Any need for Equalizer Hitch/Sway Bar?

[jpal@sasktel.net]

Need some advice here. Towing a 2018 Aspen Trail 1800RB single axle (approx. 3200 lbs) with a 2010 Toyota Tundra with a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs. Would there be any advantage to investing in an equalizer hitch with sway control?

[ewarnerusa]

An equalizer hitch is always a good idea with a TT, the tongue weight takes some weight off the vehicle's front wheels which negatively affects handling and towing experience (safety). The equalizer returns that weight back to the front wheels and makes for a safer towing experience.

Sway is less necessary in my opinion for that small of a trailer.

[jpal@sasktel.net]

Originally Posted by ewarnerusa

An equalizer hitch is always a good idea with a TT, the tongue weight takes some weight off the vehicle's front wheels which negatively affects handling and towing experience (safety). The equalizer returns that weight back to the front wheels and makes for a safer towing experience.

Sway is less necessary in my opinion for that small of a trailer.

Thanks for the informative reply.

[dsol]

In my experience most car/truck manufacturers require a weight distribution hitch when the trailer is 5,000 pounds and above. Obviously, tongue weight and other factors come into play but that seems to be the norm.

If you can find a towing spec for your truck it will typically indicate when required.

Most travel trailers tend to have about 10% of their fully loaded weight on the tongue (toy haulers tend to be closer to 15%). If you put another 1,000 pounds in your trailer that would be about 400 pounds of tongue weight based upon 4,000 pounds. My gut tells me you would probably be safe but as the poster above points out you would certainly be safer with the WDH.

You can also see how much your hitch drops when you connect the trailer. As the rear of your truck lowers the weight become off the front tires. At night it can cause your standard head lights to blind oncoming traffic as the lights aim higher. It also becomes worse under braking as that tends to put more pressure on the bumper so steering while braking can be affected.

Having said all this, my gut tells me with your 10,000 lb. rated towing capacity and a trailer that is under 5,000 pounds having a typical tongue weight that you will likely be safe. If you hook up your trailer and your bumper doesn’t drop or barely drops then likely fine, but if it sags quite a bit I would consider the WDH. Another school of thought is you can never be too safe and why mess around with safety. Some folks like belts and suspenders.

Oh and the sway bar is designed to limit side to side motion that typically only happens at speed or sometimes when your trailer gets sucked in towards a passing truck. I would say after towing a few times on the highway you will notice any sway and can always add that later assuming your hitch has the extra ball. Some WDH setups incorporate sway control too but most have a separate connection that you tighten down. I always used the former but if buying today I would look into the incorporated set up so you don’t have to add the sway and it should be easier to set up too. Some sway controls have to be removed when backing into spots that require a sharp angle which can add a step but usually when you are backing in somewhere you are about to unhook anyway.

Good luck.

[Ovalvw]

Waste of time you may use it a couple times then realize you don’t need it for your application loot at enclosed landscaping trailers, people pulling ATVS, side by sides, They have more weight inside than you think you won’t see weight distribution bars, those trailers Don’t use them. My last two ball mount rvs were 22ft and 27 ft I didn’t use them I pulled those with a 1500 dodge, my enclosed trailers I load with side by sides and atvs they have 5200 lb axels I run them from central Florida to Georgia as said you can get them and try them for piece of mind but after a couple times you will find for your application they are not needed

[Redfour5]

Originally Posted by jpal@sasktel.net

Need some advice here. Towing a 2018 Aspen Trail 1800RB single axle (approx. 3200 lbs) with a 2010 Toyota Tundra with a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs. Would there be any advantage to investing in an equalizer hitch with sway control?

Yep there is. I had the 1700BH essentially the same as far as weight length etc. I have a Ram 1500 Outdoorsman similar to yours 10,300 tow and 1500 capacity. I have the equalizer or their cheaper equivalent I should say... It was a well spent 250 bucks at purchase. I did a two hour trip once without it. Never again... The hitch makes the trailer and the truck essentially function as one unit. Wind, trucks going by everything is different with and without one. You can feel the trailer kind of wallowing around without the hitch. Hard to explain... Wind/Trucks is a completely different experience and not in a good way without the hitch. I cannot imagine doing a trip with many days driving for hours without the hitch.

[franktafl]

Take redfour5’s advice and get the hitch!

