LX 570 WDH/Sway Bar Recommendation for Escape 21C Trailer (1 Viewer)

[CactusHopper]

I would appreciate confirmation on my calculations, need for a WDH, and current recommendations for a combined WDH/sway bar and receiver based on the trailer I'll be towing.

Vehicle: 2013 LX 570
Curb Weight: 6,095 lbs so max payload 1,290 lbs.
Wheels/Tires: 18 inch LC wheels with Michelin Defender LTX M/S 2 285/65 R18 XL
Trailer: Escape 21C (21'4”L x 7'4"W x 8'10"H) with 3,900 build weight and 5,000 GVWR. I'm estimating to be near GVWR when loaded up.
Tongue %: Around 12% so maximum tongue weight of around 600 lbs.
Payload: Myself, wife, and two kids. That leaves 100 lbs or so for cargo if I want to stay at payload capacity.

With a 5,000 lb trailer I assume I should get a WDH hitch? I'd rather not add the weight and complexity if I don't need to, but the added safety and control would be valued.

What's the lightest, simplest WDH folks recommend that would be adequate for this trailer?

EDIT: The trailer will be lifted 2-5/8" inches with stock 15 inch wheels, dual axle.

Thanks

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

Get a weight distribution hitch for sure, as the tongue weight is high enough to justify it. I tow a 6100lb trailer (dry) and load her up to 7500lb. No problems towing with a simple Curt / Reese / Pro Series WD setup all up and down the Rocky Mountains.

A WD hitch will help to level out the load a lot on a trailer of that weight and will make a big difference to effective tongue weight, handling, braking, etc.

If you really want the "lightest" hitch, an Anderson hitch might be your choice, but I have no personal experience with one.

If you want the cheapest, Harbor Freight has a $200 WD hitch that will work just fine.

I always recommend an anti-sway device and a proper brake controller too.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

I should also mention that the 2016+ big brake upgrade (or other big brake upgrade) helps with towing quite a bit:

Big brakes for 08-15 using 16+ parts

Anyone paying attention to this section recently will have noticed @TeCKis300 excellent thread on an easy big brake kit for 08-15 cruisers using Tundra parts. Deep in that thread info emerged that fitting the 16+ brakes was more easy than initially thought, and as that method has been developed...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[CactusHopper]

Get a weight distribution hitch for sure, as the tongue weight is high enough to justify it. I tow a 6100lb trailer (dry) and load her up to 7500lb. No problems towing with a simple Curt / Reese / Pro Series WD setup all up and down the Rocky Mountains.

A WD hitch will help to level out the load a lot on a trailer of that weight and will make a big difference to effective tongue weight, handling, braking, etc.

If you really want the "lightest" hitch, an Anderson hitch might be your choice, but I have no personal experience with one.

If you want the cheapest, Harbor Freight has a $200 WD hitch that will work just fine.

I always recommend an anti-sway device and a proper brake controller too.

Thanks. I like the idea of a combined WDH and anti-sway device.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

Thanks. I like the idea of a combined WDH and anti-sway device.

I just added one of these on, but there are many options out there. The Anderson hitch has anti-sway functionality "built in" apparently, but again, I should mention that I've got no experience with it.

You will be able to tow plenty. There's also a good towing thread on here, which isn't strictly LX570 AHC specific, but I'd argue that AHC suspension does a great job compared to conventional LC200 suspension (having towed with both).

 

[CactusHopper]

How do you balance the height of the trailer, height of the LX when hitching up, and the height while it is driving and lowers when exceeding 67ish mph? I know it's a basic question, just is unclear to me due to lack of experience.

 

[skrypj]

Grab an 600 lb Equalizer off of the local Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. I see them posted all the time and they are basically a chunk of metal with a few bolts. Not much to mess up. It has built in friction sway through the wdh spring bars themselves.

 

[skrypj]

How do you balance the height of the trailer, height of the LX when hitching up, and the height while it is driving and lowers when exceeding 67ish mph? I know it's a basic question, just is unclear to me due to lack of experience.

