Another great video! 1:50 so true. I hope all Travel Trailer owners get a chance to watch this. Without the proper training, my experience when helping others who are struggling, most people are afraid to lift their vehicle because when they see it go up any amount they feel like their damaging the tow vehicle. Great job guys!
I pulled into the Moab Sun RV Resort downtown yesterday evening with the trailer I bought the day before. I could not get the trailer off the ball as high as I cranked! The tech at the dealership I purchased from showed me how to use that Reese shoehorn tool thingie to get the bars on, but I didn't get to see how to get them off! So in desperation I went to CZcams and started looking for some instructions. I found this video and it helped me understand my predicament. When I finally got the bars off, the truck dropped a good 5" away from the trailer. Yikes! Noob error! Thanks for the video! I ended up getting a Apex Nano 191RBS and pulled it over Loveland Pass (12,000 ft) and Vail Pass (10,600 ft) with my 2022 Chevy Colorado yesterday from Denver. Great combination of truck and trailer. I would not go any heavier, the 191RBS is near 3700 lbs. with two gas tanks and that hefty Reese hitch. Colorado is rated at 7000 so I think 1/2 of manufacturer claimed tow rating is a good rule of thumb to stick to when matching a trailer to a tow vehicle.
Something I learned many, many years ago driving semi's hauling Ford truck parts from Detroit to Claycomo MO, listening to "Uncle Bob" Seger (of course :) was a Cat or any scale can be your best friend. I had a sliding 5th wheel & sliding trailer axles to adjust weight equally between axles. Much better ride, handling, less wear on equipment. The same holds true for R.V.'s The closer you can keep the trailer axles weight to the rear TV axle weight the better you are. Simple weight distribution of cargo, a WDH helps. Twelve to fifteen percent trailer weight on the tongue should be the "sweet spot" Of course attention also has to be placed on the steer axle which is where the WDH comes into play. Your truck, trailer and your body will thank you :)
Wish I had seen this 2 years ago...we have been struggling with ours,it's somewhat different,,,but we have broke our backs,and hammered it on and off,eventually we figured it out some,,,but still a struggle. .. Thanks for educating me and camper land out here...we all love you.
Getting this same hitch for our new Coachmen 29SE that we are picking up from Haylett Auto & RV Supercenter this week Saturday. Haylett has been amazing to deal with by the way! Zero pressure on anything and truly make you feel like family. 👍🏻👍🏻
I managed to figure this out on my own. I have no idea why RV dealers don't have a short training session for new owners. If you make it easy for them on the first RV you might get to sell them anothr.
An important point: If you climb under the back end of your tow vehicle and look at the part of the hitch system that is welded into the frame of the vehicle you will usually see two different weight ratings. One is for the maximum towing capacity without weight distribution and the other is for maximum towing capacity with weight distribution. For example, on my F-150 my hitch is rated for a maximum towing capacity of 5000 lb if I am not using weight distribution, but 11,000 lb if I am using weight distribution. This is a rarely mentioned aspect of the weight limitations involved. You hear about vehicle weight ratings, axle ratings, even tire ratings, but you don't often hear about the weight ratings of ALL of the pieces of the actual hitch setup. Josh, I know I'm posting this comment on a video made 2 years ago, but if you see this would you please consider doing another video with your certified technician discussing ALL of the various weight ratings and limitations that must be considered in towing setups? Tow vehicle and trailer comes to mind most often, though that also could be split into bumper pulls versus fifth wheels. But it could also be worthwhile to discuss the towing aspects of motorized RVs that are towing vehicles or other gear behind them. Maybe a small series of videos to cover all of these? And when you do, please have the technician show and name every component of the towing system. I'm not sure what to call the part of the hitch system that is permanently attached to my pickup truck. 😁
Really appreciate this. Old video or not I still watch the comments :) I wish I had more time to make additional info-based videos like this one. Appreciate your insights here
5:16 Good note on ensuring that round bar is latched in completely! Having lost one on my last outing, I can tell you that I will be triple checking mine before driving off. That was a costly mistake and could have been worse had the bar hit someone else on the road.
I noticed that the pin wasn’t popping into place to lock that puppy in there when the bar was rotated back. Might have also contributed to our sway problems. Dang glad my bar didn’t fall out, and that yours did hurt anyone!!
Great vid for a newbie. Thank Zach, because it looked like he was used to installing and adjusting, and took his time and explained the "whys" of this system. Josh jumped in and added relevant info. Thank you both.
Yeah, my RV dealer didn't show me squat about operating my WDH or the sway control when I bought it. It was pretty much like, give us your money, we'll hook it up thank you goodbye. Thanks Josh, will be buying from you next time. Could be real soon. I know this vid is 3 years old, but hey, I'm binge watching your vids.
Zach setup the R3 on my new Passport GT today and it worked awesome!! He explained everything and had me do it hands on. The system towed great on the 2.5 hour ride home. Thanks Haylett
Awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback. Would you mind taking 30 seconds to drop a quick review for others to see your experience here? bit.ly/2mIHzC3
Great video, very informative!! I like these tech vids, please make more! Topics: Roof seam repair / maintenance, how to black tank flush, wheel bearing maintenance, how to check tire condition, overloaded trailer / flat axle springs
Also when you do this make sure the truck and trailer are level don't try and do it if you backed into your site and your trailer is higher the the truck, you won't be able to release the bars, you will have to get back out to the road level the truck and trailer take them off then back into your site.
Super good video, Josh. Would, also, like to thank Zach for his init to get this video on camera. You both did a bang-up job about making it an easy and non-scary exercise. Again, thanks, guys. Y'all Be Safe!
I’ve said this several times. I wish Haylett/Bish’s rv was in Oklahoma. Josh I found this video because we are thinking about trading in our little trailer for a little bigger and nicer trailer. We got our trailer at Camping World and won’t go back to them because of several issues between the purchase and service and warranty issues. Thanks again for your camper tours and I really enjoyed the hitch video with Zach Bills! “ Hope he’s doing well “ Ps Because of you I think our next camper is going to be a Rockwood 2205S. Thank you again
Great video, and obviously a critically important one. I definitely learned a lesson about weight distribution hitches and how it's safe to raise your tongue jack while coupled in order to install or remove the weight distribution bars.
Well done! I think we need a few more videos from Zach on this subject pertaining to the questions in the comment feed. Easy to watch. Very informative! Thanks guys!
For those who aren't aware Christina and her Husband Ben are full time RVers who share some pretty awesome adventures at czcams.com/channels/_rOCkh0gjtnBhPZW75yDZQ.html
that is good info but what i need most is how to set the weight distribution system up initially. like how high is the hitch so as the truck is not squatting so low and the trailer is straight
Great video Josh! When my wife and I bought our Jayco 26’ bunkhouse from our dealer we we never shown this, nor were we ever asked if we knew about these types of hitches. I wish your dealership was closer to us (Vancouver Canada) for our next purchase...
