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Old 04-14-2016, 03:03 PM   #1
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Choice of WDH

So ordered the new trailer, but will need a WDH. Dealer recommendation is the Blue Ox but said there are some cheaper options. Trailer won't be in for 2 months, so doing some research to decide what to get. Truck already has class 4 hitch, wiring, and trailer brakes set up, but we've been pulling a popup so....
What are folks thoughts on the various manufacturers?
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Old 04-14-2016, 03:55 PM   #2
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I'm interested in the opinion of the masses on this as well.

I have 3 options I'm considering:1) Blue Ox, 2) Reese SC, 3) Equal-i-zer 4-point sway control. All in the 1400-1500 tongue weight range, and all are "trunnion" bar systems (which I prefer because of my "inverted" coupler on my trailer). Been researching all three as I have time (which is thin these days), and I just can't seem to decide. Everything I've read points to any of the three being a fine choice, but there are some specific advantages and disadvantages that separate them for me.

One example is with the Reese SC vs the Equal-i-zer. The Reese spring bar hangers pivot slightly. This means that friction sway control is maintained even if the bars are slightly out of parallel with the trailer frame. The Equal-i-zer spring bar hangers are fixed, so if the bars aren't exactly parallel, you lose a bit of effectiveness because the bars aren't making full contact with the hangers.

The Blue Ox is SUPER easy to setup and adjust, and that's important to me as well.

And Reese has a new offering called the "Equi-Flex" that looks intriguing.

I'm probably going to have to flip a coin or ask a "Magic 8 Ball" or something...
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Old 04-14-2016, 04:45 PM   #3
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How do those 3 compare in price? How about weight? Customer support and replacement parts? When you're dealing with 3 competitors that all have good reviews, its those other details you need to start considering to make the best choice.
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Old 04-14-2016, 06:59 PM   #4
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I've been RVing for 30+ years. I've had the Reese Dual Cam, Reese WDH w/friction sway and now a Blue Ox. While they all worked very well, I prefer the Blue Ox to all of the others. Before I decided on the Blue Ox I had some questions. Their customer service was outstanding.

As I've said before, Blue Ox is Made in USA.
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Old 04-14-2016, 07:16 PM   #5
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Been at this 48 years if you start from when I was 5 and my parents bought a truck camper.

When I was around 10 my parents had a Corsair trailer that we pulled with an Oldsmobile Delta88. It had a Reese hitch (no idea what kind) that had the bars that you had to lift up. My dad had this giant screwdriver (seriously, flat head 2 footish long screwdriver, complete with yellow plastic handle) that you had to insert into a slot and lift up on to lock the end of the bar with the chain in place. I always wanted to help him hitch up, but that thing scared me, thought it would slip and one of us would get impaled...

It appears to me that the Blue Ox is the easiest to operate when hitching up.
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Old 04-14-2016, 07:33 PM   #6
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We have the equalizer and like it very much. Night and day difference from our old Husky (cheap version). No experience with the others on your list.
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Old 04-14-2016, 07:37 PM   #7
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I have limited experience as I've only been at this a year but I sure love the blue ox! I had it towing a trailer on a maxed out half ton in some huge winds and everything felt great. Today I went to figure out what had to be changed for the hitch to work on my 3/4 ton and everything was easy to change. I use the trailer jack to lift the truck slightly when hooking and unhooking the chains and you don't even need a tool to latch them. The only down fall I could see is the weight of the hitch itself. I'm a fit 37 year old and could see how some would not like moving it around. Especially with the extra drop I had to put on it today.
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Old 04-14-2016, 07:49 PM   #8
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The Reese Strait Line (Dual Cam) brand WDH and the Equal-i-zer Brand WDH are my WDH short list when it comes to integrated sway control.

Between the Reese brand and Equal-i-zer brand I tend to lean toward the Reese because of two unique features: First, the radius design of the spring bar tail is leveraged over the cam-arm surface radius thus providing "pro-active" sway control and "reactive" sway control....., and Second, Reese's various weight rated spring bars are interchangeable without purchasing a totally new WDH.

