I had a standard, old stye Reese (with the chain on the bar type) with a separate friction sway bar. After 10 years of towing 3 different campers, the hitch head bent which resulted in me searching for a replacement.
I went with the 4-point Equal-i-zer and after the initial learning curve, I actually like it much better than the old style Reese with sway bar.
Both did their job very well. I never experienced sway. I think 99% of that is a tribute to the tow vehicle (3500 dully's)
But the Equal-i-zer is so much easier and faster to hitch up, I'd never go back to the bar with chain models ever again.
I do not notice any noise from my Equal-i-zer at all. Occasionally, I'll hear a pop, but no groaning sounds like I got from my old Reese.
I do have the inserts that rest on the L - brackets that helps reduce sound too.
Face it, in order for the sway to work, those bars need that friction... metal against metal resistance. And yes, that will cause some moaning and groaning. When I hear the popping sound, I know it's working! When I don't hear it, I begin to wonder if everything is OK. It always is, I just fret over nothing I suppose.
I favor the Equal-i-zer and have been very happy with it. Once installed, hitching is very easy, just crank up the trailer tongue high enough so the bars just slip over the L - bracket on the tongue so you don't have to fight with that leverage bar, and it's extremely simple and fast to hitch. I've never had sway with this camper, truck and WD system.