Well I have good news -- These things are on wheels and they can get from here to there! All we ask in return for our efforts is a simply phone call or email to give our guys a fair shake at simply putting something together. No harm and no risk to you in simply investigating.
Great video Josh! Will be used as a refresher in operating our recurve system as we start our camping season. Now just need a de-winterization video to make sure I do our Rockwood 2109S correctly- lol
Great video, this is the one installed on my truck. When I saw the 3, I thought it was in honor of Dale Earnhardt Sr, it wasn’t. The tech sorry, forgot his name, said it was a reminder of how many turns of the wrench to loosen the sway control before unhooking the trailer to make it easier to hook it back up next time.
I have one of the side mount hitches, husky centerline. I think something I would have liked to have been told ahead of time was that they can be somewhat noisy at slow speeds. The first time I got the rig home I stopped dead in the intersection for about 2 minutes while I worked out the noise was the friction used to keep sway under control, and was by design. Another great video. 3 thumbs up!
And remember to cross the safety chains to have a cradle in case the trailer detaches from the ball and don’t forget to attach the emergency trailer brake cable.
Thank you Zach and Josh for the very informative explaining 🤪 of a WD system. You would think that if a dealership installs a WD system, they’d actually show you how to use it 🤷🏼♂️🤔.
I've been towing my trailer the wrong way all this time. I never lifted it back up before attaching the sway bars. Thanks for another great video josh.
Weight distributing hitches are awesome- my parents used one to hook up our 24' outboard cruiser, with its massive tandem axle trailer, to the back of the family's 1966 Ford Thunderbird. With the weight distributing hitch, the tow was not only possible, but Easy (of course, the car Did have a 390 V-8 and an F-150 drive train- Ford would go all out, back then, if you asked them to).
The way cars have changed has really changed a lot of trailer towing. That big old boat of a V8 RWD family sedan just isn't something you see anymore. Everyone has shifted to SUV towing and half tons.
@@JoshtheRVNerd - You're certainly right about That! The old T-Bird was like a tank, compared with today's cars. It needed a ton of torque, just to push the car around, let alone pull a boat and trailer. The only real similarity between then and now- the weight distributing hitch. I had a good laugh on reading your reply, as I tried to imagine the utter failure of a 2-door car of today, trying to haul a big boat- or, for that matter, the average good-sized travel trailer... :)
Great info on the R3, Finally answered my question about how far the sway control needs to be tightened !!! I should have driven up there to Buy my Apex, Dealer down here in San Antonio never went over some of the things I learned on your channel. Mahalo! (Thanks)
Much love for my R3 Recurve! I actually never have to use the tool to lever the support bar into place. When jacked high enough, it will simply rotate into place freely. It was part of my TT purchase and dealer installed.
Just got my R3 installed. Got a question for you since you have one. Do you need to readjust the sway control every time you hitch, or once you got it where you like it. Just need to adjust for weather/road conditions.
@@19redskins71 Hey Mike -- sorry for the delayed response...I just noticed your Q. I adjust the R3 each time I hitch/unhitch. When backing up and angling into a parking space, you'll want zero sway control (friction on the R3) so be sure to stop short of your backing point, hop out of the tow vehicle and loosen the sway nut until you can see the friction ring freely moving around the column it snugs up to. When setting up to tow away, I was told to tighten the sway nut to about 20lbs torque then back off a quarter turn. I like a little more control than that so I just snug it down to about 30 lbs and leave it. Hope that helps.
When We bought Our RV from another dealer in Vegas NV in 2017 they didn't tell Us this, they just wanted to make the sale. We had stopped for the night at a camp ground and I was struggling with the Pry bar then an man said hey it's easier if You do what Your doing, so we've been doing that ever since. We don't even need the Pry Bar to take it on and off. And Ours is the underneath. We lost it in the RV Park, but someone who's paying attention, said, "Hey, You lost Your Bar".
I wish there was a video like this for all different types of wdh's and sway control systems on the market and not just the expensive popular ones. Thank you for taking time to share this video.
Hitching can often vary regionally. There are a TON of different hitches, types, and names. Our hope was to provide some baseline consumer education they could apply to virtually any common hitch system found.
Again, another older video Josh, but you answered a couple of more of my questions. So I think maybe I don't need a different hitch set-up, I just need it installed AND explained properly. Unfortunately, it's January and there's probably several feet of snow around the trailer and the road going in. So it will have to wait until spring. Thanks.
Read your previous post. Sorry to hear you've been having issues. It's frustrating when you have to find your own way thru it all, but I feel confidently you'll get there and be able to have a great season
You guys put the same hitch setup on my truck when I bought my camper from you. Works great! Just please, remind people to lower the hitch before pulling the safety pin and flipping the latch. Although it was funny, it scared the crap out of me when my truck dropped out of it!!
Good video, do you have a video that shows the setting up the WD/sway control for the levelness of both truck and trailer? If not that might be a good one.
We have plans to do more "hands on" stuff like this now that Aaron's working with me more officially. Once the flood of inventory slows down we'll be all over it.
OK good video answer a couple of my questions I have the same R3,… my question is, how do you adjust the angle of the ball you have two set screws you might say one down below and then one up above with the big notched head on it. How do you just of? How does what are therefore I didn't see anything in the instructions. I did buy it new
We definitly learnt. I was kinda intriged about this R3. Bill suggested it. My husband was wanting the anderson and it seems great but i think we will give the R3 a try first
Great video, thanks for your time. If possible pleased make one on how to adjust the R6 Recurve to put more weight on the front of tow vehicle. The instruction manual is confusing to me. Can't see where adjusting wheel does anything. Again thanks for the great work
thank you for taking the time to do this video. I wish this video was out like 2 years ago. I struggled with my WDH big time. This is such a Great channel you have so much useful info.
Josh or Zach: Can a trailer that's already set up with a separate sway control bar and a trunion bar and chain WD hitch be retrofitted with an R3 recurve WD hitch? The fuss work and weight of our present system has us looking for something different. This might be it. Second, what are the tongue weight or trailer weight limits of the R3 recurve system? Another fine video Josh and Zach. Just re-enforces why we wish we'd known about you and Haylett when we bought our first travel trailer. Respectfully, Wm. Schooley
Hitching systems are independent of the RV. They're added on after the RV is built and can just as easily be removed and swapped for something else. Regardings weights: There are Recurve systems to fit any travel trailer made really. If the RV becomes large/heavy/long, then we would likely recommend the use of the Recurve R6 which is basically just the heavy duty version with a stronger anti-sway mechanism to help handle those larger 35ft trailers that can sometimes push 10,000lbs or more.
We are finding each system has slight advantages over the other. Clients with more mechanical experience from their personal backgrounds and those with previous trailer towing experience seem to prefer the Recurve while newer clients with less base of knowledge will find the centerline an easier way to get towing completely safely (since it has fewer steps and things to remember).