The truck lowering will only tighten the wdh, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

You need to set the hitch so that the trailer is level or just a hair nose down when hooked up to the LX and the LX is running at its N height.

The spring bars should be fully engaged at N as well. This means you probably need to set the bars a bit more aggressively than the hitch owners manual suggests, as they usually assume your tow vehicle will squat some even with the bars engaged. Since the LX will auto level, it has no squat, and so you have to set the bars such that they are tight with zero squat

 

[coleAK]

Like others have said if you want the lightest possible get an Anderson

Weight Distribution Hitch w/ Sway Control | Andersen Hitches

Our sturdy weight distribution hitch or sway control hitch reduces any unwanted movement. It's rated up to 16,000 lbs and is available in different sizes.

andersenhitches.com

I’ve been using WD hitches on 3 different campers now 5-10k miles a summer for ~20 years now. I prefer the equalizer or similar style (like a curt true track or blue ox track pro).

Equal-i-zer® Hitch | 4-Point Sway Control | Equalizer Hitch

Made in the USA, our 4 point sway control & weight distribution hitch provides the highest level of stability for you trailer. Buy here.

www.equalizerhitch.com

Weight Distribution Hitches with Sway Control - Weight Distribution Hitches - CURT Manufacturing

Weight Distribution Hitches with Sway Control at CURT Manufacturing

www.curtmfg.com

TrackPro Weight Distributing Hitch | Blue Ox

Blue Ox's TrackPro weight distributing hitch manages trailer sway on bad roads with wind & weather. Order online or call today!

www.blueox.com

 

[GordJ]

As the outlier guy I have a 20’ 4000Lb single axle that I tow without the whd. I have tried mine with and without the whd (I had an extra laying around after selling a trailer) and I took the new “camping” trailer out without the whd and found no difference. I don’t miss the weight of the whd hitch or the inconvenience of the extra parts. When travelling with the whd Ifound myself dreading removing the engine block of a hitch to be able to walk past the rear of the truck. Only a slight exaggeration, if unhitched for more than a day the hitch comes off. On my 25’er the whd is used.
For setup I put the AHC in normal and after a fair bit of travel I haven’t seen any unusual tire wear so I am assuming that height isn’t an issue. But to be fair I don’t spend a lot of time over 65 mph, we have corners and hills up here, lol.

 

[CactusHopper]

@GordJ sounds like the WDH is recommended around 5,000 lbs and over. I'll be right at that and it seems most folks on here opt for a WDH at that weight. I'm happy to error on the safe side as I have minimal experience towing.

 

[TeCKis300]

I 4th, 5th, and 6th the Anderson WDH recommendation for lightweight trailers. Clean, light, and an easy to use hitch in my experience with a 6000lb GVWR 23D Airstream. It's limitation is that it can't impart higher WD forces for larger trailers (why I use an Equalizer for my larger Airstream now), but that's not what's necessary for lighter trailers. But any WDH will be effective in this weight class.

The truck lowering will only tighten the wdh, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

You need to set the hitch so that the trailer is level or just a hair nose down when hooked up to the LX and the LX is running at its N height.

The spring bars should be fully engaged at N as well. This means you probably need to set the bars a bit more aggressively than the hitch owners manual suggests, as they usually assume your tow vehicle will squat some even with the bars engaged. Since the LX will auto level, it has no squat, and so you have to set the bars such that they are tight with zero squat

Yes AHC works well with WDH. You might be thinking of it backwards, but I would recommend a hair nose high at N height with less aggressive tension. When AHC lowers at freeway speeds, that will then have the trailer level for maximum aero and stability. The lowering also imparts more WD tension right when it's wanted for higher speed travel.

Hair nose down is bad for several reasons. Obvious is that it's further nose down when AHC lowers at freeway speeds. On a multi-axle trailer, that gives more authority to the forward axle which is bad for yaw stability and braking.

@GordJ sounds like the WDH is recommended around 5,000 lbs and over. I'll be right at that and it seems most folks on here opt for a WDH at that weight. I'm happy to error on the safe side as I have minimal experience towing.

