Posted 2007-08-29 10:34 AM (#66717) Subject: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Member
Posts: 28 Location: KS
We finally purchased our new trailer & we are now ready to get our vehicle prepared to pull it. We will be towing with a 1998 Dodge Durango (tow capacity is 7500 lbs). It has a V8 engine & 4WD & we are installing a trans cooler (thanks to a great suggestion from another member of this site!) & were told that we needed a stabilizer hitch/WDH. We are having the hitch & electrical wiring done at the Titan dealer where we ordered our trailer. The SUV did not come with a tow package & it apparently does not already have the wiring ready for electrical hook up. Is $400 a good price for a Reese class V hitch install plus electrical parts & wiring? I am also confused as to whether a WDH/Stabilizer are one thing or 2 seperate things. I want to be sure that I make it as safe as possible because I know I am already at a disadvantage with a SUV & the trailer will be 5000-5500 lbs fully loaded if I ever put 2 horses in. Can someone please explain the WDH/Stabilizer & what is a reasonable price for this? The dealer said that he has only done a few of these & would have to research a price for one. I understand that the stabilzer minimizes the trailers sway & WDH will distribut the weight more evenly across the hitch & tongue, but what exactly do I tell the dealer that I want & how much should I be paying.
Posted 2007-08-29 6:18 PM (#66754 - in reply to #66717) Subject: RE: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
$400 sounds reasonable for the hitch and wiring. are you getting a brake controller also? yes a wdh and "stabilizer" (sway control?) are two different things. sway control is not generally necessary on a 2h as the axles are located far enough to the rear of the trailer it can not technically "sway". however since you have nothing to start with i would recommend the equal-i-zer hitch, it has sway control built in. imo it is less annoying to use than a typical "chain" type wdh.
i used one for several years with my trailblazer. they can be had for as little as $400 from places on the web, dont know what it would cost to install.
you are not at a "disadvantage" with an suv. those comments come from people not capable/unwilling to learn how to actually set up a vehicle to tow at its limits (and youre not even pushing the durango that hard anyway) as opposed to mindlessly dropping the trailer on the ball and hauling a$$.
if i were i would "tell the dealer" you want a hitch with a rating of 7500#, a prodigy brake controller, and an equal-i-zer wdh. i would think $1000 should about cover it.
on a side note i hope your trailer has a 36" tongue, most 30" tongues will not work with a wdh.
Posted 2007-08-29 8:55 PM (#66776 - in reply to #66717) Subject: RE: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Member
Posts: 28 Location: KS
I am having the hitch & everything done at the dealer, when I meantioned a wdh he didn't seem to know what I was talkiing about... should I be doing this elsewhere? If I call a regular hitch install place will they understand what I need to properly tow a HORSE trailer? I know hauling live weight is much different than cargo & just want the person who installs to know what they are doing... if I tell someone I want a 7500# equalizer wdh & prodigy brake will they know exactly what I am wanting? Sorry if I sound ignorant... I didn't understand everything on Mr. Truck's site, but the pictures really helped me understand what is involved. I am calling tommorrow to find out the tongue measurement. Will this be complicated for me to hookup... I've never hooked up a trailer before & my husband is no help either =( Thanks so much.. I don't know what I would do without this site!
Posted 2007-08-29 9:22 PM (#66782 - in reply to #66717) Subject: RE: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
the hitch and wiring is not really that hard to install. the wdh is not to difficult either, but you would probably have better luck at an rv dealer. they will have more experience with such equipment. the hardware for hauling "live cargo" is no different, just the driving style.......dont want to bang mr tiny's head on the wall now do we? the best thing to do is keep reading and asking questions, they YOU will know what youre doing and wont have to worry if the guy doing the install knows what he is doing.
have someone who knows what they are doing show you how to hook the trailer, take notes and make a check list.......use it EVERY time, do it the same way EVERY time, until it becomes second nature. some of us (me) have been doing it our whole lives, some others (my wife) is new and uses said check list for safety. not much to it once you get the hang of it. take your time and practice, practice.
and youre going to want the 1000 tongue/10000 trailer equal-i-zer, or equivalent wdh. the 7500 i mentioned is the receiver hitch for the truck.
Posted 2007-08-29 11:25 PM (#66803 - in reply to #66717) Subject: RE: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Member
Posts: 28 Location: KS
i am so sorry to sound ignorant again.. I thought I understood after looking at the pictures & reading mr. truck's site, but now I guess I don't. there is a hitch on the truck AND a hitch on the trailer? so I will need to install a Reese class V hitch on the SUV & electrical wiring AND have an additional WDH hitch on the trailer? Thanks again!
Posted 2007-08-29 11:33 PM (#66806 - in reply to #66717) Subject: RE: WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
Member
Posts: 28 Location: KS
I guess what I think of as the hitch is really the ball which is only a part of the hitch? So a hitch is just what you insert the different ball sizes into? I looked at the picture again & it looks like the trailer connects to the hitch of SUV & then has additional support bars for side to side & up & down movement. I am hoping to get someone to show me this at the RV place here in town tommorrow... maybe seeing it for myself will be better, just not sure if they will have one on hand to show me.
WDH/Stabilizer hitch question
