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Old 08-28-2015, 01:54 PM   #101
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Lots of good info here but I'm afraid I still don't know what to do regarding a hitch for our 21. Our build sheet is due on Monday so I need to make a decision.

Escape has some Andersen hitches in stock, but will not longer be using them once they run out. That tells me they may not be happy with them. The Equalizer hitch they use does not have sway control. Being new to trailering we want whatever will tow the smoothest, but also minimize problems/maintenance/connection issues. Another factor is that we will initially tow with a borrowed F250, but will be buying a F150 or maybe Touareg a few months down the road.

What would you get if you were me?
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Old 08-28-2015, 01:57 PM   #102
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Nothing, you may not need anything, try towing without and then make a decision, you can always order an Andersen from online stores.
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Old 08-28-2015, 02:05 PM   #103
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I have a 17B; tow with a Toyota Sienna and have an equalizer hitch that was purchased at ETI. I have never had a sway issue or problem. In fact it still amazes me at the stability, as I never get buffeted with the trailer, when passed by fast large commercial trucks. While I know it is not the same set up, I have not read of any one with sway problems with an equalizer alone with an Escape. Hope this helps.
The angled lift bar (or whatever it is called) and the electric jack make it relatively easy to do. Plus, making marks on the chains take the guesswork out. Mine was set up initially by Reace so I didn't have to figure that part out.
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Old 08-28-2015, 03:10 PM   #104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jill View Post
Lots of good info here but I'm afraid I still don't know what to do regarding a hitch for our 21. Our build sheet is due on Monday so I need to make a decision.

Escape has some Andersen hitches in stock, but will not longer be using them once they run out. That tells me they may not be happy with them. The Equalizer hitch they use does not have sway control. Being new to trailering we want whatever will tow the smoothest, but also minimize problems/maintenance/connection issues. Another factor is that we will initially tow with a borrowed F250, but will be buying a F150 or maybe Touareg a few months down the road.

What would you get if you were me?
You can always buy a hitch and bring it with you. ETI will install it. I think they charged us $75 to install the Reese SC we used with our Casita. The major hitch manufacturers all have models with built in sway control. I think we got our Reese at about 40% off of list by shopping on line. I would avoid the separate friction sway control. Issues when backing up, using in the rain, getting the right amount of friction each time you hook up. Lots of reviews on line besides here for various manufacturers.

If you bring it, then you have more time to decide.

I disagree with the try it and see approach. The one time sway control gives you a little more control can make all the difference.
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Old 08-28-2015, 03:10 PM   #105
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We like our Andersen hitch as we have had no sway, even in cross winds, and no porpoising on bumpy roads, so the trailer tows like a dream. It might be worth asking Reace why they are not doing them anymore.
We have found it pretty easy to get the Andersen on and tighten the chains.
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Old 08-28-2015, 03:52 PM   #106
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Just a note. Don't know if you noticed but I was selling mine at a greatly reduced price. You could pick it up on the way by to pick up your trailer. You wouldn't be paying anything close to full price, you can remove it from your build list, it would reduce your reported trailer costs by the deduction of the hitch. Ultimately, if you didn't like it, it wouldn't be like you paid anywhere near full price. We are less than 5 minutes off of I-5 in Longview, a direct route to picking up your trailer. I had listed it at $300 with both the 4" and 8" rise drop, so it would fit whatever truck you bought. Just a thought.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jill View Post
Lots of good info here but I'm afraid I still don't know what to do regarding a hitch for our 21. Our build sheet is due on Monday so I need to make a decision.

Escape has some Andersen hitches in stock, but will not longer be using them once they run out. That tells me they may not be happy with them. The Equalizer hitch they use does not have sway control. Being new to trailering we want whatever will tow the smoothest, but also minimize problems/maintenance/connection issues. Another factor is that we will initially tow with a borrowed F250, but will be buying a F150 or maybe Touareg a few months down the road.