@@JoshtheRVNerd I am sure both are fine. Husky has treated us well with no issues. Seeing the Recurve used in this video really showed off its benefits to me. One small change I like is where the location the Bar sits at when set. It sits more level with the trailer tongue. The Husky sits inched below and can get close to the chains. Again both are fine and I am sure both work great. After years of towing its the small things like bar placement that really appeal to me.
Do you have a video showing a ProPride 3P installation and/or an evaluation of one? All of my research so far indicates it is the only hitch system that prevents sway vs just dampening it.
Great instructional video. This is, again, something that should probably be standard on every hookup. I looked into this a bit more and it appears there are different load level ratings on these hitches. Do you buy according to the hitch weight, tongue weight or some other number?
Oh how I wish it were that easy. I think the vertical brackets on my trailer frame must be a little off because if I don’t have my truck and trailer lined up exactly the bar will NOT go in the bracket. This usually results in me driving forward while turning the wheel of the truck. Raising up the trailer again, trying to put the bracket back on… And repeating the procedure 4 to 5 times. I also have to tap the pins out gently with a hammer. Not an easy system to use as a solo (female) camper
Josh, thanks for the information. I have a Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch that has a 2" shank unfortunately my F250 receiver is 2.5" Went to HD and got a 2" sleeve however there is lots of play and the weight distributing hookup points point downward making it hard to connect the bars. Any suggestions short of getting a 2.5 shank? It was given to me free of charge and would be a shame to have to purchase a replacement.
Whether you paid for it or not a part that doesn't work isn't worth much in my mind. You need to visit a local Ford facility to get the correct part in place. The price you pay is nothing compared to the risk you're taking otherwise.
Hey Josh , ask Zach if you can hook up your bars while your trailer is still above your truck hitch , before you lower your trailer down onto your truck ? Saw something on CZcams about this . Thanks Keep up the good work Zach , and you to Josh lol
Tongue Weight is based on the trailer's loaded weight (meaning dry or "UVW" plus cargo. Ideal tongue weight % can vary based on floor plan, load positioning, etc. 10% is a fair guideline, but some RVs and even vehicles will ride better a little more. Usually 15% starts to be too much for MOST truck/trailer pairings. Again, it depends. There's a lot of variables here. It can actually be dangerous to have too much weight BEHIND the axles in an effort to make a lighter tongue weight. Weight behind the axles will cause sway to get out of hand. It's all about balance and "feel." And how something "Feels" from a comfort perspective varies by individual.
after sinching down the sway nut and driving for a while, is there ever a need to check on it? Resetting the tightness of that "brake pad" Loving the video...lots of good data.
Thanks for the great video! Question- I have this setup and I was wondering the difference in the two holes for the pin that holds the sway bar in place? Which should you use and why? Thanks!
Great video, I didn't even know WDH were a thing. Now that I do....where are the Recurve R3 WD hitches? Have they been discontinued? I noticed they are not available from your parts store! I want one for our new Cougar 29BHS!
Some vendors have weird guidelines when it comes to selling their stuff online. A LOT of what we offer isn't in that online parts store. It's frustrating. Our team at www.haylettautoandrv.com/parts/ can get you answers however.
@@JoshtheRVNerd I have filled out all the info on the "request parts" section, but it just tells me it is "sending". I am not sure if anything went through.
@@chrislaite6776 TY for the info. I just checked and can confirm your request IS coming thru. I'll investigate on my end why it's not providing confirmation on your end. TY
Break away switch. Hook it onto something like the hitching pin on the vehicle's insert. If the truck and trailer come apart, then the cable pulls out a pin that will fire the trailer's brakes to hopefully bring it down from speed before anything more dangerous happens
Can you help me with this? I’m towing a fairly light (3500lb) trailer. Single axle. My WD system uses chains. It use to be I’d be set on three links. Then four. Now five. That’s not so much the issue though. Regardless of how I set this up, one side is very tight. The other loose and almost swaying. The location of the equipment bolted to the tongue looks to be equal. The bars don’t appear to be bent. I’m puzzled. Can you help me figure this out?
If we had our hands on the camper, then absolutely. Remotely like this I'm unable to offer much assistance. This is more a hands-on thing I would suggest trying to set an appointment with a local service center if at all possible
Josh, my daughter just bought a new vehicle and I want to make sure that the hitch is set up properly. I did not see this in the video. When the trailer is leveled on level ground and the vehicle is backed up to the trailer before connecting, should the ball on the vehicle be equal in height to where the top of the ball would be inside the tongue or should the ball on the vehicle be an inch or so higher? Thanks!
Hey Josh. We have a 7000lb 27' ultralight. Used to tow it with an F150. Traded that truck for a Ram 3500. Do we still need the WDH? Where can I ask that question?
Thanks for the video I put on the r3 hitch like this really like it but couldn't get my spare back on. How do you get that back on my inside tongue attachments make it to tight. Appreciate your thoughts
For this method of hookup, it actually lifts the rear tires of our truck off the ground. Is the system really designed to handle that kind of weight and pick up the truck?
I have recurve 3 systems but I can’t seem to level the camper straight still have some sag on truck how off on inches does truck need to be... or you think putting air bags will help level back of truck to be more level..? Trying to figure out every time I take rv out I’m adjusting brake control but seems to to still bucking a little and pulling side to side...is this normal...? Any thoughts will help
Too many variables to be able to offer a suggestion from here. Best idea is to visit your local service center to have them eyeball it to know where to begin.
We recently switched from an SUV to a Dodge Ram Rebel and we tried to adjust the Recurve R3 but it's still too low in the back and high in the front of the truck. I need some help with figuring out how to adjust the tilt and thumbscrew. I took it back to the dealer this weekend and the tech eyeballed it and said it was fine and wouldn't adjust it. I know it's not fine because I measured it and it was sagging 2+ inches in the back and raised in the front end of the truck. I called Camco and they sent me to an install video but I didn't get the fine adjustment tutorial for fixing the tilt and the thumb screw that I needed. I'd like to find a pro in my area or get some helpful tutorial videos on it. I'm stuck. Pleas advise.
@@JoshtheRVNerd What kinds of questions could I ask a local technician to find out if they have the understanding/skill set necessary to adjust this type of sway control hitch?
Great video! Little late to the party since you guys posted this over a year ago but hopefully someone can answer my question.. with the anti sway mechanism tight when I get to my camp site and I’m backing in do I need to loosen that sway bar bracket with the Allen wrench or is it safe to just back up like you would normally do?
This R3 system does pretty well for most backing up. You can go to a 45 degree angle w/o really thinking. Beyond that you may consider loosening the sway control If you need to really crank it past a 90 degree turn (which is rare really), then it is recommended to remove the bars
Another great video from Josh & Zach! Thanks guys🤣 Is there a rule of thumb regarding ball size? (Boy, that sounds wrong 😂). Specifically, if I’m towing a 6,000 lbs trailer (UVW) and have approximately 800 lbs cargo do I want a ball rated for 7,000 lbs or would I want something with a higher weight rating? Does it become overkill at some point? (Say a 10,000 lbs rated ball)? Also, is there a standard ball circumference for RV trailers? I’m thinking it may be a 2” ball but that’s a total guess. Do I need this when I come to pick up my RV from Bish’s or can you sell me anything I need regarding towing my new trailer/Toy Hauler?
