Curt 17500 TruTrack Weight Distribution Hitch

[BJR]

In March, we picked up a new 287BHSW and needed to upgrade the hitch. I did some research and found out the Curt 17500 hitch was fundamentally the same design as the Equal-i-zer four point hitch and decided to give it a try. It was much cheaper and rated up to 1,000 lb tongue weight. Perfect, I thought, I can't go over that for the sake of my truck's GVWR.

I got the hitch and set it up in the driveway as best as I could. The RV dealer did the rest of the setup when we picked up the camper.

About a month later we did my first serious tow and after 65 miles one of the frame brackets had bent. I contacted both Amazon and Curt who helped me through the problem somewhat. They were nice enough to send new brackets and this time I installed them and re-setup my camper. I weight the tongue with my tongue weight scale to make sure I was within specs and I came in right under 700lb. Camper sticker says 6,190lb out the door. (I'm working on adding more tongue weight.) I had a hard time setting it up so I could put enough weight on the front wheels. I was able to do it finally but wound up lifting the tongue higher. If I were to keep it I would lower the hitch one notch.

We towed again about 100 miles and the frame L-brackets were again bent. At this point I decided to try and return the hitch. They have agreed to take the hitch back but I'm afraid I will be stuck for shipping.

Note the bent brackets and the hollowed out holes in the pictures. I think part of the problem comes from the fact that it's an underslung hitch which means extending the brackets too far from the frame. I will be switching to the Blue Ox once I get my refund from this.

Bryan

[stadt11]

Bryan, we PM'd back and forth a few times in June. I just noticed my TruTrack yesterday after we got back from our trip, my brackets are bent as well, looks like a call to Curt is my future.

[BJR]

Originally Posted by stadt11

Bryan, we PM'd back and forth a few times in June. I just noticed my TruTrack yesterday after we got back from our trip, my brackets are bent as well, looks like a call to Curt is my future.

Andy,
I still believe it's due to the extension of the brackets on an underslung hitch and the insufficient thickness. I had considered looking to see if the Equal-i-zer bars were the same dimensions and using their frame brackets instead of Curt's.

Since I got over the sticker shock of the Blue Ox I haven't looked back. No more concerns about how badly the bracket might be bent when we got to our site.

I worked with Richard Martin from Curt. He was very helpful though the end result was not really a solution. Check for elongated holes, as well.

Keep us posted on how it works out.

[stadt11]

Originally Posted by BJR

Andy,
I still believe it's due to the extension of the brackets on an underslung hitch and the insufficient thickness. I had considered looking to see if the Equal-i-zer bars were the same dimensions and using their frame brackets instead of Curt's.

Since I got over the sticker shock of the Blue Ox I haven't looked back. No more concerns about how badly the bracket might be bent when we got to our site.

I worked with Richard Martin from Curt. He was very helpful though the end result was not really a solution. Check for elongated holes, as well.

Keep us posted on how it works out.

Do you have Richards contact info at Curt that you can send me?

I'm in the process of getting AutoAnything to warranty these brackets and replace them. If it does it again, I'll have them warranty the entire system.

[wanderlust]

I've got a, Made in the USA, Equal-i-zer 12K and could not be happier. I had a couple questions on what size to buy and their customer service was the best.

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This winter when I take it apart and re-paint the parts black just for routine maintenance, I'm thinking of lowering the part that bolts to the frame to the last hole and raise the bracket 1 hole so there will be more back support.

[ALJO]

You can see there's a lot of pressure on the outer L-bracket. But if you like the hitch why not extend the inner bracket to double the thickness all the way to the L-bracket bottom.
I heard already a lot of problems the underslung couplers create. I would grind of that coupler and install the overhead one warranty or not. You can imagining how much pressure will be put on those L-brackets by being more distance of the frame. You add about 4" more and if you measure your arm length. That will tell you enough. It is not the Curt WDH who designed their product probably for the overhead coupler.

[stadt11]

Update on the issue of my drop brackets bending.

I was at my RV dealer's open house this weekend and mentioned to him my issues, he said "we've never had this problem, but do you have the longer trunnion bars". I said no, so we measured mine, they were 28.5" long, measured the new ones out of the 17500 box and they were 36" long. There's my issue, the bars are too short so when you turn sharply they bend the brackets.

I just got off the phone with Curt Mtg and told him the issue, the guy said "yep, your bars are too short, I'll go ahead and send you out a longer set of bars and the L-brackets as well".

Although instructions say measure 4" from the back of the bars and bolt your L-bracket to the frame, the Curt tech said measure forward 5-6" and you shouldn't have an issue again.

Great customer service!

[BJR]

Originally Posted by stadt11

Update on the issue of my drop brackets bending.

I was at my RV dealer's open house this weekend and mentioned to him my issues, he said "we've never had this problem, but do you have the longer trunnion bars". I said no, so we measured mine, they were 28.5" long, measured the new ones out of the 17500 box and they were 36" long. There's my issue, the bars are too short so when you turn sharply they bend the brackets.

I just got off the phone with Curt Mtg and told him the issue, the guy said "yep, your bars are too short, I'll go ahead and send you out a longer set of bars and the L-brackets as well".

Although instructions say measure 4" from the back of the bars and bolt your L-bracket to the frame, the Curt tech said measure forward 5-6" and you shouldn't have an issue again.

Great customer service!

I'm hoping this leads to a better outcome...though not at all sure why this took some weird turns in the process. I wonder how long my trunion bars were.

Keep us posted on the fix!

[stadt11]

Originally Posted by BJR

I'm hoping this leads to a better outcome...though not at all sure why this took some weird turns in the process. I wonder how long my trunion bars were.

Keep us posted on the fix!

It sounded like you purchased them around the same time as me or sooner. They changed it mid-to-late last year, so my guess you had the 28.5" bars.

[Jakezilla]

I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to mount the L bar that low. It is supposed to be up inside the channel. Mounting it that low is going to lead to a lot of stress being put on it (probably why it bent)

[BJR]

I somewhat agree as I noted in my original post:

I think part of the problem comes from the fact that it's an underslung hitch which means extending the brackets too far from the frame.

That being said, Curt Mfg saw the pictures and did not find fault in the installation.

[stadt11]

Originally Posted by BJR

I somewhat agree as I noted in my original post:



That being said, Curt Mfg saw the pictures and did not find fault in the installation.

x2

Curt saw no incorrect installation by my RV dealer either. It's in their documentation and their setup video: "If the front has settled much more than the rear, lower the L-brackets to reduce the load on the spring bars. The spring bars should be nearly horizontal when correct height is achieved."

Curt replaced my trunnion bars with new (longer) bars and L brackets last year, my L brackets are starting to bend again.