What is best hitch and electric brake for 8,000# trailer?

John,
My last HD Cummins was the same truck (05)
I have used Reese Dual cam, Husky Brute, and Equalizer in past and they all do a good job but some noisy especially when backing up.
The tech (4 years ago) suggested the Blue Ox Sway Pro and I continue to use it today on my Lance TT. Love it for built in sway control, no loose parts, always clean (powder coated) sealed grease certs, and the easiest to hook up with the 'new roller cam' design.
The Blue Ox has worked perfectly. The Hensley and Pro Pride are great systems but expensive.
I have used Prodigy P2 for many years (now have built in controller on my new truck) and perform very good.

Thanks to all for all the super feedback.

I have used Equal-I-zer hitches on two trailers. First one weighed about 5500 and towed initially with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Currently towing about 10,000lbs with the 1400/14,000 Equal-I-zer with about 1200 lbs hitch weight. TV 2006 Ram 2500 CTD. I have found the Equal-I-zer, when set up right to be a very effective hitch. No sway, no push from cross winds or semis. Very satisfied in both cases.

The OP said an '06 Ram 3500 CTD and an 8000lb Airstream. I think any off the hitches mentioned should serve him well if properly set up.

I switched to a pro pride 1400 hitch with a ford 150 and I pull a 34 foot rockwood best hitch I ever had.The hitch is expensive but worth every penny.No sway you will feel very safe with this hitch

You have a pretty stout truck and a easy to tow TT... Any system set up properly will serve you well. I'd look more into the features of each and pick the one that you like best.... They all have good points and bad points.

I use the Equal-i-zer hitch. Works well. Easy to setup and use.
I also installed and use the Prodigy P3. Wouldn't buy anything else. Make sure you get the adapter cable for your truck for plug and play installation.

John,

I am pulling a 25FB with my half ton Tundra and I use an Equalizer hitch with 1K bars. It works great for me. I am a fan of the Equalizer but there are some issues out there you need to be aware of.

On the Airstream forums, the Hensley and its sister the ProPride (I believe) are the consensus go to hitches. If cost is no issue than you should look in this direction. If you go with a more traditional hitch it is very important to get the right sized one. If you "over hitch" your Airstream the forces applied can actually damage the trailer. People can easily pop rivets and even, in some cases, crack the skin if the setup is too rigid. If you have a very stiff 3/4 ton truck you still need sway control but the need for weight distributing might be less than if you have a sissy little half ton like mine.

My Equalizer is dialed in nicely. It is easy to hook and unhook and the trailer follows nicely behind the truck in all kinds of conditions. I did not go in the Hensley direction for two reasons. First was the cost and secondly was my perception of the difficulty in hooking up. You don't just drop the trailer on the ball but you have to drive the stinger into the hitch. People who have them say it is easy once you get the hang of it but others say that it is a challenge especially when on uneven ground.

Good luck, you are going to like the Airstream. It will be an unbelievable experience towing if you have towed a conventional trailer before. Oh, I am also a big fan of the Prodigy controller.

You don't just drop the trailer on the ball but you have to drive the stinger into the hitch. People who have them say it is easy once you get the hang of it but others say that it is a challenge especially when on uneven ground.

I'm usually hitching up alone and I find it easier to do with the Hensley than a conventional ball. With the ball you have to get it lined up perfectly under the tongue, the Hensley not so much. The whole hitch head swivels and pivots so it can be moved from side to side a few inches. I can just back up to what is close, move the hitch head to line up with the stinger, and back on in. If you have the jack screws instead of the chains on the bars you can use them to tilt the head up and down too.