ok, I'm just too lazy to look it up, but I'd like opinions on the best weight distributing hitch that also has sway control. I've never towed with one, but feel that it's time to make that step since we plan to travel with our setup now, and I'd just like the peace of mind.... I welcome all input!I do have a class V receiver, so something available with a 2.5" shank would be preferred....***Link Removed***

How heavy is your loaded trailer and how long? I've had 4 different ones...Basic Equalizer type hitch with friction sway bar. (not my choice, there are better options)My favorites:Equal-i-zer brand hitch.. good but really noisyReece Dual Cam Strait-line.....excellent, somewhat hard to set up correctlyBlue Ox SwayPro....excellent.Bottom Line: pick either the Reece or Blue Ox.Also really good is a Hensley, but super expensive.

Equal-i-zer 4 point control. Easy hookup and just works. Can be bought for around $550.00 depending on size.

Love my Blue Ox Sway Pro. Quiet, easy to set up and to hook up. Pulls great, and I've never had any sway.

Ok, you used the word "BEST". That narrows it down to two units. Hensley Arrow or Pro Pride.Dropping down to "BETTER" narrows it down to three units: Equil-i-zer, Reese Dual Cam, or Blue Ox Sway ProDropping even further down to "GOOD" is any of the el-cheapo units that require a separate sway control bar.

Best is in the eye of the beholder. Heard great things from Equal-i-zer.I have Blue ox Sway Pro and love it.Please don't take this the wrong way.. I just find it interesting that you joined today, but you're too lazy to do the search yourself. There's a lot of information on this website, likely a lot more than what you will get with this post.As an aside, one thing to consider regarding the Class V hitch. I have a Class V as well, and I decided to use the adapter (welded in for stability) to make it 2 inch shank. Im actually glad I went with 2 inch because my tow vehicle broke down (water pump/serpentine belt) and I was stuck in middle of nowhere. Had to call road side assistance. Tow truck came out for both TT and truck. they put the truck on the flatbed, and used a hitch to tow my TT. They needed to use my hitch/shank. Good thing it was 2 inch because that was the size of their receiver on this tow truck. Otherwise my TT would have had to be left on side of the road. Just something to consider.Mike

Best weight distributing hitch with a sway control

jerem0621
Explorer II
Dec 21, 2017
Nice Amazon affiliate website. I do suggest that you not farm out your content writing to people unfamiliar with this type of equipment.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
Hannibal
Explorer
Dec 21, 2017
Walaby wrote:
OP asked the question, because (in his own words) he was too lazy to do the research. Haven't heard back from him since his post. Wonder if he's too lazy to read the answers....

Did anyone notice in his signature it says 'check out my review of WD hitches' and has a link to tophitches.com?

Troll/spammer?

Maybe this will get a rise out of him and generate a response.

Mike

I think you're right. I peeked at the site. Very amateurish. Many errors.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Dec 20, 2017
Sgeorge wrote:
Equal-i-zer 4 point control. Easy hookup and just works. Can be bought for around $550.00 depending on size.

That's what I'm using, works great
Walaby
Explorer II
Dec 20, 2017
OP asked the question, because (in his own words) he was too lazy to do the research. Haven't heard back from him since his post. Wonder if he's too lazy to read the answers....

Did anyone notice in his signature it says 'check out my review of WD hitches' and has a link to tophitches.com?

Troll/spammer?

Maybe this will get a rise out of him and generate a response.

Mike
TomG2
Explorer
Dec 20, 2017
The OP asked what is, "Best weight distributing hitch with a sway control?"

The trick is to start with an adequate tow vehicle and not depend on an expensive hitch for safety and control. I had a great experience with an Andersen No Sway hitch. Of course I had a 2500HD that did not "require" any WD hitch for my trailer in the first place. If I "need" an expensive complicated hitch to make my TT tow like a fifth wheel, I will get a fifth wheel trailer and an adequate tow vehicle.
dthfsa
Explorer
Dec 20, 2017
camperforlife wrote:
dthfsa wrote:
Walaby wrote:
dthfsa wrote:
Blue Ox is okay as long as you have a light trailer and under 28' long. I fought one for a year only to have the dealer replace it with an Equalizer.

That's a new one... My TT is 37 footer, and GVW of nearly 10K and Blue Ox works great.

I did lots of research and looking at comments by users. There are few people who have not been happy with the Blue Ox, but the few that did not like them seemed to have longer trailers. The tech told me they have had issues with toy haulers and also some of the longer trailers, he suggested not to put a Blue Ox on any trailer over 28 feet long.
I don't necessary agree with that, I think it has to do with your particular truck and trailer and every one will be different depending on weights, loading etc.
There are many users who love them and have no issues. I was just unlucky to have a setup that did not work.
I am very happy that my dealer changed out my set up at no cost to me and was willing to work with me a year later on my set up.

Don't understand that at all. I am pulling 35' with 1500lb tongue weight with a Blue Ox Sway Pro and it is the best towing combo I have ever owned.

