I am going to purchase a TV and TT soon, and would like opinions as to the best and easiest to use hitch for a novice like me. I am a newbe and would like the least troublesome unit. Money will be no object here because I believe ease of use and safety is most important.Any input is greatly appreciated.Steve

Hensley Arrow or it's copy the Pro Pride. No sway, set it and forget it. The best, and most expensive ($3K+)hitches out there.

Hensley! best I have ever used.

I agree that Hensley or Pro Pride are probably the BEST but totally unnecessary if you have an adequate tow vehicle with a trailer sized to fit it. Best VALUE in a WD system is either Reece Duel Cam (my own choice) or Equalizer (for those who prefer a straight friction based unit). BOTH will give excellent weight distributing and (as good as any on the market) and very good anti sway control.Good luck / Skip

Hensley Arrow or it's copy the Pro Pride. No sway, set it and forget it. The best, and most expensive ($3K+)hitches out there. Add PullRite to the list. It is expensive, heavy, custom fit for your tow vehicle but it works. It actually functions much like a fifth wheel hitch for sway control and weight distribution only for a TT and is mounted under the truck bed. The hitch is around 400 pounds so it does affect the payload of the tow vehicle and sometimes requires minor rerouting of the exhaust. Unlike Hensley and ProPride and almost all other hitches, the PullRite provides about 70 degrees of movement that can help greatly in tight situations where turning is limited.

I think the best value and simplest is the Anderson hitch. Less expensive, lightweight, simple, easy to install, setup, and use. Infinitely adjustable. Don't need to disconnect when backing. As an added bonus all the people at the RV store will ask about it ;-)

Best WD and anti-sway hitch? | Good Sam Community

TomG2
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
It appears that a lot of people think that "they" know the best hitch, simply because it is what "they" have. :-) Actually, answering the OP's question without a lot more information is like answering the question, "How long is a piece of string". Doesn't keep people from trying though. For instance, who would advise adding a four hundred pound hitch to a rig that was already at maximum payload with no hitch installed?
MontanaCamper
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
jmtandem wrote:

As far as the Equalizer hitch goes, I had one (1200/12000) and unimpressed with it. Here is the problem, the OP purchases an entry level 'dealer throws it in to make a sale hitch', like the Equalizer, and then after a few tows the OP wants a better hitch. He now has purchased two hitches and spent even more money than if just starting with the proven premium hitch (PullRite, Hensely or ProPride), and started out right with a lifetime hitch.

Had the OP asked about a good entry level hitch, I would have suggested the Blue OX or Reese dual cam. I have never seen the Anderson hitch so maybe it is also a good entry level hitch.

My problem with it is the hitch that the dealer tossed in was a Reese WD hitch....was terrible, I set it up, Friends help set is up, dealer set it up (300.00--not a free hitch anymore) and still was white knuckled at some tows...Picked up a, "cheap" as they say, Equalizer (500.00 - would like to know what expensive is) and have not towed with it much, but from what I have...it tows LEAPS AND BOUNDS over the WD chain hitch I had. No "porpus" hardly know its back there...besides it being 9900 pounds.

Is Hesley good/best..prob..but 3G is out of a lot of our pocket books.
pappcam
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
chevor wrote:
Buy a big enough truck, no need for weight distribution.

Wrong answer.
chevor
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Buy a big enough truck, no need for weight distribution.
jmtandem
Explorer II
Jun 27, 2013
The OP also mentioned "easy to use". I don't think the Hensley and it's ilk would fit that bill. I don't even think it would work for my camping style. Though I have no experience with them, I've read enough to feel informed. I often have to hitch and unhitch at sharp angles and on unlevel ground. The Equal-I-zer handles this with ease.

Actually the PullRite hitch would hitch/unhitch even easier with it's 70 degree rotation arc then any other hitch, including the entry level Equalizer that provides zero arc of movement. The driver can watch the ball connect looking out the side window while hitching. It is that easy to hitch/unhitch at an angle.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
jmtandem wrote:
For a newbie, I would go with Equalizer. Lots of comments and arguments on the other brands (too expensive, the ONLY one to buy, Anderson is too new and/or can't move the weight enough, etc.). Everyone seems to agree that the Equalizer 4-point hitch is a very good, reasonably priced hitch that you can use for years with no issues.

The OP asked about the best, money is no option, hitch. Had the OP asked what would be a good hitch to get started in RVing the answers might all be different and more along the lines of what you responded to. As far as the Equalizer hitch goes, I had one (1200/12000) and unimpressed with it. Here is the problem, the OP purchases an entry level 'dealer throws it in to make a sale hitch', like the Equalizer, and then after a few tows the OP wants a better hitch. He now has purchased two hitches and spent even more money than if just starting with the proven premium hitch (PullRite, Hensely or ProPride), and started out right with a lifetime hitch.

Had the OP asked about a good entry level hitch, I would have suggested the Blue OX or Reese dual cam. I have never seen the Anderson hitch so maybe it is also a good entry level hitch.

The OP also mentioned "easy to use". I don't think the Hensley and it's ilk would fit that bill. I don't even think it would work for my camping style. Though I have no experience with them, I've read enough to feel informed. I often have to hitch and unhitch at sharp angles and on unlevel ground. The Equal-I-zer handles this with ease.
SteveAE
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Steve 911,

I recently switched from a Reese Dual Cam to the Hensley Arrow. Huge difference.....and I didn't think I had any sway issues in the first place. The reason I switched was to provide better weight distribution than the Reese is capable of. Hitching up is "different", but I wouldn't say that it is any more difficult. Customer service at Hensley is excellent.
I hope this helps.

Steve
jmtandem
Explorer II
Jun 27, 2013
For a newbie, I would go with Equalizer. Lots of comments and arguments on the other brands (too expensive, the ONLY one to buy, Anderson is too new and/or can't move the weight enough, etc.). Everyone seems to agree that the Equalizer 4-point hitch is a very good, reasonably priced hitch that you can use for years with no issues.
Ron_Gratz
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Steve 911 wrote:
I am going to purchase a TV and TT soon, and would like opinions as to the best and easiest to use hitch for a novice like me.---
In order to provide meaningful advice, we need to have some idea as to:

what do you plan to purchase for a TV and

what do you plan to purchase for a TT?

The "best" hitch for a 1 ton, long-wheelbase truck towing a 5000# trailer would be different from the "best" hitch for a short-wheelbase SUV towing a 7000# trailer.

Ron
Dick_B
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
You have actually asked two questions with cross purposes: what is the best and what is the easiest to use.
The best is the Hensley Arrow and, I think, the easiest to use is the Equal-i-zer because there are fewer parts to deal with when hitching and unhitching BUT the sway control is not as good as the Arrow.
That's my $.03