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Old 01-17-2015, 07:30 PM   #201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tractors1 View Post
Another Andersen vote here - I hated the clunky greasy spring bars on my last WDH and the little clip things on the stinger liked to fall out when trying to get the trailer hitched up. Andersen is super simple.
The greasy bars were on the Equalizer brand of hitch. ETI now offers the Pro Series, with no greasy bars.
Pro Series Weight Distribution | etrailer.com

So, your comparisons are a bit different.
Based on a variety of user opinions on various forums, I am opting for the Pro, when we pick up our 17 this summer.
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Old 01-17-2015, 07:41 PM   #202
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Another choice is do nothing and tow without one to experience the effect on your towing. then you can always add it later for comparison. If properly set up with proper hitch and tow vehicle and tongue weight, you may not even notice the trailer behind you.
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Old 01-17-2015, 07:43 PM   #203
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Yup. Pro is what I have.
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Old 01-17-2015, 07:46 PM   #204
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If I understand teh pictures for the Pro Series, it appears that you will also need a conventional sway control? Somehow I got the idea that the conventional weight distribution hitches didn't need an additional sway control, accomplishing that function some way through the bar connections. I've always been sort of 60/40 in favor of the Andersen (which we have) but if I had to go back to messing with a creaking sway bar that often must be removed before making sharp backing turns, I'd pick the Andersen for sure. To each his own, though.
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Old 01-17-2015, 09:33 PM   #205
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tractors1 View Post
... I hated the clunky greasy spring bars on my last WDH and the little clip things on the stinger liked to fall out when trying to get the trailer hitched up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
... what are these "clip things" on the stinger that you refer to?
My guess is they might be retaining clips to hold the spring bars in the head, likely in a round-bar WDH. Only some designs use clips, but for example from the manual for the Curt Round Bar:
Quote:
Apply a heavy, fibrous grease on the round end of each spring bar and push end up into the head socket until you hear a click, as shown below in Figure 7. This will indicate that the spring bar is locked into place. To release spring bar, lift up slightly on spring bar and gently pull out on the retaining pin in the hitch head. The spring bar will drop free of the hitch head.
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Old 01-17-2015, 09:42 PM   #206
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If I understand teh pictures for the Pro Series, it appears that you will also need a conventional sway control?
If so, it's news to me. I've had to make aggressive lane changes and corrections and haven't had a problem with sway. Don't feel anything when a semi goes by ( I'm doing 90 or 100 kph and he's doing 120 ).
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Old 01-17-2015, 09:42 PM   #207
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Originally Posted by Parker View Post
If I understand teh pictures for the Pro Series, it appears that you will also need a conventional sway control? Somehow I got the idea that the conventional weight distribution hitches didn't need an additional sway control, accomplishing that function some way through the bar connections.
Some WDH designs, such as the classic Equal-i-zer, have deliberate friction points which damp sway. In a sense, the Andersen design is a different approach to the same general idea. In an ideal conventional bending-bar WDH, there is no friction and thus no sway damping, so if this damping is desired a separate sliding-bar device is used.
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Old 01-17-2015, 09:47 PM   #208
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I've had to make aggressive lane changes and corrections and haven't had a problem with sway. Don't feel anything when a semi goes by ( I'm doing 90 or 100 kph and he's doing 120 ).
I can say that same thing about my van and trailer... with no sway control device and no WDH of any kind.

While I don't believe it is correct to assume that a separate sway control device would be needed, it is also probably true that the more a tug needs a WDH to help handle the trailer, the more it may need a sway control device.
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Old 01-17-2015, 10:02 PM   #209
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Actually, if you don't pull out, on a two lane highway, to pass a motor home that is driving ten miles under the speed limit, and then find oncoming traffic is approaching faster than expected ( either that or the damn motor home stepped on the gas ), you won't have to make a rapid lane change, and you won't need sway control.
At least that's my plan.
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Old 01-17-2015, 10:07 PM   #210
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Andersen Hitch vs other WDH

Pulling a 3700 dry weight 21' Nash with our Tundra required weight distribution and sway control, at least with the original tires. Before we added the sway control hardware to our Reese hitch I would almost lose control every time a semi or bus passed me. Even if it passed me slowly the larger vehicle would suck my unit toward it. With the sway control it was much, much better, but still noticeable. One problem was that you weren't supposed to use this sway control in the rain, because it would bind and squawk and also make the TV/TT unit too stiff to negotiate turns safely.

