[Nicholas Matthew]

Hey guys just wanted to get some opinions on my situation.

just bought a new travel trailer and dealer was trying to see me on a weight and sway kit for the hitch. never really towed much more the a utility trailer so im not familiar with them.

question is do i need one? here is all the trailer info

travel trailer is 21.5 ft. and dry weight is 3000lbs

Truck is 2016 Canyon Crew A/T 4x4


thanks!

 

[boborc]

They are always a good idea. Keeps you front wheels planted and OEM camber angles for even tire wear. The anti-sway speaks for its self. I travel trailer is like a big sail and crosswinds can get it squirley in a minute not to mention tractor trailers passing you at 80mph. I feel it is a must have unless you are just towing a utility trailer around town now and then. I recommend the equalizer 4 way system but any quality WDH will do fine. The RV dealer will probably be overpriced and then they try to tell you they will install and set it up for you but I have heard alot of complaints about improper set ups from dealers. If you are mechanically inclined I would suggest doing it yourself so you know its done right. A bad set up is worse than none. Go to etrailer.com and check out some price for comparison.

 

[Ben F]

Hey guys just wanted to get some opinions on my situation.



just bought a new travel trailer and dealer was trying to see me on a weight and sway kit for the hitch. never really towed much more the a utility trailer so im not familiar with them.



question is do i need one? here is all the trailer info



travel trailer is 21.5 ft. and dry weight is 3000lbs



Truck is 2016 Canyon Crew A/T 4x4





thanks!

Absolutely. I have a 2017 Canyon dmax and I love my equal-I-zer weight distribution/anti sway set up. You don't even feel the trailer back there. I wouldn't tow without it!

 

[404 Not Found]

I tow two trailers with regular ball hitches no problem. According to the owners manual, these trucks have built in sway control from the factory. Keeping your speed to about 60 mph in the right lane is the best sway control I think.

 

[RodSlinger]

Hey guys just wanted to get some opinions on my situation.

just bought a new travel trailer and dealer was trying to see me on a weight and sway kit for the hitch.....do i need one? !

For the trailer you described I would say yes. For almost any trailer over about 2,500lbs I would still want to use one. Anyone that says no probably hasn't used one before and hasn't realized how much better the tow experience is when using them. Your truck will just feel more natural towing with the WDH.

Braking is better, steering response is better, suspension recovery from expansion joints or dips in the road is better. Your headlights aren't pointing to the sky kinda better. It will be a safer tow also. The cost on them is minimal compared to the benefit. You might even see better fuel economy that you would without it since you keep the truck closer to the desired frontal area and angles and can set the hitch height also keep the trailer at the proper ride level.

 

[Nicholas Matthew]

Thanks for the info think im gonna get one. but wait till i get it home and go pick one up from my local truck accessory store (action car and truck). the dealer said they sell them for 500 to 600 witch i thought was a lil high, plus i hate when they tell me i have to have it.

 

[jimmac91]

I would say anything above 2500 lbs needs load distribution/sway control like the E4. I like it because no chains involved. I used to tow a 1800 lb [email protected] teardrop and it was OK without it but it had electric brakes I could manually apply when trailer got squirrelly. I towed yesterday in 35-45 mph gusts mainly from front and sides on the highway and it was a chore even with the Equalizer E4 hitch I felt the trailer getting buffeted around and the wind put a huge hit to speeds. By far the most difficult tow I have done with my 5300 lb camper and gas Colorado. I surely need to upgrade to the diesel soon.

 

[404 Not Found]

That drawing above that shows the trailer nose down is something we often see on the road but it doesn't have to be that way with a standard hitch. That is what happens when people hookup using any hitch they have on hand. It only costs $20.00 for a taller ball hitch and sometimes no cost at all by flipping the hitch upside down. With either one trailer or two, my standard hitch keeps the trailers dead level because I took the time to try different hitch heights while parked on level ground.

 

[CPTTango30]

I have the Reese Pro wd and sway control. I wouldn't tow more than a small utility trailer without it.