I will add that the Reese Strait-Line WDH has a couple more installation steps then the Equal-i-zer WDH.

But with any brand WDH proper sizing, installation, and adjustment is a must to insure optimized performance. My Reese Dual Cam has preform very well over the last 10 years.

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Old 04-14-2016, 08:25 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Square Dance Camper View Post
Been at this 48 years if you start from when I was 5 and my parents bought a truck camper.

When I was around 10 my parents had a Corsair trailer that we pulled with an Oldsmobile Delta88. It had a Reese hitch (no idea what kind) that had the bars that you had to lift up. My dad had this giant screwdriver (seriously, flat head 2 footish long screwdriver, complete with yellow plastic handle) that you had to insert into a slot and lift up on to lock the end of the bar with the chain in place. I always wanted to help him hitch up, but that thing scared me, thought it would slip and one of us would get impaled...

It appears to me that the Blue Ox is the easiest to operate when hitching up.
Hey Square Dancer.....you're taking me back to my childhood memories of my dad and his first trailer. I think it was 1968 and he bought a 17' Coachman. Pulled it with a 67 Ford Custom with a 289 and automatic transmission. For years he swore by his Reese Magic Cam equalizer/sway control hitch. How well I remember helping him hitch up and setting the bars with three hanging links. Yes that makes me a vintage camper.
Wife and I gave only been at it for 11 years with 5ers and gave always pulled with Reese. Old habits die hard. Current is a Reese 16k Titan/Slider.

I know my comments aren't helpful to the conversation but you brought back memories��
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Old 04-14-2016, 10:14 PM   #10
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You might want to check the Andersen WDH:

https://youtu.be/HRoQ_yQZQwQ

https://youtu.be/-FhIEc62mKA

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Old 04-15-2016, 05:27 AM   #11
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Choice of WDH

Oops double post
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Old 04-15-2016, 05:30 AM   #12
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I love my Blue Ox Sway Pro WDH. Since I offered it as part of the sale on my current trailer, I will be buying a new one rated for the new trailer when it comes...
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Old 04-15-2016, 05:45 AM   #13
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I'm with Rustic Eagle. I use a Reese Dual cam and have had good performance from it. It does take little bit of work to get it dialed in due to several things that can be adjusted. Once set up using it is easy...easy to hitch and un-hitch.

My experieince is limited to the Reese because I never had to use a WDH in the past.
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Old 04-15-2016, 06:57 AM   #14
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x2 on the Andersen.

We just got ours in Sep 2015 and have put about 6500 miles on it. I have never had the bar style WDH so can't compare, but can state that the Andersen is lightweight (50-60 lbs total) and once you get the routine down, it is quick and easy to couple/uncouple. It is rated to 1400lbs tongue weight so would be fine with OP's trailer (our trailer GVWR is 7000lbs). It was a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than the Equalizer in CDN$.

On the customer service side, our last trip which started in early February was to escape the cold (it was about -15C/5F the day we left). On the trip south from Toronto to Daytona, the hitch was louder (creaking and groaning) than usual when turning, but was working normally (no sway). I sent Andersen an email when I got to Daytona outlining the issue and explained that I was on the road and didn't have a full tool set with me. They replied within a few hours and had a replacement ball assembly couriered to our next location as we were changing campgrounds the next day. They advised that the friction material can sometimes be contaminated by salt and dirt, and I am sure that the temperature change helped things along (my guess is the cold allowed the ball to seat a little deeper in the hitch head, and then as it warmed up again, it put more pressure on the friction material).

As for handling sway, our extreme was when we left north Texas (Amarillo) in mid-March and there were winds that were 40mph steady with 60mph gusts and we are using a Ram 1500 as the TV with a 26BH. We could feel it when the wind blew hard, but I always felt in control, and the TV and TT felt and moved as one.

Hope that helps...
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Old 04-15-2016, 08:02 AM   #15
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As far as price for the 3 I listed, they're all pretty close. Definitely close enough for the difference to be irrelevant IMO.

