BIG $$ Difference: Equalizer 4 vs ProPride 3P - is the $3k worth it

[Michark0906]

I am about to take delivery of an Imagine XLS 23bhe - very excited to get started camping in this rig with my family.

My TV is an F150 3.5L Ecoboost with Max Tow Package and 1,618 payload (I have already done all the math and worksheets on this and I am comfortable with the TV choice, so please don't just say you need a 3/4 ton truck).

I am debating between getting an Equalizer 4 or a ProPride 3P hitch. These hitches are in two completely different camps in terms of sway elimination approach, build, features, and $$$. The idea of completely eliminating sway with the ProPride is very attractive, but it comes at a very high price (and I feel like I am getting sucked into fear marketing versus reality).

My question is, am I going to be happy with the performance and safety of the Equalizer (WD and Sway Control), or is the ProPride really worth the money? Is it going to be a night and day different experience, or only a marginal one that won't be noticeable 90% of the time? Bonus points for anyone towing XLS 23bhe with an F150 using either hitch that can share their experience.

Thank you, everyone!

 

[RobWNY]

I had a Propride 3P hitch for 4 years when I had a travel trailer. I had problems with mine. The jacks wouldn't stay secured to the RV frame and I had to use a ratchet strap to hold them from bending outward. Then the underside of the hitch bent over time. Propride customer service was good at first but when I started to report problems, they became less cooperative. It was in such bad shape when I upgraded to a 5th Wheel that I didn't dare sell it and took it to a scrap yard. So in my instance, the Propride was not worth the 3 grand.

 

[Michark0906]

I had a Propride 3P hitch for 4 years when I had a travel trailer. I had problems with mine. The jacks wouldn't stay secured to the RV frame and I had to use a ratchet strap to hold them from bending outward. Then the underside of the hitch bent over time. Propride customer service was good at first but when I started to report problems, they became less cooperative. It was in such bad shape when I upgraded to a 5th Wheel that I didn't dare sell it and took it to a scrap yard. So in my instance, the Propride was not worth the 3 grand.

I have heard that in other areas that the jacks can be challenging. I am also running into an issue with where I want to store my trailer. They move it to a staging area when you come to pick up, and they won't let me store it there unless I use a ball setup versus the square stinger. If push comes to shove, I was thinking I could provide them with something to move my trailer, but again that adds to the cost and overhead of owning the ProPride 3P. So the difference has to be significant to go through all this.

 

[Tigger1]

[MENTION=40561]Michark0906[/MENTION]

You will get good feedback here but since you seem to be struggling with your decision (too much money, fear of marketing pressure, is it worth it) my suggestion is to widen your research by looking at other RV forums, e.g. forestriverforums.com, or jaycoowners.com, etc.

Use the same search criteria: Equalizer vs ProPride or Equalizer vs Hensley. Having a larger pool of input will help you make your decision.

 

[attaboy]

I have heard that in other areas that the jacks can be challenging. I am also running into an issue with where I want to store my trailer. They move it to a staging area when you come to pick up, and they won't let me store it there unless I use a ball setup versus the square stinger. If push comes to shove, I was thinking I could provide them with something to move my trailer, but again that adds to the cost and overhead of owning the ProPride 3P. So the difference has to be significant to go through all this.

We have used a Propride for 2 years and love it.
It is an individual thing and your trailer might be ok with another WDH.
If you go Propride they have a device which converts your connection to a
ball and freezes the Propride movement. I would try the other WDH to see
if it works for YOU. Again, there are as many opinions as there are hitches.

Best of Luck, stay safe and have fun:
Bob A.

 

[Oldcow]

I have no experience with Propride or know the price. I do however tow with the equalizer 4 a 34' TT with a tongue weight of approximately 900+ lbs and rarely experience sway. I drive 60 mph max and tow with a 2010 Tundra. Have many thousand interstate and highway miles.

Oldcow

 

[Michark0906]

I have no experience with Propride or know the price. I do however tow with the equalizer 4 a 34' TT with a tongue weight of approximately 900+ lbs and rarely experience sway. I drive 60 mph max and tow with a 2010 Tundra. Have many thousand interstate and highway miles.

Oldcow

Thanks Oldcow! I have heard similar experiences where people are very happy with the equalizer 4 and rarely experience sway. When they do, easy corrected and doesn’t get out of control.


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[TheJimmer]

I have used an equalizer hitch on my 24 ft enclosed race car trailer weighing about 9,500 pounds towed by my 2002 F350 for 13 years. It's a great hitch, and I never had any sway problems. With my 2021 38 foot Reflection Travel Travel Trailer that comes in at around 11,000 pounds, I'm using a Blue Ox weight distributing hitch with the same F350. I'm really shocked to say that after about 1800 miles of towing the Reflection with the Blue Ox, I can't tell the difference between the Equalizer and the Blue Ox. Both are great, and both keep the sway in control.

