Should I Buy The Dealer's Hitch

[DallasSteve]

I'm buying a bumper pull trailer and the dealer is offering to install a weight distribution hitch for $1,000. They said it is an Equal-i-zer, I don't remember which model. It's my first trailer so it may be nice to have it set up, but I'm pretty sure I could watch a YouTube video and do it myself. I installed a base plate on a Jeep. I checked Amazon and I see Equal-i-zer hitches for around $700. GVWR on the trailer is about 9,000 pounds. I'm planning to tow it with an F 250 though I might get an F150 if people think that's plenty. The difference in price isn't a big deal. Would you pull it first and then decide if it feels like it needs the WDH?

[JIMNLIN]

Why white? To match the trailer? I'm OK with white, but I might take something else, if it's not black.

White trucks have more power and can carry more weight :B
Anywayz.... I'm a huge white truck fan with a bit of black and chrome here and there (No black wheels for me).

I sure like my old '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins NV5600 3.73 gear short bed quad cab I bought new. However I still kick myself for not getting one with a 4wd. I've bought several (13-14) trucks over the years and some were bought this time of year. I found most dealers this time of year don't have a lot to pick from especially 3/4 and one tons. Good luck on the hunt.

[DallasSteve]

JIMNLIN wrote:
Hmmmm....I was going to reply to the OP question but looks like someone else hijacked the OP question.
Anywayz.... to the OP question.
The only F150 that would stand a chance pulling a 9000 lb TT plus folks plus other gear in the truck is the F150HDPP 7850 gvwr and 4800 rawr. It would be a max load to carry and pull with those numbers. Some have no issue towing at max ....others don't like it.

If it was my choice I would go with a F250 gas or diesel....your choice....but its gotta' be a white one.
With the F250 you get a great deal more braking capacity...heavier truck....and not a maxed out truck.

Hitches....I have a Husky Centerline TS 1200 lb bar I use on the wifes 1500 chevy pulling a 10k gvwr car hauler...7760 lb blue tractor with a cab. Makes for a very top heavy load for the trailer 16" load E tires. The trailer now tracks the truck like my GN trailers.

As others suggest if you go with the F250 I would suggest making a trip without a WD hitch. Then determine if the combo actually needs one.

Thanks. That's my conclusion, too. I'm going to get an F250. With the F150 when I browse models I have to investigate does it have this and that, like you mentioned. Most of the ones on the dealer lots don't have what I need so I have to keep searching. With the F250 the towing capacity is 14,200, no questions asked. That's makes shopping a lot easier and it's more than enough to pull a 9000 pound trailer and it's not a lot more money. I think 2 or 3 thousand, if I remember, and I will probably get some of that back on resale. Why white? To match the trailer? I'm OK with white, but I might take something else, if it's not black.

[Grit_dog]

DallasSteve wrote:

Oreonut wrote:
Reading on all this hitch talk trying to figure out what we should purchase. For 14 years we towed a 32' Sunny Brook using a Hensley. Like dummies we sold the whole thing as one unit.

Here we are two years later missing camping and starting all over again. We will have a Chevy 2500 and possibly a Forest River Wildwood 31KQBTS rolling in at a total of 36'7" - weight at 8573.

Not as heavy as our previous trailer but 3' longer.

Been out of the game for a long while and not sure whether to dump the money on a ProPride or if other hitches have come along way since 2006 and something else would be just as good.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

I've decided to step up to an F250 instead of an F150. I'm going to wait and see how it tows before I decide if I really need a WDH. With a Chevy 2500 you might want to do the same. Some other readers made that suggestion and it makes sense to me. I'm going to have about the same size trailer as you and I will have much more truck than I need.

I think that’s the prudent decision. You can always adjust your setup if you wish to change something, but you can’t return a used expensive hunk of iron for a refund if you don’t want or need it.

[JIMNLIN]

Hmmmm....I was going to reply to the OP question but looks like someone else hijacked the OP question.
Anywayz.... to the OP question.
The only F150 that would stand a chance pulling a 9000 lb TT plus folks plus other gear in the truck is the F150HDPP 7850 gvwr and 4800 rawr. It would be a max load to carry and pull with those numbers. Some have no issue towing at max ....others don't like it.

If it was my choice I would go with a F250 gas or diesel....your choice....but its gotta' be a white one.
With the F250 you get a great deal more braking capacity...heavier truck....and not a maxed out truck.