 

[plastrd]

Keep an eye on what comes with whatever WDH you end up buying. I almost bought a cheaper Fastway e2 that didn't come with a ball (planned to re-use the one I had) until I discovered it would require a special thin-wall but monster sized socket for the nut at an additional cost of about $50. I spent a little less than that extra for a Husky Centerline TS to have the ball pre-installed and torqued but I still had to buy 1-1/8" and 1-1/4" deep well sockets to crank down the shank bolts.
If you're doing it by the book you'll also need a torque wrench capable of 300-400 ft-lbs. I cheated here and gave it my best gutentight with a long breaker bar.

 

[Janster]

Only 3,000lbs?? That's not much..... In your situation, I'd be more concerned about a crosswind blowing you around. Do you even have trailer brakes?

Reason why I say that..... we have a 19' Bass Tracker boat that's about 3,000lbs that we tow every weekend. No trailer brakes, no weight distribution hitch - We can't even adjust the tonque weight.

You're towing a 3,000lb BRICK thru the air that has a pretty HIGH center of gravity. Tonque weight, tonque weight, tonque weight.........and of course, having the trailer leveled (proper receiver height). If you set the tonque weight properly, you might not ever need a WDH. That's something you need to determine after you drive it around a bit.......

I've never owned a WDH. I don't know what their benefits are..... We used to tow 6500lbs around in a Grand Cherokee for years (similar GVWR as our trucks). Having a WDH probably would've made the ride better in certain situations....... but..... we just never bought one. After a few years - we bought a Dodge Ram instead. LOL

 

[Janster]

That drawing above that shows the trailer nose down is something we often see on the road but it doesn't have to be that way with a standard hitch. That is what happens when people hookup using any hitch they have on hand. It only costs $20.00 for a taller ball hitch and sometimes no cost at all by flipping the hitch upside down. With either one trailer or two, my standard hitch keeps the trailers dead level because I took the time to try different hitch heights while parked on level ground.

Exactly.......

A little research and education goes a long way to keep things safe.

A WDH isn't a 'bolt-on' either......You have to set them up properly to get the best results.

 

[RodSlinger]

That drawing above that shows the trailer nose down is something we often see on the road but it doesn't have to be that way with a standard hitch. That is what happens when people hookup using any hitch they have on hand.

No. That isn't an example of using a hitch with the ball height set too low. That is an exaggerated example to show how the tongue weight pushes down on the rear and subsequently takes weight OFF the front axle due to how the rear axle now acts like a fulcrum in the middle. Buying a different drop height on the hitch bar just to level your trailer really does nothing to change how your vehicle will drive, handle or stop.

The primary use of the weight distributing hitch isn't for pretty looks and to compensate for improper hitch height. It is there to transfer weight and control back to the front axle of the vehicle.

Weight distributing hitch IS usually bolt on and really not hard to setup initially. Once setup it adds maybe 60 extra seconds to connect the trailer to the vehicle.

 

[16WhiteColly]

I have an 18' trailer, 3,200 lbs. empty. Towed for 4 months without either. Now, with the WD hitch and Sway, I highly recommend both. For about $300, you will feel a huge improvement.

 

[404 Not Found]

No. That isn't an example of using a hitch with the ball height set too low. That is an exaggerated example to show how the tongue weight pushes down on the rear and subsequently takes weight OFF the front axle due to how the rear axle now acts like a fulcrum in the middle. Buying a different drop height on the hitch bar just to level your trailer really does nothing to change how your vehicle will drive, handle or stop.

The primary use of the weight distributing hitch isn't for pretty looks and to compensate for improper hitch height. It is there to transfer weight and control back to the front axle of the vehicle.

Weight distributing hitch IS usually bolt on and really not hard to setup initially. Once setup it adds maybe 60 extra seconds to connect the trailer to the vehicle.

I could see where such a setup could be needed with a huge trailer or while towing with today's weak, FWD unibody vehicles but, towing something in the 3000 lb range with these very substantial full frame trucks should not be a problem. I tow two trailers at the same time with two standard ball hitches. Total trailer weight is 4200 lbs. The truck alone weighs more than that. There is no sway at all. It is rock stable. Do you have any opinion on the factory sway control that our trucks have?