What would you get if you were me?
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Old 08-28-2015, 04:15 PM   #107
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Originally Posted by TheLonePine View Post
We like our Andersen hitch as we have had no sway, even in cross winds, and no porpoising on bumpy roads, so the trailer tows like a dream. It might be worth asking Reace why they are not doing them anymore.
We have found it pretty easy to get the Andersen on and tighten the chains.
I can say exactly the same thing about my Pro Series weight distribution hitch ( equalizer on the ETI option list ), which costs several hundred dollars less and doesn't have parts that need to be replaced over time.
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Old 08-28-2015, 04:28 PM   #108
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I can say exactly the same thing about my Pro Series weight distribution hitch ( equalizer on the ETI option list ), which costs several hundred dollars less and doesn't have parts that need to be replaced over time.
And I can add that I have been in 50+ mph sidewinds, and other situations and never experienced the slightest bit of sway. In fact, once, a buddy was following us and when we got to the campsite he remarked that the Escape and Tacoma seemed to move as one unit when he'd watch us change lanes. The Escape with the ETI installed WDH is much more stable that my Scamp with a friction anti-sway device ever was.
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Old 08-28-2015, 04:30 PM   #109
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And I can add that I have been in 50+ mph sidewinds, and other situations and never experienced the slightest bit of sway. In fact, once, a buddy was following us and when we got to the campsite he remarked that the Escape and Tacoma seemed to move as one unit when he'd watch us change lanes.
Same here Eric. I watched carefully several times when we started out on our first trip to see if I could notice any sway - especially when passing a Semi or in a canyon with crosswinds, etc. Nope. No sway.
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Old 08-28-2015, 05:50 PM   #110
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Originally Posted by techfan View Post
Just a note. Don't know if you noticed but I was selling mine at a greatly reduced price. You could pick it up on the way by to pick up your trailer. You wouldn't be paying anything close to full price, you can remove it from your build list, it would reduce your reported trailer costs by the deduction of the hitch. Ultimately, if you didn't like it, it wouldn't be like you paid anywhere near full price. We are less than 5 minutes off of I-5 in Longview, a direct route to picking up your trailer. I had listed it at $300 with both the 4" and 8" rise drop, so it would fit whatever truck you bought. Just a thought.
I hadn't noticed. However we won't be picking up our trailer until after the worst of the winter, probably February or March. If your hitch is still available then, I might take you up on that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by skiman View Post


You can always buy a hitch and bring it with you. ETI will install it. I think they charged us $75 to install the Reese SC we used with our Casita. The major hitch manufacturers all have models with built in sway control. I think we got our Reese at about 40% off of list by shopping on line. I would avoid the separate friction sway control. Issues when backing up, using in the rain, getting the right amount of friction each time you hook up. Lots of reviews on line besides here for various manufacturers.

If you bring it, then you have more time to decide.
I like this idea. This way we can get more experience on the Andersen hitch too, to see if the latest problems were just due to a bad batch, or if they have a design flaw. Since we won't be picking up until the spring, it does give us lots of time. ETI said we wouldn't be charged a change fee for this.

Thanks for all the input!
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Old 08-28-2015, 08:54 PM   #111
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You can always buy a hitch and bring it with you. ETI will install it. I think they charged us $75 to install the Reese SC we used with our Casita. The major hitch manufacturers all have models with built in sway control. I think we got our Reese at about 40% off of list by shopping on line. I would avoid the separate friction sway control. Issues when backing up, using in the rain, getting the right amount of friction each time you hook up. Lots of reviews on line besides here for various manufacturers.

If you bring it, then you have more time to decide.

