Which Hitch do I buy?

[Road_Phantom]

My Truck: 2018 Ram 2500 diesel 4X4. Crew, short bed.

I'm working with a Dealer for the purchase of a new 26' Grand Design TT
that weighs around 5000lbs and 7000 GVWR. I need a recommendation for the hitch. I heard Reese was a good one. I would also like to have a little overkill in the event that we trade up to a larger trailer in the future. Thanks for you help.

[Hannibal]

I have a Reese HP and an Equalizer 4-point in the shed. I use this for our rig.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch-Ball-Mount/Curt/C45456.html

[Brandon_the_Tra]

aftermath wrote:
I am a firm believer that every trailer combination needs some kind of sway control. WD continues to be a debatable issue in my HO. The trailer follows behind the TV and is connected by a single pivot point, the ball. A large trailer in windy conditions can sway on its own. Yeah, yeah, I know all the arguments. A well constructed trailer that is well balanced and loaded correctly won't sway, some will say. Even if this is true, how many out there have such trailers?
I would suggest the OP should get one of those add on friction bars as a minimum. I also believe that all half and 3/4 tons would benefit from a hitch that combines both WD and sway control.

I am a firm believer in wearing a belt along with two pairs of suspenders, and a piece of hemp rope.

[Boomerweps]

wanderingbob wrote:
I also have a 2500 Ram CTD , for me the WDH is unnecessary . Try it without ! Spend the money on whiskey , cigarettes
and wild woman !

To quote John Lee Hooker, “If it wasn’t for whiskey & women, I’d have money today”.

[Gdetrailer]

aftermath wrote:
I am a firm believer that every trailer combination needs some kind of sway control. WD continues to be a debatable issue in my HO. The trailer follows behind the TV and is connected by a single pivot point, the ball. A large trailer in windy conditions can sway on its own. Yeah, yeah, I know all the arguments. A well constructed trailer that is well balanced and loaded correctly won't sway, some will say. Even if this is true, how many out there have such trailers?
I would suggest the OP should get one of those add on friction bars as a minimum. I also believe that all half and 3/4 tons would benefit from a hitch that combines both WD and sway control.

I have one of those trailers.

has 15% hitch weight.

Have demonstrated twice over the yrs I have owned it that is rock steady. Two times with two different 3/4 ton trucks I have had to make emergency maneuvers to avoid colliding head on with deer running across the road in front of me. Both times stomped on the brakes and both times the trailer never wavered and stayed 100% inline with my truck. Both times was on a busy Interstate at 70 MPH, now where to go and hitting a deer at that speed with trailer in tow would have been bad.

Not saying it will work for everyone, but I am a believer in having a firmer suspension on a heavier built truck platform along with maximizing the hitch weight cures a lot of ills that WD and anti sway devices bandaids over..

WD was originally designed to allow folks to tow much heavier trailers by attempting to push some weight forward onto the vehicles front axles. In doing so, it lifts the rear of the sagging vehicle with weak suspension. Lifting the rear, now removes some of your traction from the rear axle which can lead to other bigger problems.

Combo anti sawy/WD were devised to help marginal setups to be more stable.. The reality is you need to start with a stable setup first before ever applying these bandaids.

What do you think will happen when the WD/anti sway device fails or is overwhelmed in a bad situation?

I shudder to think what would have happened if I was in the same two events with a vehicle that didn't have a stout suspension but had WD and anti sway, those devices would have been easily overwhelmed.. Not sure I would have lived to see the second event as I don't believe a friction device or WD with anti sway could have saved my bacon on a poorly loaded trailer.

Something else to consider, very few "professional" contractors ever use WD or anti sway with their flatbed trailers or their cargo trailers.. But yet all of the trailer towing accidents I have seen over the yrs in my travels have been RV'rs..

Professional contractors tend to use TVs that are more substantial for the job at hand.

[Grit_dog]

See statements like “Dont use it all the time, but do sometimes and THINK it’s better”
And all of nothing statements like “Firm believer ALL trailers need sway control.” is why or where folks get wrapped around the spokes with this.
GDE just put it well.
And similarly there are certainly many setups that need one or both, and many that don’t. And it’s ok to express your preference for “perfecting” your ride unless you pretend that it’s a necessity (in situations where it isn’t).
The fact remains though, many wdh and sway setups are purchased purely through salesmanship by RV salesmen and the internet. And many others are purchased out of fear of the unknown by those who don’t know better.