 

[Cody1707]

Do you know what the tongue weight is on that travel trailer? I think that will help determine if you need some kind of weight distribution hitch. If you have a lot of TW then the front of your trailer will sag and will be lifting pressure off the front of your truck. This is less than ideal for control and braking. The opposite can occur when you don't have enough tongue weight and that's when you may experience more swaying. I tend to agree with the posters who mention focusing on a level setup. In my experiences, towing a 3000lb trailer probably wouldn't require a W/D system. However, each trailer is unique and each driver is unique. If you can afford a W/D system and it will give you added confidence and peace of mind on the highways then go for it. If you are a confident driver you may want to try taking the time to properly set a standard hitch to a level towing height and see how that performs. Single axle or tandem axle trailer? That will also factor in. In my experiences lightweight trailers with a tandem axle pull like a dream. Singles can get a little sway happy. Best of luck!

 

[DrewNJ]

WD is typically recommended when your towing more than 50% the weight of the truck. Brakes are recommended typically at 3500+lbs.
In your case I'd worry more about the size of the trailer and concerns with wind. I would for sure run a WD/Sway control setup towing the trailer your describing.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[RodSlinger]

I could see where such a setup could be needed with a huge trailer or while towing with today's weak, FWD unibody vehicles but, towing something in the 3000 lb range with these very substantial full frame trucks should not be a problem. I tow two trailers at the same time with two standard ball hitches. Total trailer weight is 4200 lbs. The truck alone weighs more than that. There is no sway at all. It is rock stable. Do you have any opinion on the factory sway control that our trucks have?

I won't disagree with you here at all. If the load is set correct, safe speeds for the traffic and terrain then most would never see an issue. I don't recall ever experiencing sway any time I've towed so I don't have an opinion on the factory sway control systems. I think they are similar to stability control or other safety features. They are there to assist when all else fails. If you are setup correctly and running safe speeds then you usually wouldn't NEED the sway nanny kicking in. If I'm running down the interstate and start getting dangerously heavy crosswinds then I would either stop for a while or switch to slower backroads. No reason to set myself up for trouble to save a few minutes of time.

I'm more focused on the weight distribution part of it in this thread. If that is good then sway is usually eliminated or greatly reduced. Once trailer weight is setup correctly, the WD hitch just restores the natural balance back on the tow vehicle. And it is sometimes hard to comprehend how much a WD hitch can help if someone has never used one. Think of all the things in life you never thought were useful until after you tried it? Cell phones, microwave, internet, self propelled lawnmowers, etc... Same goes for using one of these WD hitches even on what some would consider moderate loads. If you've never used it you'll never know how much of a difference it can really make in comfort and control of the tow vehicle.

Sorta like how some people actually like the Bose setup and others do not once they've experienced something better. It might be the best factory option but not necessarily the best and final option.

I'm not saying you HAVE to use a WD hitch, just don't disregard it or consider it unnecessary until you have tried it out. You might be surprised with your experience compared to what it was before.

 

[Janster]

. Do you have any opinion on the factory sway control that our trucks have?

Factory Sway Control? Think of it this way...... by the time your truck determines any *sway* via sensors and data...., you're totally screwed. About the only thing it MIGHT do for you, is allow you to control it enough during a serious swaying situation that your trailer won't flip and take the truck with you. It's there to prevent serious accidents. That's my 2cents.

Only for extreme situations...... Setup your trailer, truck, and hitch to prevent those situations from ever occurring.

 

[Janster]

Weight distributing hitch IS usually bolt on and really not hard to setup initially. Once setup it adds maybe 60 extra seconds to connect the trailer to the vehicle.

You say a WDH IS a bolt on?

I'm not necessarily argueing the benefits of a WDH. We did some research on them before - and they're NOT a bolt on. There is setup involved. If you don't take the extra time to set it up properly, then why bother spending the money on one? You won't get the full benefits of it if its not setup properly. Just saying......