# ..."IF you have the right set-up" (hitch question)



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Ok...I'm now convinced I can't pill the 28RS-S with my 2000 Expedition (3.55 ratio). That is now behind me.

Next topic -- I keep getting advice on making sure I have the "right" setup for the new hitch I will need. Plenty of people have said to make sure you set it up correctly. What does that mean? Guess I have a lot to learn, coming up from a Coleman Tent Trailer.

I want to make sure I have all the information/knowledge I need when I go to the dealer. I don't want them to "sell" me something; I want to "buy" what I need. (hope that makes sense to you guys).

I'm sure this will open up the type of controversy like a Ford vs. Chevy topic....but which hitch, sway control and braking system should I get? Money isn't really the issue...I want my family to be safe, and I don't want to drive with â€œwhite knucklesâ€.









Thanks...

Jim


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Ok Jim here are my thoughts.

Brake Control. Get a Prodigy. You'll hear it talked about a lot, I've had a cheaper one and wouldn't go back to it if you paid me. For $99 you can have one of the best on the market. With your rig you can buy a pig tail to plug into the truck and into the Prodigy and you should be set. Some trucks require a fuse to be installed, you can check your owners manual to be sure.

Hitch. Well for $3,000 you can buy a Hensley, some Outbackers have gone that route, they are top of the line, but you pay for it. The Reese straight line and dual cams are good as well, I've never used them so I'll defer to others. I use an Equal-i-zer hitch for my setup, have used it now on 2 campers and soon to be on 3 trucks and always found it to be a great hitch. You can learn more about it here.

You can find both the Prodigy $99 and the Equalizer $399 at RVWholesalers.com including free shipping, those prices are better than what I paid and tough to beat.

By proper setup, people are talking about having them installed properly, and having a balanced load. The hitches are designed to (a) level the load and spread the tongue weight from the hitch to the front of the truck a bit and (







stop/prevent/reduce trailer sway.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

With the Outback having the slide in the back, what is the best way to determine a balanced load? Prior to hooking up the truck, the trailer will be on the tounge support (can't see if it's balanced).

Guessing I want to balance the load prior to hooking up the distribution bars...right?

Sorry to EVERYONE for all these lame questions...I've just new to the bigger trailers.









Jim


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Jim one thing I think you'll find here is we all are welcoming to the questions, I asked a ton when I got here too and unlike some forums we never grow tired of them, that's why this forum exists.

The trailer is balanced properly so you don't need to adjust it, you just want to load properly. Your water tanks is at the back so if you fill it to go dry camping (noticed other post) then you may need to add weight up front. I try to avoid taking the Outback on long hauls full of water, almost always I can find water nearby.

The WDH (weight distribution hitch) will just help to make sure that the weight is spread over all 4 wheels of the truck not just 2, so your trailer won't squat as bad. Ideally you'll want to tow level as possible for both the trailer and the truck.

In this photo I had about the most level setup I'd had till then after adjusting my hitch.


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## jlstew (May 29, 2004)

One thing to remember if you have a service dept. install you need to read the directions yourself and try to understand them as best you can so you can double check their work. Some people will just attach equipment and not be adjusted properly! Don't be afraid to ask questions or to just install the hitch yourself and take your time doing it.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

When you buy a hitch, equalizer, reese, etc, there will be specific instructions on how to set it up properly. If you follow them, you will be able to set things up relatively easily. It will take some time, but it is time well spent being your towing experience will be much more comfortable.

Y is right in saying the trailer is already balanced. The designers take into account the weight of everything when they design the trailer. Once you start loading your belongings,however, you can change the balance, the key is in loading properly. Having enough tongue weight is very important and can be the source of sway problems and a bad towing experience. Tongue weight in relation to total trailer weight should be around 12%.

Ideally, weighing the truck and trailer loaded is the best way to determine if you are loaded and set up correctly. Another way would be to weigh your gear as you load it and add it to the dry weight stated on the sticker inside the trailer. This will give you an *approximate* weight. You will also need to take into account the weight of the battery, propane and any water you are carrying. From that weight, let's say 5,500#, you can calculate the tongue weight should be around 660# (12%). Compare that to the actual tongue weight, and you can adjust your load from there.

My reese hitch instructions included directions on using a bathroom scale in conjunction with a lever to determine the tongue weight. In my own experience, when there hasn't been enough tongue weight, towing can get kind of squirrely when even a car goes past on the highway let alone a semi. After shifting more gear forward to increase the tongue weight, I haven't had any problems.

Mike


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## NWcamper2 (Mar 28, 2004)

Hi Jim,

We use the prodigy and Equalizer combination.

Just as an FYI--- since you are in Oregon and talked about going to the show this weekend... I am "assuming" you are in the Portland area(we are in the Aloha area). In which case there is Curtis Trailers west and east side, and another dealer in Eugene for Outbacks. We bought last year right after the spring show. By calling around and driving 4 hours to Pasco to another dealer, we were able to save a couple of thousand on top of their "show prices" Tacoma would meet the price, but not make it worth the drive.

