Desert Captain
Tucson
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Joined: 02/19/2011
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SWD wrote:I've been rving with a TT for the past 7 years. I honestly dont know what the fuss is. I back up, hitch up, connect the plug,chains and break-away, connect the friction anti-sway bars (I have two of them), connect the WD bars and I'm done. Takes me about 10 mins which includes a walk around to make sure nothing is left behind. If I cant get the WD bars as tight as I want I drive to the nearest parking lot and re-adjust there.
X2 Methinks some folks are searching for a solution to which there is no known problem (much like the government).  Don't know what brand of WDH the OP has but my Reese is very simple. The two trunnion bars slip up and rotate into place, I attach the third link (from the end of the chain), and using a short piece of 3/4" pipe for a lever, lift the arm the chain attaches to up into place, secure it with a hitch clip and repeat on the other side. Having tension (more is better), on the tongue jack makes lifting the trunnion bars into place Much easier. All that is left is to crank up the tongue jack (muy importante), attach the single anti sway bar (and that is just two hitch clips and a couple of tuns on the tension lever). Then connect the safety chains, trailer brake cable and power cord, all total, about 5 minutes.
I spend another 5 minutes prior to this reconnecting my batteries (I just disconnect the positive lead when putting the TT away), and locking the WDH to the receiver and backing down to the trailer which usually takes me about 3 trips from the cab to the hitch to get right. All total about 15 minutes from the time I pull up until the towing mirrors are secured, adjusted and I'm driving away. It got about 5 minutes faster with far less yelling when I learned it was easier to back down without the directions/opinions of a third party.
Like a lot of things, the first couple of hundred times are the hardest. 
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sheltonlp
Washington State
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Joined: 06/02/2011
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Get ya a 14 year old son...he does most of the work for me and really enjoys it. I'm gonna miss him when he's too cool to camp with his family :-)
I use the Equalizer hitch and it really is pretty easy--just have to worry about 2 bars and I through them in the back of the pickup when not in use.
2012 Evergreen Everlite 32RBK-DS
2011 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Rock Warrior
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rexlion
Broken Arrow OK
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Joined: 04/01/2005
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Exactly why I prefer a small travel trailer that I can tow without WD or sway control. 
About the Hensley... isn't it relatively difficult to get lined up right for hookup? I've read comments that you just about have to back up at the exact same angle you were at when you unhooked.
The new Anderson hitch looks easier to hook/unhook than most.
Mike & Sherry
2000 Mercury Mountaineer
2008 Toyota Highlander
2011 KZ Spree Escape E14RB
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Joined: 06/16/2004
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Love my Equal-i-zer, and power tongue jack.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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MackinawMan
NW Ohio
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Joined: 07/13/2006
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Chuck&Gail wrote:Love my Equal-i-zer, and power tongue jack.
Yep...makes it pretty simple. Once the ball is coupled it's a very quick and simple process.
2000 Ford F350 XLT 7.3L PSD CC 4x4 OffRoad SRW Long Bed
2008 Jayco Eagle 314BHDS (Momma Eagle)
Equalizer Hitch System (1400/14000lbs)
Prodigy Brake Controller
Curt XD Class V Receiver Hitch (1500/15000 lb)
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1995brave
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 01/24/2006
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I took the easy way out, don't have to do the connect/disconnect any more. Traded my trailer (HTT) in for a Class A.
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coolmom42
Middle Tennessee
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Joined: 02/18/2011
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1995brave wrote:I took the easy way out, don't have to do the connect/disconnect any more. Traded my trailer (HTT) in for a Class A.
But then you need a toad....
The simplest solution is a small class C or a B... small enough to drive anywhere without a toad. But then pretty tight for a family.
2006 Toyota Sienna
Single empty-nester in Middle TN
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camp-n-family
Canada
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Joined: 07/26/2009
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Quote:Can you beef up the suspension so no sway bars needed?
Huh? I think this poster may have "sway bars" confused with WD bars. Beefing up the suspension will help with sag but will not redistribute the weight (WD bars) and has nothing to do with sway. I think the OP is using dual friction type sway bars.
The equal-i-zer is a good hitch but like you said it can be tedious to set up and remove and has several greasy parts to store when not in use. The Anderson looks simple with few parts but is still new, no personal experience.
IMHO I'd go for the Hensley. Once it's set up it all stays attached to the trailer except for the stinger. I find hitching is just as easy, if not easier, than conventional hitches since the head is moveable from side to side and can be angled up and down as well so you don't need to be dead on lined up. Once lined up you only need to lock the latches and crank up the WD bars. The only hard thing with the Hensley is swallowing to price tag! although it's worth every penny.
* This post was
edited 06/14/12 10:51pm by camp-n-family *
'07 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited
'06 Forest River Flagstaff 26BH(sold)
'13 Keystone Bullet Premier 31BHPR
Hitched by Hensley, Viewed by McKesh
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Earl E
Green Valley, AZ
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Joined: 04/16/2007
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Chuck&Gail wrote:Love my Equal-i-zer, and power tongue jack.
This is the set-up I used to have and it is very easy. The key is the power tongue jack. Then there is no need for pry bars, etc. Hook-up to the ball, raise the tongue with the power jack, slide in the bars, lower the jack and away you go. Only negative is stowing the bars--but there are many easy solutions for that.
In fact, now that we are no long full-timing, I'm thinking of getting rid of the fiver and going back to a smaller trailer--so much easier towing, backing and getting into smaller camp grounds.
2007 Northwoods Arctic Fox 32 5S Fifth Wheel-for sale now that we are not full-timing
2011 Keystone 23rks Hideout to poke around the smaller parks in the great Southwest
2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Diesel
Prodigy brake control
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tspecs
home
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Joined: 07/12/2010
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Not sure about the problems from the OP. Perhaps he needs a power A frame jack as has been suggested. I wonder if he is raising the rig enough to attach the bars? There are only 3 bars on my setup, and no hassles at all. The only problem I have when hitching or unhitching is with the ball latch, but that's no big deal either.
I store my bars, stinger, grease and spare jack in a super heavy duty plastic footlocker when not in use. The footlocker rides in the back of my truck and is easy to loaqd and unload. At home I set the footlocker in my equipment shed and then just put the parts away 1 at a time. Once again, no hassles.
tspecs
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