[Pat.Mann]

Our Equalizer hitch on Sequoia towing 27FB failed within 1 year with major weld breaks - didn't drop anything, but we felt (dealer concurred) we had to replace it because it looked like it was likely to physically come apart. Not aware of anything that would have caused the failure, no warning, just happened to inspect the hitch during hitch-up and notice the weld breaks. Discovered over Xmas-New Years when factory was closed and no interaction possible, had to replace entire assembly at dealer instead of just the main linkage part, over $1,000 to replace including labor to get back on the road.
Have not communicated with factory or sent hitch back for warranty yet because we are on the road and won't be back at base until mid-April.
Our torque wrench tops at 150 ft-lbs, so we don't have capability to check the high torque on some of the hitch bolts (>300 ft-lbs) so can't do that ourselves. Hitch has seemed to work well, replacement is fine so far; don't know why this occurred.

[PKI]

Interesting. Yours is the second failure we have heard about. The other one was an old model with lots of miles.

Very surprised your repair cost was $1K. Thought these things were about $500 new. And if you just needed parts, the install could not have taken too long.

Sincere condolences. Sometimes you do what you do and move on. Pat

[waninae39]

hello:

Our dealer is pushinh heard to use the the equal-i-zer hitch

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/index.php

they do not want to use the reese or eaz-list

Any issue or problem we should now?
should i fight back and stand my ground?

many people like the reese pro series.

can-am, really like the eaz-lift

as a first time trailer puller, i am looking for guidance

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by waninae39

hello:

Our dealer is pushinh heard to use the the equal-i-zer hitch

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/index.php

they do not want to use the reese or eaz-list

Any issue or problem we should now?
should i fight back and stand my ground?

many people like the reese pro series.

can-am, really like the eaz-lift

as a first time trailer puller, i am looking for guidance

Your dealer wants to sell what they stock and know how to install quickly.

[switz]

In my experience, dealership hitch recommendations in the US are typically based upon what has the greatest profit margin and a trained monkey can install.

When we started our Airstream adventure, hours of reading the Forum led me to acquire a Hensley Arrow for our 2013 25FB International Serenity. I took my 2007 Mercedes ML320 CDI 3.0L V6 turbo diesel to CanAm (a distance of 2,200 miles each way that took three days to drive with a day there) and they reinforced our factory receiver (that had been re-welded due to a recall) with several pieces of hardened steel 2" square tubing. They also pre-bent the Hensley Arrow stinger to preload the weight distribution system so less arm jack travel was needed to load the weight distribution system when connecting. We use the same 3" measurement we used on the 25FB as the 15" Michelin tires we installed on the 23D brought the 23D hitch to the same elevation we had on the 25FB with similar 15" Michelin tires.

We found that our Mercedes was slightly struggling when we fully loaded the 25FB and we switched to a 2012 Ram 2500HD Cummins.

I kept the Hensley Arrow when the 25FB was traded in on the 2014 Classic which received a ProPride hitch (second generation Jim Hensley design). When we acquired the 2015 23D International Serenity, we installed our used Hensley Arrow and now tow it with the same 2007 Mercedes. I drove back from the east coast dealer via CanAm in London, Ontario and Andy Thompson fine tuned the assembly. It tows like it is on steel rails. We drive at 55 mph and average about 15 mph with the fully loaded trailer (6068 pounds) that has a 968 pound tongue weight. We slow to 35 mph and second gear on steep descents in the mountains and the diesel's back pressure can control the speed with no brake application necessary.

I think our 23D is the perfect fit for our Mercedes in terms of load on the drive train and handling.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by waninae39

-- snip -- Any issue or problem we should now?
should i fight back and stand my ground?

You should go with what you believe is the best solution for you. If that means push back, do it. Guidance? Several folks have provided you information. What is your analysis of their information and the alternative hitch designs?

IMHO
Best - Hensley or ProPride - pro: sway elimination with levers - con: heavy on receiver, adds about 100 lbs and cost $1500 to $2500
Next - Blue Ox Sway Pro - pro: reduces sway with springs, soft connection - con: springs store force, lift hitch to install and remove

Others - see prior posts for pros and cons

Given no ability/experience to evaluate hitch designs, go with dealer recommendation, travel conservatively and learn from your experience.

RV towing is not a spectator activity. You must inform yourself and make your own decisions at every transition.

Start now. Travel conservatively. Pat

[waninae39]

Thank you all for the response. My short list is

equalizer hitch with 2 or 4 way sway support
sku 90-00-1000
$475 installed

reese pro series 750 lb with WD and Sway control
sku 49902
$688 installed

eaz-lift elit 600 lb with sway control
sku 48056
$install cost unknown yet

[dkottum]

I didn't like the straight, square w.d. bars of our Equal-I-Zer, very little flexibility on uneven road surfaces and especially steep dips such as driveway and gas station entrances. Too much stress on the trailer A-frame and truck receiver, so we changed to a hitch with flexible tapered w.d. bars.

[waninae39]

I spoke to the service mgr at the dealer. He stated that it was AS that insisted that "equalizer hitch with 2 or 4 way sway " be the only add on hitch for WD and Sway control that can be used on an AS. All other trailers they sell can use any brand. They stated that they would "allow me to use any other leading brand".

thus i am now leaning on either the
reese pro series 750 lb with WD and Sway control -sku 49902 -$688 installed
or
eaz-lift elite 600 lb with sway control -sku 48056-$install cost unknown yet

any pros/cons on either of these selections

i concur that the straight square tubs are inflexible

[DKB_SATX]

I have towed my vintage 24' trailer since I bought it using the hitch system that was included with the purchase. It's been repainted but looks like it's probably an old Eaz-Lift with a friction sway bar. I've never had a problem with the system, it transfers the load adequately for my purposes. It's not different in any important way from the Reese Pro or current eaz-lift, so I think if the hitch is set up correctly and your trailer is loaded appropriately you'll do fine with either one, and lots of people have good things to say about the Equal-i-zer systems as well. Personally I share the skepticism expressed about the stiff square bars, but I've never personally done a comparison.

I've also never heard before your last post that anyone claims Airstream has a single mandated weight-distribution hitch. I'm skeptical about that, too, though it may be a failure of communication somewhere between Airstream and the individual who told you that rather than an outright lie on the part of the person telling you that.