Ball size isn’t something you. Usually need to decide since you need to match up with whatever the coupler on the RV requires. Hitching systems usually include the ball itself btw so we can assist with that as needed
Great video Josh. I bought this hitch right there at Haylett. One question. My F150 has electronic sway control. Do I turn this function off on my truck when using this hitch?
We have this hitch w/d system and tow a 7K lb twirler with a F150 max tow pkg truck. We experienced a fair bit of sway. I called the R3 manufacturer and they told me to turn OFF the auto sway control on our truck, that the truck system and the hitch system will work against one another. I just turned off the system in the truck and haven’t had a chance to drive the trailer yet after that change (will do next week). I am hoping it’ll take care of our problems! What have YOU found works? Truck system on or off?
Good vid on exactly how to do this. Last RV trailer had the Equal-I-Zer WDH on it. Worked very well, used your method here to hitch up and go. But, the head assembly must have weighed 60 pounds and guaranteed a trip to the chiropractor every time I had to put it into the truck receiver. Going with the Geo Pro 19FD, would like something with sway control over weight distribution, something like the Andersen hitch which has aluminum as it's major material. Do you have any feedback from customers using that brand?
Never take your hand off the lifting bar once you pick it up to slide under the torque bars until the lifting bar is disconnected from the trailer. IF the lifting bar is under pressure when you take your hand off you could end up eating the bar!
That depends on how the trailer interacts with your vehicle. It's often relative. There's no "if you trailer is this size, then you need THIS hitch" sort of guideline. I can say you'll never regret having it. But if you have a larger truck, then you may not need them. Our team at 800-256-5196 is always happy to assist in your specific needs in return for the opportunity to earn your business.
Just found your channel. Looking at buy a toy hauler to pull with my 19 Ranger. If a different height of hitch is needed because receiver on truck is higher than tongue of trailer, do they make weight distribution hitches with drop or rise if needed?
@@JoshtheRVNerd thanks for the feedback. Probably looking a little bigger than that. My truck does have the factory tow package and is rated to tow up to 7500 lbs. I figure I can go to about 5500 dry and be okay with the bike, 6k if I move with the tanks mt.
Josh, enjoy your teaching videos but have one question. I have a 35 foot Sunset Trail travel trailer. When I hook up my hitch, I am very close to level front of truck to rear of trailer. I also have air bags on the truck. I am still having some slight " light front end" feeling and some sway. I tighten up the EZ sway bar and sometimes still feels light up front. Do I need more air in the airbags??? Front fender is within half inch of starting measurement. Trailer weight at the scales is 8154, per my owners manual, can go up to 11,300 but dealership recommends 9000 as max.I drive a ford F150 super duty crew
Hitching is like a thumb print. They all look the same until you look very closely. Without seeing it I'm afraid I can't begin to diagnose what might be happening.
Hey Josh I've been watching your videos for awhile now. This spring I will be buying my first RV. I respect your videos because you throw it out there good or bad. I was wondering if you had a opinion on the Anderson Hitches ? The chains eliminate a lot of the sounds that make you wonder if the frame is coming apart. I don't know if this is a product you handle or not but any opinion would be greatly appreciated.
It has been about 3 or 4 seasons since we used their trailer hitches a great deal. When they first launched we used them quite a bit. Found a few wearing issues long term we hadn't predicted. It's 100% possible advancements have been made to eliminate that however. Since we've largely shifted to the Recurve R3. Like the Andersen it's a near silent hitch, but seems a little less quirky to operate.
Haylett RV thank you for your prompt reply. I'm the last one in my family to purchase a RV. This spring I will retire and will be ready to make that leap. I would love to visit your location but will take some planning since your like 350 miles away.
@@duanehamlin6730 No Sweat! Long distance folks like you are the every day client at our facility. Our team is VERY experienced at making it a smooth an easy process!!
Another great video!
1:50 so true. I hope all Travel Trailer owners get a chance to watch this. Without the proper training, my experience when helping others who are struggling, most people are afraid to lift their vehicle because when they see it go up any amount they feel like their damaging the tow vehicle.
Great job guys!
I pulled into the Moab Sun RV Resort downtown yesterday evening with the trailer I bought the day before. I could not get the trailer off the ball as high as I cranked! The tech at the dealership I purchased from showed me how to use that Reese shoehorn tool thingie to get the bars on, but I didn't get to see how to get them off! So in desperation I went to CZcams and started looking for some instructions. I found this video and it helped me understand my predicament. When I finally got the bars off, the truck dropped a good 5" away from the trailer. Yikes! Noob error! Thanks for the video! I ended up getting a Apex Nano 191RBS and pulled it over Loveland Pass (12,000 ft) and Vail Pass (10,600 ft) with my 2022 Chevy Colorado yesterday from Denver. Great combination of truck and trailer. I would not go any heavier, the 191RBS is near 3700 lbs. with two gas tanks and that hefty Reese hitch. Colorado is rated at 7000 so I think 1/2 of manufacturer claimed tow rating is a good rule of thumb to stick to when matching a trailer to a tow vehicle.
Something I learned many, many years ago driving semi's hauling Ford truck parts from Detroit to Claycomo MO, listening to "Uncle Bob" Seger (of course :) was a Cat or any scale can be your best friend. I had a sliding 5th wheel & sliding trailer axles to adjust weight equally between axles. Much better ride, handling, less wear on equipment. The same holds true for R.V.'s The closer you can keep the trailer axles weight to the rear TV axle weight the better you are. Simple weight distribution of cargo, a WDH helps. Twelve to fifteen percent trailer weight on the tongue should be the "sweet spot" Of course attention also has to be placed on the steer axle which is where the WDH comes into play. Your truck, trailer and your body will thank you :)
Wish I had seen this 2 years ago...we have been struggling with ours,it's somewhat different,,,but we have broke our backs,and hammered it on and off,eventually we figured it out some,,,but still a struggle. ..
Thanks for educating me and camper land out here...we all love you.
Getting this same hitch for our new Coachmen 29SE that we are picking up from Haylett Auto & RV Supercenter this week Saturday. Haylett has been amazing to deal with by the way! Zero pressure on anything and truly make you feel like family. 👍🏻👍🏻
Good choice! and THANK YOU!!
I managed to figure this out on my own. I have no idea why RV dealers don't have a short training session for new owners. If you make it easy for them on the first RV you might get to sell them anothr.
An important point: If you climb under the back end of your tow vehicle and look at the part of the hitch system that is welded into the frame of the vehicle you will usually see two different weight ratings. One is for the maximum towing capacity without weight distribution and the other is for maximum towing capacity with weight distribution. For example, on my F-150 my hitch is rated for a maximum towing capacity of 5000 lb if I am not using weight distribution, but 11,000 lb if I am using weight distribution.