We just did a very thorough PDI and have had no issues. We use the service from Curtis when needed (which has only been little questions here and there). The sales people (at Curtis) will tell you that the service is "preferred customers get taken care of first" yada yada, and this was their reasoning behind not meeting the Pasco price we found. But when we have gone into the service dept. they don't ask where we bought it, and have (so far) been very accommodating.

Just know that "show" price is not the lowest they can go! You can easily save another 2 grand.

OH and one other point is that Pasco, even at the cheaper price, we got them to throw in the Equal-i-zer brand hitch and set it up for us, showed us everything








Good luck and happy shopping

~Monette


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## JimWilson (Feb 24, 2004)

NWcamper2 said:


> The sales people (at Curtis) will tell you that the service is "preferred customers get taken care of first" yada yada, and this was their reasoning behind not meeting the Pasco price we found.


And those sales people are right.

Unlike cars and trucks, RV dealers are not required to service a unit that wasn't bought from them in as timely a manner as one that was (I sell Coachmen's, so I know this to be true). That's to prevent dealer A -- with shoddy service -- from pumping out inventory for a very low price, and sticking dealer B -- the one with good service -- with the fixes and repairs dealer A has left in his wake.


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## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

I agree with those comments above on the prodigy brake controller and the need to set up yourself or at least double-check the work of others. You *need* to learn how to do this yourself for all sorts of reasons- what if something breaks or comes apart while camping? What if you hitch up and something doesn't look right? What if you're towing somewhere and you encounter sway, how will you change or adjust your hitch to correct it?

If you're mechanically inclined, it will be pretty simple to pick this stuff up. If not, it will still be pretty simple, but you'll have to work at it and be patient with yourself. Either way, its important, and you'll be better off for it in the long AND short run.

Kevin P.


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## illinoisboy (Jun 11, 2004)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Next topic -- I keep getting advice on making sure I have the "right" setup for the new hitch I will need. Plenty of people have said to make sure you set it up correctly. What does that mean? Guess I have a lot to learn, coming up from a Coleman Tent Trailer.
> 
> I'm sure this will open up the type of controversy like a Ford vs. Chevy topic....but which hitch, sway control and braking system should I get? Money isn't really the issue...I want my family to be safe, and I don't want to drive with â€œwhite knucklesâ€.
> 
> ...


Jim, i moved this year from a Coleman pop-up to a 23RS Outback so I know where you are coming from. These guys are great on this forum, so don't be afraid to ask anything. Reese, draw-tite, Equal-i-zer, Hensley and Pull-rite all make great equipment to meet different needs. It all depends on the price/performance ratio that you feel comfortable with. I would be happy with any of them as long as they were installed as specified. The smartest thing you can do is learn to setup everything yourself, because the dealer will not spend as much time as it needs to get it right for your particular combination of vehicles. When you load your tt differently with each trip, you can then adjust the hitch and tongue weight each time to your comfort level. For braking- the Prodigy brake control is a great white knuckle relaxer.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I use the same Equal-i-zer/Prodigy as Y-Guy & NW. (right down to NW's Titan!)

High praise for all three!


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## Jarrod (Jul 23, 2004)

Prodigy and Equal-i-zer here. Likin' both very much. Set up does take a little while and you have to be patient. It took me a couple of times to get things where I liked them and the combination felt nice and stable. Taking a short drive after adjustment has been a good test for me. Also, NWcamper2 mentioned Curtis Trailers Westside, don't trust them to install your hitch correctly. We purchased our Outback and hitch equipment from them. I had to point out to the fella installing the hitch that he had installed the saddles of the Equal-i-zer on the A-frame of the Outback upside down. Their initial set up was way way off. Don't have an opinion on the Service Dept. yet, haven't had to have any service done yet.







The best thing is to read the instructions and learn the process yourself. You will feel much more confident in your experience. There are all kinds of threads on this site and many others dealing with Reese w/Dual Cam HP and other hitch systems. I think I did a web search under "Reese hitch" and came up with a bunch of forum discussions. Good luck. Jarrod


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## NWcamper2 (Mar 28, 2004)

JimWilson said:


> NWcamper2 said:
> 
> 
> > The sales people (at Curtis) will tell you that the service is "preferred customers get taken care of first" yada yada, and this was their reasoning behind not meeting the Pasco price we found.
> ...


I found this to not be the case... maybe we just happened in on a good day or whatever.... but have had no problems in buying from one place and using service from another.


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## NWcamper2 (Mar 28, 2004)

NDJollyMon said:


> I use the same Equal-i-zer/Prodigy as Y-Guy & NW. (right down to NW's Titan!)
> 
> High praise for all three!


WooHoo Titan









We now pull the TT with the Titan and boats with the Expy...


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

NW...
I put a TruXedo tonneau cover on my TITAN this week. Looks great! I had to take my accessories out of the Utili-trac, but I can put them in easy enough when I need them. What kind of MPG are you getting?


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