Hitches....I have a Husky Centerline TS 1200 lb bar I use on the wifes 1500 chevy pulling a 10k gvwr car hauler...7760 lb blue tractor with a cab. Makes for a very top heavy load for the trailer 16" load E tires. The trailer now tracks the truck like my GN trailers.

As others suggest if you go with the F250 I would suggest making a trip without a WD hitch. Then determine if the combo actually needs one.

[JBarca]

Oreonut wrote:
Reading on all this hitch talk trying to figure out what we should purchase. For 14 years we towed a 32' Sunny Brook using a Hensley. Like dummies we sold the whole thing as one unit.

Here we are two years later missing camping and starting all over again. We will have a Chevy 2500 and possibly a Forest River Wildwood 31KQBTS rolling in at a total of 36'7" - weight at 8573.

Not as heavy as our previous trailer but 3' longer.

Been out of the game for a long while and not sure whether to dump the money on a ProPride or if other hitches have come along way since 2006 and something else would be just as good.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

Hi,

I'm showing this trying to be helpful, so you can see what that camper is and how it stacks up against your camping situation.

If this is the trailer you are looking at, https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers-and-fifth-wheels/wildwood/31KQBTS/6897

The Unloaded weight (UVW) is 8,573# which means an empty camper, no battery, and since a spare tire is an option, no spare tire is most likely.

The Cargo capacity (CCC) is listed as 1,292#. I'll add a comment that CCC is low in my view on a 36' 7" long camper with bunks. WOW, you will have to watch the weights, or you will overrun the GVWR easily. You have a lot of space, but the ratings do not allow much cargo capacity. The bunks suggest kids; kids have the stuff to bring too. Trust me; the adults have stuff too...

Adding UVW + CCC = 9,865# GVWR.

The dry empty tongue weight is 905#. When that floor plans loads, the loaded tongue could be 1,200, maybe 1,300#.

You can end up without much issue having close to a 10,000# camper with 12 to 13% loaded tongue weight. The tongue weight to gross vehicle weight ratio is OK, don't go lighter. You do not want to get lighter on the tongue on a camper that long.

In my opinion, you want a WD hitch for a travel trailer of that size. The truck receiver may require it to handle the 1,200 to 1,300# tongue weight. Check the sticker on the receiver; there are 2 ratings. Weight carrying and Weight Distribution. And if you are on the original 2006 GM receiver, have it checked for weld cracks and rust at the pin box weld. You may need a receiver upgrade.

Now to a camper 37 ft long, you did not state your wheelbase. Since you are looking at a bunkhouse, that can mean kids, which may mean a crew cab. The crew cab helps on the wheelbase. The long bed is better than a short bed, but the short bed crew cab can work if the hitch setup is good.

Now the hitch. I have an F350 CC, short bed with the Reese DC, 16% loaded tongue weight, 10K loaded 32 ft camper. The heavy suspension truck and the hitch work well with this combo, but it is not invincible. You are 5 ft longer on lighter truck suspension. From my experience, the Reese DC or the Equal-I-izer WD hitch would be the minimum setup. You get WD and some anti-sway help. When large cross winds come, the odds are favorable that at 37 ft you will find the edge of your truck and either of those two hitches to tame out heavy cross winds, 30 mph plus. You are going to feel it.

Everyone has how close to the edge they want to tow at and have comfortable towing. At 37 ft I would look if I can find an older Pullrite WD hitch or go with the Pro
Pride/Hensley. Pullrite is used to make one of the best towing concepts WD hitches. But I see they no longer even show it on their website. It may be discontinued.

You may want to look hard at the CCC of that trailer you are looking at. Odds are, you will run out of cargo capacity by the weights on that length camper. They likely have the suspension on the camper-sized right at the limit having the truck hold up part of the GVWR. And maybe even the new infamous 4,400# axle setup with 10" brakes. ERRRR. They do not list the tire size or axle ratings. I'm a little more old school. A 10K camper should have 10,000# of running gear on it. And tires rated 20% higher then the heaviest wheel.

Hope this helps

John

[opnspaces]

I've never towed my travel trailer with anything less than a 3/4 ton. My current is a bit over capacitied for my little 6,000 lb trailer. But there have been a few times that the wind hit me just right and I was glad I had a 3/4 ton and equal-i-zer.

[DallasSteve]

Oreonut wrote:
Reading on all this hitch talk trying to figure out what we should purchase. For 14 years we towed a 32' Sunny Brook using a Hensley. Like dummies we sold the whole thing as one unit.

