View Poll Results: Which hitch
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Reece (Arrow) dual cam
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23 |
60.53% |
Equal-I-zer
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15 |
39.47% |
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12-13-2004, 12:39 PM
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#1
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Rivet Master
Lisle
, Illinois
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,270
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Hitch poll
OK which is one is more popular?? I will have to purchase one soon, I have read a lot of threads on the pros and cons of each. So I thought I would see which hitch is more popular with the forum of the two I have narrowed my choice down to.
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Tedd Ill
AIR#3788 TAC IL-10
No trailers...
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12-13-2004, 01:08 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
South Shore
, Kentucky
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 537
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Till,
I've always liked the dual cam sway control. I think the Reese brand would be a good one! I especially like having the dual cams for sway control. I've never used the equalizer so I can't comment on that one.
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Bill & Donna
Air Forums Member # 2360
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12-13-2004, 01:33 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 32
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I just bought the Reese DualCam HP. In my shopping around it seems as the Cequent Group owns most of the hitch makers (Reese, Drawtite, Hidden Hitch, Wesbar, etc) Heck they're even the parent company of Tekonsha (Prodigy BC maker). I bought the Hidden Hitch brand based on past experience and it being the best price. Funny how even though I ordered via the HiddenHitch part number the DualCam kit actually has all the Reese badging on it.....If you go for the DualCam, go for the price in regards to the above mentioned manufacturers.... They're all the same company.
One word of caution would be to make sure the spring bars have the 'cam' bend in them, there are still some companies that stock the straight bars and they wont work the the DC HP out of the box.
I can't comment on how well it works yet, but after towing several large boats and one small RV without a sway control devices, I can say one thing for sure -- get something for any TT bigger than 18 feet or so.
BTW, isn't Arrow a Hensley?
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12-13-2004, 01:51 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
Lisle
, Illinois
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,270
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Camp-dog,
Your right. I checked my notes and it should read "Straight line" I will look into correcting my errors. Some days it just don't pay to get out of bed.....
__________________
Tedd Ill
AIR#3788 TAC IL-10
No trailers...
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12-13-2004, 03:54 PM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
1964 26' Overlander
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
Anna
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,708
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Hitch poll
I have utilized the Reese weight distributing hitch since purchasing my first travel trailer (a brand new Nomad 19' Light Weight Special) in 1980. At that time, Reese didn't recommend utilizing the Dual Cam system on a coach with a loaded hitch weight as light as the Nomad (it was well under 400 pounds - - closer to 325) - - so I accepted the nuisance of the friction sway control. Shortly after purchasing my '64 Overlander in 1995, I upgraded to the Reese Strait-Line Hitch with Dual Cam sway control and have been a happy camper ever since - - no more finnicky friction sway control to adjust. Since I am not comfortable adding any kind of holes to the hitch structure on my Vintage coaches, I have continued to utilize the "classic" Dual Cam system that relies upon U-Bolts for attachment and haven't encountered any particular problems with attachment to the hitch on either the Overlander or Minuet.
Kevin
__________________
Kevin D. Allen
WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC #7864
AIR #827
1964 Overlander International
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
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12-13-2004, 06:14 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2021 27' Globetrotter
Saint Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,107
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With my vast experience and owning up to 1 RV for almost a year, I can say that the Equal-i-zer is the best hitch I've ever used.
Seriously, we've never experienced any of sway issues others have written about when towing.
I can't imagine a simpler hitch to use.
Dennis
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12-13-2004, 09:09 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 790
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I like my Reese in combo with the air hitch. It's like towing AIR.
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12-14-2004, 07:16 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2003 25' Safari
Kissimmee
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 813
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I have an Equal-i-zer, and do not have experience with any other kind. The Equalizer works okay but be aware of the following issues:
- The casting surfaces where the ball mounts are not machined. The rough surface results in the ball losening periodically. You must re-torque the ball often, at least at first.
