Suggestions for a Weight Distribution Hitch

[Max_s_Mom]

Hi. I am new to towing and my now new tow vehicle - 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4 with Advanced tow package and integrated brake controller - states I will get around 11,000 lbs towing weight with a Weight Dist. Hitch. TW, 1100 lbs. Front Gross Axel Wt: 3800, Rear Gross Axel Wt: 4150 max Tires: 275/60R20, Bridgestones

I have ordered a FR Surveyor 202RBLE, Dual Axles, UVW: 4931 lbs, (brochure) Hitch Weight: 497 lbs. (unloaded) CCC: 2566 lbs. (I will NOT be loading to max weight here)
Ext. Height: 11’2”, Ext. Width: 96”, Ext. Length: 24’4”

I’m considering:
Andersen WDH with Sway control, Husky Centerline TS, Equalizer 4 point or ???

I want: EASY hook up and unhook, to be able to back up and hook and unhook at ANY angle, QUIET operation while under tow, lightest weight and simplest maintenance… all while providing excellent sway control and weight distribution! Is this too much to ask???

I would like your thoughts as this is an important piece of information that I need prior to delivery of my trailer! Which of these would you recommend with my RIG situation? or another brand completely? And why would one be better over another? Thanks for your help.

[noteven]

Here is a video about setting a weight distributing hitch

Clicky

[BarneyS]

pitch wrote:

wowens79 wrote:
Take a look at the Blue Ox Sway Pro, no noise, and you can backup with it. I've had one for 6 years, and would buy it again.

Snip... I back up with my Anderson all the time. just loosen the sway bar and don't jackknife.
Snip....

The Andersen hitch does not have a "sway bar" to loosen. The sway control comes from the material that the ball cone sits in on the hitch head.
If you DO have an Andersen then your statement makes no sense at all to me.

[kfp673]

wowens79 wrote:
Take a look at the Blue Ox Sway Pro, no noise, and you can backup with it. I've had one for 6 years, and would buy it again.

Agreed. I changed over to Blue Ox 3 years ago when I got my current trailer and will stick with it. Super easy to use and no removal for reverse, and it works well

[NamMedevac_70]

I have also towed a TT (5000lbs) in the mountains with a Equalizer WDG for many years with no problems or issues at all and NO chains to deal with. Easy to setup and use in a jiffy and not very expensive.

I of course use safety chains from the trailer tongue to the truck hitch.

[TurnThePage]

I've been towing with the Equal-I-zer for 17 years. It has performed absolutely perfect in every scenario I have put it through, including emergency maneuvers on winding overpasses. As long as you have an electric tongue jack, it's nearly effortless to hook up. You may have to lean into the swaybars with your hip to push them onto the L brackets. That's the hardest part.

But it's NOT a quiet hitch. Even with the nylon pads on the L brackets. You can make it quiet for a little while but it won't last. With that said, I don't think it makes any noise while you're on the highway, just the slow maneuvers into driveways and campgrounds.

One awesome advantage of the Equal-I-zer style hitches is that you can leave the swaybars attached to the hitch on the tow vehicle, and just push them up close to the bumper. They will stay there. No lifting and figuring out where to store stuff.

My hitch is starting to show wear so I've been shopping around for a replacement. On Amazon, the only complaints about the Equal-I-zer is related to the vendor not the hitch. I was shopping it against the Blue Ox Sway Pro, which gets good reviews, but not as good as the EQ. People still mention minor sway with the Blue Ox.

[pitch]

wowens79 wrote:
Take a look at the Blue Ox Sway Pro, no noise, and you can backup with it. I've had one for 6 years, and would buy it again.

Real easy to spend someone elses money. How much did your fancy hitch cost you?
I use an Anderson, have been using it for probably twenty years. Never gave me a seconds hesitation. I back up with my Anderson all the time. just loosen the sway bar and don't jackknife.
I am positive that the Blu Ox is a superior hitch, but how much benefit for cost? Ten times as much as a mainline system? That will be hard to demonstrate!

