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Old 03-31-2017, 06:59 AM   #43
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Originally Posted by patriot07 View Post
What is the best WD hitch with sway control also?

Really, I'm looking for the best value. But I'm not against paying more if something is appreciably better.
fact: a WD does not "distribute" weight. so, good luck.
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Old 03-31-2017, 07:31 AM   #44
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Originally Posted by Highway 4x4 View Post
I have the same issue with ride. Sometimes the road just shakes me to death. The bigger tires on the TV with a little less PSI in them has helped a little. Let us know if there is any difference with the BO hitch in ride. At times I am ready to jump to a small class A gasser MH over it but even they can ride rough I am told.
It should be here by the 7th of April. Man, I believe her fists have gotten even harder and bonier these days... ... If the swelling around my eyes has gone down enough, I'll set it up and take a short tow and it should be obvious pretty quickly whether or not it's better. If it isn't... pray for me...
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Old 03-31-2017, 07:42 AM   #45
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fact: a WD does not "distribute" weight. so, good luck.

When I load the bars, the front of the truck goes down. Explain how that happens.
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Old 03-31-2017, 10:15 AM   #46
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Check out some of the hitch Mfg suites for that info. Better than we can do here.
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Old 03-31-2017, 06:51 PM   #47
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Pro pride or Hensley - the only hitches I would consider if I had a TT
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Old 03-31-2017, 08:54 PM   #48
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Pro pride or Hensley - the only hitches I would consider if I had a TT
Define "BEST" OP specifies value - what issues impact value?

If value is defined primarily by price, then the set of hitches in the $600-$1000 range seem to have lots of supporters. Not particularly surprising - these are mass marketed, mass produced hitches. Stamped / forged housings. These are all sway CONTROL hitches. All of these hitches allow the trailer to pivot on the tow ball. When the trailer attempts to start a sway issue, the hitch in some manner absorbs the energy either thru a friction brake or a spring. Friction brake mechanisms also slow down how quickly the trailer comes back straight behind the TV. Springs push the trailer back with an opposing spring trying to keep it from going in the other direction. There was a study done in Brittan on this style of hitch. Basically said if enough sway energy occurs, the hitch will not be able to control the issue. The study is available on-line if you want to search for it. Look for Trailer Snaking (British for sway).

If "BEST" and "VALUE" are defined as total control and safest, then look at these:
Much smaller population in use are the Jim Hensley designed hitches (Hensely Arrow and ProPride). The hitch prevents the trailer from swaying. Geometry of the hitch moves the pivot point forward to near the axle of the TV. If the trailer attempts to initiate sway, the rear tires of the TV have to slide. People with them have equated the tow experience, in a forward direction, to having an i-beam running from the rear bumper of the trailer to the front bumper of the TV. Turning is more similar to turning a 5th wheel rig (trailer follows pivot point near TV rear axle rather than pivoting on the ball). Backing up is no issue. WD on the ProPride is easy, adjustment is similar to raising or lowering your front trailer jack with infinite adjust-ability. 99.99% of folks who have used both will not tow with the conventional style hitches. These hitches are not mass produced and I know ProPrides are made to order (both are manufactured in Michigan). The hitch is heavier than conventional hitches. However, it is permanently mounted to the trailer. Only the stinger (part that is in your TV receiver) is moved - weighs around 50 lbs. There are reports that the effective trailer tongue weight is lowered when using one of these hitches due to a marginal increase in overall rig length (note - what is tongue weight? - down force transferred to TV at the hitch point with WD disabled). Backing up with WD enabled is not an issue. Hitching and unhitching is straight forward though different from traditional. For me, the entire process takes under 5 minutes (helps if your TV has a backup camera). Minor benefit - no grease issues - no handle-able parts need to be greased. I put dry lube on the inside the hitch where the stinger attaches, makes hitching up a bit easier. This hitch design has been on the market since 1993 so there are a lot of them out on the road. Downside - being custom fabricated, they are much more expensive (you need to consider cost of the hitch relative to the cost of your TV and TT).

So OP needs to decide what "best" features are important and what constitutes value.
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Old 04-01-2017, 04:59 AM   #49
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When I load the bars, the front of the truck goes down. Explain how that happens.
A true "weight distributing" apparatus is a snow shoe. This takes the weight from a small footprint and physically distributes it across a larger footprint, to reduce the lbs per sq.ft.

NO hitch point can be enlarged to distribute weight: the hitch point always remains at a 2inch or 2.5inch ball. No bumper-pull hitch can be changed to alter the position of the hitch point: the point is always at the position of the rear bumper. The footprint of your hitch point is constant, whether you use a WD hitch or not. So a WD hitch is simply false.

Appearances are deceiving. The effect you experience is caused by torque, not WD. The torque can be a danger, as it will constantly amplify the forces incurred by normal driving and direct these forces away from your stronger rear to your weaker front suspensions. This shift in forces occurs within your frame, causing additional flex and twist forces, thus stressing the frame more than otherwise. Not good.

If you understand basic physics and maths [forces and vectors], I can explain further.
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Old 04-01-2017, 06:19 AM   #50
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A true "weight distributing" apparatus is a snow shoe. This takes the weight from a small footprint and physically distributes it across a larger footprint, to reduce the lbs per sq.ft.

