Towing without equalizer bars hooked up

When correctly adjusted and sized the ride is MUCH better with the hitch in use. The only compelling reason to use the bars though would be the rating of your receiver hitch without a WD system in use and how it relates to your fully loaded tongue weight. Half ton hitches are usually rated for around 500 lb. of tongue weight without going to a WD system. Yours should be marked somewhere, what it's rating is for both with and without WD in place.

Just curious, do you actually have an Equal i zer system of were you meaning a weight distributing system? Equalizer is a "BRAND" of WD system with integrated anto sway.