In the early days of RVing, towing a trailer could be a dangerous and scary venture. Without the advancements available to consumers today - including solutions for sway prevention and weight distribution - hitting the road was often a gamble. Thankfully, the industry has come a long way since then. Check out some of the best aftermarket towing solutions to be on the lookout for.
Trailer Hitches
What they do: There are three main types of hitches and mounting positions for RVs. Travel trailers use traditional ball mounts to attach to the tow vehicle, while fifth wheel hitches (most often used for RV fifth wheels) use a jaw and kingpin connection for added stability and mount in a truck bed.
A gooseneck hitch is often found in agricultural settings or on large commercial-style flatbed trailers. This style uses a ball and coupler connection that also installs in a truck bed. There are three types of installation for gooseneck hitches: above-bed installation, under-bed installation and fold-down.
Who does hitches well: Draw-Tite’s new Hidden Hitch series allows for quick and easy removal of the receiver box with a simple handle turn - no need for tools. It is designed with a two-inch receiver to fit a variety of attachments, can be easily installed and removed, and tows up to 3,500 pounds. The Hidden Hitch allows the look of your vehicle to remain as it is from the factory, truly hidden until needed.
The Gen-Y Hitch PHANTOM Drop Hitch line is multi-purpose and durable. Perfect for light-duty towing, the stacked tube design allows customers to adjust the ball mount up or down and achieve the right amount of drop every time. Not only adjustable, PHANTOM is also capable of being used in the drop or rise position. Available accessories include a platinum ball mount, economy ball mount, sway control head and hitch step.
B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch
Caption: The B&W Turnoverball is the #1 selling gooseneck hitch in America. It includes a heavy-duty underbed mounting system with a removable ball that stores inside the hitch for complete bed access when not towing.
For something more heavy-duty, Curt, Husky Towing, Reese, B&W Hitches and PullRite all make fifth wheel and gooseneck style hitches that work either with in-bed rails, below bed frame units, OEM style ‘puck-systems,’ and gooseneck hitches. They are all reputable brands known for providing products that deliver smoother, safer, and more stable towing experiences.
Weight Distribution and Sway Control
What it does: Weight distribution hitches eliminate sway and vehicle sag, resulting in a safer towing experience. A weight distribution hitch is used to ensure that the tongue weight of the trailer is at a safe 10-15% of the load, preventing the chance of losing control from trailer sway. It distributes the total weight of the trailer, including cargo, fuel and anything else in the vehicle, to the vehicle’s and trailer’s axles, relieving the vehicle’s bumper for increased safety and maneuverability.
Who does weight distribution well: Names like Husky Towing, Blue Ox, Reese and EAZ-LIFT are leaders in weight distribution hitches. EAZ-LIFT in particular has raised the stakes in safety with its ReCurve R6 product. Touted as its most user-friendly weight distribution hitch, it features premium adaptive sway control. Rather than ‘locking’ the trailer straight as usual, the ReCurve R6 controls the sway for normal driving, but when you turn, the sway control automatically disengages, making maneuvering smoother and easier on the driver. Turn it off in dangerous or icy road conditions. Top-loading spring bars give the ReCurve R6 more ground clearance than traditional weight distribution hitches.
Husky Towing Products offers the Centerline TS weight distribution hitch, which combines weight distribution and sway control in one unit, and minimizes the lateral movement of your trailer during windy conditions and when passing vehicles. Reese’s integrated sway control weight distribution kit is super versatile too, with an 11,500-pound capacity and included pre-installed components such as a hitch ball and torqued sway control ball. Reese’s hitch is easy to install and get on the road.
Blue Ox Weight Distribution Hitch
Caption: Weight distribution hitches – like the Blue Ox SwayPro - evenly distribute weight across the axles of the tow vehicle and attached trailer. The system uses adjustable spring bars and tension to distribute the load of the travel trailer tongue to the axles on the vehicle and trailer.
Air Suspension
What it does: Air suspension is another tool for towing that helps provide stability, better handling and a smoother ride. The use of air suspension can help prevent weight shifting during travel. Air suspension inflates or deflates in order to level out the ride and make it smoother.
Who does suspension well: Air Lift offers wireless air suspension systems like the Wireless Air, an advanced wireless controller that allows you to control your air spring system with the touch of a button. Air Lift’s automatic leveling system, SmartAir II detects when the vehicle is not level and automatically inflates or deflates air springs to bring the rig back to the desired ride height.
There are other companies that provide solutions to suspension and stability, but without the use of air. Torklift’s StableLoad Suspension Stabilizer ‘pre-activates’ the stabilizing effect designed for rear springs by keeping them actively under load the way vehicle factory engineers designed them to operate. It’s designed to improve handling by ‘pre-loading’ the factory overload spring.
Air Lift Wireless Air
Brake Controllers
What they do: A brake controller is an electronic device that activates and regulates the electric trailer brakes, allowing the driver to monitor trailer brake activity from the cab of their vehicle. Brake controllers have provided a much-needed safety component to towing. Today, most states require a brake controller when towing a trailer more than 3,000 pounds.
Who does brake controllers well: Brands like REDARC, CURT and Tekonsha have led the charge in this category in recent years, developing brake controllers that are not just smaller, but also smarter. The REDARC Tow Pro range swaps inconvenient under-dash mounting for a unit that sits unseen behind the dash. The manufacturer also developed a model with a user-controlled mode for off-road towing, making it the only brake controller on the market designed to operate in harsh conditions. As for CURT and Tekonsha, both companies offer pocket-sized controllers that pair with Apple or Android smartphones for synced stopping power.
Some companies like Demco have developed supplemental braking systems to take brake controllers to the next level. Demco’s Air Force One (AFO) braking system meets Total Coach Protection safety regulations, and is an air brake system that energizes the towed vehicle’s power brakes through a patented process that doesn’t require an electronic vacuum pump.
Brake Controllers Redarc Curt Tekonsha
Out of the Box – Occasionally there are new advances in the industry that are ‘out of the box.’ Trailer Valet has done that with the Trailer Valet RVR, a fully remote-controlled trailer rover that can move your RV without using a vehicle.
The RVR comes in four models (RVR3, RVR5, RVR9, RVR12) with towing capacities between 3,500 and 12,000 pounds. Heavy-duty caterpillar treads and built-in planetary motors allow for more traction over different types of surfaces. It has a 360-degree range of motion to help maneuver the RV to the spot you need. The wireless remote control has a long range, capable of being safely operated from up to 40 feet away with the push of a button. The RVR comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery that allows for up to 30 minutes of continuous runtime.
When you hit the road with your RV this camping season, be prepared with the latest and greatest in towing.