Weight distribution hitch

[Glen]

Good Morning All,
Greetings from Oregon. We will be picking up our 21’ escape In November and I have concerns about towing. We have a 16’ Scamp and have throughly enjoyed it for the past five years, wonderful trailer and tows perfectly with nothing more than a friction sway bar.
Since we are upgrading, I would really appreciate input on a weight distribution hitch. We will be towing with a 2014 Honda Ridgeline. We met a wonderful couple in Arizona that had a 2012 Ridgeline, pulling a 21’ escape and expressed they had no towing issues as long as the trailer was loaded correctly. I am aware that we are not a bundle of hp. However a moderate towing speed of 55mph will be the norm. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
The Glenn & Becky team

[matt]

Hi Glen and Becky,
We are just completing a 2000 mile journey home after picking up our Escape 21 last month. Our tow vehicle is a Hyundai Santa Fe with a 5000 lbs tow rating (same as the Honda Ridgeline I think). We had Escape install the Pro Series Weight Distribution Hitch with no sway bar. The Escape 21 towed great behind our Santa Fe with no sway issues at all. I was worried that the Pro Series Weight Distribution hitch was going to be complicated and difficult to take on and off. The opposite was true. It was uncomplicated and very easy to take on and off. Obviously the full size trucks are stronger tow vehicles, but we were very pleased with how our Hyundai Santa Fe towed. We take it easy as we go (55 mph) and have no problem using the turn outs to let people pass. I would think you would want some type of weight distribution hitch but I doubt you need an extra sway bar. By the way we love our new Escape 21. We had zero problems with it on our long journey home.

[Iowa Dave]

Good summary and good choice and recommendation in my opinion.
Iowa Dave

[philostechedon]

While it can be a bit pricey, I absolutely swear by my Fastway E2 with the round bars. I have the 6000lb model, and it's about as easy as any equalizer hitch can be to set up, plus has built-in sway control and allows backing without disconnecting the bars. Honestly the only 'extra' I have to deal with is cranking the hitch jack down once to remove the bars, back down, un-hitch, then level; hitching up is the opposite sequence.

[gbaglo]

FYI. Don't need to remove bars for backing on the Pro Series either ( without sway ).

[h2owmn]

I have a Highlander and a 17A...I bit the bullet on the E2 and am very pleased with it. Mine has square bars. The orientation at ETI was super...he showed me the way with the bar/hook, and then the easy way, cranking up. I have had zero problems and I think the distributed weight makes the trailer feel "one with the car". Just another option that was worth the money by far.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Glen

Good Morning All,
Greetings from Oregon. We will be picking up our 21’ escape In November and I have concerns about towing. We have a 16’ Scamp and have throughly enjoyed it for the past five years, wonderful trailer and tows perfectly with nothing more than a friction sway bar.
Since we are upgrading, I would really appreciate input on a weight distribution hitch. We will be towing with a 2014 Honda Ridgeline. We met a wonderful couple in Arizona that had a 2012 Ridgeline, pulling a 21’ escape and expressed they had no towing issues as long as the trailer was loaded correctly. I am aware that we are not a bundle of hp. However a moderate towing speed of 55mph will be the norm. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
The Glenn & Becky team

Yay! Another Escape in Oregon. Our 21 tows much nicer than our 17 Casita LD did (both with WDH.)

[Glen]

Wow ! Thanks for all the responses.....it helps me make a solid decision.
Look forward to meeting some of you people on the road. We made it to Quartzsite last February with the Scamp. Plan to be there with the new Escape 2019.
Happy Trails,
The Glenn and Becky team

[konanoff]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

I have a Highlander and a 17A...I bit the bullet on the E2 and am very pleased with it. Mine has square bars. The orientation at ETI was super...he showed me the way with the bar/hook, and then the easy way, cranking up. I have had zero problems and I think the distributed weight makes the trailer feel "one with the car". Just another option that was worth the money by far.

Greetings. We just ordered a 19' escape. Tow Vehicle will be a 2017 Highlander XLE.
Do you recommend purchasing a weight distribution hitch with/without sway control? If yes do you recommend one that Escape sells or purchasing from a hitch company?? Also our 2017 has the fancy mirrors that detect cars in your blind spot. Will we need different side mirror add ons to see behind us or will be able to get by with the stock highlander mirrors??

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by konanoff

Greetings. We just ordered a 19' escape. Tow Vehicle will be a 2017 Highlander XLE.
Do you recommend purchasing a weight distribution hitch with/without sway control? If yes do you recommend one that Escape sells or purchasing from a hitch company?? Also our 2017 has the fancy mirrors that detect cars in your blind spot. Will we need different side mirror add ons to see behind us or will be able to get by with the stock highlander mirrors??

Aloha, konanoff! Welcome to the world of Escape! There are many happy campers here who pull their 17’s, 19’s, and even 21’s with a Highlander. I am sure they will give very useful information on your combination.

Cheers

[noblets]

One of the huge benefits of out WDH (on 17A) is that we can open the tailgate!

