Finally took the new RV out. First time towing a TT! It was an experience

Thanks for sharing your experience, I’m moving to Alaska and was gonna buy a little travel trailer driving from CA. I know it’s a long drive which I might not even buy a trailer but suck it up and stay at hotels, anyone tow with no sway bars? Common sense tells me I should get at least a front sway bar....

 

That hitch is very similar to the Husky Centerline TS that we use on our Minnie (5220 dry weight/7000 GVWR). It also is running with 800/1200 bars. The next step down was 600/800, which we had used and were in top of the load range that we were towing once we were loaded and didn't give us the safety margin I desired. If the 800/1200 end up being to stiff I'll be able to drop back to the 600/800 bars.

 

Very smart use of the VR LOL.
Never would have thought of that

 

Quick question for you: Is your trailer a light, or regular? One concern that I've had is this "urban myth" I see on towing forums is that an oversized WDH could possibly bending the A-Frame of the trailer. Thinking about it, the logic they use does make some sense; if the WDH bars are supposed to bend, but are too strong to do so, then something else has to give. I'm particularly concerned with my trailer being a Coleman Light, that maybe part of the "light" is a weaker A-Frame due to less material. Could be wrong, though.

I called Equalizer to inquire about snagging some 10k spring arms for my 12k hitch head... they said it wasn't possible They said that the newer models use various size holes for the arms, and that if I used the 10k arms it would have far too much play. So now I'm looking at figuring out whether what I have is fine to hang on to, or if I should play it save and sell/buy again.

 

My trailer is a 1986 prowler 24P. My hitch is the Fastway E2 1,000/10,000 hitch.

I filled the water tank (in the front of my trailer) and put some in both holding tanks as well. I had a little gear in it but not 100% loaded up for a trip. I had 1 full and one 1/4 full propane tank (20lb tanks) and I have 2 deep cycle batteries on the tongue. My weights were 4320 for the trailer and approx 620lbs of tongue weight. I expect the tongue weight to be closer to 700-750lbs fully loaded. Gross rating on the trailer is 5200lbs if I remember right.

My tongue is C channel if that helps your decision, it’s not fully boxed like the ones of today. I called Fastway before purchase as I was thinking of buying the 800/8000 version. I explained the trailer weights and tongue weight and they stated the higher rated hitch should be fine, as you need to base it off the tongue weight rating only.....not so much the total capacity of the hitch. Since I would be close to the 800 lbs rating they said it shouldn’t be a problem.

So far it’s been just fine.

 

Awesome! I'm running a gross weight 7500lb trailer and a 1,200/12,000 equalizer hitch, so our numbers are pretty similar difference wise. That definitely makes me feel better.

Do you unhook your spring arms when you get off the highway? I've been hearing mixed advice about this, but I've heard that due to dips in roads and driveways it can be better to go ahead, pull over, and unhook those bars when you get off the highway to avoid damaging the frame.

 

I do not. That’s the point of these kinds of hitches I feel is they don’t have to be messed with “on the go”. They are always ready to prevent sway in the event of an emergency maneuver and put the weight back to the front end of the truck for better steering and braking.

Now if the driveways are a very drastic incline or decline I know the manufacturers recommend undoing the bars but for normal driveways it should be fine, I don’t go over 65 with the trailer pretty much, and the roads are good without huge dips. If the road gets worse I slow down.

 

I tow about 7500lb loaded, we only pull a few times per year so I use Timbrens (pic) to prevent porpoising. WDH keeps both level. You can take your setup in a parking lot and apply brakes, have 2nd person watch the trailer tires skid, then back off on the controller setting.

You don’t want these on when not towing as it’s a shudder smacking them so switching them out with Superbumps is pretty easy, footing underneath stays put.