Need a new hitch

[amxpress]

After 13 years towing a fiver, I've downsized and am purchasing a 4000# TT. I’ve traded for a 2012 Tacoma TRD 4X4 double cab long bed. 6000# towing package.
Back before I had grey hair, I had a Jayco TT and used an Equal-i-zer 4 way hitch. It was noisy and sometimes it was a challenge to hook up/disconnect. I would imagine trailer hitches have evolved or improved these last 14 years.
What hitch would y'all recommend today? Is a load leveling & WD hitch really necessary on a 22' 4000# trailer? It worked well on my Jayco TT.
Thanks.

[hit_escape]

IMO, that Equal-i-zer 4 way hitch should not be noisy, it should be very quiet, if fully lubricated. I use DuPont Teflon White Lithium Grease in a ten ounce spray can. Give each moving part a shot, including where the bars slide back and forth in the tongue brackets. Also spray up in the ball cup. It should run silently after that.
As for the hard to set up part. I've always used a crank handle to raise and lower the tongue to hitch and unhitch and found it much easier with a power jack if you don't already have one.
(edit)I'd also beg you to give it another try. I've been in 50 mph crosswinds and my trailer barely moves. The stability that hitch provides is the reason I am willing to deal with it's little annoying things.

[jerem0621]

The ProSeries 550 lb round tapered bar hitch would probably be more than enough to smooth out the ride some and if you needed it you could easily add a sway bar. (Doubt you would need it)

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Hannibal]

APT wrote:
I estimate that 500 pounds of dead TW means +750 on rear axle and -250 from front.

That would be accurate if the wheelbase of the Tacoma were equal to the distance of the ball from the rear axle. I would guess somewhere around a third of that 500 lbs teetered off of the front axle and added to the rear. I agree. Try it and see. I towed a 4400 lb TT with a '94 F150 back in '94. After trying three different hitches, I found I liked the way it towed on a simple, short ball mount best of all.

[APT]

WDHs have not changed much in the last 20 years. Andersen is new-ish, 5yrs old? It hear mixed things about it, but generally better for your weight than 1000 pounds of TW. Others I recommend in similar price range are Equal-i-zer 4pt, Reese Strit Line, and Blueox SwayPro.

4000 pounds loaded means 500-600 pounds of TW. If that 4000 pounds is unloaded, then...

A Tacoma receiver may require a WDH over 500 pounds, so verify. You will notice the loss of weight on the front axle if you drop the tongue on the ball. If you have time, you can try without one for a test drive. I estimate that 500 pounds of dead TW means +750 on rear axle and -250 from front.

[GrandpaKip]

djsamuel wrote:
If money is an issue the Andersen hitch would provide good sway and bounce control. It is a good WDH hitch for trailer sizes like yours. We've had ours on our 21BHS for 7 years and it's been excellent. Quiet, light and easy to set up.

I’ll second this.

[djsamuel]

If money is an issue the Andersen hitch would provide good sway and bounce control. It is a good WDH hitch for trailer sizes like yours. We've had ours on our 21BHS for 7 years and it's been excellent. Quiet, light and easy to set up.

[jmtandem]

Is a load leveling & WD hitch really necessary on a 22' 4000# trailer? It worked well on my Jayco TT.

With a 2500 Ram you probably don't need weight distribution. You might want sway mitigation or sway control. If money is no option look at Hensley or ProPride. The Tacoma will be a completely different story.