# Towing Equipment?...Help



## byuguy (Feb 15, 2004)

OK....I've reached my research limit.....I am confident that I should install a Prodigy brake controller.....but after that I am lost.









I take delivery of my new 23RS next month and want to have my truck as prepared as possible.....I had one dealer try to tell me that he wouldn't let me leave the lot without signing a release unless I bought $1000.00 worth of upgrades to my towing package/truck (and he didn't even ask what kind of truck I had or the towing capacity).









I have a class III hitch already.....what do you all recommend for sway.....and, if I need it, weight distribution?


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

I know what you mean, after a while all the info you read becomes on big blur







. The prodigy is a great choice.

You should definitely get weight distribution with your hitch setup. It makes for much better and safer towing. Putting that much weight on the back of the truck will make it act squirrely. 6-800 lb. rated bars should work. I use 800 lb. bars that were left over from our previous trailer and they work fine. Regardless of how the dealer sets up your system, doublecheck it according to the directions. I had to redo mine because the bars weren't transferring enough weight to the front axle. As far as sway control, you can use a friction bar, which is your basic sway control. That's what I've been using and it works good for my size trailer. I think single friction controllers are recommended for trailers under 6000 lbs and under 25 or 26 feet. If you want to upgrade from there you can get either a Reese dual cam setup or an equal-i-zer brand sway control hitch. Guys on the forum here use both, hopefully they'll chime in and give you their input. Your current receiver is fine, you just need the hitch head, sway control and weight distribution.


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## gotgod (Jan 28, 2004)

I recently purchased the 28BHS and had the wieght distribution hitch when I pulled it home from the dealer which was about 70 miles. I had my wife and two kids and a $17,000 camper behind me that I was beginning to believe would be the death of us all. Every time a semi passed us it would suck us in and then try to push us in the ditch. I have never been so scared in my life, with only about 10 miles of interstate between me and my dealer I was ready to go back and let him keep it. But I went on. I purchased the reese dual cam sway control and drove about 30 miles round trip on the interstate this past saturday and it pulled like a dream. I wouldn't pull anything again without it. However with a camper not as long you may not experience sway as much. All I ask is you take it serious when you and your family are in the vehicle towing your camper on a vacation that is supposed to be all fun, but can be the worst experience if you don't take sway seriously. It only takes your camper beginning to sway one time and it could all be over. Hope you play it safe for you and your families sake. Happy Camping Mike


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## ctsoderq (Dec 14, 2003)

I had a similar experience as "gotgod" when towing our trailer home. I had the weight distributing hitch, but not sway control. I bought a basic friction type (draw-tite) sway control, and it greatly improved towing and was easy to install.

Besides the break controller, WDH, and sway control, you probably want to invest in some extension mirrors. Maybe your tow vehicle already has them. I bought a pair of the plastic slip over kind, and they work well and stay in place surprisingly well. Another item that really helped us, as first time trailer owners, was a set of the multi-channel walkie-talkies. They're great for communicating when aligning the tow vehicle and tralier when hitching up. They are also invaluable when backing into camp sites.

I bought my brake controller from a local RV service business (not where I bought the trailer). I also paid them to install it. There isn't much to installation of the things, but they have a box they plug into the back of the truck which verifies everything is working from the controller all the way through to where the trailer actually plugs in. I didn't have to worry if it was going to work when I picked up the trailer...well worth the extra $30.

Good luck, and take your time getting home.


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## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

hi guys, I also had the friction sway controller, after taking the trailer to Death Valley and being passed by semi's and experiencing several white knucklers I went and purchased the dual cam setup. Made a big difference. I also just replaced the tires on my Tahoe, went with Yokahama LT285x75x16 load range D, picked then up locally here in Victorville at America Tire Store. The ride is a lot firmer then the old P-metric tires, I hope this works to take even more of the blowing effect out of passing trucks, I will find out next month when we go up the coast to Big Sur. So you may want to check your tires as well. Yes there are other So. Cal outbackers


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## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

I know a bunch of folks that pull that size of TT with friction anti sway and are fine with it. I on the other hand will never pull without either an HP dual cam or Equilizer at a minimum for any size of TT. With my family in the car and the other cars on the road I am going to error on the safe side.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

For the money you can't beat the Prodigy. I've had another and would never go back to it, the Prodigy is so much smoother when it comes to braking I can't even compare the two. You can get one from www.rvwholesalers.com for $99, anywhere from 20-40 less than a dealer. Install is pretty easy too, buy the correct pigtail from your brand of vehicle and plug it in. Your set. What year/make of tow vehicle do you have?

They also sell the Equa-li-zer hitch at rvwholesalers.com too, starting at $399 including shipping its the lowest price I've seen. Tell your dealer you have the hitch and brake control and they just need to set it up as part of the deal. Paying a bit for it wouldn't be unreasonable, but why drop another $500 for it when you don't need to.

I've never had a problem towing, but on all my campers I've had a form of sway control. My Popup used a friction bar and did fine, but it was a must have, now on both the Kiwi and Outback I've used my Equa-li-zer hitch, I bought more than I needed when I got the Kiwi, I got the 1,000# bars so was able to can keep the Equa-li-zer hitch when I upgraded to my Outback.

(soap box on)
It maybe overkill, but I had a "short check" experience while towing a flat bed trailer, with 8 college style bookstore racks. I lost it on a bridge and the sway was out of control at 65mph. I really thought I was a gone. No sway control and no brakes, barely made it across the bridge and when the trailer drifted behind me again I had to brake hard, tail swung around on me and came within inches of slamming into the concrete guard rail (brand new F150 too). I pulled to the center of the Interstate and got out, looked back at the bridge and the now mangled bookshelves. That was all the proof I'll ever need in God! Cop came by, he could obviously see what went on, his first words..."Do we need a shorts check boys?" I drove home on the side roads at 45mph the rest of the way. Taught me a huge lesson that day, and ever since I make sure I have good equipment and I know how to use it... you never know when your safety and the safety of your family may need it. 
(soap box off)


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## Warren504 (Dec 7, 2003)

I have a F150 and adding the prodigy was very simple, just get the Ford Pigtail when you order, screw the mounting bracket to the dash board where you want it and plug it in to the wiring already waiting under the dash. Good luck, the sway control and weight distribution hitch is a must for peace of mind and safety.


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## byuguy (Feb 15, 2004)

Thanks for all the input.....I installed the Prodigy with the pigtail.....that was too easy!....now, I believe that I will be going with the Reese dual cam unit.....anyone know where I can get it cheaper than $449?.....thanks again, Carl


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Carl check with RV Wholesalers they sell various hithches and at least the prices on the Equalizer brand are the cheapest I've seen, peraps their Reese line is as well priced.


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## byuguy (Feb 15, 2004)

RVWholesalers is the site that has it for $449, including a shank......just don't know if the shank is the correct one for my TV and TT....as I have not picked up my 23RS....does anyone know the approximate height of the hitch on the 23RS?


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