I'd agree. As @GordJ acknowledges that he doesn't see higher speeds in his use. Just want to highlight that speed is THE major factor for potential sway, and the reason why Europe doesn't use WD with its lower overall posted speeds. In places like the wide open west outside of CA, big rigs and towing speeds can be upwards of 80MPH, and I've definitely touched over that ( to the detriment of MPG ). Mix with winds and traffic uncertainty and you're right to err on the side of caution.

 

[CactusHopper]

@TeCKis300 I was wondering about the "nose down" as it didn't make sense to me for the reason you pointed out.

How does someone make the trailer "nose high" when hitching? Use a hitch ball that is raised above the trailer hitch when level, jack it up, and drop it down on the ball? Basic stuff.... : )

Since I've got your attention - another basic SQOD... On the Redarc (or others) break controllers, I assume the controller automatically triggers the breaks, correct? Why do people then say "push the button" to "grab / activate / use / etc. the brakes"? For example, here is a quote from mud "The knob will actuate the brakes when you press it in, so that location in the switch panel by the right knee bolster is actually a very good place for the control knob." When should you be manually activating a break controller??

 

[TeCKis300]

@TeCKis300 I was wondering about the "nose down" as it didn't make sense to me for the reason you pointed out.

How does someone make the trailer "nose high" when hitching? Use a hitch ball that is raised above the trailer hitch when level, jack it up, and drop it down on the ball? Basic stuff.... : )

Since I've got your attention - another basic SQOD... On the Redarc (or others) break controllers, I assume the controller automatically triggers the breaks, correct? Why do people then say "push the button" to "grab / activate / use / etc. the brakes"? For example, here is a quote from mud "The knob will actuate the brakes when you press it in, so that location in the switch panel by the right knee bolster is actually a very good place for the control knob." When should you be manually activating a break controller??

When setting up the hitch head on the drop shank (which is generally coarse at ~1.25" between positions), basically you're going to choose an amount of drop that has the trailer slightly nose up with everything in place and AHC fully leveled in normal position. Measure the trailer frame to ground height at the front and rear of the trailer. The front should be slightly higher.

RE brake controller, most all aftermarket units are proportional brake controllers. Meaning they have an internal accelerometer to measure the amount of deceleration, and then proportional apply braking to the trailer brakes. This assumes the tow vehicle firstly can impart some measure of braking force and deceleration to the combined rig, before a proportional measure of braking is applied at the trailer.

The manual brakes are there for multiple reasons. Including to independently actuate (or test) the trailer brakes.

Every time I hitch up, right as I'm pulling out, I will manually fully actuate the trailer brakes to test that they are working and the umbilical is properly plugged in.

Before significant grades even on the freeway, I may manually test the trailer brakes to make sure they are working and responding.

The control is also there as mitigation in case the tow vehicle brakes fail or cannot generate braking force for whatever reason, including mechanical, fading, or even situational. Particularly in very slippery situations.

Case in point I was just in the mountains this past weekend in unexpected frost and snow. Hitting a patch of snow/ice especially downhill may result in the tow vehicle creating so little braking force that the trailer brake controller doesn't recognize as significant braking to then apply sufficient braking to the trailer axles. Manually overriding and applying more brake via the brake controller produces much more overall braking for the combined rig.

 

[skrypj]

Yes AHC works well with WDH. You might be thinking of it backwards, but I would recommend a hair nose high at N height with less aggressive tension. When AHC lowers at freeway speeds, that will then have the trailer level for maximum aero and stability. The lowering also imparts more WD tension right when it's wanted for higher speed travel.

Hair nose down is bad for several reasons. Obvious is that it's further nose down when AHC lowers at freeway speeds. On a multi-axle trailer, that gives more authority to the forward axle which is bad for yaw stability and braking.

Didn't I say it would increase tension when it lowers? Why would you not want the WDH tension appropriately for lower speeds, and then more tensioned for higher speeds? The WDH's purpose is to transfer weight to the front axle to keep braking and steering traction high, which is equally important at any speed. Set the truck up with the correct tension at normal N, and get a little more tension at high speed N.

