We are looking at the following travel trailer:2017 Mesa Ridge MR340FLRGVWR - 13,350Hitch weight - 1,350Unloaded weight - 8,885Length - 36'We currently have a 2008 Rockwood 8313GVWR - 8883Hitc weight - 890We currently use an Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitch - 10,000 GTWTow Vehicle 2013 F250I know we will have to change the hitch for the Mesa Ridge. When I go out to the Equal-i-zer site and put in my numbers it says it can not find a set up for me. Do I need to start looking at the Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P Trailer Sway Control Hitch?Any other considerations that we should look into?

BlueOx, Curt, Strait Line, and Reese SC all have WD hitches with built in sway control and ratings in 14 - 1600 lb tongue weights.I like the BlueOx Swaypro, for it's internal lubrication on the hitch head and bars. Hitching and unhitching is cleaner.Look on etrailer.com. There, you can search by tongue weight, manufacturer, or with / without sway control.

Blue Ox Sway Pro...LINKLots of bar weight choices to match you loaded tongue weight.Very easy to set up and dial in.Shop the net for best price. I like etrailer.com

With an F250, I don't think you need to start thinking about too much hitch. I use a Reese HP trunion style with cams integrated into the 800 lb bars in case I feel the need for sway control sometime down the road. Tongue weight on our TT is advertised at 700 lbs. With all we have in it now, we're probably over 900 lbs tongue weight. Empty, trailer on with or without the spring bars, the front of our F250 doesn't change height. The rear settles two inches without the bars. The spring bars bring it back up one inch. Tows like a champ. The head of the Reese HP is rated for 1700 lbs tongue weight and only the spring bars need to be changed for different tongue weights. What is your receiver rated for with and without the reducer tube?

love2rvcamp wrote:We are looking at the following travel trailer:2017 Mesa Ridge MR340FLRGVWR - 13,350Hitch weight - 1,350Unloaded weight - 8,885Length - 36'Do I need to start looking at the Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P Trailer Sway Control Hitch?With a trailer that heavy and that long I would ... it only takes one bad incident to really ruin your day so whatever you can do to prevent that would IMO be worth the investment in a Hensley or 3P which are both designed to prevent sway from occurring in the first place rather than just dampen sway that has already started. :E

Better check the rating on your receiver hitch (it will be stamped on it). I tow a 38' 11K trailer with 1600# tongue weight with a F250 (2016). I use a Reese DC, heavy duty (1700# rating) and it has distorted my class IV hitch. The pin holes are elongated and lots of slop in it. I'd put a class V on it, but I'm upgrading the truck soon (just need to get through my fiscal year end).

Which hitch setup will work the best? | Good Sam Community

love2rvcamp
Explorer
Feb 21, 2017
Thanks for all the valuable advice. It is most helpful as usual.
love2rvcamp
Explorer
Feb 20, 2017
SoundGuy wrote:
Examining the floorplan and pics of this model and it sure looks like there's no front pass through cargo compartment on this trailer as there is with many, mine included.

You are correct, there are 3 bay doors in the back that open to the large storage compartment. This is under the bedroom in the back. There are no other outside storage on this trailer.

Michael
SoundGuy
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
goducks10 wrote:
Two words of thought. I don't think the HA or PP will have enough load rating for that heavy of a tongue weight. 1350 lbs dry TW will easily exceed 1500 lbs.

Examining the floorplan and pics of this model and it sure looks like there's no front pass through cargo compartment on this trailer as there is with many, mine included. In fact it looks like most cargo storage is aft of the axle, in which case that weight will tend to actually unload the trailer's gross tongue weight ... that in turn would explain why the unloaded tongue weight of 1350 lbs is so darned high compared to the trailer's UVW. If the OP indeed expects to add just 1000 lbs of cargo to this trailer it's entirely possible it's GVW loaded & ready to camp would be somewhere around 10,000 lbs. With much of his cargo load added aft of the axles it's also entirely possible he could attain a respectable gross tongue weight of ~ 13% and still not exceed 1400 lbs gross tongue weight.
love2rvcamp
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
We weighed our currently trailer a few years back loaded and we had around 1000lbs of stuff and that was with us carrying stuff for our kids who are now adults and we don't bring a lot of "stuff" any more. So I would say we would be under the 1000lb mark. Don't see us adding any additional items to the trailer.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
RobWNY wrote:
I second what SoundGuy has suggested. Why dampen sway or wonder if you need sway control when you can eliminate the possibility altogether and never give it another thought. Hensley and ProPride 3P hitches are pricey but worth every penny. Best money I ever spent to make my trips much less stressful.

