Gotta buy a new WD hitch for the new TT. Anyone using the ReeseStedi-Flex. I know the Equalizer works but it's so noisy and a pain to set up. Thanks guys.

 

I use a Equilizer brand hitch. Works great. No more noise than most other brands. It is heavy. After first set up its not hard to connect to trailer. But it is heavy.

 

I have a Blue Ox. It came with the trailer so it's not like I spent any time researching. It was fairly easy to setup and connections are fairly easy. My trailer doesn't like to come unhooked from the ball, but I don't think that's the fault of the Blue Ox. Greasing up the ball and hitch helped some.

 

The Stedi-Flex is a good WDH for sure, and more quiet than a hitch that uses metal on metal friction for sway control.
However, it still requires an initial set up, just like any other WDH. You aren't going to get away from that. Once the head is properly adjusted, though, it's pretty easy to use. I like the pins that hold the trunions in place better than the old style trunions. The old style required light grease to prevent accelerated wear. The pads the bars rest on really aren't anything more than the friction pads the old style anti-sway devices that mounted up near the hitch head were. In other words, they are brake pad material that is going to wear and need to be replaced eventually. How long they last is, of course, determined by amount of use. I think the elimination of chains on the spring bars is a good thing if the tongue weight of the TT never changes. With the old style, you would move up or down a link on the chains to compensate for tongue weight change. With this system, you are going to have to readjust the position of the spring bar rest to compensate. Not terribly difficult, but not as easy as changing a chain link. Additionally, as the friction pad wears, you are going to have to adjust that bar rest to maintain the proper amount of tension on the bar.
All in all, the Stedi-flex is an update to an old design that worked really well.

 

Thanks WRVOND, goes along with my thinking. Tongue weight won't change much as TT is front bedroom and we can't store much other than clothes. Looking like the Steadi or a sway pro is the way to go.

 

I just ordered a Blue Ox Sway Pro from eTrailer to replace my aging Reese Dual Cam. Added bonus is the Sway Pro has a 2.5" shank, so I can get rid of one of the inserts on my receiver!

 

I use the Blue Ox sway pro with the 2 1/2" shank. I like it a lot but I will say that I didn't care much for the chain pull ups that it has. I replaced them with the StrapTec pull ups and I am now 100% satisfied with the setup. I'm not terribly familiar with any of the others, but one of the things that caught my eye with the B.O. sway pro is NOT having to disconnect before backing up. I like that a lot.

 

I haven't ruled out the StrapTek system yet. However, due to several "poor" reviews, I figured I'd try the stock system for a while and see how well that works for me. I am mostly concerned with how far the ratchets stick out to the sides.

 

They probably stick out a bit further, but not much....at least not enough for any concern for me. I can honestly say I've not had any issues whatsoever with mine, and my tongue weight is slightly over 1400 lbs.

 

How are the new reese hitches quality wise? i have one of the strait-line dual cam setups and it feels cheap. I currently have a 10k/1000 round bar and this 12k1200 round bar reese is significantly smaller and lighter. I get they could have tempered the steel differently to change how stiff it is but it looks a bit scary. I haven't installed it because i was considering selling it and not taking my chances.

 

https://www.eaz-lift.com/product-pag...lite-hitch-kit

this is a newer version of the one i use to use for my 32' tag-along camper.. they use to be very popular.. but not so much anymore.. never had a problem with mine though..

 

I'm about the same on the TW as you at 1400 +/- a bit. I swapped over to the Straptek setup right out of the gate as I didn't care for the chains at all. Three trips so far and it runs 70-75 on I-10 just fine with no issues at all.

Griz

 

Griz......I discovered the StrapTek by accident one day, and the timing was perfect. I had used the original B.O. pull ups a couple of times and was getting pretty frustrated with the effort it took to use them and get the tension that I needed for my trailer. I had the T.H. out about 10 times last year and probably 8 of those times was with the StrapTek. Awesome product for sure.

 

Morning Griz, am a newb here that just bought a new 2018 36 ft travel trailer with a 1200+ tongue weight and trailer weight of about 9500+ lbs. I see you are using the Straptek system on yours and you seem to like it. I looked on the site and they do not say much about weights that they will handle, Question is:: do these work as well and safe as the chain draw bars? Thanks for the help.

 

I really like the looks of the straptek set up, other than its a lippert product... The tech at etrailer said they have seen it used with the reese dual cam hitch so i might as well do both changes at once so i only have to set it up once.

Do you find it difficult to keep them even? The dots look a bit rudimentary.