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

camp-n-family
Explorer
Jun 28, 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.

I started with the basic WD hitch, upgraded to an Equil-i-zer, and finally a Hensley. Out of all of them the Hensley is the easiest and cleanest to use. Once it is mounted on the trailer it stays there. Hooking up is a matter of backing the stinger in and latching the cams. This process is just as easy, or easier, than standard WD hitches in that the whole hitch head is moveable to help line up.

To the OP, you will have no problem towing the trailer you're considering with a Tundra, even with a basic WD hitch.
cjoseph
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
we had good luck with our equalizer brand hitch.

I would only add, buy more TV than you need and get an electric tongue jack on the TT.

Good luck to you.
TomG2
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
Steve, thanks for narrowing it down a bit. At least you are asking the questions before purchasing, rather than later, like so many do. Good idea.
Huntindog
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
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Steve_911
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Thank everyone for all your input. The info is helpful. I'm looking at a cougar 21rbs. Info states 5238 lbs dry, and 580 lbs hitch weight. My TV will possibly be a 2014 tundra. I read that the new tundra will have a fully integrated brake controller but nothing new on towing capabilities. From what I see on this site and others, people that tow with Tundras pull larger TT's so I'm hoping that this setup will work. There are only two of us and maybe an occasional grandchild.
btw, I'm somewhat mechanically inclined. 32 years in the fire service kinda makes you a jack of all trades...lol
mikedboyd
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.

I will respectively disagree. Money being no object doesn't mean that the more expensive option is better for the situation. I stand by my recommendation. For a reliable, long lasting, very well performing solution (that happens to be reasonably priced), the Equalizer 4-point hitch is an excellent choice. There are cheaper hitches, and more expensive. The Equalizer has a very loyal fan base, full of people that have used them for years and years.
jmtandem
Explorer II
Jun 27, 2013
Go back and reread the OP.
The first sentence: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

He is new with zero experience, and he is smart enough to realize it.

Having used Friction controls when I started, it is what I recommend for the reasons in my post.

All of these recommendations of fine hitches are great....Just not necessarily for a newbie.

Some are difficult to fully understand the operation of just how they work, heck there are some experienced ones out there that don't understand the hitches that they are recommending.

I believe in the K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE. Let him get his feet wet with a hitch that most anyone can grasp, Once he gains experience, then the more advanced stuff can come later.

Jumping right in with a integrated design may be fine,,,if he happens to get it dialed in correctly, if not then he will have neither sway control or weight distribution right.

I stand by what I wrote before.
Trail-Mate
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Have used Reese Weight Dist Hist with and without Friction. After a not so good towing experience with the fiction setup and I had a 1 ton van as TV and a 7000 lb trailer in tow. I also installed and setup the Dual Cam. I decided to go with a hitch that did not use friction to control sway, At the time there were 2, Pullrite and Hensley Arrow, Went with the Arrow, Used it on 3 trailers, after setup very easy to use, some say hard to hitch and unhitch but I never had a problem with this. Now having a 5th wheel, If you want something simple to use then get a truck and 5th wheel. No Sway nothing to adjust and easy to use.
chevor
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
Nothing better than putting a band-aid on behind a 1/2 a truck to pull an oversized trailer and thinking its perfectly safe.
Huntindog
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
delete