This is a rarely mentioned aspect of the weight limitations involved. You hear about vehicle weight ratings, axle ratings, even tire ratings, but you don't often hear about the weight ratings of ALL of the pieces of the actual hitch setup.
Josh, I know I'm posting this comment on a video made 2 years ago, but if you see this would you please consider doing another video with your certified technician discussing ALL of the various weight ratings and limitations that must be considered in towing setups? Tow vehicle and trailer comes to mind most often, though that also could be split into bumper pulls versus fifth wheels. But it could also be worthwhile to discuss the towing aspects of motorized RVs that are towing vehicles or other gear behind them. Maybe a small series of videos to cover all of these?
And when you do, please have the technician show and name every component of the towing system. I'm not sure what to call the part of the hitch system that is permanently attached to my pickup truck. 😁
Really appreciate this. Old video or not I still watch the comments :)
I wish I had more time to make additional info-based videos like this one. Appreciate your insights here
5:16 Good note on ensuring that round bar is latched in completely! Having lost one on my last outing, I can tell you that I will be triple checking mine before driving off. That was a costly mistake and could have been worse had the bar hit someone else on the road.
Truly Good Feedback
I noticed that the pin wasn’t popping into place to lock that puppy in there when the bar was rotated back. Might have also contributed to our sway problems. Dang glad my bar didn’t fall out, and that yours did hurt anyone!!
Great vid for a newbie. Thank Zach, because it looked like he was used to installing and adjusting, and took his time and explained the "whys" of this system. Josh jumped in and added relevant info. Thank you both.
Yeah, my RV dealer didn't show me squat about operating my WDH or the sway control when I bought it. It was pretty much like, give us your money, we'll hook it up thank you goodbye. Thanks Josh, will be buying from you next time. Could be real soon. I know this vid is 3 years old, but hey, I'm binge watching your vids.
Glad to be of service! :)
Zach setup the R3 on my new Passport GT today and it worked awesome!! He explained everything and had me do it hands on. The system towed great on the 2.5 hour ride home. Thanks Haylett
Awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback. Would you mind taking 30 seconds to drop a quick review for others to see your experience here? bit.ly/2mIHzC3
Great video, very informative!! I like these tech vids, please make more! Topics: Roof seam repair / maintenance, how to black tank flush, wheel bearing maintenance, how to check tire condition, overloaded trailer / flat axle springs
Also when you do this make sure the truck and trailer are level don't try and do it if you backed into your site and your trailer is higher the the truck, you won't be able to release the bars, you will have to get back out to the road level the truck and trailer take them off then back into your site.
all solid feedback
We have a Husky wd hitch and had the same experience. We ran into several campsites where we had to unhook our bars before backing in. Good point
Super good video, Josh. Would, also, like to thank Zach for his init to get this video on camera. You both did a bang-up job about making it an easy and non-scary exercise. Again, thanks, guys. Y'all Be Safe!
Got our rv from hayletts this week. They walked us through this process for the r3 but great to see this video to refresh this newbie
I never thought a 5th wheel would be easier to hitch and unhitch until I used one. Great video Professor!
I’ve said this several times. I wish Haylett/Bish’s rv was in Oklahoma.
Josh I found this video because we are thinking about trading in our little trailer for a little bigger and nicer trailer. We got our trailer at Camping World and won’t go back to them because of several issues between the purchase and service and warranty issues.
Thanks again for your camper tours and I really enjoyed the hitch video with Zach Bills! “ Hope he’s doing well “
Ps Because of you I think our next camper is going to be a Rockwood 2205S. Thank you again
Zach is doing his own service work now and really happy doing it. I am super proud of and happy for the guy
Great video, and obviously a critically important one. I definitely learned a lesson about weight distribution hitches and how it's safe to raise your tongue jack while coupled in order to install or remove the weight distribution bars.
Well done! I think we need a few more videos from Zach on this subject pertaining to the questions in the comment feed. Easy to watch. Very informative! Thanks guys!
For those who aren't aware Christina and her Husband Ben are full time RVers who share some pretty awesome adventures at czcams.com/channels/_rOCkh0gjtnBhPZW75yDZQ.html
@@JoshtheRVNerd I'll sub up to them.
I want to thank you for this video. My previous dealer set this up and told me nothing about this. Thank you.
that is good info but what i need most is how to set the weight distribution system up initially. like how high is the hitch so as the truck is not squatting so low and the trailer is straight
Great video Josh! When my wife and I bought our Jayco 26’ bunkhouse from our dealer we we never shown this, nor were we ever asked if we knew about these types of hitches. I wish your dealership was closer to us (Vancouver Canada) for our next purchase...
Well I have good news -- These things are on wheels and they can get from here to there!
All we ask in return for our efforts is a simply phone call or email to give our guys a fair shake at simply putting something together. No harm and no risk to you in simply investigating.
Great video Josh! Will be used as a refresher in operating our recurve system as we start our camping season. Now just need a de-winterization video to make sure I do our Rockwood 2109S correctly- lol
Great video, this is the one installed on my truck. When I saw the 3, I thought it was in honor of Dale Earnhardt Sr, it wasn’t. The tech sorry, forgot his name, said it was a reminder of how many turns of the wrench to loosen the sway control before unhooking the trailer to make it easier to hook it back up next time.
I didn’t know that about the seat control! Thank you
I have one of the side mount hitches, husky centerline. I think something I would have liked to have been told ahead of time was that they can be somewhat noisy at slow speeds. The first time I got the rig home I stopped dead in the intersection for about 2 minutes while I worked out the noise was the friction used to keep sway under control, and was by design.
Another great video. 3 thumbs up!
And remember to cross the safety chains to have a cradle in case the trailer detaches from the ball and don’t forget to attach the emergency trailer brake cable.
great to see how elevating the tongue helps, I just replaced my hand crank for an electric jack, which will make it much easier...
Once you have one there's no going back
Thank you Zach and Josh for the very informative explaining 🤪 of a WD system. You would think that if a dealership installs a WD system, they’d actually show you how to use it 🤷🏼♂️🤔.
You'd THINK that... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Its always my biggest concern is hook ups of the hitch and sway while pulling a trailor. Thank you for the advice.
I've been towing my trailer the wrong way all this time. I never lifted it back up before attaching the sway bars. Thanks for another great video josh.
I like the look and engineering of the R3 system over the others I have researched. Thanks for posting.
It’s our go to for years now
It would be cool if there was a way to apply more pressure to that Allen bolt at higher speeds and less at lower speeds
Weight distributing hitches are awesome- my parents used one to hook up our 24' outboard cruiser, with its massive tandem axle trailer, to the back of the family's 1966 Ford Thunderbird. With the weight distributing hitch, the tow was not only possible, but Easy (of course, the car Did have a 390 V-8 and an F-150 drive train- Ford would go all out, back then, if you asked them to).
The way cars have changed has really changed a lot of trailer towing. That big old boat of a V8 RWD family sedan just isn't something you see anymore. Everyone has shifted to SUV towing and half tons.
