Equilizer vs. Blue ox SwayPro?

[ericpatt]

We're leaving on a long trip(16+hrs) in a couple weeks. Currently have an equilizer hitch with 1200# bars. TT is a Salem 30KQBSS towed by a 2012 Surburban 2500. The equilizer works pretty well but I still get a little sway with heavy cross winds or when a semi passes. Usually cruise 65-70mph. Was thinking I needed bigger bars(1400#) to eliminate the sway. Called dealer and they advocated for me to switch to a Blue Ox Sway Pro. New bars are $2-300. New blue ox is close to $800.
What would you do?
Trailer dry weight is 6900#. Tongue weight, unloaded 900#. Loaded, I'm thinking it's closer to 8500# and 1200 tongue although I've never had it weighed. When connected, the truck & TT are level so I don't think its a set up issue...

Thoughts?

[MHay]

Lantley wrote:

MHay wrote:
Does anyone have recommendations for where to purchase the Hensley or ProPride with a discount? I need a hitch to eliminate sway similar to what the OP described but the price of these options is quite high!

They are often found for sale used. As a prior owner I would not hesitate to buy used. However if I never owned such an expensive hitched. I imagine I would be reluctant to buy used.
Buying new gives you the benefit of the money back guarantee and possibly financing incentives.
I was a very satisfied customer but I will admit I was a reluctant skeptical buyer.
Yes they are expensive but they do work as advertised.
Friction based hitches do not compare.

Thanks — I’d likely want to go with a new one for peace of mind. I hadn’t looked into financing incentives, so maybe there are some options with that. Thanks!

[Lantley]

MHay wrote:
Does anyone have recommendations for where to purchase the Hensley or ProPride with a discount? I need a hitch to eliminate sway similar to what the OP described but the price of these options is quite high!

They are often found for sale used. As a prior owner I would not hesitate to buy used. However if I never owned such an expensive hitched. I imagine I would be reluctant to buy used.
Buying new gives you the benefit of the money back guarantee and possibly financing incentives.
I was a very satisfied customer but I will admit I was a reluctant skeptical buyer.
Yes they are expensive but they do work as advertised.
Friction based hitches do not compare.

[MHay]

Does anyone have recommendations for where to purchase the Hensley or ProPride with a discount? I need a hitch to eliminate sway similar to what the OP described but the price of these options is quite high!

[goducks10]

Lantley wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

ericpatt wrote:
All- Thanks for all your input. By sway, I mean, when I semi passes me or cross wind, I'm getting sucked into the semi or pushed around a little. It usually resolves quickly, but having to continually worry about semi's sucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm always checking my mirrors anyway but not knowing how much I'll be sucked into a semi sucks.

For further clarity, I have leveled the front of the truck and from friends conversations, it sounds like that's also not helping. Having the truck lowered this week and hope that it helps.

If it's just a quick nudge and then immediately settles down once past, that's normal and nothing to worry about.

Just hold steady. Try not to crowd the left lane. The closer you are, the more you will feel the bow wave. If you do feel the need to do something, gently ease to the right but no jerky movements.

This is where the premium hitches separate themselves from the others.
There is no holding steady, or moving over, no easing over. You no longer have to prepare for or anticipate the passing 18 wheelers in anyway.

x2. My towing experience felt the same with the HA and towing my previous 5th wheel. Rock solid.

[lbrjet]

With a Surburban you are catching more wind with your vehicle than a pick up does. Make sure your socket bolts are torqued to spec and check them every few hundred miles.

[Lantley]

valhalla360 wrote:

ericpatt wrote:
All- Thanks for all your input. By sway, I mean, when I semi passes me or cross wind, I'm getting sucked into the semi or pushed around a little. It usually resolves quickly, but having to continually worry about semi's sucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm always checking my mirrors anyway but not knowing how much I'll be sucked into a semi sucks.

For further clarity, I have leveled the front of the truck and from friends conversations, it sounds like that's also not helping. Having the truck lowered this week and hope that it helps.

If it's just a quick nudge and then immediately settles down once past, that's normal and nothing to worry about.

Just hold steady. Try not to crowd the left lane. The closer you are, the more you will feel the bow wave. If you do feel the need to do something, gently ease to the right but no jerky movements.

This is where the premium hitches separate themselves from the others.
There is no holding steady, or moving over, no easing over. You no longer have to prepare for or anticipate the passing 18 wheelers in anyway.

[valhalla360]

ericpatt wrote:
All- Thanks for all your input. By sway, I mean, when I semi passes me or cross wind, I'm getting sucked into the semi or pushed around a little. It usually resolves quickly, but having to continually worry about semi's sucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm always checking my mirrors anyway but not knowing how much I'll be sucked into a semi sucks.