Not sure what you don't understand. I stated it was not the right combo for my trailer. I had issues. I loved the concept of it but it did not work for me.
The technician that was working on correcting my set up stated to me that they have had issues in the past with Toy Haulers and some longer trailers like mine and the Blue Ox did not preform as stated. Not every hammer is designed for finish nailing.
I loved how quiet it was compared to the equalizer. I can say that the equalizer is 100 times more stable going down the road than the Blue Ox with my truck and trailer combo was.
Blue ox does look like the old style conventional WD hitch, but the design of the bars and head also make it act as a sway control device. It works very well, however in my case with any type of side force the trailer would begin to push over and then suddenly it would snap back. Like the bars would build up this tension and then release it. I tried to move weight from front to back, heavy, light nothing really helped. After going through South Dakota and back again last year I had had enough and ended up going to an Equalizer.
Before the Laredo I pulled a 28' Passport, a light camper and used a conventional chain and saddle set up with a friction brake style sway control arm for 9 years and had no problems.
My advice is to research on multiple platforms, ask advice on forums like this. This site has helped me so many times over the years, lots of good people with lots of real world experiences. Not everyone will agree on topics, but if you read enough responses you will be able to draw your own conclusions.
Merry X-Mas to all.
Hannibal
Explorer
Dec 20, 2017
RinconVTR wrote:
Hannibal wrote:
Once tightened to 65ft/lbs on the socket bolts, the WD bars on the Equalizer 4 pt are quite hard to move.

I personally have worked on 3 rigs in as many years using Equalizer WDH's with bars so tight in the head they affected TV handling Each case was steering pull from the bars not rotating freely.

Those bars need to pivot freely side to side and not feel clamped or the above can and will occur. Call and ask...you'll hear it from the OEM direct.

Secondly, I never said NOT to lube the L brackets. Sure, you CAN. But why. All that does is reduce noise (and friction). And if the noise is so terrible, you bought the wrong hitch.

Keep in mind, the friction we're all talking about does NOT eliminate sway, it simply creates mild resistance. Properly set up trailers wont know the difference from lubed brackets to dry ones, until one day you really want all the sway resistance available...then you'll think about those grease brackets!

Funny thing. The manor of which people fear monger around this forum, one would think adding grease to the L brackets is sure death. Well it's not but don't be fooled...it does reduce sway resistance. That's a simple caveman fact.

You're the one driving and you know you're own comfort level. Good luck!

We have no steering interference from the hitch or anything else. The manual says to tighten the socket bolts to at least 60ft/lbs to give resistance to the bars turning in the head.
They are not meant to turn freely. This defeats the whole concept of "4 point sway control". This from the OEM.
The noise is not necessary. A little lube quiets it down and it works very well. I definitely bought the right hitch.
I know about properly set up and properly loaded trailers. I towed our current trailer for a year with no sway control at all. It towed like a champ. It is properly set up and loaded.
You've never heard (read) me fearmongering here or anywhere else. We've already established that we all know lubrication reduces friction. Not a problem. I towed our current TT for a year with no sway control whatsoever. You seem to be the one currently fearmongering. Yet you would have me loosen the socket bolts so the WD bars move freely. Even a caveman could see the irony there.
No luck needed but thanks. I'm not superstitious. I prefer good results.
RinconVTR
Explorer
Dec 20, 2017
Hannibal wrote:
Once tightened to 65ft/lbs on the socket bolts, the WD bars on the Equalizer 4 pt are quite hard to move.

I personally have worked on 3 rigs in as many years using Equalizer WDH's with bars so tight in the head they affected TV handling Each case was steering pull from the bars not rotating freely.

Those bars need to pivot freely side to side and not feel clamped or the above can and will occur. Call and ask...you'll hear it from the OEM direct.

Secondly, I never said NOT to lube the L brackets. Sure, you CAN. But why. All that does is reduce noise (and friction). And if the noise is so terrible, you bought the wrong hitch.

Keep in mind, the friction we're all talking about does NOT eliminate sway, it simply creates mild resistance. Properly set up trailers wont know the difference from lubed brackets to dry ones, until one day you really want all the sway resistance available...then you'll think about those grease brackets!

Funny thing. The manor of which people fear monger around this forum, one would think adding grease to the L brackets is sure death. Well it's not but don't be fooled...it does reduce sway resistance. That's a simple caveman fact.

You're the one driving and you know you're own comfort level. Good luck!
camperforlife
Explorer
Dec 20, 2017
dthfsa wrote:
Walaby wrote:
dthfsa wrote:
Blue Ox is okay as long as you have a light trailer and under 28' long. I fought one for a year only to have the dealer replace it with an Equalizer.

That's a new one... My TT is 37 footer, and GVW of nearly 10K and Blue Ox works great.

I did lots of research and looking at comments by users. There are few people who have not been happy with the Blue Ox, but the few that did not like them seemed to have longer trailers. The tech told me they have had issues with toy haulers and also some of the longer trailers, he suggested not to put a Blue Ox on any trailer over 28 feet long.
I don't necessary agree with that, I think it has to do with your particular truck and trailer and every one will be different depending on weights, loading etc.
There are many users who love them and have no issues. I was just unlucky to have a setup that did not work.
I am very happy that my dealer changed out my set up at no cost to me and was willing to work with me a year later on my set up.

Don't understand that at all. I am pulling 35' with 1500lb tongue weight with a Blue Ox Sway Pro and it is the best towing combo I have ever owned.
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 19, 2017
RinconVTR wrote:
Without getting into the extremely simple mechanical design look at it this way;

The anti-sway features in this case (how ever many you wish to believe in) rely on friction and friction alone.

Add grease = reduce friction.

And grease is required at the head, like every WDH does.

It's honestly that simple. These are extremely crude devices using mild steel.
Having owned three of the EQUALIZERS, I can say with certainty that the manuals do state that the L brackets CAN be lubed to reduce noise. It also says that this will reduce the anti sway effectivness a small amount.

The hitch head MUST be lubed. But it still contributes quite a bit to the anti sway. First by the bolts being tightened to 65 #s effectively clamping them, and second when the bars are engaged putting them in a bind. Without the grease on the head, those forces would be so great as to quickly destroy the hitch... The grease just reduces it to the proper amount of force.

EQUALIZER has been around for MANY years with those instructions. Many thousands of people have successfully followed them with great results.
I think they know what they are talking about, and they have a track record to prove it.