[Wishin]

dodge guy wrote:
Go with the Reese Dual Cam. Once setup it is very easy to put the bars on and pull up on the cams. And it’s great at sway control.
I wouldn’t tow with anything else. The only thing better are the HA, PP.

This is what I've been using since 2008 on 2 different trailers. I will admit that it is more difficult to set-up initially, but once set-up I don't mess with it and it works great all season and from year to year. I've towed 30-40k miles with it and have no issues.

My 2nd choice would be the Equal-i-zer 4 pt hitch. It seems much simpler and most people seem very happy with it as well. The rare person that has used both seem to prefer the Reese Dual Cam, but not by much. I have researched the Equal-i-zer and the pads seem to help people with the noise, which is one of the main complaints. A negative would be that each head is sized for the bars so a new trailer might call for a complete replacement if you need to go up or down in size for a heavier or lighter tongue weight.

I've heard the Equal-i-zer is good for hooking up at any angle and I have found the same to be true with the Reese Dual Cam. When I park it at my house, my trailer is level on a side hill (tires on concrete pads of the same elevation) and my Suburban is aimed down the hill and at a tight angle so I can hardly get between the bumper and trailer frame. I have no issues hooking or unhooking.

These are the only 2 hitches that I would consider, other than ProPride or Hensley.

[Grit_dog]

mkirsch wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
I have an enclosed car trailer that is somewhat heavier, I drop the coupler on the ball and drive away without issue.

Yes but do you do that with your much lighter travel trailer, or do you run weight distribution and sway control?

Enclosed car trailers and travel trailers are completely different animals. It's something that's been discussed to death over the years.

Agree been discussed to death. But still don’t see how they’re different animals as you put it. Save for, I’m sure some TTs that have poor design of weight distribution within the trailer.

Gotta be some of y’all have side deals advertising for wdh suppliers! Lol

[mkirsch]

Lynnmor wrote:
I have an enclosed car trailer that is somewhat heavier, I drop the coupler on the ball and drive away without issue.

Yes but do you do that with your much lighter travel trailer, or do you run weight distribution and sway control?

Enclosed car trailers and travel trailers are completely different animals. It's something that's been discussed to death over the years.

[LITEPHIL]

Reese dual cam or 4way. Anderson is junk

[Terryallan]

Grit dog wrote:

Max's Mom wrote:

I want: EASY hook up and unhook, to be able to back up and hook and unhook at ANY angle, QUIET operation while under tow, lightest weight and simplest maintenance… all while providing excellent sway control and weight distribution! Is this too much to ask???

Congrats on the new TT AND the new truck! You'll love the truck and sounds like an awesome combo!

The item that checks the most boxes here, for a very reasonable size/weight trailer for your truck, is a set of airbags. Seriously.
And a nifty little compressor like a Viair, or a bicycle pump if you're industrious.

Only thing it doesn't control is sway, but I've used exactly 0 WDH's in 30 years of towing likely 100s of different trailers. Including many miles and many trailers behind many half tons that were not near as well equipped as your truck. Only time sway is or has been an issue is either not near enough tongue weight, or trailer so heavy that truck is severely overloaded and physically couldn't control the normal little wiggles that a trailer gets due to various conditions and inputs.

The weight cops will have a field day with this, but deep down inside, they know I'm right! LOL

air bags also do not distrabute weight. So the lost steering control to the steer axle will not be returned. they will of course level the truck. But the front end will still be light. Only a WDH will return lost weight / steering control to the front. It's just physics. The rear axle will still be the fulcrum, and the trailer tongue will still be the load of the lever pushing down on the lever, and raising the steering axle. Much like a seesaw with one person on it.

[dodge_guy]

Go with the Reese Dual Cam. Once setup it is very easy to put the bars on and pull up on the cams. And it’s great at sway control.
I wouldn’t tow with anything else. The only thing better are the HA, PP.

[Lynnmor]

I have an enclosed car trailer that is somewhat heavier, I drop the coupler on the ball and drive away without issue.

[Max_s_Mom]

Thanks to everyone who responded! Lots of good advice!!