WDH advice

[pjstud1v]

Upgrading my RV to a Winnebago 2301BHS. Pulling it with my ‘22 Powerboost 157wb, max tow, 5100 rear shocks, Steeda sway bar, and RAS for suspension improvements.

Dealer has suggested a Husky Centerline WDH. He says it’s just as good as Blue Ox, which I have used in the past and loved, with a significantly lower price. I love that the Blue Ox doesn’t require messing with the ball angle and spacing things out with washers. I don’t plan on changing the truck or trailer in the foreseeable future, but who knows, maybe I’ll decide to go cross country and want a big diesel next year?

For those of you that have used a variety of WDH setups over the years, have you noticed much difference between brands? I know I’m going with bars instead of chains. Will I notice any difference between brands if I’m comparing Blue Ox Trac Pro with bars to Husky Centerline TS with bars?

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[UGADawg96]

This won't directly answer your question, but we used a Recurve R6 for about two years and then switched to the Andersen last year. For us it made a huge difference in reducing sway and ease of use. I also removed the RAS that was installed as I didn't really feel improvements from it when combined with the Recurve R6 or when unloaded.

 

[Timtoolman]

We went from a Blue ox to a Propride with HD RAS load E tires on our Winnebago voyage

 

[mdn14]

This also wont directly answer your question either but I moved an old 1996 30' cobra and used the Husky centerline. The setup process was a pain but for it being my first tow with a 6000 lb sail on the back of my truck, I thought the hitch handled the load very well. This was a tow from SE Ohio to Western PA with plenty of hills in the mix.

Some of the guys who tow every weekend will likely say the husky creaks and groans a lot. Not something I noticed but I wasnt pulling into and backing out of gas stations or other tight spots.

 

[pjstud1v]

We went from a Blue ox to a Propride on our Winnebago voyage

I looked at the ProPride. I’m having a hard time justifying the cost.

 

[Timtoolman]

I looked at the ProPride. I’m having a hard time justifying the cost.

I know it’s pricy it took a lot of self convincing. , but man what a difference , I’ll never tow without mine , shocks on my trailer from roadmaster made a huge difference in towing handling , morryde frame x braces (3) are being installed this spring for better towing, we do tow from Pa to Wa in summer in night winds on the plains

 

[{tpc}]

I have the Curt Tru-Track, which seems to be a similar style to the husky. I also came from a round bar setup with chains, and 2 friction sway controls.

Once you get it set up its pretty good, but it will likely feel different. And if you are one that changes the load in the front of the trailer often by packing different stuff, its not as easy as chains to make a quick adjustment.

So for me, it took some time. Dealer set it up, but wasn't as loaded because my dealer was 3 hours away. So I made an adjustment after awhile. In the past it would have been as easy as a chain link up or down, this time it was buy some tools, primarily for proper torqueing and find a nice level parking lot with no one in it.

I'm not sure how the husky system works but the curt has a ball bearing in it that sits in a detent. When sway occurs and that bearing comes out of the detent, the natural action is the hitch wants to get it back into the detent. So for me, thats where it "feels different". With my former trailer and 2 friction bar setup, I could stop and tighten or loosen the friction bars as needed. Now that would require an actual hitch readjustment with tools.

Once you know what is happening and you understand it, you can feel it working as well as see it in your mirrors, but it does take some mental adjustment.

 

[Timtoolman]

How much will be towing safer worth ?????

 

[uk_brewer]

I’ve been happy with the equalizer wdh with our camper. We have friends using the blue-ox with chains. They seem to be happy with that one, other than the one incident with the chain unwinding on them and almost taking out the husband.

 

[Timtoolman]

I’ve been happy with the equalizer wdh with our camper. We have friends using the blue-ox with chains. They seem to be happy with that one, other than the one incident with the chain unwinding on them and almost taking out the husband.

That’s why I stopped using the B.O. hitch , those
Chains can come off with some force even using power jack to raise up rear of truck

 

[Timtoolman]

Weight safe has a interesting WD hitch setup that came out recently its
Pricy also

 

[BigAzAl]

Hensley and ProPride No sway, none.

 

[Buyer2021]

For those of you that have used a variety of WDH setups over the years, have you noticed much difference between brands?

I've used 3 different brands of this style WDH (bent bars with chain tensioner) over the decades, my Airstreaming parents used the same type for decades, too.

Never used any sort of additional so-called 'sway control device', we always completely avoided sway issues by ensuring at least 12% of loaded trailer weight on the tongue (measured without WDH connected of course). That's the long-proven effective rule that works inherently with the laws of physics / trailering dynamics.

All the brands worked the same, all did the weight re-distribution job just fine, all worked just fine without disconnecting anything when backing the trailer through curves. Easy to hitch / unhitch even when the trailer and truck are at an angle relative to each other (use the tongue jack to relieve tension when needed).

Yeah, it's an 'old school' design, but it's KISS, low weight, low cost, very robust with few 'moving parts', and they've been proven effective for millions of miles and users.

Repeating - if you have sway issues it's due to improper trailer weight distribution (inadequate weight on the tongue) or on rare occasion a trailer defect. The whole purpose of using a WDH is to 'correct' the effect vehicle sag with adequate weight on the tongue.

 

[pjstud1v]

How much will be towing safer worth ?????

Maybe I’m wrong, but I feel like I’d be better off upgrading to a Super Duty if we’re talking $3500 for a hitch. I’m not towing this thing every weekend or doing 10k miles a year with it.

 

[pjstud1v]

Weight safe has a interesting WD hitch setup that came out recently its
Pricy also

This is very interesting. I was considering a tongue weight scale anyway. I will be looking more into this solution. Thanks.

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