And Im sorry but I have never heard of anyone wanting a trailer nose high. The rear of the truck only lowers 15mm at speed so its not like we are really talking about a huge amount here. I said level or a hair nose down, not 5" nose down. My understanding it that having the trailer nose high tends to increase the tendency for the trailer to bob and unload the tongue more. I've always been of the understanding that you want the trailer level, and if you cannot get it level, preference slightly nose down.

 

[skrypj]

@TeCKis300 I was wondering about the "nose down" as it didn't make sense to me for the reason you pointed out.

How does someone make the trailer "nose high" when hitching? Use a hitch ball that is raised above the trailer hitch when level, jack it up, and drop it down on the ball? Basic stuff.... : )

Since I've got your attention - another basic SQOD... On the Redarc (or others) break controllers, I assume the controller automatically triggers the breaks, correct? Why do people then say "push the button" to "grab / activate / use / etc. the brakes"? For example, here is a quote from mud "The knob will actuate the brakes when you press it in, so that location in the switch panel by the right knee bolster is actually a very good place for the control knob." When should you be manually activating a break controller??

You can also manually activate trailer brakes to stabilize the trailer if it starts to sway. Hitting the brake pedal will slow the Tow vehicle, pushing the trailer up into the back of the TV and potential make it worse. By hitting the knob and activating just the trailer brakes, it will pull the trailer back away from the TV and make the coupling taut and hopefully straighten the trailer out.

 

[TeCKis300]

Didn't I say it would increase tension when it lowers? Why would you not want the WDH tension appropriately for lower speeds, and then more tensioned for higher speeds? The WDH's purpose is to transfer weight to the front axle to keep braking and steering traction high, which is equally important at any speed. Set the truck up with the correct tension at normal N, and get a little more tension at high speed N.

And Im sorry but I have never heard of anyone wanting a trailer nose high. The rear of the truck only lowers 15mm at speed so its not like we are really talking about a huge amount here. I said level or a hair nose down, not 5" nose down. My understanding it that having the trailer nose high tends to increase the tendency for the trailer to bob and unload the tongue more. I've always been of the understanding that you want the trailer level, and if you cannot get it level, preference slightly nose down.

That's not what you said in your original post to set appropriate tension. Your words (below) were aggressive tension in N, which would make AHC freeway lowering create an even more aggressive spring bar tension. There's a balance and more is not necessary (in my experience) or better - hitches exist because articulated rigs need to articulate. Some measure of spring bar tension is good for FALR to your point. Too much tension creates huge forces on the TV and trailer frames, sometime enough to damage them or the hitch.

The goal is a level trailer. First principles is to have the trailer level when stability and aero matters the most - at freeway speeds. Since AHC lowers at freeway speeds, why would anyone want to start nose down in AHC N, only to go further nose down??

The truck lowering will only tighten the wdh, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

You need to set the hitch so that the trailer is level or just a hair nose down when hooked up to the LX and the LX is running at its N height.

The spring bars should be fully engaged at N as well. This means you probably need to set the bars a bit more aggressively than the hitch owners manual suggests, as they usually assume your tow vehicle will squat some even with the bars engaged. Since the LX will auto level, it has no squat, and so you have to set the bars such that they are tight with zero squat

 

[CactusHopper]

Sounds like some small nuances and differences in tolerances between what you guys are saying. Probably equally impactful is the tires/psi and trailer type and weight distribution in the trailer. I like the idea of maintaining level at highway speeds above 65 (?) where it is most important but really 15 mm or 0.5 inch sounds like splitting hairs a bit.

So to activate the breaks during an emergency situation I have to remove one hand from the steering wheel??

 

[TeCKis300]

So to activate the breaks during an emergency situation I have to remove one hand from the steering wheel??

Yeah right? I always wonder if I'll have the muscle memory to execute. Good to practice and use the manual control in the more often used use cases, to head off such a situation, but to also be ready.