[mconrath]

Just curious on some thoughts out there...

Is a weight distribution hitch of much value with a full-sized truck? Our tow vehicle is a F150 and we are hoping to move to an E19 before long. I have a WDH with a sway bar for our current trailer. My decision will be whether to keep that or sell it with our current trailer. Although I have become quite used to the hookup process with a WDH, I kind of like the concept of simplifying that by going without.

Thoughts?

[Oldtimer]

WE tow our 21 without a WDH and it tows beautifully. Going down the highway we don’t feel it at all, even when semis blow past us. We tow with a 2017 Z71 4x4 Silverado.

[gwvwadc]

When we ordered our 21 last year I debated about which hitch to get. We have a Ford F250 diesel that will pull up to 12,000 lbs. We pulled a Casita with a regular hitch and sway bar. While it was OK, there were times even with our big truck that it felt a little squirrelly.
Finally decided to go all out and ordered the E2 offered by ETI. I can't believe how much better our tow experience is now. Once we're hitched and going, there is absolutely no sway even in strong winds (Columbia River Gorge is the best example). Overkill for our truck maybe, but well worth the cost in my opinion.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gwvwadc

Finally decided to go all out and ordered the E2 offered by ETI. I can't believe how much better our tow experience is now. Once we're hitched and going, there is absolutely no sway even in strong winds (Columbia River Gorge is the best example).

Can anyone comment on the difference between the original Equal-i-zer and the E2 by FastWay? I see something about 4 point sway control with the Equal-i-zer and 2 point with the E2. (Just so no one is confused ETI lists “Equalizer” hitch on their website but it is really a Pro Series WDH...I’m not referring to that one)

Etrailer has the Equal-i-zer for $657 and the E2 for $450. Just wondering if there is enough of a difference in performance and/or quality to justify the add’l expense.

https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...EQ37060ET.html
https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...2-00-0600.html

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Can anyone comment on the difference between the original Equal-i-zer and the E2 by FastWay? I see something about 4 point sway control with the Equal-i-zer and 2 point with the E2. (Just so no one is confused ETI lists “Equalizer” hitch on their website but it is really a Pro Series WDH...I’m not referring to that one)

Etrailer has the Equal-i-zer for $657 and the E2 for $450. Just wondering if there is enough of a difference in performance and/or quality to justify the add’l expense.

https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...EQ37060ET.html
https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...2-00-0600.html

The Husky Centerline TS is an improved version of the Equal-i-zer and cost less than $300. It has the 4 point sway control. That makes it a no brainer compared to either one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AeEaDCL3eE

[padlin]

Got me why they call one 2 point and the other 4 point, sure look like they work the same. And yes, ETI's "Equalizer" is not the same as the "Equal-I-zer", different companies. When I looked into it a while back both the Fastway e2 and the Equal-i-zer are made by Progress Mfg. The Husky looks about the same as the E2.

I had a 600/6000 Equal-I-zer before, it's a heavy beast. Don't see a need to hassle with the weight for a small trailer like the Escapes, either the E2 or the Husky should be fine.

My guess is Progress figured the same and came out with the E2.

Still don't know why ones a 2 point and the other a 4, someone will chime in.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Can anyone comment on the difference between the original Equal-i-zer and the E2 by FastWay? I see something about 4 point sway control with the Equal-i-zer and 2 point with the E2.

Originally Posted by padlin

Got me why they call one 2 point and the other 4 point, sure look like they work the same...

These WD hitch systems reduce sway by frictional damping - any oscillation is reduced by taking energy out of it with energy-absorbing resistance to motion (such as friction or hydraulic flow restriction such as in a suspension shock absorber).

The spring bars, and the trailer frame brackets that the bars slide in, are the same in the real Equal-i-zer® and the E2. The bars slide in the brackets when the trailer-to-tug angle changes (in turns, or due to swaying). The two points of contact and friction (one on are each bar) count as "2 points of sway control" in the manufacturer's marketing. This part of the design does work the same in both products (and in similar designs built by other manufacturers).

The E2 has a conventional WD head, with the spring bars relatively freely pivoting as the trailer-to-tug angle changes (again in turns or swaying). The Equal-i-zer® head clamps the pivoting end of the spring bar, adding two more (one per bar) "points of sway control" by resisting the swivelling motion of bars (again, in turns or sway). I think that the manufacturer realized that the friction in the Equal-i-zer® head wasn't very effective and makes the head significantly more expensive to build, leading to the E2 design.

[goalie39]

As Brian explained, the 4-pt Equal-i-zer has a different head with 2 additional points of friction. It is bigger and heavier than the E2 -- I seem to remember about 15lbs heavier, but don't know for sure.

The Equal-i-zer is also American made.

Anyway, I installed the Equal-i-zer and love it. Of the choices Escape offers, I'd pick the E2.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

The Husky Centerline TS is an improved version of the Equal-i-zer and cost less than $300. It has the 4 point sway control. That makes it a no brainer compared to either one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you! The Husky looks nice with several small improvements in design over the Equalizer and E2.