What is best hitch and electric brake for 8,000# trailer?

[John_S2]

Have to setup a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Diesel 5.9L truck to pull a 8,000# Airstream trailer.

What is the best/recommended hitch and electric brake for doing this safely?

The Airstream recommended hitch is an E-Qual-i-zer brand but want to make sure we install the best. Is this the best hitch to use?

Do not want to cut any corners when it comes to safety.

Appreciate any and all suggestions.

John S.

[camp-n-family]

You don't just drop the trailer on the ball but you have to drive the stinger into the hitch. People who have them say it is easy once you get the hang of it but others say that it is a challenge especially when on uneven ground.

I'm usually hitching up alone and I find it easier to do with the Hensley than a conventional ball. With the ball you have to get it lined up perfectly under the tongue, the Hensley not so much. The whole hitch head swivels and pivots so it can be moved from side to side a few inches. I can just back up to what is close, move the hitch head to line up with the stinger, and back on in. If you have the jack screws instead of the chains on the bars you can use them to tilt the head up and down too.

[aftermath]

John,

I am pulling a 25FB with my half ton Tundra and I use an Equalizer hitch with 1K bars. It works great for me. I am a fan of the Equalizer but there are some issues out there you need to be aware of.

On the Airstream forums, the Hensley and its sister the ProPride (I believe) are the consensus go to hitches. If cost is no issue than you should look in this direction. If you go with a more traditional hitch it is very important to get the right sized one. If you "over hitch" your Airstream the forces applied can actually damage the trailer. People can easily pop rivets and even, in some cases, crack the skin if the setup is too rigid. If you have a very stiff 3/4 ton truck you still need sway control but the need for weight distributing might be less than if you have a sissy little half ton like mine.

My Equalizer is dialed in nicely. It is easy to hook and unhook and the trailer follows nicely behind the truck in all kinds of conditions. I did not go in the Hensley direction for two reasons. First was the cost and secondly was my perception of the difficulty in hooking up. You don't just drop the trailer on the ball but you have to drive the stinger into the hitch. People who have them say it is easy once you get the hang of it but others say that it is a challenge especially when on uneven ground.

Good luck, you are going to like the Airstream. It will be an unbelievable experience towing if you have towed a conventional trailer before. Oh, I am also a big fan of the Prodigy controller.

[krobbe]

I use the Equal-i-zer hitch. Works well. Easy to setup and use.
I also installed and use the Prodigy P3. Wouldn't buy anything else. Make sure you get the adapter cable for your truck for plug and play installation.

[Huntindog]

You have a pretty stout truck and a easy to tow TT... Any system set up properly will serve you well. I'd look more into the features of each and pick the one that you like best.... They all have good points and bad points.

[kennethdochenet]

I switched to a pro pride 1400 hitch with a ford 150 and I pull a 34 foot rockwood best hitch I ever had.The hitch is expensive but worth every penny.No sway you will feel very safe with this hitch

[canoe_on_top]

I have used Equal-I-zer hitches on two trailers. First one weighed about 5500 and towed initially with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Currently towing about 10,000lbs with the 1400/14,000 Equal-I-zer with about 1200 lbs hitch weight. TV 2006 Ram 2500 CTD. I have found the Equal-I-zer, when set up right to be a very effective hitch. No sway, no push from cross winds or semis. Very satisfied in both cases.

The OP said an '06 Ram 3500 CTD and an 8000lb Airstream. I think any off the hitches mentioned should serve him well if properly set up.

[John_S2]

Thanks to all for all the super feedback.

[gtkato]

John,
My last HD Cummins was the same truck (05)
I have used Reese Dual cam, Husky Brute, and Equalizer in past and they all do a good job but some noisy especially when backing up.
The tech (4 years ago) suggested the Blue Ox Sway Pro and I continue to use it today on my Lance TT. Love it for built in sway control, no loose parts, always clean (powder coated) sealed grease certs, and the easiest to hook up with the 'new roller cam' design.
The Blue Ox has worked perfectly. The Hensley and Pro Pride are great systems but expensive.
I have used Prodigy P2 for many years (now have built in controller on my new truck) and perform very good.

[mbutts]

I went with a ProPride since it was a newer design than the Hensley and significantly less money. First long trip was 5,000 miles this past summer to Yellowstone. Night and day difference on stability, crosswinds, and the dreaded semi passing on the left than my old Reese weight dist. Yeah, it was $2,000 but I got zero gray hairs from this trip.

Loved my Prodigy brake controller (current truck has built-in brake controller).

[Terryallan]

A good WDH setup correctly will do you well, as Airstreams are known to be really easy to tow. Well balanced, and do not have the same sway problems of other TTs. They tend to follow along with no protests, Which is one of the reasons they are so costly.

[camp-n-family]

Hensley and Prodigy, any day and everyday.

[bigcitypopo]

Love my Hensley... I'll forever pull with one.. Regardless of truck... Even a 3/4-1ton... Great hitch.

[jmtandem]

Have to setup a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Diesel 5.9L truck to pull a 8,000# Airstream trailer.

What is the best/recommended hitch

Hensley, ProPride or PullRite hitches are the best. If you can get a disk brake conversion you will have the best trailer brakes.

[John_S2]

Thanks Gazzer and welcome to the Forum.... John S.