@@JoshtheRVNerd - You're certainly right about That! The old T-Bird was like a tank, compared with today's cars. It needed a ton of torque, just to push the car around, let alone pull a boat and trailer. The only real similarity between then and now- the weight distributing hitch. I had a good laugh on reading your reply, as I tried to imagine the utter failure of a 2-door car of today, trying to haul a big boat- or, for that matter, the average good-sized travel trailer... :)
Great info on the R3, Finally answered my question about how far the sway control needs to be tightened !!! I should have driven up there to Buy my Apex, Dealer down here in San Antonio never went over some of the things I learned on your channel. Mahalo! (Thanks)
Aloha and Mahalo! Visit us sometime and join our crazy little ohana lol
Much love for my R3 Recurve! I actually never have to use the tool to lever the support bar into place. When jacked high enough, it will simply rotate into place freely. It was part of my TT purchase and dealer installed.
Just got my R3 installed. Got a question for you since you have one. Do you need to readjust the sway control every time you hitch, or once you got it where you like it. Just need to adjust for weather/road conditions.
@@19redskins71 Hey Mike -- sorry for the delayed response...I just noticed your Q. I adjust the R3 each time I hitch/unhitch. When backing up and angling into a parking space, you'll want zero sway control (friction on the R3) so be sure to stop short of your backing point, hop out of the tow vehicle and loosen the sway nut until you can see the friction ring freely moving around the column it snugs up to. When setting up to tow away, I was told to tighten the sway nut to about 20lbs torque then back off a quarter turn. I like a little more control than that so I just snug it down to about 30 lbs and leave it. Hope that helps.
PS...my rig is 10K GVWR and 795 lb tongue weight...probably more like 1300 lb loaded up.
I learned today.. Pay someone who knows what they are doing. It will save you trouble.
Facts
When We bought Our RV from another dealer in Vegas NV in 2017 they didn't tell Us this, they just wanted to make the sale. We had stopped for the night at a camp ground and I was struggling with the Pry bar then an man said hey it's easier if You do what Your doing, so we've been doing that ever since. We don't even need the Pry Bar to take it on and off. And Ours is the underneath. We lost it in the RV Park, but someone who's paying attention, said, "Hey, You lost Your Bar".
Sorry to hear you had that experience Jeff. I hope you’ve been able to learn through it and just have some good experiences since then
I wish there was a video like this for all different types of wdh's and sway control systems on the market and not just the expensive popular ones. Thank you for taking time to share this video.
Hitching can often vary regionally. There are a TON of different hitches, types, and names. Our hope was to provide some baseline consumer education they could apply to virtually any common hitch system found.
Again, another older video Josh, but you answered a couple of more of my questions.
So I think maybe I don't need a different hitch set-up, I just need it installed AND explained properly.
Unfortunately, it's January and there's probably several feet of snow around the trailer and the road going in. So it will have to wait until spring.
Thanks.
Read your previous post. Sorry to hear you've been having issues. It's frustrating when you have to find your own way thru it all, but I feel confidently you'll get there and be able to have a great season
@@JoshtheRVNerd Yes. Now at least I have an idea about what it's supposed to do. Thanks.
Always do the bar with your palm on top so the bar rips out through your fingers when it flies down if you are too tight
You guys put the same hitch setup on my truck when I bought my camper from you. Works great! Just please, remind people to lower the hitch before pulling the safety pin and flipping the latch. Although it was funny, it scared the crap out of me when my truck dropped out of it!!
Good point
Q- With trailer level & not hitched, I understand the top of the ball should be 1" above the top of the receiver. You comments. please
Good video, do you have a video that shows the setting up the WD/sway control for the levelness of both truck and trailer? If not that might be a good one.
We have plans to do more "hands on" stuff like this now that Aaron's working with me more officially. Once the flood of inventory slows down we'll be all over it.
Josh, What about backing while hoked up with the leveling bars? This was asked below also....
And answered below. Depends on the hitch. Some allow for it. Some do not.
great video as always....we have the blu ox system,but same process
OK good video answer a couple of my questions I have the same R3,… my question is, how do you adjust the angle of the ball you have two set screws you might say one down below and then one up above with the big notched head on it. How do you just of? How does what are therefore I didn't see anything in the instructions. I did buy it new
We definitly learnt. I was kinda intriged about this R3. Bill suggested it. My husband was wanting the anderson and it seems great but i think we will give the R3 a try first
Hope you enjoy it!
Keep up the tech videos. Binge watching your videos
Great video, thanks for your time. If possible pleased make one on how to adjust the R6 Recurve to put more weight on the front of tow vehicle.
The instruction manual is confusing to me. Can't see where adjusting wheel does anything.
Again thanks for the great work
thank you for taking the time to do this video. I wish this video was out like 2 years ago. I struggled with my WDH big time. This is such a Great channel you have so much useful info.
Josh or Zach:
Can a trailer that's already set up with a separate sway control bar and a trunion bar and chain WD hitch be retrofitted with an R3 recurve WD hitch? The fuss work and weight of our present system has us looking for something different. This might be it.
Second, what are the tongue weight or trailer weight limits of the R3 recurve system?
Another fine video Josh and Zach. Just re-enforces why we wish we'd known about you and Haylett when we bought our first travel trailer.
Respectfully,
Wm. Schooley
Hitching systems are independent of the RV. They're added on after the RV is built and can just as easily be removed and swapped for something else.
Regardings weights: There are Recurve systems to fit any travel trailer made really. If the RV becomes large/heavy/long, then we would likely recommend the use of the Recurve R6 which is basically just the heavy duty version with a stronger anti-sway mechanism to help handle those larger 35ft trailers that can sometimes push 10,000lbs or more.
This was a great one Josh. Keep them coming!
I like that system so much more then my Husky Center Line.
We are finding each system has slight advantages over the other. Clients with more mechanical experience from their personal backgrounds and those with previous trailer towing experience seem to prefer the Recurve while newer clients with less base of knowledge will find the centerline an easier way to get towing completely safely (since it has fewer steps and things to remember).
@@JoshtheRVNerd I am sure both are fine. Husky has treated us well with no issues. Seeing the Recurve used in this video really showed off its benefits to me. One small change I like is where the location the Bar sits at when set. It sits more level with the trailer tongue. The Husky sits inched below and can get close to the chains. Again both are fine and I am sure both work great. After years of towing its the small things like bar placement that really appeal to me.
100% spot on feedback and observations.
Q: Do you carry zombie spray too? 🧟♀️ A: Yes, right next to the bear spray! 🐻 😆🤣😂😅
Should I remove my Sumo Springs (hard rubber like bump stops) when pulling my trailer???
I think zack did a good job in front of the camera, way better than i ever could🙄
I have full respect for anyone willing to subject themselves to public scrutiny like this. It can be intimidating for sure.
Thank you for building my confidence
Do you have a video showing a ProPride 3P installation and/or an evaluation of one? All of my research so far indicates it is the only hitch system that prevents sway vs just dampening it.
