weight distribution and sway bars

What hitch is best for 700# hitch weight travel trailer. With a dual cam anti sway do I have to drill holes in the trailer frame to mount the anti sway?

Reply to
Ribbet4
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Best is a Hensley Arrow hitch or Pullrite hitch. Both cost a LOT. Second best are either the Drawtite/Reese/HiddenHitch dual cam or the Equal-i-zer brand hitch.

The original model of the dual cam does not require holes in the frame, but might require repositioning the battery or propane holder to allow for U-bolts over the frame.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Shelton

The Hensley Arrow or Pullrite designs are really only needed when the trailer size and/or weight is severely straining the towing limits of the towing vehicle - which should lead you to getting a larger tow vehicle or a smaller trailer rather than a fancy hitch to 'cure' the problem. That, and people who have to back their trailers into really restricted spots requiring severe turns.

The Hensley makes a rigid connection between the trailer and hitch ball (side to side) and move the pivot point under the rear axle. Works kinds of like a Gooseneck Hitch like you'd find on a farm trailer, but in reverse tucked under the car. It takes up a lot of ground clearance room under the car for the drawbar and pivot hardware, and you need to leave all the pivot zone totally clear - some cars require major exhaust system mods to get it to fit.

I wouldn't mess with a Hensley unless you REALLY need it.

These are variations of standardized torsion-bar load leveling hitches, and they plug into standard square-tongue receivers on the car. And the special hitch receivers that plug into the car end can be easily exchanged between cars when you change vehicles, though they may have to be modified for receiver height and/or mounting angle.

The sway control and/or load leveler torsion-bar coupling arms either clamp or weld onto the sides of the trailer A-frame extension that the coupler is welded to.

(Gotta run - I think this makes sense - If I missed something in proofreading I'll fix it later.)

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

Oh, I forgot about the "Best" (sic) part of a PullRite or Hensley design trailer hitch - If you had the spare tire on a winch mount under the car behind the rear axle, you have to remove it and put it somewhere else - a bracket inside or on the tailgate of a SUV, or in the bed of a pickup. With the hitch mounted in the way the tire would be trapped under there forever...

And if the fuel tank is there, when it comes time to drop the tank to change the in-tank electric fuel pump you have to take the hitch off first. This turns a half-day job into a two day job.

With a standard receiver hitch they can leave the spare tire carrier fully functional.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

The Hensley Arrow hitch used a standard hitch receiver. It has a 2" square drawbar that stuffs into the hitch receiver in the usual way.

Anybody with a 700# tongue weight IS at the max for a Tundra or Sequoia and overloading a Tacoma.

There is no doubt that the Hensley Arrow and the Pullrite are the best at controlling trailer sway. The "Equal-i-zer" brand hitch and the dual-cam are second tier, but far safer than the usual friction sway damping bar.

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Reese, and HiddenHitch are all the same company.) You have confused the operation of the Pullrite with the operation of the Hensley Arrow. The Pullrite operates as you describe the HA. The Pullrite on a Tundra does not require moving the spare tire.
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I tow a 5200# travel trailer with my Tundra and a Hensley Arrow hitch. I previously towed that trailer with a conventional weight distributing hitch and a friction sway damping bar. Towing with the Hensley Arrow hitch is much safer and more relaxing for the driver. There is never any sway even in gusting 30 mph side winds.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Shelton

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