 

[Jerryr]

I have used an equalizer hitch on my 24 ft enclosed race car trailer weighing about 9,500 pounds towed by my 2002 F350 for 13 years. It's a great hitch, and I never had any sway problems. With my 2021 38 foot Reflection Travel Travel Trailer that comes in at around 11,000 pounds, I'm using a Blue Ox weight distributing hitch with the same F350. I'm really shocked to say that after about 1800 miles of towing the Reflection with the Blue Ox, I can't tell the difference between the Equalizer and the Blue Ox. Both are great, and both keep the sway in control.

You can’t compare towing a TT with a F150 to rowing it with a F350.

Towing an enclosed trailer and a 11,000 lb TT with a F150 is a BIG difference than towing with a heavy F350.

I was towing a 2800BH with my 2016 F150 that had a payload rating of 1963 lbs using a Blue Ox. It scarred the poop out if my wife several times being blown around when being passed by big trucks. I purchased a ProPride and it eliminated 95% of the scary sway.

I then returned the PP, bought a F350:and towed the 2800BH TT to the dealer to trade it in on a 5th wheel. That trip I used a BlueOx. The difference was amazing. The heavy truck was the solution to tow a TT with or without a ProPride. By then we were already bought the F350 and we were committed to buying the Reflection 5th wheel. It tows perfectly, steering with 2 fingers, no more white knuckles. I no longer constantly look in the rear mirror to get ready for trucks that are about to pass us.

 

[RobWNY]

You can’t compare towing a TT with a F150 to rowing it with a F350.

Towing an enclosed trailer and a 11,000 lb TT with a F150 is a BIG difference than towing with a heavy F350.

I was towing a 2800BH with my 2016 F150 that had a payload rating of 1963 lbs using a Blue Ox. It scarred the poop out if my wife several times being blown around when being passed by big trucks. I purchased a ProPride and it eliminated 95% of the scary sway.

I then returned the PP, bought a F350:and towed the 2800BH TT to the dealer to trade it in on a 5th wheel. That trip I used a BlueOx. The difference was amazing. The heavy truck was the solution to tow a TT with or without a ProPride. By then we were already bought the F350 and we were committed to buying the Reflection 5th wheel. It tows perfectly, steering with 2 fingers, no more white knuckles. I no longer constantly look in the rear mirror to get ready for trucks that are about to pass us.

Exactly why I upgraded to a 5th Wheel. I hated having the worry of sway and the white knuckle experience when Semi's went by before having a Propride and even after getting the Propride, the trailer would get pushed away when a semi went by. It didn't sway but the whole trailer would push away from the traffic lane. I didn't like having my truck still in the driving lane and the trailer not in line and near the fog line until that pressure equalized again.

 

[jproctor9]

2019 F150 SCREW 157 3.5EB and 2400BH

Had an Andersen WDH with smaller hybrid camper and liked it. When we bought the 2400, I moved it over and hoped it would work. I wasn't happy with the amount of weight distribution or sway control. Decided the family's safety was worth the upgrade and bought a Propride.

Just got the Propride dialed in last weekend and ran an 80 mile test run (to CAT scales). I am very impressed with the hitch and am now confident running 65-70mph. For me, it's worth the extra investment for the piece of mind.

I've said before but will repeat for the record...I'm an urban dweller and have low clearance parking garages to contend with. For that reason, I must keep the F150. The 2400 is as big as I'd pull with it, and the Propride provides an added layer of comfort and safety.

My two cents. Your mileage may vary.

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[MooManChu]

Surprised to see negative comments. My experience was positive. I towed my previous two travel trailers cross country over 6 years with a ProPride with no sway ever. No issues with the hitch once it’s dialed in. Had the company owners cell phone when I had problems. Sold it for more than I paid.


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[jproctor9]

I have heard that in other areas that the jacks can be challenging. I am also running into an issue with where I want to store my trailer. They move it to a staging area when you come to pick up, and they won't let me store it there unless I use a ball setup versus the square stinger. If push comes to shove, I was thinking I could provide them with something to move my trailer, but again that adds to the cost and overhead of owning the ProPride 3P. So the difference has to be significant to go through all this.

Just FYI...they have a new v2 jack system that does not require a shim. No idea if it will help prevent these issues, but it's what they are shipping now. The v2 jacks are quite stable on my trailer frame. Time will tell.

Propride also sells a lot bar that turns the hitch into a 2" ball. It requires about 5 minutes of wrenching so not sure I'd want to go through the hassle each time I wanted to go out, but it's available if you decide to go with the Propride.