I do not have anything relating to propride hitching at this time
Great instructional video. This is, again, something that should probably be standard on every hookup. I looked into this a bit more and it appears there are different load level ratings on these hitches. Do you buy according to the hitch weight, tongue weight or some other number?
Match the hitch to the rvs GVWR
@@JoshtheRVNerd thank you
Oh how I wish it were that easy. I think the vertical brackets on my trailer frame must be a little off because if I don’t have my truck and trailer lined up exactly the bar will NOT go in the bracket. This usually results in me driving forward while turning the wheel of the truck. Raising up the trailer again, trying to put the bracket back on… And repeating the procedure 4 to 5 times. I also have to tap the pins out gently with a hammer. Not an easy system to use as a solo (female) camper
Not something we tend to see here. Having the truck/trailer straight definitely helps.
Haylett RV I had to take it back to the dealership once and get the brackets re-aligned. But I can’t keep doing that.
Josh, thanks for the information. I have a Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch that has a 2" shank unfortunately my F250 receiver is 2.5" Went to HD and got a 2" sleeve however there is lots of play and the weight distributing hookup points point downward making it hard to connect the bars. Any suggestions short of getting a 2.5 shank? It was given to me free of charge and would be a shame to have to purchase a replacement.
Whether you paid for it or not a part that doesn't work isn't worth much in my mind. You need to visit a local Ford facility to get the correct part in place. The price you pay is nothing compared to the risk you're taking otherwise.
My wife has some weight distribution issues..... hey yooooo
*backs away slowly*
VERY helpful and informative. Thanks!
Hey Josh , ask Zach if you can hook up your bars while your trailer is still above your truck hitch , before you lower your trailer down onto your truck ? Saw something on CZcams about this . Thanks Keep up the good work Zach , and you to Josh lol
Questions like this are best handled directly over the phone. Plenty of members of our parts and service team could assist you at 800-256-5196
Could you please explain tongue weight? I’ve read it’s supposed to be 10% but 10% of the loaded trailer weight or is it of the truck GVW?
Tongue Weight is based on the trailer's loaded weight (meaning dry or "UVW" plus cargo.
Ideal tongue weight % can vary based on floor plan, load positioning, etc. 10% is a fair guideline, but some RVs and even vehicles will ride better a little more.
Usually 15% starts to be too much for MOST truck/trailer pairings. Again, it depends. There's a lot of variables here.
It can actually be dangerous to have too much weight BEHIND the axles in an effort to make a lighter tongue weight. Weight behind the axles will cause sway to get out of hand. It's all about balance and "feel."
And how something "Feels" from a comfort perspective varies by individual.
after sinching down the sway nut and driving for a while, is there ever a need to check on it? Resetting the tightness of that "brake pad" Loving the video...lots of good data.
There shouldn't be, but checking will never hurt you.
Josh...........how about a vid on tires. (I'm sorry) about like diesel or gas discussion LoL. Maybe cover ST tires vs LT tires?
Great idea! TY
Thanks for the great video! Question- I have this setup and I was wondering the difference in the two holes for the pin that holds the sway bar in place? Which should you use and why? Thanks!
I’ve got one of these and really like it. Great information!
Great to hear!
Great information.
If I have allot of sag on my truck do increase the height of the ball or decrease? Thank you.
Excellent information. Sharing.
Would you use the Recurve on a Shamrock 235s (approx 5600 lbs) with a 9000 lb tow capacity vehicle?
Absolutely. Just make sure you get a set with the correct weight ranges on the leveling bars (and we recommend basing it upon your GVWR)
Great video, what is the difference between the R3 and R6? I have a 2020 Jeep Wrangler and looking for a good WD and sway control set up.
Basically one is more “heavy duty”
There’s no trailer within a wrangler’s capacity that would warrant stepping to an R6
Great video, I didn't even know WDH were a thing. Now that I do....where are the Recurve R3 WD hitches? Have they been discontinued? I noticed they are not available from your parts store! I want one for our new Cougar 29BHS!
Some vendors have weird guidelines when it comes to selling their stuff online. A LOT of what we offer isn't in that online parts store. It's frustrating.
Our team at www.haylettautoandrv.com/parts/ can get you answers however.
@@JoshtheRVNerd I have filled out all the info on the "request parts" section, but it just tells me it is "sending". I am not sure if anything went through.
@@chrislaite6776 TY for the info. I just checked and can confirm your request IS coming thru. I'll investigate on my end why it's not providing confirmation on your end. TY
What is the cable with the carabiner used for and where do you connect that?
Break away switch. Hook it onto something like the hitching pin on the vehicle's insert. If the truck and trailer come apart, then the cable pulls out a pin that will fire the trailer's brakes to hopefully bring it down from speed before anything more dangerous happens
Can you help me with this? I’m towing a fairly light (3500lb) trailer. Single axle. My WD system uses chains. It use to be I’d be set on three links. Then four. Now five. That’s not so much the issue though. Regardless of how I set this up, one side is very tight. The other loose and almost swaying. The location of the equipment bolted to the tongue looks to be equal. The bars don’t appear to be bent. I’m puzzled. Can you help me figure this out?
If we had our hands on the camper, then absolutely. Remotely like this I'm unable to offer much assistance. This is more a hands-on thing
I would suggest trying to set an appointment with a local service center if at all possible
Josh, my daughter just bought a new vehicle and I want to make sure that the hitch is set up properly. I did not see this in the video. When the trailer is leveled on level ground and the vehicle is backed up to the trailer before connecting, should the ball on the vehicle be equal in height to where the top of the ball would be inside the tongue or should the ball on the vehicle be an inch or so higher? Thanks!
It could go either way. Usually the ball slightly higher helps since the vehicle will squat a bit
It sort of depends on how all the lives pair up
@@JoshtheRVNerd Thanks, I just didn’t just want to assume that every WD hitch had a similar setup.
Hey Josh. We have a 7000lb 27' ultralight. Used to tow it with an F150. Traded that truck for a Ram 3500. Do we still need the WDH? Where can I ask that question?
You may not "need it" but it will never hurt you. it's still a good idea to use one
Thanks for the video I put on the r3 hitch like this really like it but couldn't get my spare back on. How do you get that back on my inside tongue attachments make it to tight. Appreciate your thoughts
We don’t have that problem with tongue mounted spares. Without seeing the setup I don’t know how to provide any insights
For this method of hookup, it actually lifts the rear tires of our truck off the ground. Is the system really designed to handle that kind of weight and pick up the truck?
I'd have to see what you're describing. Tires shouldn't be off the ground. Something is wrong with that
I have recurve 3 systems but I can’t seem to level the camper straight still have some sag on truck how off on inches does truck need to be... or you think putting air bags will help level back of truck to be more level..? Trying to figure out every time I take rv out I’m adjusting brake control but seems to to still bucking a little and pulling side to side...is this normal...? Any thoughts will help
Too many variables to be able to offer a suggestion from here. Best idea is to visit your local service center to have them eyeball it to know where to begin.
