Looking for a hitch

Personally, I'd buy something like this.



Handy to have in the truck anyway (in case you ever rent a utility trailer, go pick up a boat, something like that) and it will work to get a new trailer home. I wouldn't want to buy a weight distributing hitch before you buy the trailer, because you won't know exactly what you need. What if you find a trailer that comes with a WD hitch included? This would let you bring something home (you said 22', 4000#, you'd be fine with weight carrying for a short time).

You'll want a weight distributing hitch, not just an adjustable height one. Chances are the TT you buy will already have a WDH already mounted. 4000 pounds dry means 5k loaded with 600-700 pounds of TW. That's too much for most half tons and smaller tow vehicles. So, ask about a WDH for any used TT you pursue.

If you find and choose to purchase a TT that does not already have a WDH, Barney's post is a great summary. I highly recommend the middle group, $400-700 for integrated sway control.

Be aware that the statement above about the Equal-i-zer hitch having fewer parts than the others is not true. The Equal-i-zer, while an excellent hitch, has small clips, pins, and keepers that must be removed and replaced each time it is used and have a tendency to get lost. That is why they sell a spare small parts kit for it and recommend that it be purchased.

Here are some of the popular hitches being used today.
Of the regular hitches that use chains to draw up the bars, there is very little difference in the different brands. One is just about as good as another. All they do is distribute the weight and have no sway control ability. If you want sway control, you must add a friction sway bar to the hitch assembly. Cost of these hitches can run from $250 up to around $450. The cost of the sway control is around $75.

However, there are many other hitches that integrate sway control and weight distribution into one package. They are a step above the "standard" hitches in most cases. Some examples are:
Reese "Strait-Line" hitch (Dual Cam)
Equal-i-zer hitch
Reese "SC series" hitch (similar to Equal-i-zer)
Huskey "Centerline" hitch
Blu Ox "Sway Pro" hitch
These hitches will cost from $400 to around $700

Then there are the expensive hitches that eliminate sway altogether.
Hensley Arrow hitch
ProPride hitch
PullRite hitch
The above hitches will cost around $2500 to $3500.
Barney

There seem to be only a few hitch models out there. You could search this Forum for `trailer hitch' and read all about them. We have the Equal-i-zer because it has fewer parts than the others.

Moved from ATC