I disagree with the try it and see approach. The one time sway control gives you a little more control can make all the difference.
I'm another who doesn't believe the "try without and see if you really need one." My best friend went from one tent trailer to a slightly larger & heavierone. On his maiden trip home, he almost lost control on an interstate. Another friend "went cheap" and rolled his trailer and car. After that, they both decided that they needed some kind of sway control. Luckily neither one lost their life, although one totaled their trailer.
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Old 08-28-2015, 09:24 PM   #112
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Originally Posted by Sandra L View Post
I have a 17B; tow with a Toyota Sienna and have an equalizer hitch that was purchased at ETI. I have never had a sway issue or problem. In fact it still amazes me at the stability, as I never get buffeted with the trailer, when passed by fast large commercial trucks. While I know it is not the same set up, I have not read of any one with sway problems with an equalizer alone with an Escape.
Same for me with my Sienna, and a similarly sized (but inferior) trailer... and no WD or sway system at all.

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Originally Posted by thoer View Post
And I can add that I have been in 50+ mph sidewinds, and other situations and never experienced the slightest bit of sway.
Again, no problems here, with no WD.

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Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
Same here Eric. I watched carefully several times when we started out on our first trip to see if I could notice any sway - especially when passing a Semi or in a canyon with crosswinds, etc. Nope. No sway.
Nope, no sway here either (still no WD).


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jill View Post
Lots of good info here but I'm afraid I still don't know what to do regarding a hitch for our 21. Our build sheet is due on Monday so I need to make a decision.

Escape has some Andersen hitches in stock, but will not longer be using them once they run out. The Equalizer hitch they use does not have sway control.
...
Another factor is that we will initially tow with a borrowed F250, but will be buying a F150 or maybe Touareg a few months down the road.

What would you get if you were me?
Side note:
The "Equalizer" offered by Escape is not actually an Equal-i-zer®, and the word "equalizer" does not accurately describe the function of any hitch system... so the choice from Escape is
  1. Andersen "No-Sway" Weight Distribution Hitch (until they run out of stock), or
  2. Pro Series weight-distribution hitch (possibly part 49585, a trunnion style system)
If I were towing a well-designed (for example, Escape) 21-foot trailer with an F-250, I wouldn't bother with a fancy hitch system at all. My current trailer is smaller, but my tug is also lighter and has lower towing capacity, and I don't use any of this stuff - just a ball on a plain mount.

These weight-distribution systems are just clamped onto the trailer and inserted into the tow vehicle receiver, so they can be added or changed at any time as desired. This should not be an urgent decision even for someone on their way to pick up the trailer (with a truck this size); in my opinion it certainly shouldn't be a source of stress at build sheet time.

Again, if it were me, I would not have Escape supply a weight-distributing hitch of any kind, because I am not aware of any need for one with this trailer and tug combination. Other decisions are valid for other people.

On the other hand, you can buy either one (from Escape or elsewhere) and have it installed by Escape (or the nearby hitch shop)... then change it (or just remove it) later if you don't like it. There are no serious consequences (just a few hundred dollars...) of choosing something now if it turns out you don't like it. You could even sell the first system later if you change your mind, recovering some of the original cost.
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Old 08-28-2015, 09:30 PM   #113
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I'm another who doesn't believe the "try without and see if you really need one." My best friend went from one tent trailer to a slightly larger & heavierone. On his maiden trip home, he almost lost control on an interstate. Another friend "went cheap" and rolled his trailer and car. After that, they both decided that they needed some kind of sway control. Luckily neither one lost their life, although one totaled their trailer.
I have no idea how badly loaded other otherwise defective any of those trailers might have been, how inadequate the tow vehicles might have been (in contrast to Jill's F-250 with a 19' trailer) or how incompetent the drivers might have been. Why would I assume that they needed a particular type of hitch, or that if they had it anything would have been different? At the same time, many people have lost control of trailers with WD systems - maybe that means WD systems are dangerous?