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[sande005]

Can't comment on the Equalizer. It is a very common brand - many, many dealers sell it. First, a definition of terms:
There's "true sway" - starts as the rear end of the trailer peeking out in one side mirror, then shifting to the other. Can build rapidly to the point the trailer whips side to side, and throws everything off the road. The only remedy as it happens is to slow down WITHOUT touching the truck brakes - use the brake controller. It is only due to too little weight on the tongue of the trailer. Hence why it is so important to go to a scale and weigh everything. If you are above 12% of the total weight of the trailer being on the tongue, you likely will be just fine. More is better, but above 15% gets pretty excessive. 12-13% is an optimal range. Lots of youtube videos from Universities showing this problem.
Other hitches may be "good enough" to dampen it from starting, but it can still be possible at a too high of a speed. If you find it impossible to get optimal tongue weight, then a ProPride/Hensley is the definitive answer to solving the problem. The trailer physically cannot sway, ever.
Then there are ride/handling issues - "truck suck" where passing semi's seem to want to pull you out of your lane, side wind buffets, porpoising (truck bobbing front to rear, over and over), etc. These are frequently confused with true sway when mild. A properly set Hensley/ProPride can greatly reduce or eliminate some or all of these. One's experience will vary depending on a multitude of factors. A lot of the "fix" comes from proper trailer attitude, proper weight transfer to the front of the TV, tires, suspension, size of truck, etc. Other hitches, properly set, can also do the job in these cases. Hunt around for other owners of your model, pulling with a truck close to yours, to see what their comments are. There are hitches that get recommended more than Equalizer, but aren't in the cost range of a ProPride/Hensley.

Depending on your ability to take a chance, you can start with the Equalizer, and see how everything goes. Then change up if you have to. A bit of risk you'll end up with an extra hitch. That was my story, with a different brand. I could have bought multiple brands and tried them out, but after the first (an Anderson "No Sway") was so bad, I just made the plunge 4 years ago. Very glad I did.

The "bent jacks" problem was resolved several years ago - first with shims sold to mate to trailers with different than expected frame widths, and now with a completely new jack system. My "shim" version has been rock solid since I got it.
Just today, I did a 70 mile tow from the dealer. Many trucks. 30+ mph cross winds. I knew it was windy, but still drove one handed. Never once felt a passing truck, and there were many. In my case, getting the nose of the trailer down a bit, and more weight on the front of the truck was what totally cured the "truck suck" problem. It did take some time to get to that solution.

FYI - ProPrde has a stellar reputation for customer service. In setting mine up, a call on a Saturday evening went straight to the owner, who spent all the time it took to make sure I had mine installed correctly. He's very active in the company FB group.
Note that the inventor, Jim Hensley, was forced out of his namesake company, and receives nothing for their sales. They only have rights to his now pretty old original design. He now works very closely with ProPride, and has introduced many improvements. It is worth the extra....

 

[Ynot4me2]

What turned me away from ProPride is not only the hefty price tage but also the weight. It's a lot heavier then other wdh and not as easy to hitch up.

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[sande005]

What turned me away from ProPride is not only the hefty price tage but also the weight. It's a lot heavier then other wdh and not as easy to hitch up.

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Can't argue the cost and weight.

With a backup camera, and a way to set the trailer to hitching height (I use a stick. Some use tape marks on the wrench used to hitch up. Some do it by eye watching as weight comes on/off the hitch) - I've never had a problem, even in very rough, sloping campgrounds. Takes almost no physical effort if a drill is used for setting the bar tensions. Takes me longer and more tries to hitch up my boat.

 

[jleonard]

I'm satisfied with my Equalizer hitch.
However, changing from a 1500 to a 2500 truck made towing less stressful and not affected anywhere near as much when the semis pass me.

 

[attaboy]

Can't argue the cost and weight.

With a backup camera, and a way to set the trailer to hitching height (I use a stick. Some use tape marks on the wrench used to hitch up. Some do it by eye watching as weight comes on/off the hitch) - I've never had a problem, even in very rough, sloping campgrounds. Takes almost no physical effort if a drill is used for setting the bar tensions. Takes me longer and more tries to hitch up my boat.

My experience is the same as Sande005
Bob A.

 

[MooManChu]

Can't argue the cost and weight.

With a backup camera, and a way to set the trailer to hitching height (I use a stick. Some use tape marks on the wrench used to hitch up. Some do it by eye watching as weight comes on/off the hitch) - I've never had a problem, even in very rough, sloping campgrounds. Takes almost no physical effort if a drill is used for setting the bar tensions. Takes me longer and more tries to hitch up my boat.

It also adds a foot or so of length. A few years back I had a family flag me down on the road thinking my trailer was disconnected!


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[Imagineer]

Check out the Reese dual cam

I am debating between getting an Equalizer 4 or a ProPride 3P hitch. These hitches are in two completely different camps in terms of sway elimination approach, build, features, and $$$. The idea of completely eliminating sway with the ProPride is very attractive, but it comes at a very high price (and I feel like I am getting sucked into fear marketing versus reality).

I would also check out the Reese dual cam. I tow my Imagine 2600RB with similar F150 and have been very happy with it (couple thousand miles so far). Much less than the PP.