Well, I guess nevermind. They agreed to the Equalizer for the same price.

I do have a question I have yet to research. If anyone has this hitch, do I have to do anything to it before I back up? I thought I read somewhere that some weight distribution / sway control hitches had to be disconnected or something before you back up.

Paul & Deb
Hi Guys,

Congratulations on the new trailer! Amazing that this exact model is also likely to be our next Grand Design trailer (probably for very similar reasons) . . . well, maybe not that amazing, since you and I do seem to approach things in a similar manner.

I can't help with the hitch details . . . but, I will be following this discussion very closely .

Rob (& Cate)

I personally don't have that hitch, but a quick search on the web says the Equal-i-zer hitch allows for backing up without unhooking.

Isn't that a hoot! We have been in 3 or 4 of them and just think they are such a cleaver floor plan packed into a small trailer we can get in anywhere. We are so excited to go back to some of our favorite places to camp that we haven't been able to get into for years now. We will have to wait about 5 weeks but it will be worth it.

Paul & Deb - Paul, Jeremy uses the Equalizer with his truck and trailer combination. He can back it up just fine. It may make a little noise while backing, but that is normal.

Jim

I have a 14K Equalizer and only disconnect when I'm done. Zero issues. And it's quite quiet as well. I followed the manual and put equalizer brand (prob the brand is not important) grease on the ball and the pivot points on the head and its pretty quiet. You do not want to put Grease on the L where the bar engages the trailer (again per the manual).

I use a 1400/14000 Equalizer and I have never had to disconnect the spring bars to back up. I have backed around corners, and up over the curb with it connected. Some people have complained about "noise" with Equalizer hitches, but the noise never bothered me. And I have recently installed a set of Equalizer Sway Bracket Jackets which quieted it down also.

The one piece of advice I would offer is go heavier rather than lighter on your selection of hitch. My rule of thumb is that it should handle at least 15% of the GVWR of the trailer. You are liable to find out your tongue weight is higher than you think when you get loaded. My advertised tongue weight is something like 750 lbs and my actual is 1050 lbs (loaded) Your WDH not only carries the weight of the tongue, but also a portion of the load in the Tow Vehicle. If you have any doubt about what hitch rating to get, I suggest you contact the folks at Equalizer. I e-mailed them and they got back to me in short order, with their recommendation for which hitch to buy.

I hope this helps!

Bob

I had a Jayco 19H with a UVW 3750lbs and a dry tongue weight of 425lbs. I used a Fastway 600/6000lb what is called an E2 hitch. The hitch is a 2 point sway control and I actually had a tongue weight over 550lbs loaded with bikes. The Equalizer is a 4 point sway control. I would go for the Equalizer.

E2 and equalizer are manufactured from the same company in Utah.

Yes they claim that you can back up without unhooking the bars. I did this a few times but then opted to remove the bars at the check in station. The reason was that some sites were uneven side to side but also both vehicles were not level to each other. This places stress on the bars (maybe less on one and more on the other) and I found that I had to raise the vehicles higher to release the tension. Had a manual jack so less effort.

As far as destroying your frame. I seriously doubt it as I would think that any point of attachment on the RV frame from any weight distribution hitch would impart similar tension. Maybe different with a Pro-Pride or Hensley.

Equalizer 512-388-7715; Just make sure that the hitch you get is rated for the tongue weight of a loaded trailer.

I would be concerned having your dealer do the initial hitch set-up! Make sure you redo it after your truck and trailer are loaded up.

I did not use an Equilizer brand with my TT, but I agree you must check the hitch setup when you get home as the unloaded condition when you pick up the unit and loaded condition after all your stuff and supplies get in it will be way different.

Disconnecting or not disconnecting depends on the hitch and how it addresses sway control. With my Blue Ox, disconnecting definitely made it easier to make hard turns when backing up. You will have to try it yourself to see what or when you need to disconnect. I can see where in some instances disconnecting before backing in will make life easier for unhooking, likewise for hooking up, there are instances where you may need to pull out of the space and get straight in the road before hooking up because of the angles between the TV and the TT.

from Equal-i-zer webpage FAQ section:

"Can I back up with the Equal-i-zer hitch?

Yes, the Equal-i-zer hitch is designed to allow you to back up and take tight turns with the hitch hooked up. Just be sure the frame brackets are installed in the correct range on the trailer frame (27"-32" from the center of your coupler) so the arms have plenty of room (2"-3" after the bracket) to move during tight turns."