So far, so good. Seems to be a lot of support for the Blue Ox Sway Pro (which is my current favorite today for ease of setup). And Made in USA is important to me.

One thing that concerns me about the Reese SL is the finicky setup. I've heard and read that once you get it dialed in, it's a GREAT hitch, but getting it dialed in can be tricky. It is also a bit more expensive than the other 3 contenders I mentioned.

I should mention that I'm not about drilling into my frame to mount a hitch. The three I listed have clamp-on style spring bar hangers available and provide a no-drill installation.

As far as the Anderson goes, it's likely a no go for me. My tongue weights are on the high end of what the hitch is rated for, and from what I've read from users, it doesn't do well with the higher tongue weights. For the lower tongue weights though, I've heard many good things about the system, and it has many significant advantages.

Sorry OP, I kind of hijacked your thread, but I'm in the same spot you are.

Keep the input coming!
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Old 04-15-2016, 08:11 AM   #16
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Sorry OP, I kind of hijacked your thread, but I'm in the same spot you are.

Not exactly the same spot, he only has to worry about a 6250lb GVWR trailer vs yours at 9250lbs.
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Old 04-15-2016, 08:24 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TommyAjax View Post
Sorry OP, I kind of hijacked your thread, but I'm in the same spot you are.

Not exactly the same spot, he only has to worry about a 6250lb GVWR trailer vs yours at 9250lbs.
Truth.

I'm hoping much of the input will transfer though...
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Old 04-15-2016, 08:37 AM   #18
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Recently a JOF member sent me a PM asking my opinion of my hitch. This topic seems like a good place to post it publicly:

The Equal-i-zer brand is the only WDH I have ever used. I bought it online and installed it myself. I delivered trailers for Jayco for about 3 years and estimate I've towed about 100,000 mi with it and I'm still using it with our 27RLS. I towed everything from Jay Feathers to Jay Flight Park Models (I'm sure the weight bars were too heavy for some and too light for others for many of the deliveries I made). I also towed in winds where I had no business being on the road.

Never, not even one time, did any trailer have any tendency to sway. Can I feel it when a semi passes? Yes. Is there sway? No.

I always have my TV and TT tires 'aired up' to the maximum shown on the tire sidewalls; except my TV fronts. Those are 5psi below the maximum.

I had my hitch head raised for my 27RLS at a hitch shop and they said my 4-point was one of the old designs; whatever that means. I am totally happy with the hitch. If I ever need to replace it, I'll buy another 4-point hitch Equal-i-zer brand.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
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Old 04-15-2016, 09:06 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by oldmanAZ View Post
Recently a JOF member sent me a PM asking my opinion of my hitch. This topic seems like a good place to post it publicly:

The Equal-i-zer brand is the only WDH I have ever used. I bought it online and installed it myself. I delivered trailers for Jayco for about 3 years and estimate I've towed about 100,000 mi with it and I'm still using it with our 27RLS. I towed everything from Jay Feathers to Jay Flight Park Models (I'm sure the weight bars were too heavy for some and too light for others for many of the deliveries I made). I also towed in winds where I had no business being on the road.

Never, not even one time, did any trailer have any tendency to sway. Can I feel it when a semi passes? Yes. Is there sway? No.

I always have my TV and TT tires 'aired up' to the maximum shown on the tire sidewalls; except my TV fronts. Those are 5psi below the maximum.

I had my hitch head raised for my 27RLS at a hitch shop and they said my 4-point was one of the old designs; whatever that means. I am totally happy with the hitch. If I ever need to replace it, I'll buy another 4-point hitch Equal-i-zer brand.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
X2 for the Equalizer. This is the only hitch we've ever owned, mainly because it's what the dealer threw in the deal, and installed for us. It's easy to hook up, the DW works the electric jack, and I push the bars in and pin them. I'm sure there are other great brands out there, and every one has their preference. That's what makes this forum so much fun.
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