- It is difficult to get a socket onto the ball nut because space is limited around it. There must be a special thin-wall socket for this, but I have not found one yet.
- The paint is really poor, and will fail within months. It soon gets that rusty "experienced" look.
- The "friction" is from the bars pivoting under stress. The pivot sockets rub against the main casting, and the bars rub against the hangers on the tongue. Over time this stuff will wear out. I clean these surfaces with paper towel and WD-40, and dab on a little grease, before each use. I hear that the new ones have a teflon pad where the bars contact the tongue hangars, which might help some.
- Ignore their "4-Way Sway Control" propaganda. It just means that the pivot points and the bar/tongue hangar points rub to create the friction.
- Their web site had a calculator to help you determine which draw bar to buy, based on the height of the tow vehicle hitch receiver and the trailer's hitch height. It was wrong! It suggested the longer one, which I had a machine shop cut-off to prevent it from dragging on the ground.
If I were to do it again I would at least look at the Reese Dual Cam.
__________________
Dan
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12-14-2004, 07:46 AM
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#9
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4 Rivet Member
2001 30' Excella
Bedford
, New Hampshire
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 347
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Come on Guys,
You don't even give me a chance to vote for the hensley or the PullRite. I've owned both. I had the equalizer for about a week and I never installed it because I purchased the Hensley.
So if I have to vote for one of this very limited slate, I vote the equalizer.
Mark
__________________
-Life is a journey, not a destination.
Aerosmith
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12-14-2004, 09:44 AM
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#10
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Moderator
2004 30' Classic Slideout
Fenton
, Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,403
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I've owned both, although my long term experience is with the Reese. So far I think the Equal-i-zer gets the nod on the ease of hookup. The ball mount does require a special socket and you do need a torque wrench to adjust two other nuts which supply friction.
I never did like the saddle mounts (or sometimes called the snap ups) on my Reese. I had one come loose once and bent. Thank goodness I caught this early. From a sway control standpoint my initial reaction is that the Equal-i-zer seems to do a better job than my Reese did. Now the Reese was used with a 27' Safari and the Equal-i-zer is being used with a 30' Classic Slide Out. There is about 2,300 lbs difference in the weight and about 300+ difference in the hitch weight. These might be factors that seem to make the Equal-i-zer seem a little more stable than the Reese.
Wear and tear wise the paint on the Reese components was better. The jury is still out on the various hitch components. Some (not the sway control components) of those Reese components I used were over 20 years old.
Jack
__________________
Jack Canavera
STL Mo.
AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
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12-15-2004, 04:32 AM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
1993 29' Excella
Jonesboro
, Louisiana
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 125
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I have used a Reese(not a dual cam) and an Easy Lift; I currently have a Hensley and it is by far the best of the three. So I can't vote either.
__________________
James Schmidt
29 ft Excello 1000
97 Expedition/Hensley Hitch/
McKesh mirrors
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12-15-2004, 11:23 PM
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#12
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 82
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proper hitch
The only thing that a Hensly Hitch does is make you think that an inadaquate tow vehicle and/or hitch set-up is hunky-dory! If your tow vehicle is properly matched with your towed vehicle and the hitch is adjusted according to specifications, any quality equalizer or Reese hitch will do. Keep it cheap and simple, but DO IT RIGHT!
Bruce
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12-16-2004, 04:56 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
Lisle
, Illinois
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,270
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Well,
Thank you for all of your input. I went with the Reese Dual Cam weight distribution hitch. I chose the classic style vs. the straight line to avoid drilling my frames.
I know that the choices were narrow, but they are what I had to chose from.
__________________
Tedd Ill
AIR#3788 TAC IL-10
No trailers...
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12-17-2004, 06:52 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2005 28' International CCD
Pagosa Springs
, Colorado
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 811
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hitch
I've had the Reese Dual Cam HP and it performed great with my 24' Tradewind. When moving to the 28' CCD I went with the Hensely and after a few tries getting it adjusted properly I'm also happy with the results.
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