NO hitch point can be enlarged to distribute weight: the hitch point always remains at a 2inch or 2.5inch ball. No bumper-pull hitch can be changed to alter the position of the hitch point: the point is always at the position of the rear bumper. The footprint of your hitch point is constant, whether you use a WD hitch or not. So a WD hitch is simply false.

Appearances are deceiving. The effect you experience is caused by torque, not WD. The torque can be a danger, as it will constantly amplify the forces incurred by normal driving and direct these forces away from your stronger rear to your weaker front suspensions. This shift in forces occurs within your frame, causing additional flex and twist forces, thus stressing the frame more than otherwise. Not good.

If you understand basic physics and maths [forces and vectors], I can explain further.
Your first post was off topic and totally useless. Hitches that change the weight profile of the trailer and tow vehicle for the purposes of improving steering and handling are called 'weight distribution' hitches. Whether or not they should be is not the topic of this thread.

I am a mechanical engineer, so I understand this issue as well as anyone. You're trying to re-define the word "distribute", which has multiple applications in the engineering world. Just leave it alone. If I have $10, Bob has $5, and Sue has $3 and someone takes our money and gives me $6, Bob $6, and Sue $6, did they not 'distribute' our money? What is different between that and this hitch? No new money and no new people, but the money is distributed differently.
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Old 04-01-2017, 06:25 AM   #51
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To address some of the other posts. Anything $600+ is out of the question. I'm certainly not spending $2k. As good as they might be, it's not worth it to me for as little mileage as I'm going to be putting on this trailer. I would say over the next 10 years, the most I could possibly envision putting on our trailer is maybe 20k miles.

I have pretty much decided on the Andersen, if I can find it for a reasonable price. Lots of folks saying they bought it around $400, but I can't find it for any less than $475. Does anyone have any knowledge of where I can find it for less? Maybe those posts were old and it doesn't exist at that price anymore, but even $475 is more than I'm willing to pay right now. I'll just go buy a cheap Husky or something like that if I can't find the Andersen for $400 or less.
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Old 04-01-2017, 01:27 PM   #52
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OK... I know it's April Fool's Day, but no foolin'... My Blue Ox BWX-1503 hitch arrived yesterday. As discussed earlier, this one is made for the under slung coupler on my trailer. I went this morning and installed it, and set it up per the instructions (simple and easy). This was $600- well spent. It's lighter and easier to hook up, and the bars aren't greasy. The bone-jarring ride and most of the chucking are gone. When at low speeds, like 35 mph or less it's a little rougher than just riding in the truck. At hiway speeds of 50 mph and higher it's like just being in the truck, but with a touch more soft bounce at bridge joints and offset joints in concrete roads. I couldn't be happier and I know our trips will be a lot less stressful and tiring. So, I gotta give this one a thumbs up...... If I wasn't such a cheap old curmudgeon, I'd have done this a lot sooner...... but it is what it is.
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Old 04-01-2017, 01:30 PM   #53
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To address some of the other posts. Anything $600+ is out of the question. I'm certainly not spending $2k. As good as they might be, it's not worth it to me for as little mileage as I'm going to be putting on this trailer. I would say over the next 10 years, the most I could possibly envision putting on our trailer is maybe 20k miles.

I have pretty much decided on the Andersen, if I can find it for a reasonable price. Lots of folks saying they bought it around $400, but I can't find it for any less than $475. Does anyone have any knowledge of where I can find it for less? Maybe those posts were old and it doesn't exist at that price anymore, but even $475 is more than I'm willing to pay right now. I'll just go buy a cheap Husky or something like that if I can't find the Andersen for $400 or less.
I'm not sure where you are, but if you're near me, you can have my old EAZLift... just come get it.
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Old 04-01-2017, 03:17 PM   #54
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I'm not sure where you are, but if you're near me, you can have my old EAZLift... just come get it.
Thanks for the offer. My parents have bought a Coleman since my original post, and they already have a WD hitch that works ok. Since the camper they bought is identical in floorplan/weight/etc. to the ones we've been looking at, we're just going to borrow that anytime we want to go camping in the near future (1-2 years). So for now, we'll just be using their hitch. I tried to talk my dad into an Andersen, and he's only interested if it's less than $400.

I really appreciate the offer. I'm about 30 minutes east of Dallas, so I'd take you up on the offer for the EAZLift if my parents didn't already have one.
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Old 04-02-2017, 05:33 AM   #55
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It should be here by the 7th of April. Man, I believe her fists have gotten even harder and bonier these days... ... If the swelling around my eyes has gone down enough, I'll set it up and take a short tow and it should be obvious pretty quickly whether or not it's better. If it isn't... pray for me...
Jack,

Lot's of ice works well for the swelling...Ask me how I know lol

WWR
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Old 04-02-2017, 10:25 PM   #56
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I saw a video someplace of a truck and trailer set on load cells at all 8 wheels and it showed the weight of the hitch getting transferred to the front wheels and some to the trailer wheels. So the weight being distributed does take place. I wish I could find that video.
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