The right WD hitch for a 3500 pound 22 foot trailer

[bdanwallin]

Hi,

We are looking at buying a 3500 pound TT that is 22.5 feet long with a single axle. The dealer tried to push an 800 dollar 10000 pound WD hitch with sway control. I felt this was on the high side and am looking for recommendations for a reasonable WD hitch with sway control. I believe the dealer offers different options and I just don't want to pay for stuff I don't need. Any recommendations are appreciated and reasonable costs for a suitable WD hitch.

I am towing with a 2017 F150 V8 with front sway bar.

[myredracer]

The 3500 lbs would have to be dry weight for a 22.5' TT and also because he wouldn't have run it through a scale yet. We used to tow a 20' TT that was 5K lbs fully loaded with an F150, but the TT would have been a bit heavier due to being dual axle. We had a basic Husky round bar WDH and it worked fine but was a bit of a challenge sometimes in strong winds and on interstates with semis going past. I wouldn't have towed it without a WDH.

Don't know about the newer F150s, but a receiver without a WDH is typically rated for 500 lbs max. OP's new TT could have a tongue weight of 600+ lbs. No fancy dancy $800+ WDH needed but I would go for a simple round bar one. If sway seems to be an issue, could always add a friction bar.

Note that if you do find you have a sway issue, there are other contributing factors like tire pressure in TT & TV, and having the trailer level to slightly nose down.

[tatest]

You may or may not need WD. You definitely do not need a 10,000 pound WD hitch to haul a 3500 pound trailer. The hitch should have the option of lighter spring bars to handle lighter loads.

[Ron3rd]

afidel wrote:
Fastway E2 with 600 or 800 pound bars. As far as those saying you don't need it, I returned 2" to the front wheels on my rather large half ton so I'd say it's worth it. Plus it essentially eliminates sway. I'll pull the scouts 14' 2500 pound utility trailer without a sway bar but not my trailer (I initially just had a drop shank and even with a rented 2500 it would sway too much for comfort)

That's another good choice IMO.

[Ron3rd]

ppine wrote:
I just bought a Husky spring bar outfit for my 6,500 pound Rockwood. It is working great and cost $180 on Amazon with free ship.

I have towed a 2750 pound hybrid trailer with no HD hitch and just a sway bar.

It would be good to have one for a light 3500 pound trailer. Just buy a lighter one with a hitch weight within 250 pounds or so of your TW. Otherwise you will have a very harsh ride with a light trailer.

That should be all you need and was probably what the dealer was pushing for $800. This hitch is a take off on the old E-Z Lift design which many have copied over the years. I towed with that style hitch for many years with our old 25 ft trailer.

The Anderson would be a good choice too for that size trailer.

[afidel]

Fastway E2 with 600 or 800 pound bars. As far as those saying you don't need it, I returned 2" to the front wheels on my rather large half ton so I'd say it's worth it. Plus it essentially eliminates sway. I'll pull the scouts 14' 2500 pound utility trailer without a sway bar but not my trailer (I initially just had a drop shank and even with a rented 2500 it would sway too much for comfort)

[BarabooBob]

I tow a 17 ft Viking with loaded weight of 3500 pounds with a 2011 F150 supercrew, Ecoboost. Last summer I towed over 7000 miles throughout the eastern US without a WDH. I never felt that I needed one. I talked to a tech at etrailer and he talked me out of buying one because I didn't need it. I now agree. We towed during some pretty windy days with heavy truck traffic and never had a problem.

[Grit_dog]

Don't need a wdh for that little trailer.

[BarneyS]

RVW is RV Wholesalers, a rv dealer located in mid Ohio not too far North of you that usually has good prices.
Barney

[bdanwallin]

bikendan wrote:
The Fastway E2, from Progress Manufacturing Inc
Check RVW for great prices.

Whats RVW?

[bdanwallin]

Thanks for all the input, We appreciate all of the help!

[bdanwallin]

CincyGus wrote:

bdanwallin wrote:
Hi,

We are looking at buying a 3500 pound TT that is 22.5 feet long with a single axle. The dealer tried to push an 800 dollar 10000 pound WD hitch with sway control. I felt this was on the high side and am looking for recommendations for a reasonable WD hitch with sway control. I believe the dealer offers different options and I just don't want to pay for stuff I don't need. Any recommendations are appreciated and reasonable costs for a suitable WD hitch.

I am towing with a 2017 F150 V8 with front sway bar.

Hello Neighbor!

Just want to throw a thought out for you to check/consider.
You say it's a 3500 lb TT on a single axle. What is the axle rated at and what is the GVWR on the trailer. Make sure you are using the MAX the trailer can WEIGH and CARRY when determining what hitch you need.
If the trailer weighs 3500 and your GVWR is 5500, THAT is the number you need to match the hitch to.

Also make sure your trucks carrying capacity (Not towing capacity) listed on a sticker on your door jam is not exceeded. 10-15% of your trailers final weight plus whatever you carrying in the truck (People, Cargo in the truck and truck bed, weight of the hitch) is your Carrying capacity.

Lastly, make sure your single AXLE is rated for that higher GVWR amount.

I would also want sway control. I just traded a 25', duel axle, under 4000 lb. TT that weighed 5500 lbs when fully loaded for camping. I towed it with a 1500 Chevy and I needed W/D and sway control. It was a decent tow but there were times it was a hand full if it was real windy or I was on flatlands with semi's passing us.

The biggest trailer we are looking at has around 4700 GVWR. That puts about 700 pounds on the hitch at 15%. My truck has a GVWR of 7000 pounds. The trucks towing capacity is 9000.

I definitely want the WD hitch and feel I will come in under the vehicle specs no problem. Thanks for the rundown, now I just need to pick a hitch... and a trailer! We really like the smaller bunk house models like the one here:
http://coachmenrv.com/travel-trailers/apex-nano/193BHS/1596

[KD4UPL]

There's no way that little trailer behind an F-150 needs a WDH. It shouldn't need sway control either if it's loaded and hitched properly. Save your money for now and tow it a while without and see how it does.
The truck will probably ride better with the weight on the hitch.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

GordonThree wrote:

discovery4us wrote:
3500 lb. trailer you just need a draw bar and ball rated to handle 5000 lbs. and call it good.

x2 - Do some towing without one, and then decide. Watch some videos on proper trailer loading - hint, keep the heavy stuff up front, ahead of the trailer axles.

Agree, you might not even need one with your over-truck vs your trailer weight.

I did weight management on mine and I also did not need one. But when I put it, it's night-and-day in better handling.

And yeah, I started to load some more accessories with confidence, generator... etc.

[GordonThree]

discovery4us wrote:
3500 lb. trailer you just need a draw bar and ball rated to handle 5000 lbs. and call it good.

x2 - Do some towing without one, and then decide. Watch some videos on proper trailer loading - hint, keep the heavy stuff up front, ahead of the trailer axles.