Weight distributing anti sway hitch for bumper pull

[wsmoak]

I haven’t seen a recent thread on these and since photos of an accident involving trailer sway that tipped the trailer and truck are going around (horse and humans are reportedly fine) it’s on my mind.

Even if you are well within the allowable gross vehicle and tongue weights for your rig, these hitches can steady the trailer and keep a small problem with a road bump or wind gust from turning into a big one.

And even with the best of intentions, maybe we sometimes put “just one more thing” in the dressing room and that adds to the tongue weight??

Do you use one of these hitches or have you considered it?

[NaturallyHappy]

I always used sway bars when hauling a bumper pull. I have a gooseneck now, but would use sway bars in a heartbeat (I kept them) if I went back to a BP.

[Foxglove]

I use both weight distribution hitch and a sway bar. Totally over-kill but I haul weekly to the hunt club alone on 6 lane major highways. Rather have too much hitch than too little. Two horse BP Merhow with full size F150 pickup.

[skip99]

I did use a WD hitch with my previous trucks - Ram 1500 and 2500. When I traded in my 2500 there was no getting my original WD hitch off and I purchased a regular hitch, but upgraded to a 3500. Barely notice my 2 horse Hawk, but I’m rarely on highways and stay pretty local at the moment. A gooseneck is in my future though.

[Feathered_Feet]

I have both weight distribution and anti-sway bars with my bumper pull. Why not? You never know when you’ll need the extra traction from the WDH or the extra stability from the sway bars. The initial cost and install was nothing compared to what I spent on the full rig and horse, so why not spring for extra safety? I don’t understand why they are not more common among bumper pulls.

Edit: another very happy equalizer customer here!

[endlessclimb]

@wsmoak

And even with the best of intentions, maybe we sometimes put “just one more thing” in the dressing room and that adds to the tongue weight??

More tongue weight actually helps reduce sway.

WD hitches are not for sway, though they can help stabilize the rig. The move some of the tongue weight up to the front axles of the truck, which if your truck squats (can steer with a pinky type feeling) will make it steer less jerky and will in general make the whole thing feel more “grounded” and less center-heavy. They do not assist with sway as they don’t stiffen anything.

A sway bar actually stiffens the connection between the truck and trailer, using an extra little ball on both. I hate sway bars because whichever side they’re on, you’re limited on how tight you can turn. Forget that stupid thing is on there once and POP - one of the two balls is permanently bent. Maybe if you’re only going to be on a highway then they’d prove helpful.

[Jarpur]

My husband has been hauling, including many cross-country trips, with this for years:

Sway Control and Weight Distribution Hitch | Equal-i-zer® Hitch

Originally recommended, and installed, by a major RV service center in our area.

I used to haul a bumper pull with sway bars alone, and I’m not a fan. I felt that, if I had really needed some help, sway bars were insufficient. For a bumper pull trailer, I much preferred the European type, otherwise gooseneck all the way (which I realize is not an option for everyone, but is why I personally went back to a truck tow vehicle, instead of another SUV).

[endlessclimb]

This is interesting, as instead of chains to move the weight off the bars up and over the rear axles, it’s a bracket system.

In this case, I can see how it is both WD and sway control. Cool!

[Jarpur]

I will say that this is not a lightweight hitch.

[endlessclimb]

Even though I never use it anymore, I keep my WD L-bars in the bed of my truck. Solid steel makes for great “don’t flap around” type hold downs lol

[DMK]

I have an equalizer hitch for my rig. I have an F-250 and a 23-ft long bumper pull. For the first year or so pulling that trailer I didn’t have the equalizer hitch and did some thousand mile round trips with no problem. It’s actually an 8-ft wide trailer and I found it very stable on the road, much more stable than the narrower trailers I’ve pulled in the past.

My sport is combined driving, and at that time I was just hauling one fjord (over the axles) and my marathon carriage in the front of the trailer (it’s basically a two plus one design but bumper pull not gooseneck). I opted to add the equalizer when I added a presentation carriage to the front of the trailer and put the marathon carriage in the bed of the truck. I thought that just added a lot more weight to the nose and bed and I needed to address that (we like our front wheels on the highway!). It makes the trailer remarkably stable when hauling, just about as stable as a gooseneck in my opinion. On my first long trip with it I ended up stuck between two semis crossing one of the most notorious windy spots in Florida as we all three in line went right past a fourth semi parked barely on the side of the road. I was waiting to die, but I could have driven it with my pinky! That said, it’s a real pain to hook up and I generally only use the sway bars when I’m going on long distance drives. Anything under an hour and I’m probably just going to put it on the weight distribution hitch and not use the sway bars. Coincidentally those long drives are generally the only drives I’ve got the rig fully packed with bed and tongue weight as well.

If you do get one just bite the bullet and make it easier on yourself and get an electric hitch while you’re at it. That will Make your life a thousand times easier!

[candyappy]

I used one on my 2 horse BP trailer, but not my current 16 foot BP stock as it pulls fine.

We have used them in several campers we had in the past as well. If you have ever had a trailer move around( sway when pulling) it makes a world of difference and I recommend using one.

[Bogie]

I have had an equilizer hitch for years. Makes a huge difference. I pull a two horse with a Sequoia, which is the same wheelbase as a half ton pick up.

[DMK]

fyi some types of sway bars cause issues with backing up and tight turn that require you to remove one/both, but not all! Equalizer is one of the latter type, and I have absolutely tested the limits of its turn radius while backing up!

[SBrentnall]

Is it necessary to use weight distribution bars with a trailer like a Brenderup that has very low tongue weight (around 200 - 250lbs)?

[endlessclimb]

I don’t think it’s a good idea due to the type of brakes those trailers have. The WD bars will push back against the coupler collapsing, which is what engages the brakes.

JMO though.

[SharonA1]

Nope.

I have never heard of a Brenderup swaying. I think their design, from how the wheels are set to how the trailer is shaped, is pretty anti-sway.

I miss them.

[Jarpur]

The Equalizer Hitch FAQ on the website says that one can be used with a surge braking system.

As a former Brenderup owner, one of the things I remember was that those trailers had caster and camber, like automobiles, which regular trailers do not - it went around corners and curves as though it was on rails. It braked wonderfully, too.

[mfglickman]

This is going to be a stupid question but…when you hitch/unhitch this do you have to remove those long bars every time? Or do they attach to the tongue (semi) permanently, staying on when the truck and trailer are unhitched?

I have an F150 with the tow package, max capacity 9500 lbs. the window sticker says it has sway control. Purchased used. I pull an Adam Julite 2h with dr and one 850 lb large pony. I’ve never had a problem but also have never been on a big open pass on the highway with wind etc.

[Feathered_Feet]

You take the long bars off each time adds a few minutes to hooking up/unhooking but we’ll worth it imho, especially if you’re primarily towing a pony (ie, a lighter load).

Sway control on your truck (which minimizes sway for your truck) is separate from anti-sway bars on the equalizer (which minimizes sway for your trailer)