WDH Anti-Sway Recommendation

[Gibby_OG]

Hello all,

I bought a Travel trailer, 2022 Jayco Jay Flight SLXW242 BHS (GVWR 7000lbs) on a whim as it was a one day blowout deal I have actually been looking for years but took the leap that day. Have not picked it up so looking for some advice to get me started.

My vehicle is a 2020 Ford F-150 8cyl XLT Lariat Supercrew with a GVWR of 7000lbs. I believe it has built in anti sway. At least that’s an option i saw using the VIN decoder. Not sure how accurate that is? ����*♂️

Looking for advice on a WDH Anti sway system. I don’t mind paying more to be as safe as possible, especially considering i have never driven anything like this.

Any other advice is welcome as well. I literally have not picked up or done anything for this new hobby so trying to wrangle in some veteran advice so we can hit the ground running in the spring !

Thanks in advance !

[JFlightRisk]

Welcome to the Forum from Western New York State!

Just one possibility (there will be other members recommendations, from their experiences) is the Equalizer brand of hitches. It's the only one I can attest to owning or using, and we also have a F150. It's a combination WDH and anti-sway system. This is their website to peruse.

https://www.equalizerhitch.com/

Compare all the other thoughts as posts appear and choose what fits the bill the best for you. Properly set up with your truck and trailer any of them will make towing more pleasurable.

[wiscampsin]

Another vote for Equalizer brand of hitches.

[Forester2]

Blue Ox on our F150; very happy

[Midnightmoon]

A quick little nod for the Andersen WD hitch system.

[Rustic Eagle]

Gibby,

Welcome to JOF

Many good WDH brands suited for the SLXW 242BHS.

Based on worst case TT "loaded" weight at the 7,000lbs GVWR, the recommend "loaded" tongue weight should fall in the range of 910lbs to 1,050lbs (13% to 15% of gross loaded TT weight)....., thus a WDH rated at 1,000lbs minimum would be recommended. A WDH rated at 1,200lbs wouldn't be overkill when adjusted properly.

I would suggest a 3-pass CAT Scale weigh-in once you have your TV/TT combination loaded under typical 'ready-to-camp' conditions. The CAT will confirm all TV/TT weights, confirm proper WDH adjustment, proper weight distribution, tongue weight, etc..

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

If you normally tow with some fresh water in the tank, fill accordingly prior to the CAT weigh-in.

Bob

[USCcruisecrazy]

Just pulled my Jayfeather 27BHB using a Blue Ox WDH and it was extremely easy. I at no point had any sway even on the Interstate going 65 when a few Tractor Trailers blew by me.

[Jerry713]

Welcome to the forum!

FYI the weight distribution your truck has is likely the sway bars that comes with most towing packages. They do help but you still need a quality weight distribution hitch for a 30 foot trailer no doubt.

I have had 3 weight distribution hitches. The first two were both the same style just different brands. The end of the sway bars had chains that connected to bracket on the trailer frame and also had a separate friction bar piece similar to this https://www.amazon.com/EAZ-LIFT-4805...195598278&th=1
and both were horrible for me towing a 32' TT that weighed about 8000 lbs. both with a F150 and with a Ram 2500.

My latest rig I have a Weigh Safe WD hitch that has 4 points of anti-sway along with a built in scale that calculates your exact tongue weight as well as your distributed weight (using the app and info on your TT and tow vehicle). There's no guessing on what height setting to use or what link on the chain to use. This hitch is amazing there's no sway pulling my 38 footer even in 25 mph cross wind. It's the only one I would recommend based on my personal experience.

[ggilbert]

Another vote for Equalizer

• EASY to use
• No Chains
• No Sway Bars to Adjust
• Can back up without taking the Sway bar's loose.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Gibby_OG

snip....... My vehicle is a 2020 Ford F-150 8cyl XLT........ I believe it has built in anti sway. At least that’s an option i saw using the VIN decoder. Not sure how accurate that is? ����*..........snip

I believe you are referring to Ford's Electronic Anti-Sway Control System. I haven't had any experience with Ford's system, but there are some WDH manufactures that recommend turning it 'off' when towing with their WDH Integrated Sway Control product.

Check the documents that come with your selected brand of WDH, or contact the WDH manufacture for confirmation.

Bob

[Gibby_OG]

That built in scale is a smart feature!

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by Gibby_OG

That built in scale is a smart feature!

