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Old 03-01-2015, 11:46 PM   #1
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Hitch questions

Hello all,
I just bought a 264BHW and can't find anything that gives me the hitch height. I think the size of the ball is 2 5/16", but can someone confirm? I pick up the trailer next week and would like to get the ball and hitch before I go there rather than purchasing it from the RV dealer.

I'll be trailing this with a Ram 1500 V8. Do I need a weight distribution hitch or sway control? I've never towed anything before in my life, so I appreciate your input.

Thanks,
HW
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Old 03-02-2015, 12:17 AM   #2
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Pretty sure my 26bh has a 2" ball hitch, but I am not 100% sure.. Just call your sales rep/dealer and they can confirm..
Yes, you will need a WDH 100% and sway control is recommended.. Lots of options out there to choose from...
Tow mirrors will be needed if you don't have them on your truck already.
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Old 03-02-2015, 02:57 AM   #3
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264BHW is a pretty big trailer, it will be a 2 5/16 trailer ball, and using a 1500 for a tow vehicle you will need a WDH, preferably with sway control.

Buying from a dealer is not a bad thing, most dealers are good at setting them up for the first time, it's a good idea for you to gain some knowledge about setting them up and tweaking them in the future.
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Old 03-02-2015, 11:42 AM   #4
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Cheat book says 2 and 5/16. As for the hitch...

I am a dealer.. however, I tell folks to pull with it as is first to see if YOU think you need one. I own a 2000 Dodge 1500, and did not use one for my 30 foot, but, I did not haul cross country either. My runs were only 1 to 2 hours. If I went further, or if I traveled in windy conditions, I would have used one.
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Old 03-02-2015, 11:46 AM   #5
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Hitch questions

Mine has 2 5/16. Not sure on hitch height and I would recommend a WDH. There are a couple of good ones out there. I really like my Blue OX WDH.
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Old 03-02-2015, 11:51 AM   #6
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My 26BH (same TT as 264BHW) was 2 5/16 ball and the ball height was 23".

You will require a WD hitch if only to not exceed the TV receiver spec. I imagine it is 500# for weight carrying and 1000# for weight distribution.

I also strongly suggest a WD hitch with integrated sway control. An Equal-I-Zer would be a good choice.
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Old 03-02-2015, 10:25 PM   #7
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Thanks for all the suggestions. My dealer said he can install a Fastway e2 hitch (WD+sway control) on the trailer. I think he said it was around $400 installed. I may go with that.
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Old 03-02-2015, 10:37 PM   #8
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Thanks for all the suggestions. My dealer said he can install a Fastway e2 hitch (WD+sway control) on the trailer. I think he said it was around $400 installed. I may go with that.
Push just a little harder for the Equal-I-Zer. Same principle, maybe same company I can't be 100% sure, but 4 point sway control vs 2 point. Should not cost much more for the Equal-I-Zer.
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Old 03-03-2015, 05:29 AM   #9
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Push just a little harder for the Equal-I-Zer. Same principle, maybe same company I can't be 100% sure, but 4 point sway control vs 2 point. Should not cost much more for the Equal-I-Zer.
Agree. Start with a great hitch and you will not be upgrading very soon.
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Old 03-03-2015, 08:32 AM   #10
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Hitch Height

Jayco Customer Service will give you your hitch height.
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Old 03-03-2015, 11:23 AM   #11
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Push just a little harder for the Equal-I-Zer. Same principle, maybe same company I can't be 100% sure, but 4 point sway control vs 2 point. Should not cost much more for the Equal-I-Zer.
It is the same company, Progress Mfg. And yes, I would push hard for the Equal-i-zer over the Fastwas E2. MSRP is terrible on them though, buy it online somewhere an you'll save a ton of money.
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:09 PM   #12
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Thanks for all the suggestions. My dealer said they carry the E4 (which is the same as the Equal-I-zer, from what I've read on the net). He said he'll sell it to me, but it may be overkill for my trailer.

The E2 is $599 installed. I'm assuming the E4 would be about $200 more.

There is another thread which is discussing this hitch:
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...sed-24599.html

The following site has them on sale:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/r...trol-hitch.htm

I'll ask the dealer if he'll match the price. Which one do I need for my 264BHW? The 1200/12000?
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:16 PM   #13
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I would get the 1200/12000. Little heavier than you probably minimally need, but will be good to grow with.

When I had my 26BH we used 1200/12000 setup, it was a Husky Centerline which is the same principle as the Equal-I-Zer, but my point is the 1200 bars were fine and then when we stepped up to the much heavier 29QBH we didn't have to replace the hitch.
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:21 PM   #14
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Oh - and I wouldn't pay anywhere near $800 installed for the E4, I would expect the dealer to hold the price at $599, clearly you see by the PPL link there is good margin in it for the dealer still.

Otherwise I would buy it on my own and install it myself in the dealers lot. You are going to need to learn how to install it yourself since there be several adjustments required over the first few trips as the trailer gets loaded and the hitch requires fine tuning.

They are not hard to install.
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:50 PM   #15
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They are not hard to install.
True BUT to do it right you need the correct size tools and a large torque wrench. I guess it depends on the brand you buy but my Equal-i-zer calls for 340 pound feet of torque on the hitch head and 400+ on the ball! You won't get close to those numbers with your standard 1/2" drive breaker bar unless you are built like the Hulk. I went out and bought a 3' piece of 1" black iron pipe and use that as a cheater. Leverage is your friend!
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Old 03-03-2015, 03:29 PM   #16
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Quote:
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...snip...
They are not hard to install.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ661 View Post
True BUT to do it right you need the correct size tools and a large torque wrench. ...snip...
I bought all the parts, including a socket that fit, and went to a local hitch shop. I walked in with the ball in place, a socket on the nut, a $10 bill in hand, and asked them to torque it to (whatever it was). In a flash they put their big-* torque wrench on it, torqued it, took my $10, and I was out of there in less than 5 min.
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Old 03-03-2015, 04:09 PM   #17
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I would think you need a WDH for that weight in a half ton. I like the Equalizer hitch, it has done a great job for me. I would push the dealer for a better price on the E4. I bought mine online 4 years ago for around $450 (rvwholesalers.com) and installed it myself.


