We've sold our Class C Jayco and are making the jump to a travel trailer. Have a 3/4 ton Suburban to pull a 32-ft bunkhouse trailer.I've never had to mess with a sway bar before. I get their importance, but I'm confused over options. The Equ-i-lizer seems to be a very popular option, and it's sold locally for $600 - $700. The people who are selling us the trailer have offered to sell us their sway bar set up - a Curt Trunnion Weight Distribution Trailer Hitch 17302 - for $300 (about the cost of a new one).The price differential is huge, and both of them receive positive comments from respective users. So what's the difference? Obviously, my inclination is to go with the cheaper option, unless there's something vital that the Equ-i-lizer offers that the Curt doesn't.Any ideas? Is one far superior to the other to warrant this big of a price difference?

What ever you buy, check out eTrailer.com. Their prices and product support are second to none.A freind just bought a new trailer and the dealer wanted $300 (50%) more for a Reese Dual Cam than eTrailer.

Two different animals completely...The Curt you referenced is a basic weight distribution hitch.The Equal-i-zer and my preference, the Reese Strait Line Dual Cam are combination hitches...they incorporate weight distribution AND sway control.I highly recommend that you get set up with some kind of sway control in addition to the basic weight control for you 32 footer.

As mentioned above, the Curt is just a WD hitch with no sway control unless you add on a friction sway control bar or two (two recommended with that big of a trailer). The Equal-i-zer and Reese Dual Cam hitches mentioned combine both Weight Distribution (WD) with sway control into one hitch. There are also other hitches that combine both functions such as the Husky Centerline, Andersen, Blue Ox Sway Pro and some others.In my opinion, you absolutely should use some kind of sway control with that size of a trailer.Barney

I like what Barney just said.Personally, I would get a hitch with BUILT IN sway control. Adding the friction bar each time is another one of those "extra" steps I don't like to make. The problem will be choosing a hitch you will like. There are many issues here, cost (of course), ease of hooking and unhooking, noise when turning and backing, weight, availability and many more.I like my Equalizer but many like their other brands as well. Years ago, there were issues with some hitches when it came to backing up. I also did not like the whole process of snapping the chains in place when hooking up. The Equalizer brand was much easier for me to deal with. Since that time these two issues have been addressed and the list of options have grown.If you want to spend between 2.5 and 3 K you can get a Pro Pride or a Hensley Arrow. ;)

Look at the Blue Ox Sway Pro. I'm very happy with mine. Simple, clean, quiet, and effective.

Sway bar options - totally befuddled | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

krobbe
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
For my 3/4 ton Burb and 33ft TT, I use and like the 1,200/12,000lb. Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch. Using my power tongue jack, I've never had to use the pry bar to hitch up. I just lower the tongue to the ball and latch it, raise up with the power jack to take all the tension off, move the bars into place and pin, lower completely. Done. Easy peasy.
stripit
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
For the cost involved i would go with the system the owner of the trailer has been using. I'm sure he would take the time to show you how he has been operating and using this hitch. You always can switch it out for something better should the need arise.
anaro
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
I found these articles from e trailer.com very helpful when I was trying to understand wdh and sway control. while friction sway bars work very well with smaller trailers with a burb and a 32 ft tt i highly recommend you step up to a hutch with integrated sway control. The reese dual cam and the equal-i-zer are both considered very good hitches and yes they do come with a price but IMHO my family's safety was totally worth it. I have the Reese dual cam. It is a good hitch and functios well but is a royal PITA to get setup correctly to begin with.

Reese strait line is available here for a pretty competitive price.
handye9
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
LarryJM wrote:
handye9 wrote:
Besides the extra step of putting on the friction bar, you also need to take it off to back up.

Built in sway control is much less work, and, one less step to remembber.

INCORRECT INFORMATION on the need to remove when backing up.

Larry

I don't know that I would call it incorrect information when, many sway bar manufacturers recommend removal for backing up. Some, just say to loosen it, and, some don't say either way.

I had one (made by drawtite) that did not have the recommendation, it said "remove it". I forgot to remove (one time) and it ripped the ball mount out of the trailer tongue.

Here is another thread on the subject.

Do a google search, you'll find a lot more.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
handye9 wrote:
Besides the extra step of putting on the friction bar, you also need to take it off to back up.

Built in sway control is much less work, and, one less step to remembber.

INCORRECT INFORMATION on the need to remove when backing up.

Larry
handye9
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
Besides the extra step of putting on the friction bar, you also need to take it off to back up.

Built in sway control is much less work, and, one less step to remembber.
carmelo
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
Gary,
The EQUAL I ZER hitch is far better than the common wt distribution hitch.
The former has built in SWAY CONTROL with NOTHING else to hookup and unhook EVERYTIME you use it.
A wt distribution hitch is just that and nothing more then you must ADD pieces of equipment to get sway control.

Just my experience and not conjecture.

Check them out for yourself.
CCC
thetechie01
Explorer
Aug 12, 2013
I have thee Reese Dual Cam and love it. One step hookup, and dont have to adjust anything. Very effective of controlling the sway on my 31' (35' over all) 10,000lb trailer. I ordered it on Amazon for about $450, well worth the extra over what they are trying to sell that Curt to you for. I went with the 14k lb with 1400lb bars, nice and stiff and works awesome. My father in law is alway jealous at how quick I get hitched and go, not needing to worry about sway control. And I dont have to undo the sway bars before i back up or get in a tight turning situation.
hddecker
Explorer
Aug 12, 2013
Had a dual cam, would never have another one.

Look at some of the newer technology that has been developed it sway control, like the Anderson and the Blue Ox.

If I didn't have a Hennsley, which is ridiculously expensive but very effective in controlling sway, I would seriously consider the Anderson.

Once you have your weight distribution figured out in the TT, you just hook the Anderson up and go.
No busting a gut lifting spring bars, if you do need to fine tune the Anderson it is done with a ratchet.

Another thing I like about the Anderson is no grinding and groaning from spring bars, it disturbes my sleep when I'm driving.;)
LarryJM
Explorer II
Aug 12, 2013
Stpierre142 wrote:
I have an equil-I-zer with my 28' TT and lke it very much...

X2 with our 32' TT.

Larry

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Sway bar options - totally befuddled

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