Sway bar options - totally befuddled

[garyg]

We've sold our Class C Jayco and are making the jump to a travel trailer. Have a 3/4 ton Suburban to pull a 32-ft bunkhouse trailer.

I've never had to mess with a sway bar before. I get their importance, but I'm confused over options. The Equ-i-lizer seems to be a very popular option, and it's sold locally for $600 - $700. The people who are selling us the trailer have offered to sell us their sway bar set up - a Curt Trunnion Weight Distribution Trailer Hitch 17302 - for $300 (about the cost of a new one).

The price differential is huge, and both of them receive positive comments from respective users. So what's the difference? Obviously, my inclination is to go with the cheaper option, unless there's something vital that the Equ-i-lizer offers that the Curt doesn't.

Any ideas? Is one far superior to the other to warrant this big of a price difference?

[jmtandem]

I've never had to mess with a sway bar before. I get their importance, but I'm confused over options. The Equ-i-lizer seems to be a very popular option, and it's sold locally for $600 - $700. The people who are selling us the trailer have offered to sell us their sway bar set up - a Curt Trunnion Weight Distribution Trailer Hitch 17302 - for $300 (about the cost of a new one).

The price differential is huge, and both of them receive positive comments from respective users. So what's the difference? Obviously, my inclination is to go with the cheaper option, unless there's something vital that the Equ-i-lizer offers that the Curt doesn't.

Any ideas? Is one far superior to the other to warrant this big of a price difference?

Go with Blue Ox or Reese. I have an Equalizer and would not purchase another one. Why not try the Curt before you drop coin in a new hitch. You might want to get a sway bar or two but they are inexpensive. That is a lot of trailer for a three quarter ton Suburban. Check the receiver to be sure it can handle the tongue weight and do not use dry tongue weights. You might want to upgrade the receiver to handle the 1200-1300 pounds of tongue weight that will likely be the norm for your towing. Use gross trailer weight and multiply by .13 to get a good idea of what the real tongue weights will be or go to the scales. You may also need some supsension mods to the burb especially if it will be fully loaded with kids, dogs, stuff.......

[coolbreeze01]

Look at the Blue Ox Sway Pro. I'm very happy with mine. Simple, clean, quiet, and effective.

[aftermath]

I like what Barney just said.

Personally, I would get a hitch with BUILT IN sway control. Adding the friction bar each time is another one of those "extra" steps I don't like to make. The problem will be choosing a hitch you will like. There are many issues here, cost (of course), ease of hooking and unhooking, noise when turning and backing, weight, availability and many more.

I like my Equalizer but many like their other brands as well. Years ago, there were issues with some hitches when it came to backing up. I also did not like the whole process of snapping the chains in place when hooking up. The Equalizer brand was much easier for me to deal with. Since that time these two issues have been addressed and the list of options have grown.

If you want to spend between 2.5 and 3 K you can get a Pro Pride or a Hensley Arrow. 😉

[BarneyS]

As mentioned above, the Curt is just a WD hitch with no sway control unless you add on a friction sway control bar or two (two recommended with that big of a trailer). The Equal-i-zer and Reese Dual Cam hitches mentioned combine both Weight Distribution (WD) with sway control into one hitch. There are also other hitches that combine both functions such as the Husky Centerline, Andersen, Blue Ox Sway Pro and some others.

In my opinion, you absolutely should use some kind of sway control with that size of a trailer.
Barney

[downtheroad]

Two different animals completely...The Curt you referenced is a basic weight distribution hitch.

The Equal-i-zer and my preference, the Reese Strait Line Dual Cam are combination hitches...they incorporate weight distribution AND sway control.

I highly recommend that you get set up with some kind of sway control in addition to the basic weight control for you 32 footer.

[ScottG]

What ever you buy, check out eTrailer.com. Their prices and product support are second to none.
A freind just bought a new trailer and the dealer wanted $300 (50%) more for a Reese Dual Cam than eTrailer.