It’s what sold me. I’m the past I’ve always guessed at what link on the chain or how high the hitch should be. With the Weigh Safe there is some initial set up but after that there’s no guessing at how much distributed weight. There’s literally a bolt that you tighten to adjust the distributes weight according to the on board scale and what is computed in the app according to your tow vehicle and travel trailer. In addition to that it also has 4 points of sway resistance.

[goducks]

In the past the Ford anti sway feature was reactive not proactive. In other words it turns on when the TT causes the truck to become unstable.
I had it on an older F150 and didn't notice anything until I rounded a corner one time a little too fast. Hit the brakes and it made all kinds of sounds and kept the truck in control.
I could also self activate it as I did once out on an open vacant hwy. I just yanked the wheel left and right to make the TT kick out a bit and sure enough the anti sway kicked in and slowed the truck down.

It will not help with wandering or push pull when passing semi's. Thats where you need a friction based WDH like the Equa lizer type.

Here's a video of 6 WDH's that a guy tested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8eY...deringWeekends

FWIW I have a BO and am not impressed either. I've used an EQ in the past an prefer it.

[DonBr]

Another Andersen vote here. Especially for light rigs. They work very well, are easy to hitch and unhitch, no problems with backup, quiet, etc. Biggest reason for me was weight. Most of the options mentioned above have weights near 100 lbs. The Andersen is 55 lbs. Remember the hitch weight becomes part of the tongue weight. A note specifically about the F150 is that Ford has it sprung for a smooth ride, not for capacity, so a WDH has to be pulled very tight to bring the rear end up. I added Sumo Springs and it made a big difference.

[KCSA75]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Gibby,

Welcome to JOF

Many good WDH brands suited for the SLXW 242BHS.

Based on worst case TT "loaded" weight at the 7,000lbs GVWR, the recommend "loaded" tongue weight should fall in the range of 910lbs to 1,050lbs (13% to 15% of gross loaded TT weight)....., thus a WDH rated at 1,000lbs minimum would be recommended. A WDH rated at 1,200lbs wouldn't be overkill when adjusted properly.

I would suggest a 3-pass CAT Scale weigh-in once you have your TV/TT combination loaded under typical 'ready-to-camp' conditions. The CAT will confirm all TV/TT weights, confirm proper WDH adjustment, proper weight distribution, tongue weight, etc..

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

If you normally tow with some fresh water in the tank, fill accordingly prior to the CAT weigh-in.

Bob

All good advice here.

We tow a 29-foot Keystone with loaded weight of about 7500 lbs with an F-150. We have a Curt Tru-Track WDH that is a similar design to an Equalizer. I bought it because eTrailer had it on sale and when all was said any done it was about $150 less than an Equalizer.

I also added Timbrens to replace the factory bump stops. They have no effect during normal conditions but really help with rear-end sag with the trailer. I also replaced the tires with Michelin Defender LT tires.

The truck tows well. You still know the trailer is back there but the ride is good and we have very few sway issues even when it's windy.

[crappiejig]

Hensley. Best hitch out there.

[DonBr]

Originally Posted by crappiejig

Hensley. Best hitch out there.

Agree, in principle. But, 190 lbs of hitch for a lightweight trailer? Sounds overkill to me.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by DonBr

Another Andersen vote here. Especially for light rigs. They work very well, are easy to hitch and unhitch, no problems with backup, quiet, etc. Biggest reason for me was weight. Most of the options mentioned above have weights near 100 lbs. The Andersen is 55 lbs. Remember the hitch weight becomes part of the tongue weight. A note specifically about the F150 is that Ford has it sprung for a smooth ride, not for capacity, so a WDH has to be pulled very tight to bring the rear end up. I added Sumo Springs and it made a big difference.

X2. Great weight distribution, excellent sway control. And light enough for bad backs!

[GVStaud]

I have a Hensley hitch. Used on 2002 Chevy 2500 Suburban pulling 27 ft Fleetwood trailer. Difficult to hitch up if not straight on & level. It is a terrific WDH anti sway hitch. You can buy them used or reconditioned.

[kblast523]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

A quick little nod for the Andersen WD hitch system.

I too, have an Andersen, they are great and DO NOT require removal of sway link when backing.
Regarding alleged "sway control" on your Ford: Direct from the Ford F series manual-

What is trailer stability control?


Trailer safety control (TSC) monitors individual wheel speeds and activates the electric braking system on the trailer itself, significantly increasing the stability of both the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle during critical events.


You must have a hitch that control sway for it to work properly