Weight Distributing Hitches

TriciaR1970 wrote:
We upgraded from a 24 foot travel trailer to a 33 foot travel trailer this summer. We are towing with a Ford F150 with Eco Boost engine. The truck is rated to tow up to 9600 and our TT is 6500 so we are good on weight. We moved our weight distributing hitch from the 24' to the 33', it is just a basic hitch with chains to distribute weight and a swaybar controller on the right side.

I am not a super experienced driver and so definitely take it easy, we started with a few short local trips this summer and the truck tows it easily but I find in windy weather or at highway speeds I feel more movement than I'm comfortable with.

I am considering upgrading to an Equil-i-zer Hitch and wondering what experience everyone has and what types of sway control you are using. They are an expense and I want to make the right choice as there are several different types.

This is the one that was recommended by a friend and what we are considering:
Equil-i-zer Hitch @ Hitchsourcehttp://www.hitchsource.com/equalizer-hitch-and-shank-12000lbs-p-27361.html

It's possible, your existing hitch is too lite and, it is not distributing enough weight back onto your drive wheels. If drive wheels are too lite, you unconsiously move the steering wheel back and forth, which causes a little swaying motion.

Either hitch should do a decent job, but, you should check your actaul weights on truck and trailer.

Find these weights:

Truck GVWR
Truck actual weight
Trailer gross weight (UVW plus cargo capacity)


6500 lbs, sounds like it may be the advertised unloaded weight. If so, loaded for camping, it will be closer to 7500 lbs. That would make a difference in trunion bars for your new hitch. Find out gross weight for the trailer and use that to estimate tongue (hitch) weight. Average is 12%. Better yet, load it up and weight it, with and without WD bars.

Find out actual weight of the truck. Weigh it with full fuel and driver. Then subtract actual weight from GVWR (posted on drivers door post). That will tell you available payload.


Your weakest points are going to be:

Available payload - Room you have for WD hitch weight (about 100 lbs), passenger weight, truck cargo weight, and tongue weight. You could find, you are close, if not over GVWR on the truck.

Tires and suspension - A "P" rated or 6 ply LT rated tire could have some side wall flex. Even if the tires are proper for the load, under-inflation can cause side wall flex. Soft suspension will give you pretty much the same feeling.


Examples (your actual numbers will be slightly different):

Manufacturer says truck GVWR is 7700 lbs (based on frame, drivetrain, brakes, wheels, tires, and suspension)

Truck weighs 6400 (with full fuel and driver)
There are 1300 lbs payload left for passengers, cargo, and tongue weight.

Manufacturer says 9600 tow capacity - A 9600 lb trailer could have 1400 lbs tongue weight. Add 100 lbs for the WD hitch, and, you would have 1500 lbs hanging on the back of the truck. Thats a problem, if the available payload is only 1300 lbs. Without passengers or cargo, the truck is over weight.