Huntindog wrote:
I am positive that the Hensley maxes out at 14K.
Pretty sure the Pro Pride does too.
So, not a match for this TT.

UVW for this trailer the OP is talking about is 8885 lbs so the question then is how much C*** does the OP intend to stuff into it? 1000 lbs is generous enough for most of us but even if the OP added a whopping 2000 lbs it's GVW still wouldn't top 11,000 lbs. A respectable 13% gross tongue weight would be ~ 1400 lbs and certainly within the capabilities of a Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P. For a trailer this heavy and this long I'd certainly be considering the best hitch setup I could find.
love2rvcamp
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
Thomas N/H wrote:
Better check the rating on your receiver hitch (it will be stamped on it). I tow a 38' 11K trailer with 1600# tongue weight with a F250 (2016). I use a Reese DC, heavy duty (1700# rating) and it has distorted my class IV hitch. The pin holes are elongated and lots of slop in it. I'd put a class V on it,

Checked and it has a Class V on the truck already. Going to jump over to the Open Range forums and see if I can see what someone there might be using.

Will have to investigate the amount of additional weight that will be added. All the storage is in the back along with the bedroom. So not sure how much more will be added.

Thanks for all the advice. Want to make sure the setup is safe.
Huntindog
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
RobWNY wrote:
I second what SoundGuy has suggested. Why dampen sway or wonder if you need sway control when you can eliminate the possibility altogether and never give it another thought. Hensley and ProPride 3P hitches are pricey but worth every penny. Best money I ever spent to make my trips much less stressful.
I am positive that the Hensley maxes out at 14K.
Pretty sure the Pro Pride does too.
So, not a match for this TT.
goducks10
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
Two words of thought. I don't think the HA or PP will have enough load rating for that heavy of a tongue weight. 1350 lbs dry TW will easily exceed 1500 lbs. I think they maxed out around 1400 lbs.
I really like that floor plan and actually walked in a new 2017 last weekend at the RV show. One thing that caught my attention was the new slide out floor covering is now vinyl. The same as whats used throughout the rest of the TT. What caught my attention was the flap of flooring that hangs over the edge of the slide floor. Normally it's a carpet flap. But it's now vinyl and I noticed some dents in the flap part that looked like puncture marks in it. Could be from one of the dinning chairs or maybe a ladys sharp heel from her shoe. Anyway I was sorta disappointed in the look.
Thats an awesome TT though. Huge storage under the rear bed. It would be a great TT for extended stay traveling.
RobWNY
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
I second what SoundGuy has suggested. Why dampen sway or wonder if you need sway control when you can eliminate the possibility altogether and never give it another thought. Hensley and ProPride 3P hitches are pricey but worth every penny. Best money I ever spent to make my trips much less stressful.
Hannibal
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
westend wrote:
Hannibal wrote:
I wonder what the delivery driver drives and what hitch he uses for these heavyweights?
Most of them drive 1 tons or larger with a really heavy hitch setup. Some have the suspension upgraded for towing. Some carry or use a WDH or a sway control built for the truck.

I find it strange that your front end does not change height. I have 4 WD with the towing and plow packages, and my front end will raise with 5K lbs on the hitch. Have you measured the fender height with and without load on he hitch?

I was at our local Airstream dealership a few years ago when a driver brought in a tri axle Airstream. The TV was a GM dually with a Curt 2.5" receiver and just a ball with no WD or sway control. Makes me wonder why the consumer would need any different.
When we ordered our Jayflight 28RLS, I backed up to one on the lot and set the tongue on a tri ball just to see how the truck would sit. The rear settled 2" and the front didn't change using a steal tape measure. The dealer, Tampa RV, was very accommodating. Now with ours home, the results are the same. The only reason I even bother with WD is to satisfy the rating of the hitch receiver.

Forum Discussion

Which hitch setup will work the best?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Hitch Setup, Look good?

New battery setup

Truck Camper Wifi Setup

Similar setup

Dual camera setup advice