Many cars crash every day, and I don't assume that those crashes were due to equipment inadequacy and thus I must drive a different car than them.
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Old 08-29-2015, 12:56 AM   #114
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I am puzzled by the varied experiences with the Andersen hitch. We found it so superior to our previous Reese hitch in every way, but clearly some factor is a problem. I wonder if not loading the hitch adequately is a problem for some users, as it wouldn't allow the collar around the ball/cone to do its job. Our storage box helps ensure we aren't light on the hitch.

I should point out that the tires on ones vehicle can have a profound effect on sway as well. Sway with out old stick trailer was almost eliminated by getting 10 ply equivalent tires. The thicker sidewalls kept the trailer tracking much truer, but now our Tundra rode more like a truck (bumpier). Just another factor to keep in mind.

The ease of putting the Andersen on and taking it off, good towing, less weight and lack of noise make it worthwhile for us. Dennis at ETI told me in June that they were putting the Andersen on 80% of the trailers. I'm surprised to hear they aren't offering it any longer. I guess there are things that need to be worked out and they don't have the time or energy to take it on. Or maybe they just work better with some TV's.

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Old 09-06-2015, 12:17 PM   #115
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trip report:: late August, PNW, weather damper/cooler than hoped for.


Andersen hitch was mostly quiet until it hit the cool, damp air of Oregon. Straight line driving was peaceful but "sneaking out" of a campsite at 5am and the screaming banshees would be in full throttle (ie, metal noise as turning corners). Hit everything that could possibly make noise with silicone lubricant, and that helped in a big way. Also backed off the nuts to minimum for part of journey (campground parking) and that helped.

Have roughly 4000km towing now, and the hitch ball is looking "not new".

Realistically its a pain, but I think I would rather spray and loosen nuts at check in, than deal with standard WD bars.
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Old 09-06-2015, 12:55 PM   #116
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trip report:: late August, PNW, weather damper/cooler than hoped for.


Andersen hitch was mostly quiet until it hit the cool, damp air of Oregon. Straight line driving was peaceful but "sneaking out" of a campsite at 5am and the screaming banshees would be in full throttle (ie, metal noise as turning corners). Hit everything that could possibly make noise with silicone lubricant, and that helped in a big way. Also backed off the nuts to minimum for part of journey (campground parking) and that helped.

Have roughly 4000km towing now, and the hitch ball is looking "not new".

Realistically its a pain, but I think I would rather spray and loosen nuts at check in, than deal with standard WD bars.
I still don't get the trouble some people are having with the 'standard WD bars'.
In this thread, unless I missed something, the Andersen Hitch requires adjustments, silicone spray, the return of parts to the manufacturer, ear plugs (in this poster's case) and a couple hundred dollars more in cost than the hitch Escape Trailers provides.
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Old 09-06-2015, 01:02 PM   #117
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I still don't get the trouble some people are having with the 'standard WD bars'.
In this thread, unless I missed something, the Andersen Hitch requires adjustments, silicone spray, the return of parts to the manufacturer, ear plugs (in this poster's case) and a couple hundred dollars more in cost than the hitch Escape Trailers provides.
I have the standard ones, have never had a single problem, they take Mary and I only a few seconds to hook and unhook, so I keep wondering what is so troublesome about them to some?
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Old 09-06-2015, 01:22 PM   #118
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Let me watch you hook up at the rally and I'll let you know
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Old 09-06-2015, 01:27 PM   #119
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Let me watch you hook up at the rally and I'll let you know
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Old 09-06-2015, 01:44 PM   #120
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My uncle, the famous George Preston of Belle Plaine Iowa (Google it) would start honking his horn a quarter mile from the farmyard then turn into the driveway at about 40 miles an hour, lock the wheels and do a 360 turn like he'd just won a NASCAR event and jump out of his 55 Dodge and run up to the farmhouse. I can only imagine what it would have been if he had been a camper. An entry and an exit. Although he was a CCC camper at Pikes Peak State Park, but that was a little different. Nobody pays any attention to a little noise in a campground unless it's a domestic dispute involving backing in or leveling up.
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