Do I need an equilizer hitch?

[2freelife]

I bought a great Vintage style 19ft Cruiser travel trailer. We used to be fulltime in a 5th wheel so we kept our 1 ton Ram diesel. The trailer is 3400lbs dry. I'm planning to do a cross country trip. Would it be a good idea to get an equalizer hitch? The dealer said I wouldn't need one, but experience has shown not to exactly believe what a dealer says.

[2freelife]

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I took a 5,000 mile trip with my 19ft trailer, & 1 ton diesel ram. I never needed the antisway hitch. I never had one moment of sway, even in mountains. I loved being out on the road again. Now I'm planning a 10 week trip this coming summer. I work for a school district, I am seriously considering a second retirement & going back to fulltime. I would have to volunteer for a free site or do a little workcamping for part of the year to supplement my income. I love getting advice since I'm usually over cautious

[TomG2]

If one needs a fancy hitch to tame down a "wild puppy", then they need to examine the setup and the geometry of the truck trailer combo. Trailers are not inherently sway machines. Sure, a high wind can buffet a semi-trailer or 747. I purchase tow vehicles with the capacity to handle trailers with nothing more than a simple ball mount. Just like the folks who deliver lightweight trailers.

[falconbrother]

We had a 1991 Prowler 15 footer back in the early 1990s. For it's size it was heavy. We didn't use a WD hitch and there were times when that thing got wild in a cross wind, etc.. Personally, I would always use whatever I need to stabilize the camper. The truck may be overkill but, that doesn't stop the trailer from wagging. Just get a Harbor Freight WD hitch. It's more than you need and will do a good job. Also, there's the issue of civil liability if you don't take reasonable measures to keep that puppy tied to your truck.

[TomG2]

I think that we might have a jokester here, trying to find out how many of the weight police will advise that a one ton dually is not adequate to tow a rather smallish trailer without some kind of fancy hitch.

[Ivylog]

westend wrote:
I'd suggest to get one.

DANG, I should have known someone who only tows TT would suggest WD.
Westend, do you plow without any extra weight in the bed?

[drsteve]

Small trailer, big truck. You should have no problem without a WD hitch. Drop it on the ball and go.

[jerryjay11]

The wife and I made a trip out to Oregon and back to Delaware this past summer with a 23 foot TT and 2015 Silverado 2500 and had no problems with weight distribution or sway. You could consider just a sway control because any trailer can be affected by wind or big semi's passing. Again we didn't experience any issues on our cross country trip or traveling to New England and back. Our new TT is 29.5 ft, heavier, and more expensive so I had the camper dealer install a weight distribution/sway control system. And yes, they are freaking heavy!

[GrandpaKip]

If you decide to get one, I suggest you look at an Andersen for that size camper.

[TomG2]

What does RAM say on the subject? If it was a GM product, they would state that no WD hitch is required for that setup and they might know a little bit about towing.

You are about to hear where it is so much fun to mess with a heavy, dirty, and noisy WD hitch that you will want one regardless of the loads involved.

By the way, the myth about front axle weight is still around from the old days when we towed with sedans and station wagons. A one ton diesel pickup has plenty of front axle weight bias. Note that manufacturers don't install ballast to the front end when they switch to a much lighter gasoline fueled engine.

[westend]

I'd suggest to get one. Sure, your truck will handle the tongue weight, no problem and, if the trailer is loaded right, sway wouldn't be an issue. The tongue weight does unload the front axle of your truck, though.

I tow a 5K lb trailer with a 4x4 F250 with plow package. The plow package upgrades the front springs to 1 ton springs. I've towed without a WDH and the truck will handle it fine but it does remove weight from the front suspension. I like the steering axles to have the original load on them.

[rexlion]

No WD hitch should be needed. But be sure to weigh your trailer tongue to make sure it's between 10% and 15% of the total TT weight; this is important for proper handling (avoiding dangerous sway).

[Ivylog]

Maybe for once on here someone will not say you need WD.
Why would you want to put more weight on the front axle that's heavier than the rear?

[KD4UPL]

With that particular combination I think a weight distributing hitch would be a bad idea. You want all the tongue weight you can get on the back of that truck to soften the ride.

[Lwiddis]

This time the dealer is...right.