[aguablanco]

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We all, I hope, carry fire extinguishers that are rarely used and I have never heard anyone say that they were a waste of space or money. Once one gets up to the 2500+ trucks WDH's may not be necessary in some cases, however, 1500's are very different. You may be fine 95% of the time but that isn't what you prepare for. You prepare for the 5%.
RichH

[jpal@sasktel.net]

Thanks everyone for your advice!

[Lagman]

I have 17fq loaded to max weight (never much water) . Pulled it with Chevy 1500 to Yellowstone and back. Up and down the mountains. Equalizer/Dustributor hitch? nah my truck has the payload 9000 lbs so about 550 on the ball with 2 6volt batteries and 2 propane tanks. Use the space in the rear for gear. A lot of folks don’t realize it should be used. Sway bar? Yes! Semi’s and the w*nd suck when rolling for a while, you’ll get used to the slight counter steering but you can’t relax enough. Every damn truck pulls and pushes you. They adjust well but need to be kept clean. These light trailers pull very well. I added shocks, raised the entire body by mounting extra heavy springs (2500 lb each) . Rides so much better! No more riding the crowns! . Today on PA turnpike it was hawkin 25mph and not one issue for 100 miles to the Poconos from Philly. Do it up right for the ease of the long hauls.

[rich2481]

I was told when we bought ours ( granted it is a 34 footer) that a sway bar etc was required by law when towing a TT... best check with MVD.

[capeharj]

Short answere, yes. It is a cheap investment in safety and anyone that says no is looking for trouble. I have a 35 foot Coachmen and an 18 foot Salem, I pull with a 2500 RAM with the Cumins Diesel. I tried the Salem without the WDH and of course it pulls it, but it pulls better with the bars installed, less bucking. I'm not new to this arena, got my 1st travel trailer, 16' Yellowstone, in 1966 and have had 10 different units sice then including two 5th wheels, from 16 ' to 35 '.

[kjlarson]

Yes, Yes, Yes! We pull a Kodiak which loaded out weights about 5400 lbs with a F-150, well inside the trailering specs. First and foremost is safety! A quality WDH will provide better handling and ride; we have been pulling trailers for 20 years and know what happens when the wind blows or a blowout happens. When disaster strikes, like a blow out or sudden gust of wind, control is paramount and a WDH provides that when coupled with a anti-sway bar; some of the newer WDH have the sway control built in. Remember: SAFETY AND CONTROL are more important than a few hundred dollars; you life may depend on a quality WDH.

Also, invest in a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to alert you to changes in your tires pressure or heat build up; both can lead to an accident. I use Tire Minder TPMS which provides information on both pressure and temperature. It is customizable to alert at specific changes; mine sounds an alarm if the pressure drops to 60 lbs as an example.

We had a blowout a few years ago on a single axle TT and did not even know it until a passing motorist waved us over. The WDH kept me in control.

[Redfour5]

Drive one with a WDH in a cross wind or with trucks going by and then comment on any difference. If you don't know what you are missing it's hard to be objective...

[Ovalvw]

As I stated earlier buy it try it, with your setup you’ll find youself going without after using a few times

[Ovalvw]

Simply put some people can Safely pull a triple axel fifth wheel cross country
Some have a hard time getting across town in a Prius (No offense to Prius owners)

[Chefgreek]

Just picked up a 2018 Dutchman Kodiak 279. Made it fine with the sway bars from Harrisburg to Hawley. No issues with wind/18 Wheelers, etc. Got to our street and the awning opened enough for it to grab a tree branch and rip the damn thing off. You never know.

[Kdenby17]

Originally Posted by jpal@sasktel.net

Need some advice here. Towing a 2018 Aspen Trail 1800RB single axle (approx. 3200 lbs) with a 2010 Toyota Tundra with a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs. Would there be any advantage to investing in an equalizer hitch with sway control?

Definitely! I tow the 1850RB with loaded tongue weight about 550 lbs (as opposed to the 425 lbs empty they quote) with a 2016 Tundra. Last year I got over 3” of squat and a lot of bounce.

Tundras use fairly flat leaf springs for a more comfortable ride, but they don’t handle the tongue weight. Toyota recommends a weight distribution hitch when tongue weight is over 500 lbs. Under load the standard leafs flatten right.

For this year I’m using a CURT Trutrack weight distribution hitch and Roadmaster Active Suspension spring helpers.

Happy Towing!