Do weight distribution systems come with anti'sway bars or are the 2 different systems?
Weight distributing and anti sway are technically two different things
But most modern hitches now do both in one
I have factory air bags,,' they automatically level my load,,,, so do I still need those bars,, ?
Depends on what you’re towing
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, Great video Gentlemen!!
We recently switched from an SUV to a Dodge Ram Rebel and we tried to adjust the Recurve R3 but it's still too low in the back and high in the front of the truck. I need some help with figuring out how to adjust the tilt and thumbscrew. I took it back to the dealer this weekend and the tech eyeballed it and said it was fine and wouldn't adjust it. I know it's not fine because I measured it and it was sagging 2+ inches in the back and raised in the front end of the truck. I called Camco and they sent me to an install video but I didn't get the fine adjustment tutorial for fixing the tilt and the thumb screw that I needed. I'd like to find a pro in my area or get some helpful tutorial videos on it. I'm stuck. Pleas advise.
This is something we can likely address for you, but would really need to have the rig on hand in person. Apologies Phaedra
@@JoshtheRVNerd What kinds of questions could I ask a local technician to find out if they have the understanding/skill set necessary to adjust this type of sway control hitch?
Great video! Little late to the party since you guys posted this over a year ago but hopefully someone can answer my question.. with the anti sway mechanism tight when I get to my camp site and I’m backing in do I need to loosen that sway bar bracket with the Allen wrench or is it safe to just back up like you would normally do?
This R3 system does pretty well for most backing up. You can go to a 45 degree angle w/o really thinking. Beyond that you may consider loosening the sway control
If you need to really crank it past a 90 degree turn (which is rare really), then it is recommended to remove the bars
Great info guys! Thank you!
Our pleasure!
Another great video from Josh & Zach!
Thanks guys🤣
Is there a rule of thumb regarding ball size?
(Boy, that sounds wrong 😂).
Specifically, if I’m towing a 6,000 lbs trailer (UVW) and have approximately 800 lbs cargo do I want a ball rated for 7,000 lbs or would I want something with a higher weight rating?
Does it become overkill at some point? (Say a 10,000 lbs rated ball)?
Also, is there a standard ball circumference for RV trailers? I’m thinking it may be a 2” ball but that’s a total guess.
Do I need this when I come to pick up my RV from Bish’s or can you sell me anything I need regarding towing my new trailer/Toy Hauler?
Ball size isn’t something you. Usually need to decide since you need to match up with whatever the coupler on the RV requires.
Hitching systems usually include the ball itself btw so we can assist with that as needed
@@JoshtheRVNerd thanks 🙏
Great video Josh. I bought this hitch right there at Haylett. One question. My F150 has electronic sway control. Do I turn this function off on my truck when using this hitch?
Nope! Just hit your tow/haul button and drive safely!
We have this hitch w/d system and tow a 7K lb twirler with a F150 max tow pkg truck. We experienced a fair bit of sway. I called the R3 manufacturer and they told me to turn OFF the auto sway control on our truck, that the truck system and the hitch system will work against one another. I just turned off the system in the truck and haven’t had a chance to drive the trailer yet after that change (will do next week). I am hoping it’ll take care of our problems! What have YOU found works? Truck system on or off?
@@JoshtheRVNerd That's why you buy the factory tow package - let it do what it's supposed to.
Good vid on exactly how to do this. Last RV trailer had the Equal-I-Zer WDH on it. Worked very well, used your method here to hitch up and go. But, the head assembly must have weighed 60 pounds and guaranteed a trip to the chiropractor every time I had to put it into the truck receiver. Going with the Geo Pro 19FD, would like something with sway control over weight distribution, something like the Andersen hitch which has aluminum as it's major material. Do you have any feedback from customers using that brand?
Best suggestion would be to chat with our parts team directly as my role here doesn't really put me into that chain of communication regularly
Great video always like your videos
One thing though how about when truck and trailer are not level with each other.
The hitch head has raise/drop adjustments
I use anti sway bars. However, most of the time you are covering up the fact that you don't have enough tongue weight.
I'm new and don't understand how you cover up tongue weight.
Never take your hand off the lifting bar once you pick it up to slide under the torque bars until the lifting bar is disconnected from the trailer. IF the lifting bar is under pressure when you take your hand off you could end up eating the bar!
Do you need that type of hitch with a 20’ single axle travel trailer?
That depends on how the trailer interacts with your vehicle. It's often relative. There's no "if you trailer is this size, then you need THIS hitch" sort of guideline.
I can say you'll never regret having it. But if you have a larger truck, then you may not need them.
Our team at 800-256-5196 is always happy to assist in your specific needs in return for the opportunity to earn your business.
Just found your channel. Looking at buy a toy hauler to pull with my 19 Ranger. If a different height of hitch is needed because receiver on truck is higher than tongue of trailer, do they make weight distribution hitches with drop or rise if needed?
The trailers that fit your smaller truck organically ride a little lower. Stuff like this: bit.ly/319vw87
@@JoshtheRVNerd thanks for the feedback. Probably looking a little bigger than that. My truck does have the factory tow package and is rated to tow up to 7500 lbs. I figure I can go to about 5500 dry and be okay with the bike, 6k if I move with the tanks mt.
Thank you!
You're welcome!
great video
Ty!
Josh, enjoy your teaching videos but have one question. I have a 35 foot Sunset Trail travel trailer. When I hook up my hitch, I am very close to level front of truck to rear of trailer. I also have air bags on the truck. I am still having some slight " light front end" feeling and some sway. I tighten up the EZ sway bar and sometimes still feels light up front. Do I need more air in the airbags??? Front fender is within half inch of starting measurement. Trailer weight at the scales is 8154, per my owners manual, can go up to 11,300 but dealership recommends 9000 as max.I drive a ford F150 super duty crew
Hitching is like a thumb print. They all look the same until you look very closely. Without seeing it I'm afraid I can't begin to diagnose what might be happening.
Hey Josh I've been watching your videos for awhile now. This spring I will be buying my first RV. I respect your videos because you throw it out there good or bad. I was wondering if you had a opinion on the Anderson Hitches ? The chains eliminate a lot of the sounds that make you wonder if the frame is coming apart. I don't know if this is a product you handle or not but any opinion would be greatly appreciated.
It has been about 3 or 4 seasons since we used their trailer hitches a great deal. When they first launched we used them quite a bit. Found a few wearing issues long term we hadn't predicted. It's 100% possible advancements have been made to eliminate that however.
Since we've largely shifted to the Recurve R3. Like the Andersen it's a near silent hitch, but seems a little less quirky to operate.
Haylett RV thank you for your prompt reply. I'm the last one in my family to purchase a RV. This spring I will retire and will be ready to make that leap. I would love to visit your location but will take some planning since your like 350 miles away.
@@duanehamlin6730 No Sweat! Long distance folks like you are the every day client at our facility. Our team is VERY experienced at making it a smooth an easy process!!
Thanks guys! Such a great video.
Our pleasure!