When I upgraded my tires to 10 ply equivalent for off roading, the stiffer sidewalls made the ride so steady I no longer needed sway control (this was with 55 psi out of 80 psi max; truck was pretty well at maximum load)

I was eager to hear everyone's take on this subject, particularly Tundra owners with the Escape 21' because there are so many different factors that influence the TV-trailer interaction. The specific vehicle, the tires, the trailer, the hitch, and even installation. I am leaning toward the Andersen because I would like my wife to spell me off driving and she was terrified of our previous rig. I guess I was looking for reassurance that it will be good at weight distribution as well as sway control. I was concerned when I read that going down rough roads the trailer may move more from side to side than with other hitches, making it necessary to grease the ball to prevent wear. So many factors...

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Old 01-17-2015, 11:08 PM   #211
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Originally Posted by dfandrews View Post
The greasy bars were on the Equalizer brand of hitch. ETI now offers the Pro Series, with no greasy bars.
Pro Series Weight Distribution | etrailer.com.
The Pro Series instructions that came with my Escape have a section on lubrication:

"Lubricate the ballmount sockets and spring bar trunnions to prevent rapid wear. When hooking-up, place one drop of oil on the top and a second drop on forward side of upper trunnion. Place a third drop on the rear side of lower trunnion before inserting trunnion into ballmount. Use a heavy oil or grease. Don't forget to lubricate the hitch ball with one or two drops also. Trunnions should be lubricated each towing day. Lubricate lower trunnions with one drop at contact point between trunnion and lower socket. Excess oil, dirt and grit should be wiped out whenever trailer is uncoupled."
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Old 01-17-2015, 11:50 PM   #212
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Originally Posted by Bobbito View Post
Pulling a 3700 dry weight 21' Nash with our Tundra required weight distribution and sway control, at least with the original tires. Before we added the sway control hardware to our Reese hitch I would almost lose control every time a semi or bus passed me. Even if it passed me slowly the larger vehicle would suck my unit toward it. With the sway control it was much, much better, but still noticeable.
Bob K
I'm pulling a 21 with a 4 dr long bed Tacoma V6 4x4 using the Andersen and don't really notice any sway/suction issues around big rigs, on either 2 lane roads or freeways.
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Old 01-17-2015, 11:53 PM   #213
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I've not used oil, but I have sprayed the sockets with white lithium grease. A little dab will do you. No greasy bars.
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Old 01-17-2015, 11:56 PM   #214
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We pulled our 21' for a month with a 2011 Toyota 4Runner and an Andersen hitch and experienced no sway, regardless of the road surface or the traffic in adjacent lanes.
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Old 01-18-2015, 07:11 AM   #215
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WDH's

I have used several brands and sizes of bar type hitches and they all work, but with a larger stick built trailer and a smaller TV I have needed a sway damper. I now use the anderson with my 21 and a 5300# TV and I would do it again. I do need to grease the ball to reduce wear because of the pitching of the rigs according to anderson and I do show wear on the ball front and rear sides, just a little dab will do you. I will occasionally adjust tension on the chains due to loading, usually tank levels. I can store the unit easily and it's not too heavy. Much of the time I am towing at 70 mph to 75mph and with the trucks on the freeways. Nancy also does the driving at times.
All pluses, no negatives.
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Old 01-18-2015, 11:35 AM   #216
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Bob, Towing an Escape is night and day compared to towing a Nash, even without a w/d set up.
I have towed several Lance trailers and the shape of the Escape makes it easier to tow.
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Old 01-18-2015, 02:21 PM   #217
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Thanks for the feedback on Andersen Hitch

Thank you for the feedback. I have decided to put my Reese hitch on Craigslist (am in the process of cleaning it up and painting it) and get the Andersen hitch. Once I get a chance to try the new hitch with a fully loaded truck (after June fishing trip) I will post my experience here.

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Old 01-19-2015, 10:29 AM   #218
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Thank you for the feedback. I have decided to put my Reese hitch on Craigslist (am in the process of cleaning it up and painting it) and get the Andersen hitch. Once I get a chance to try the new hitch with a fully loaded truck (after June fishing trip) I will post my experience here.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/im...lies/Thanx.gif

Bob K
I don't think you will regret it. I have towed with several different styles of wdh and by far the best has been the Anderson. I have only towed our 21 home with it so far but that is in the range of 1000 km trip and I have never had a trailer feel so secure behind me as on that trip and there was lots of poor road conditions as well.
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