WD Hitch Question

[Browny0386]

Hello All,

I'm new to this forum and new to camping, at least with a TT. My wife and I have a young family, 3 & 1 year old, and are getting into camping. We recently purchased a like new 2015 White Hawk 28DSBH and plan to use the hell out of it while our kids are young.

I understand that this topic has been beaten to death, but I'll ask anyway. For my set up, above camper (figure 7000 lbs loaded - ish) towed by a 2016 Ram 1500 Hemi, what is the recommended hitch for the SAFEST possible ride?

I had sold myself on buying an Equalizer hitch, then started to read about Hensely Arrow and/or Propride hitches. Obviously, there is a huge price difference between the equalizer and the other hitches. Is it worth it? We will be doing a decent amount of traveling, first trip (ever) will being towing from Buffalo, NY to Boston, MA down the highway. I've read nothing but great reviews, other than noise, on the Equalizer systems. Then I read how the equalizer, more or less, doesn't compare to the Hensley style hitches.

My wife and kids will always be in the truck, so money aside, safety is my main concern. Please share any experience, or advice.

All insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[bearcat77]

I don’t have any experience with the other hitches, but the Equalizer 4 way has been rock solid for me. Towed our 7800lb trailer from Ohio to Florida through some pretty hairy construction zones and heavy semi traffic, and felt in control at all times. (And that was my first year of ever towing anything.) only difference is that I have a 2500 truck, so I’m sure that helped as well. As far as the noise, if you grease the contact points that Equalizer recommends, it’s completely silent. You let that grease wear off though, and yeah it sounds like you are tearing your trailer in half on turns. Had to re-grease once on the trip to Florida.


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[Midnightmoon]

At risk of over generalization, nothing compares to a Hensley or ProPride. They are in a class by themselves. Others such as the Equalizer or the Anderson that I use are great hitches for what they are. There are hundreds of thousands of safe towing miles put on those style hitches by their users annually. But again, they don't compare to the Hensley or ProPride.

Do you need a Hensley or ProPride. No. Will you ever be disappointed in one of those. No. I've never owned one, but I believe that the general feeling of those who have used them is that they would never go back to a more standard hitch regardless of price. They are claimed to be that good by those who have them.

[Browny0386]

Thanks for the feedback. Regarding the equalizer noise, wouldn’t greasing the contact points somewhat affect how the hitch is supposed to work? I thought the friction was needed for the sway control.

I suppose I’ll have to decide if an extra $2k is worth the piece of mind, vs the equalizer.

[bearcat77]

The point where the bars sit on the L brackets is where you get your friction, and no, you don’t grease that. The manual shows where to lubricate.


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[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Browny0386

snip..... For my set up, above camper (figure 7000 lbs loaded - ish) towed by a 2016 Ram 1500 Hemi, what is the recommended hitch for the SAFEST possible ride?......snip

A 1,200lb rated WDH with integrated sway control would be my recommendation for the 28DSBH.

The Equal-i-zer, Reese Strait Line, HA, ProPride, etc., are all great brand WDH's each with their respective pros/cons......, but at the end of the day when sized, installed, and adjusted properly they all will preform well.

A visit to your local CAT scale will allow you to dial-in the new WDH, thus optimizing it's performance. The CAT will also confirm your TV & TT weights based on your personal loading habits.

CAT scale how-to: https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...v-tt-3871.html

Bob

[LiftedAWDAstro]

If you truly want the safest hitch out there then it has to be a ProPride or Hensley. These are the only 2 that eliminate sway. The others just try to control it with friction. My ProPride hitch has been awesome! It is worth every penny. Even now that I am towing with a Ram 2500 diesel, I would never consider going to any other hitch. Before the Ram, I towed my 28BHBE (8500# scaled) with a 2013 Tundra and the combo was 100% rock solid no matter what the outside conditions were. Passing tractor trailer, gusty winds, heavy rains...no problem. It always performed perfectly.

[bearcat77]

Just to play devils advocate, if safety is your main concern, would the money you might spend on the Propride or Hensley, be better spent as part of a down payment on a 2500 truck, or better load range tires on the trailer?


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[bill777x]

Browny, I had a 2010 Ram 1500 Hemi and used it to tow 2 different 26 foot campers in the 5 years I owned it. The first one had a Reese Dual Cam included with it when I bought it and I transferred that to my White Hawk 23MBH when I bought it new. That camper made me decide to go to a Hensley within the first few months of ownership and the main reason why was comfort on the Interstate.