For further clarity, I have leveled the front of the truck and from friends conversations, it sounds like that's also not helping. Having the truck lowered this week and hope that it helps.

If it's just a quick nudge and then immediately settles down once past, that's normal and nothing to worry about.

Just hold steady. Try not to crowd the left lane. The closer you are, the more you will feel the bow wave. If you do feel the need to do something, gently ease to the right but no jerky movements.

[ericpatt]

All- Thanks for all your input. By sway, I mean, when I semi passes me or cross wind, I'm getting sucked into the semi or pushed around a little. It usually resolves quickly, but having to continually worry about semi's sucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm always checking my mirrors anyway but not knowing how much I'll be sucked into a semi sucks.

For further clarity, I have leveled the front of the truck and from friends conversations, it sounds like that's also not helping. Having the truck lowered this week and hope that it helps.

[carringb]

You still feel the Bow Wave affect with the Hensley, just only once. You'll still get some push when the front of your TV passes the front of a square-nose semi. The difference is you only get it once, where a traditional hitch allows an opposite yaw moment when the front of the trailer passes the same bow wave, which you feel as a steering force towards the truck.

Anyways, newer semis are so much more aerodynamic, it's rare to pass one anymore that pushes hard. I bigger challenge is during very-high cross-winds which create some steering force as you pass through the wind-shadow of an up-wind truck.

[BarneyS]

Ditto the above.:)
Barney

[goducks10]

valhalla360 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
I felt no sway with my Hensley I feel no sway with my fiver. sway is not merely feeling the wind.
Sway is when the trailer reacts differently than the tow vehicle. The motion or different reaction of the trailer impacts the tow vehicle.
With a Hensley the trailer and TV move as one unit there is no wiggle or sway involved.
When the wind blows or a truck passes there is no wiggle or impact felt by the driver. Which is why Hensley makes there no sway claim.

This is why I asked the OP to explain what was meant by "sway".

I don't care what kind of fancy hitch you add, you will feel a good cross wind or if a semi blows by you 20-30mph faster. Heck the pickup by itself (no trailer, you feel it)

If the trailer is flopping around like a happy dog for 5-10 sec that is sway and a problem...but slapping lipstick on a pig is not a good solution. Figure out what's wrong with the setup and fix it.

BTDT with a Hensley. If you've never used one you'll never understand how well it works.
It's true, you don't feel any push/pull from semi's they way you do with a standard WDH. When I was towing with mine my truck felt the same with or without the TT.

[Lantley]

valhalla360 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
I felt no sway with my Hensley I feel no sway with my fiver. sway is not merely feeling the wind.
Sway is when the trailer reacts differently than the tow vehicle. The motion or different reaction of the trailer impacts the tow vehicle.
With a Hensley the trailer and TV move as one unit there is no wiggle or sway involved.
When the wind blows or a truck passes there is no wiggle or impact felt by the driver. Which is why Hensley makes there no sway claim.

This is why I asked the OP to explain what was meant by "sway".

I don't care what kind of fancy hitch you add, you will feel a good cross wind or if a semi blows by you 20-30mph faster. Heck the pickup by itself (no trailer, you feel it)

If the trailer is flopping around like a happy dog for 5-10 sec that is sway and a problem...but slapping lipstick on a pig is not a good solution. Figure out what's wrong with the setup and fix it.

I can attest that you do not feel the push of semi's while towing with a Hensley. The hitch is expensive but it works. There is no wiggle or force felt in the driver's seat.
This is an old debate but the premium hitches work as advertised.
There money back guarantee is also for real. While I no longer tow with a Hensley . I was a satisfied customers for the years I towed a 10K loaded TT with a 7.3 PSD Excursion.

[valhalla360]

Lantley wrote:
I felt no sway with my Hensley I feel no sway with my fiver. sway is not merely feeling the wind.
Sway is when the trailer reacts differently than the tow vehicle. The motion or different reaction of the trailer impacts the tow vehicle.
With a Hensley the trailer and TV move as one unit there is no wiggle or sway involved.
When the wind blows or a truck passes there is no wiggle or impact felt by the driver. Which is why Hensley makes there no sway claim.

This is why I asked the OP to explain what was meant by "sway".

I don't care what kind of fancy hitch you add, you will feel a good cross wind or if a semi blows by you 20-30mph faster. Heck the pickup by itself (no trailer, you feel it)

If the trailer is flopping around like a happy dog for 5-10 sec that is sway and a problem...but slapping lipstick on a pig is not a good solution. Figure out what's wrong with the setup and fix it.

[dodge_guy]

I wouldn't have settled for either of those. I would've went right to the Reese Dual Cam. The only step up from there is the Hensley or ProPride.