Equalizer vs Dual Cam

[aarond76]

I am currently pulling a roughly 9,000 lb 34' camper with a Reese Round bar WDH and friction sway control. My bars are rated at 1,000 lbs, I am sure tongue weight is substantially more but they seem to ride fine.

I want to get rid of the friction sway and go to either a Dual Cam or Equalizer set-up. If I stay with the 1,000 lb bars I can add the Dual Cam for around $200 so that is the cheapest option. However if I go to heavier rated bars I'm basically buying everything new and the cost is comparable between equalizer and a complete new dual cam set-up.

I had a 600/6000 lb Equalizer on a hybrid before and liked the set-up. The Equalizers were very popular with the hybrid people. It seems like the heavier campers tend to go with Dual Cam more often. Is one system better then the other when towing heavy? I want the nicest set-up I can get without going the $$$$ route of Propride or Hensley.

On the Reese hitches is there any performance difference between round bar and trunion bar? I see a fair amount of the trunnion bar 1,200 lb hitches complete with Dual Cam on Cragslist. The ball mount on our camper is attached to the top of the frame, I assume that limits me to round bar and the trunnion hitches are made for campers that have the ball mount on the bottom of the frame?

Alot of people say to add a 2nd friction sway bar with this long of camper. The only way to do that on a Reese hitch is to have someone weld another plate on the left side of the hitch head. By the time you do all that you might as well pay a little more for the Dual Cam so that is not really a consideration.

Thanks.

[owenssailor]

We have an Equal-i-Zer 1200/12000 on our Jayco 28U (6500 lb). TV is 2012 Silverado 1500. Over 8000 miles in the last year towing. I rarely feel any kind of push when transports passing on freeways. Rarely any feel of sway with crosswinds. It is easy to hook up and works very well.

[Jerrybo66]

I have the Equalizer and there doesn't seem to be much "friction surface" to help much for sway. It's no doubt engineered to work but it just looks skimpy. I don't torque the bolts down because with the long wheelbased truck, sway isn't a problem... IMO..

[canadiankid]

Amazon's Price

Amazons Round bar price

Neither of these come with a shank but you should have one from your old setup.


I have the dual cam and love it. It takes force and friction to lift the bar out of the cam not just friction. 1200 pound bars could have 1200 pounds holding the bar against the cam. I think it would take a s88t load of force the produce a skid (even on a wet or slippery road).

Just my opinion (as I have no evidence except common sense to back up my words)

Don.

[fla-gypsy]

Huntindog wrote:
The DC is a friction based control as well. Ron Gratz our resident engineer has studied it in detail..Even once figuring out just how much anti sway the cams actually added to the system. It wasn't a lot as I recall. Good for marketing though. If one were to stop and think about it, the cams are touted as being able to force the TT/TV into a straight line....This is not always desireable. What about turning on a slick road? If the cams really did what they are marketed as doing, then there would be some incidents reported under such conditions.
There is not. Draw your own conclusions.

But the main reason I chose the Equalizer over the DC is a more important one to me. Ground clearance. A properly adjusted DC often has the bars hanging really close to the ground. That is a no starter with me.

The Equalizer does a fine job, and all of the parts tuck up nicely right next to the frame.

I believe the mechanics of the Dual Cam easily make it a better system in design and application. The amount of force exerted is directly affected by the amount of tension on the chain and varies by set up and relies more on the spring action of the detent than a friction surface. The angle of the bars and clearance also depend on several factors and the actual adjustment is based on the size of the bars, the placement of the coupler, the tilt of the ball, and the tension applied.

[Huntindog]

The DC is a friction based control as well. Ron Gratz our resident engineer has studied it in detail..Even once figuring out just how much anti sway the cams actually added to the system. It wasn't a lot as I recall. Good for marketing though. If one were to stop and think about it, the cams are touted as being able to force the TT/TV into a straight line....This is not always desireable. What about turning on a slick road? If the cams really did what they are marketed as doing, then there would be some incidents reported under such conditions.
There is not. Draw your own conclusions.

But the main reason I chose the Equalizer over the DC is a more important one to me. Ground clearance. A properly adjusted DC often has the bars hanging really close to the ground. That is a no starter with me.

The Equalizer does a fine job, and all of the parts tuck up nicely right next to the frame.

[rustycopperball]

I too am looking at hitches and anti sway systems my other question is do u have to use The reese shank with the d/c or can use a another shank of same weight rating???

[rustycopperball]

Don't want to hy-jack but what do you prefer round bar or trunion bar?

[ScottG]

I've had both and there is no comparison, the dual cam is far superior.

[APT]

That Etrailer video really helped me adjust my Reese Strait Line. It isn't difficult, just picky.

[MontanaCamper]

thank you for the response and the vid....now I have some more thinking to do.



Love this forum.....

[downtheroad]

MontanaCamper wrote:
I am looking at upgrading from a round bar to an Equal-i-zer hitch...never thought of the dual cam set up. My hitch is right around 980-1000 pounds..was going with the 1200 set up...can you back up with the dual cam set up installed??

Absolutely..no need to remove anything.

[DarylSue]

MontanaCamper wrote:
I am looking at upgrading from a round bar to an Equal-i-zer hitch...never thought of the dual cam set up. My hitch is right around 980-1000 pounds..was going with the 1200 set up...can you back up with the dual cam set up installed??

yes....

[RedRocket204]

I would agree with the others who said dialing in the dual-cam was not complicated.

Here is a video from etrailer which made installation that much easier:

Dual-Cam installation

BTW, I did order from etrailer and they will continue to get my business.

MontanaCamper wrote:
...can you back up with the dual cam set up installed??

Absolutely

[MontanaCamper]

I am looking at upgrading from a round bar to an Equal-i-zer hitch...never thought of the dual cam set up. My hitch is right around 980-1000 pounds..was going with the 1200 set up...can you back up with the dual cam set up installed??

[Pauljdav]

If you are looking at the equalizer you should also look at the Reese SC setup. It works very much like the Equalizer but it seems much easier to set up. I have it and it works great and is very easy to set up.

Here us the one I am referring to. http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66153.html?feed=npn&gclid=CMvCvsybyLcCFa9cQgodj2kASQ

Paul