The WH was much taller than my previous camper and I didn't like the feeling of being pushed around by tractor trailers. I'm not just talking about the bow wave you'll get when they pass you but also the buffeting you'll get when they return to your lane ahead of you. I never had what I'd consider a sway event but everyones pucker factor is different and I was never comfortable on the Interstate.

Please note, my campers were both shorter than yours, my trucks payload was well above the amount I needed, and my dual cam was set up exactly as described in the manual. At the end of the day I wasn't comfortable and thats why I bought a Hensley which I use even now with my 2500 series truck. There is no comparison between them, Hensley wins hands down in my opinion.

You should follow Rustic Eagles advice and learn all your weights and make the best decision for you and your family's safety. You will hear from others that will tell you their hitch is the best and I'm 100 percent in agreement with whatever works best for them is the way they should go. I know whats best for me and I'm the only one that drives with my family in my truck so I'll use what makes me comfortable as should you.

Also, watch Craigs List, I gave less than $1k for my Hensley used so deals are out there if you have time to wait on your purchase. Good luck with whatever you decide, my advice is to look at ProPride if you go with the Hensley style, their stinger is adjustable and you won't have to order a new one when you buy a different truck in the future.

[Browny0386]

Great info, thanks! I’m not going to be upgrading my truck anytime soon, and probably won’t ever get into a 3/4 ton unless we upgrade our boat too (which will be a tough sale to wife lol). I’ve read that the Hensley/propride make towing a TT as close to the feeling of a fifth wheel as possible.

For the driving I do for my company the 1/2 ton truck is simply the best option. Plus, mopar won’t put their unlimited mileage lifetime warranty on any HD models. I’m going to search craigslist to see what’s available. The propide seems worth it, if it can last us forever and make traveling stress free.

Thanks again!

[SkyBound]

Welcome! We also have a 3yr old and a 1yr old and both of them have trailer camped extensively since they were a couple months old. It's a great experience for everyone but make no mistake the amount of stuff required to do these kinds of trips with these kinds of little humans. You probably are well aware of this! Truck payload gets chewed up pretty darn quick with carseats, strollers, wagons, toys, bikes, etc. Our Equalizer has been fantastic on a 7000lb loaded trailer, and it silent even while maneuvering. Grease the hitch head pivot points and the ball, and grab a set of Bracket Jackets for the L brackets and you're good to go. The ProPride and Hensley are awesome, but way more expensive and also heavier (payload is probably a limiting factor for you with that truck).

[ReelCool]

Our first trip out we had A LOT of sway. My husband started having second thoughts on trading the motor home. I researched hitches, gave the info to my husband and he bought the Hensley. We have used it for almost two years. No regrets. If you plan to camp for years ahead, it is worth the investment.

[Ottawasteve]

One other advantage of the Hensley/Propride is that they are supposed to have an additional 15 degrees before you jackknife when you are backing into a campsite. At a few state parks, I have needed the extra 15 degrees to shoehorn the 30 ft trailer into a tight campsite.


Towing in the upper limits of your 1500 will make you appreciate the sway elimination of the Hensley/Propride hitches that much more.

[Midnightmoon]

Quick question for you ProPride users. How many inches of rise/drop is the hitch capable of above the the receiver tube on your tow vehicle?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I am not 100% sure but it must be around 6" either way.

[Midnightmoon]

Thanks.

[bstannard]

Had the Equalizer-nice hitch. Bought the Pro Pride and was amazed at how cross wind sway was eliminated. Traveled with a group and requests came over the CB to slow down due to fighting the wind. My thought, what wind? Well worth the money.

[bstannard]

I agree with bill777x that the Pro Pride is the way to go-just an upgrade on a great design, but go to the Hensley website to get your head wrapped around how it works.

[Browny0386]

Thanks again for all the feed back. This was extremely helpful! I agree from everything that I’ve read that the equalizer is a fantastic hitch, but I’m going to really look into getting a propride hitch. Just this year we’ll be heading on some several hundred mile trips, each way, through mountains of PA. If I can have less stress or close to zero sway I’ll be thrilled.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Excellent choice. You won't regret it at all.