But many of those same people can’t see past defending their purchase or personal preference by refuting anyone who suggests otherwise.

[aftermath]

I am a firm believer that every trailer combination needs some kind of sway control. WD continues to be a debatable issue in my HO. The trailer follows behind the TV and is connected by a single pivot point, the ball. A large trailer in windy conditions can sway on its own. Yeah, yeah, I know all the arguments. A well constructed trailer that is well balanced and loaded correctly won't sway, some will say. Even if this is true, how many out there have such trailers?
I would suggest the OP should get one of those add on friction bars as a minimum. I also believe that all half and 3/4 tons would benefit from a hitch that combines both WD and sway control.

[Huntindog]

As for those advocating that you not use a WD hitch at all as you have a stout truck....


I have been towing with 1 ton crewcab long bed dually diesels since 2000. I can tell the difference in handling that a single washer or chain link makes in a lashup.

I like my lashups the best they can be... Not just good enough.
There have been some occasions when I was glad I did not settle for less.

So although your truck may be capable of towing without a WD hitch, it will be better with one.

Others may have different expectations as to what is acceptable.. It is a free country. YMMV

[Huntindog]

Road Phantom wrote:
My Truck: 2018 Ram 2500 diesel 4X4. Crew, short bed.

I'm working with a Dealer for the purchase of a new 26' Grand Design TT
that weighs around 5000lbs and 7000 GVWR. I need a recommendation for the hitch. I heard Reese was a good one. I would also like to have a little overkill in the event that we trade up to a larger trailer in the future. Thanks for you help.

Overkill when selecting a WD hitch is not desireable.
The hitch bars are working springs that need to be strong enough to transfer the correct amount of weight, yet weak enough to bend when needed such as entering driveways etc. So stronger than needed is bad...In fact some TT manufacturers actually state limits on how strong the bars can be based on the size of the TTs frame.

WD hitches are like shoes. It you are a size 10, then a size 13 won't work very well. The right size is the right size.

Buy the size you need now. If at some point in the future you get a larger TT, then sell your old hitch and buy the right one for your new TT.

[wanderingbob]

I also have a 2500 Ram CTD , for me the WDH is unnecessary . Try it without ! Spend the money on whiskey , cigarettes
and wild woman !

[TurnThePage]

I think I would give it a go without a w/d hitch too. Make sure the tires are aired up, the tongue has adequate weight, and go exploring. See how it goes. Maybe fill the fresh water for a trip, then fill the grey and empty the fresh. You should be well informed after that. JMHO

[Brandon_the_Tra]

I wouldn't buy anything with that truck and Trailer other than a drawbar and ball. Drop it on the ball and go. I bet you would be hard pressed to find a contractor anywhere, hauling equipment on a trailer with the same model truck, that weighs a lot more using a WDH. He'll be using a pintle.

[WayneAt63044]

I started with the Equal-i-zer 4 point rated at 1,200 lbs for my 7,800 lbs GVWR trailer. The square receiver for one of the bars cracked after 6 years. I upgraded to the 1,400 lbs Equal-i-zer and it works fine with a margin for a heavier trailer. Using gross rule-of-thumb numbers, tongue weight of your trailer at 15% is 1,050 lbs. You would need the 1,200 at a minimum. I recommend the 1,400.

[NamMedevac_70]

I have had many years of success hard towing my 28 foot 5000lb R-Vision Trail cruiser in Rockies and western mountains using a Equalizer WDH that is easy to setup with no chains except safety chains of course. Has the square anti sway bars instead of the chains connected to sway bars.

Angle and height of the hitch ball is very adjustable.

[JIMNLIN]

I like my Husky Centerline TS with 1200 lb when towing a 10k car hauler with a 7400 lb blue tractor. The tractor on the trailer is right at 11' 10" tall....very top heavy load. Real pleased with the hitch. Tracks the truck like my GN and 5th wheel trailers now.