My salesman said that they would set up my hitch for my new trailer as part of the purchase, even though I didn't buy it from them. I'm not sure whether that is great service or standard... but I promise you that your dealer is making decent money on the sale of your trailer AND making money on the sale of your hitch... even if they sell you the E4 for $600.


It shouldn't take an experienced guy more than 45 minutes to set up your WDH. Dialing it in perfectly might take more time, but that is something fairly easy for you to do on your own at a later time of you want.
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Old 03-08-2015, 11:01 PM   #18
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I ended up getting the e2 hitch from my dealer since I didn't want to wait until I could order another hitch and get it installed myself. At least the dealer was willing to deal with me and I got quite a bit off MSRP.

Everything went pretty smoothly with the installation. After I drove off with my new RV, things started to get a bit hairy. My truck (Ram 1500 V8) felt like it was rocking back and forth when driving, especially when going over uneven roads.

Before I take it back to the dealer, what should I try? The owners manual for the hitch is not much help.
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Old 03-08-2015, 11:22 PM   #19
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I ended up getting the e2 hitch from my dealer since I didn't want to wait until I could order another hitch and get it installed myself. At least the dealer was willing to deal with me and I got quite a bit off MSRP.

Everything went pretty smoothly with the installation. After I drove off with my new RV, things started to get a bit hairy. My truck (Ram 1500 V8) felt like it was rocking back and forth when driving, especially when going over uneven roads.

Before I take it back to the dealer, what should I try? The owners manual for the hitch is not much help.
It's possible everything is entirely normal. It may be that you'll just need to become more comfortable with towing.

Please try to be a bit more descriptive of the 'rocking back and forth' motion. Is that front to rear or side to side? Does it occur just when the trailer goes over the uneven areas or when the truck does? When the road is smooth and level, does it feel OK?

Here are some basics to check:
How old is your truck and shock absorbers?

Is the trailer level or just slightly nose down when hitched to your truck?

Are your tires and the trailer tires inflated to the maximum it says on the side of the tire?

I don't know how is says to adjust your E2 hitch, but there should be a good amount of tension on your load bars. If there isn't, then the anti-sway properties of the hitch may not be enough.

That's a start. I'm sure you'll hear more ideas from other members.
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Old 03-09-2015, 11:38 AM   #20
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I'm certainly no WD expert (there are many in The Forum that are), but it sounds like your first towing experience was similar to my first with my TT. First off, you towed your trailer home empty - no gear, no water. Your dealer may have compensated by estimating your "loaded weights", and set up your WD hitch to accommodate your loaded weight. The lighter "unloaded" weight may have caused the rig to feel a little "squirrelly". Once, you get it loaded, there will be more tongue weight; which will decrease "fish-tailing" and improve towing. A tongue weight of 12-15% of the trailer's loaded weight is desirable. You can distribute cargo throughout your trailer to bring your numbers in line. Your weight distributing bars may need some adjusting as well, especially after loading. With your truck and trailer both loaded for camping, disconnect the truck from your trailer, and measure from the ground to the bottom of the front wheel well at the center of its arc. Next, connect your trailer to the truck, and set up the W/D bars the way the dealer set them up. Re-measure the height of the front wheel well. Your W/D system should distribute enough weight to the front wheels, so the wells return to within 1/2" of their original height. (Check your truck's owner's manual for the actual measurement the manufacturer recommends.) If it's greater than that, you're basically lifting your front (steering control) wheels off the ground. Adjust it by tightening the chains one link each (or use whatever means your hitch employs) until the height is within 1/2" of its unloaded height.

Load up the family, TV, and trailer just the way you would for camping. Go to your nearest CAT Scale, and have your TV/TT weighed, following the directions given in the "sticky" on this forum re: weighing your TT/TV. The trip will give you an idea of how the TV/TT combo handles when loaded and after your adjustments have been made. If that doesn't help to isolate/solve the problems you're experiencing, call your salesperson and ask to set up an appointment to have your WD system adjusted by the dealer's WD technician. If you've developed a good relationship with your sales person, he/she should be able to set it up at no additional charge. This is the value of purchasing the hitch through the TT dealer, and having them install it! Make sure you take your CAT scale numbers with you and load the TT/TV (including the truck bed) exactly the way you would when you go camping. That includes taking the family along. The closer you get it to actual towing conditions, the more accurate the set-up will be. There are height, pitch, spring-bar, and other adjustments that will affect your towing experience. Watch (and pay close attention) as they adjust your hitch. Ask questions about how the adjustment(s) corrected the problems you experienced. That way you'll be able to re-adjust it if your towing weights/conditions change. And they will change! You won't carry the same cloths/gear/utensils on every trip. A guest and their clothes, equipment, bikes, etc. will add weight to the TV and the trailer. And always make sure all of the tires on your TT and TV are at their recommended air pressures. Once you get your WD system properly adjusted, nothing will affect TV/TT handling more than properly inflated tires. Under inflated tires on either the truck or the trailer can really make things feel "squirrelly"!

Finally, in spite of what some say, you'll always know it's back there! But with experience, you'll get use to the different feel of towing a large trailer. And you'll be able to tell from that feel, whether your cargo is properly loaded and your hitch/WD bars are properly adjusted to provide the safest, most comfortable ride your TV/TT combo can provide.

Happy Towing! Happy Camping!
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