Buying new 25 ft Airstream (5800 lbs dry, 7300 loaded). Tow vehicle 2015 Tahoe with HD trailering, brake controller and 5.2 Vortec. Dealer sells Reese and Equilizer WD hitches and sway bars. I've heard Hensley is best (certainly more $$$). I want best safety and simple operation. Any advice? Also, is it true that you CANNOT back your trailer up with the hitch installed?
Bill and Linda said
07:27 AM Jun 17, 2014
DeltaRon wrote:
Buying new 25 ft Airstream (5800 lbs dry, 7300 loaded). Tow vehicle 2015 Tahoe with HD trailering, brake controller and 5.2 Vortec. Dealer sells Reese and Equilizer WD hitches and sway bars. I've heard Hensley is best (certainly more $$$). I want best safety and simple operation. Any advice? Also, is it true that you CANNOT back your trailer up with the hitch installed?
No problem backing up a trailer with a weight distributing hitch.Don’t know where that came from but simply not true. With any tag trailer and some weight distributing hitch's sway control, turning could be slightly limited at the extremes of turns. But this is not a factor for concern. Many many miles with WD hitches without such issues.
WestWardHo said
07:56 AM Jun 17, 2014
We had a Hensley when we pulled a trailer. BIG improvement over the Blue Ox we had before that. Much better control in wind, etc. You can buy refurbished, warrantied hitches from Hensley and if you ever sell they buy back at a fair rate.
Sherry
The Bear II said
12:05 PM Jun 18, 2014
As Bill and Linda indicated, backing up is not a problem. For those times when you need to make a tight turn you can release the sway bars to allow for more movement or badly off camber spots.
Our favorite campground requires parallel parking manuever to get into the 45 foot long bumper to bumper spaces that parallel the ocean. With a 23ft TT and a 20ft long truck it requires some tight turning to get into the spot when RVs are parked in front and rear spaces. I always released the sway bars to make it into these our chosen spot.
In 16 years of towing a TT never had a problem with our Reese WDH but that was over 20 years ago when we had the TT so keep that in mind.
The Junkman said
01:44 PM Jun 18, 2014
Pretty light trailer.. I bought a hitch like this for my 24' race car trailer.. Used it in the beginning.. became a hassle ... binding.. Even feel off one time pulling into a gas station..
I found if If you put enough tongue weigh on the bumper. I never had a issue going 75 mph.. I just moved the car forward alittle. Never used it again. still have the trailer and the hitch. I use the trailer once a week , or more.. pulling 10k or more..Just need to load right.
In your case..Try and Store your heavy stuff in the front of the trailer. Too much weight behind the axle is bad..Will get wavy going down hills. hitch will fix that though... my .02
DeltaRon said
02:12 PM Jun 18, 2014
Thanks all of you. Heading to NJ from GA to pick up my new Airstream a Flying a Cloud, 25 a Twin. Pretty excited to start this phase of my retirement. See y'all in the parks.
RonC said
10:09 PM Aug 11, 2016
We have a Hensley BD3 ... amazing to watch the trailer moving separately from the truck ... Smooths the ride for both the truck and the 5er. Air ride hitch is DEFINATELY the way to go.
Buying new 25 ft Airstream (5800 lbs dry, 7300 loaded). Tow vehicle 2015 Tahoe with HD trailering, brake controller and 5.2 Vortec. Dealer sells Reese and Equilizer WD hitches and sway bars. I've heard Hensley is best (certainly more $$$). I want best safety and simple operation. Any advice? Also, is it true that you CANNOT back your trailer up with the hitch installed?
No problem backing up a trailer with a weight distributing hitch. Don’t know where that came from but simply not true. With any tag trailer and some weight distributing hitch's sway control, turning could be slightly limited at the extremes of turns. But this is not a factor for concern. Many many miles with WD hitches without such issues.
Sherry
Our favorite campground requires parallel parking manuever to get into the 45 foot long bumper to bumper spaces that parallel the ocean. With a 23ft TT and a 20ft long truck it requires some tight turning to get into the spot when RVs are parked in front and rear spaces. I always released the sway bars to make it into these our chosen spot.
In 16 years of towing a TT never had a problem with our Reese WDH but that was over 20 years ago when we had the TT so keep that in mind.
I found if If you put enough tongue weigh on the bumper. I never had a issue going 75 mph.. I just moved the car forward alittle. Never used it again. still have the trailer and the hitch. I use the trailer once a week , or more.. pulling 10k or more..Just need to load right.
In your case..Try and Store your heavy stuff in the front of the trailer. Too much weight behind the axle is bad..Will get wavy going down hills. hitch will fix that though... my .02