Here we are two years later missing camping and starting all over again. We will have a Chevy 2500 and possibly a Forest River Wildwood 31KQBTS rolling in at a total of 36'7" - weight at 8573.

Not as heavy as our previous trailer but 3' longer.

Been out of the game for a long while and not sure whether to dump the money on a ProPride or if other hitches have come along way since 2006 and something else would be just as good.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

I've decided to step up to an F250 instead of an F150. I'm going to wait and see how it tows before I decide if I really need a WDH. With a Chevy 2500 you might want to do the same. Some other readers made that suggestion and it makes sense to me. I'm going to have about the same size trailer as you and I will have much more truck than I need.

[Bobbo]

The Propride/Hensley folks will say nothing else is as good, but I love my Reese Strait-Line hitch.

[Oreonut]

Reading on all this hitch talk trying to figure out what we should purchase. For 14 years we towed a 32' Sunny Brook using a Hensley. Like dummies we sold the whole thing as one unit.

Here we are two years later missing camping and starting all over again. We will have a Chevy 2500 and possibly a Forest River Wildwood 31KQBTS rolling in at a total of 36'7" - weight at 8573.

Not as heavy as our previous trailer but 3' longer.

Been out of the game for a long while and not sure whether to dump the money on a ProPride or if other hitches have come along way since 2006 and something else would be just as good.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

[Grit_dog]

Boomerweps wrote:

Thomas/NH wrote:


Here's a little more information for you... The reason I stepped up from the F150 (Eco-boost) to a F250 (6.0) was because I noticed the receiver hitch was distorting from hauling the heavy trailer (1400 lbs. tongue weigh). Crawling under the truck for a close inspection I noticed the hitch was stamped with a 1000 lbs. hitch/10,000 gorss capacity (class 4 I think). I traded in the truck for the F250 with the same trim level. After 10K of towing I noticed that hitch with (2-1/2" reviver) was also distorting. On close inspection it was also stamped with the same rating, it just looked beefier. The F350 has done a much better job towing, but it's equipped with B&W 30K Gooseball. The receiver hitch only gets used for the smaller trailers and I suspect it is the same class 4 hitch, which is fine.

I STRONGLY suspect the 1000# TW/10000# towing on the F150 was the “ with a weight distributing Hitch” value and the F250 same value was for the weight carrying tow stats.

He’s all confused about his truck models anyway, and none of this has any bearing on the OPs question.

[Boomerweps]

Thomas/NH wrote:


Here's a little more information for you... The reason I stepped up from the F150 (Eco-boost) to a F250 (6.0) was because I noticed the receiver hitch was distorting from hauling the heavy trailer (1400 lbs. tongue weigh). Crawling under the truck for a close inspection I noticed the hitch was stamped with a 1000 lbs. hitch/10,000 gorss capacity (class 4 I think). I traded in the truck for the F250 with the same trim level. After 10K of towing I noticed that hitch with (2-1/2" reviver) was also distorting. On close inspection it was also stamped with the same rating, it just looked beefier. The F350 has done a much better job towing, but it's equipped with B&W 30K Gooseball. The receiver hitch only gets used for the smaller trailers and I suspect it is the same class 4 hitch, which is fine.

I STRONGLY suspect the 1000# TW/10000# towing on the F150 was the “ with a weight distributing Hitch” value and the F250 same value was for the weight carrying tow stats.

[StirCrazy]

should you pay for it no, you should make the hitch part of the deal and get them to throw it in. they spen like 150 bucks on that and I have never seen anyone pay for a hitch when they are buying a new trailer.

Steve

[dfm]

I have towed an rv for 57 years and have NEVER yet met a fellow rv'er complaining they have too much truck to tow their rig. I have met and seen many , many who were not happy with their towing experience or were not towing safely. GET the 250!!!
I have used many equalizer "named" hitches and they were fine BUT when I got
my present trailer I bought the Reese dual Cam hich. It is the best of all of the hitches I have used over 57 years.

[katysdad]

Not sure about todays 150s but P series (passenger car)tires were the most common. They have a lower load capacity and softer sidewalls for a smoother ride but will have more side sway giving a less desireable towing experience. Switching to LT (light truck) series will have a higher load capacity, stiffer sidewall and give a better feeling of control when towing. They will ride a little stiffer but worth the feel for towing. Any type of WD hitch will improve the ride with that size trailer especially on rough roads. And from experience working at an RV dealership most travel trailers actually had a tongue weight higher than advertised.