WD hitch advice for HTT and Nissan Frontier

[penguin149]

I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a Jayco Jay Feather Sport M17C. The trailer has a GVWR of 3500# and the tongue weight is listed at 475#. My TV is a 4.0L V6 Nissan Frontier with tow package; 6300# capacity and 630# hitch rating.

The current owner tows with a V8 Grand Cherokee with no WD hitch or brake controller; just a drawbar with a 2" ball with a friction sway control bar. I've had a couple of TTs before and always used a WD hitch and controller. Of course, my previous TTs (with 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks) were quite a bit longer and heavier than this Jayco.

Now to my questions! I feel pretty sure that I need a WD hitch even though the HTT weight is well under 5000#. I'm equally concerned about swaying. I've been leaning toward an Equalizer brand hitch but they're $500 or so. I could save a couple of hundred bucks by going with a regular WD hitch. What kind of hitch do I need?

[go_wild]

I have a Jayco 17Z HTT, similar to the 17C you are buying. I've been very happy with the Equalizer 600/6000; easy to use and great sway control, especially with crosswinds. I found the best price online at RV Wholsalers. Prodigy controller works great too.

[gmw_photos]

I pull my 3950 pound funfinder with a '06 Frontier crewcab ( 4.0 V6, six speed manual, 4WD ). I use a BlueOx Swaypro with 550 pound bars, and it works well. I set it up at the CAT scale to restore 100% of the front axle load.
For what it's worth, I weighed the BlueOx head, and it weighs 68 pounds. The two bars add 12 pounds to that.

EDIT: I just took the bathroom scales out to the shop, actually, make that 62.2 pounds for the BlueOx head.

[goducks10]

For that light of a TW I'd definitely get an Anderson. The others will add 100+lbs to the receiver and payload. The Anderson only weighs apr 60lbs.
No grease and is totally silent.

[penguin149]

Thanks for the input. The seller & I made the deal tonight and he will deliver to my house as part of it, so I have some time to figure out what I want to do.

I have a Prodigy already connected in the truck. It was a holdover from my last trailer.

I'm excited to have another TT and join the camping universe again! Since we sold our last trailer, I have realized how much of a hobby dealing with an RV was!

[RinconVTR]

downtheroad wrote:
First...you must have a brake controller.

Second...You could go with a less expensive basic WD hitch but this will not give you sway control like an Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual Cam will.

If you do with with a basic WD hitch I suggest also a basic friction sway bar also...It should be fine for that size trailer.

What he said...

But it would be nice to know real weights before you buy anything. You could find the trailer weighs 3k loaded and the tongue ends up being 350lb. In that case, just hook it up and go. A minivan could tow that without a WDH.

Get it weighed...know what your dealing with...then decide.

[DRKMinWA]

I went with the Fastway e2 for my frontier. My trailer GVW is 3,850. My tongue weight was listed as 350 but I went with dual propane tanks and dual 6 volt batteries so that added quite a bit to the tongue weight.

The Fastway e2 is a two point sway control and the Equalizer is four point. Fastway e2 is made by same company as Equalizer. Anderson and Blue Ox are others to look at but Blue Ox is about $599, not sure about Anderson pricing.

I'm very happy with my e2. I just never get the sense that the trailer is trying to sway. The Frontier feels very solid too.

[downtheroad]

First...you must have a brake controller.

Second...You could go with a less expensive basic WD hitch but this will not give you sway control like an Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual Cam will.

If you do with with a basic WD hitch I suggest also a basic friction sway bar also...It should be fine for that size trailer.