Trailer towing question: WD or sway control hitch?

[Martinjmpr]

We have been pulling trailers now for about 6 years. Got our first little home built teardrop in 2012, used it for 3 years and then moved up to a slightly larger travel trailer (T@B) that weighed about 2000lbs fully loaded. We've always used a standard Class III hitch receiver, first on my 1999 4runner, then on an 07 4runner and finally on my current 2004 Suburban (1500 4x4, 5.3 V8 & 4 speed auto.)

Just yesterday we picked up our newest travel trailer, a 2018 R-Pod 179. This trailer has an unloaded weight of around 2800 according to the manufacturer, and by the time you add water and our usual equipment I'm guessing 3500 will be what we're pulling (GVWR is about 3700) , making it by far the heaviest trailer we've ever pulled.

Bringing it home yesterday it did OK but the rear of my Suburban sagged noticeably and we certainly felt every little dip in the road. I do have a set of air bags to go inside my coil springs but I am wondering if I need to invest in a weight distributing or sway control hitch. The people we bought it from had a sway control hitch and they pulled with a half ton Chevy 4x4 as well.

So just looking to see, I'm sure many of you probably pull similar trailers or bigger, what kind of hitches do you have? Seems to me my options are WD with sway control, or sway control only without WD, is that right? My Suburban is supposed to be rated to tow at least 6,000lbs, at least that's what the manual says and according to the RPO codes in the glove box my truck does have the towing package which includes the trans temp cooler and the 145a alternator.

[Martinjmpr]

Should point out that while the Suburban is old, I put in an all new suspension in 2016. New Z71 coil springs in the rear, Bilstein 5100 shocks all around and lift keys in the front. No spacers in the rear as I didn't think they were neccessary.

[JohnTRourke]

ummmmmmmm something is wrong if you are having issues with a 4000lb trailer on a Suburban.

[Martinjmpr]

ummmmmmmm something is wrong if you are having issues with a 4000lb trailer on a Suburban.

No issues other than the rear end sagging more than I'd like. I'm just wondering if I need to invest in a WD hitch for a trailer of this weight. I didn't think I'd need a WD hitch until I got close to 5000lbs.
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Hell the truck itself weighs probably 6000lbs fully loaded.

[earplug]

If the rear springs are good, I'd go with the air springs. I'ves used them in several tow vehicles and they work well and the ride is nice.

[Blowby]

I run an WD hitch and air bags to fine tune the trailer / truck. Adjust level with air bags when the WD bars were at optimal position and driving characteristics were perfect.
Just switched to a smaller and shorter trailer so I don't think the WD hitch was worth adding. Pulled it from Douglas GA last month and it was fine, no high winds or anything so I might need one later.

How long is your trailer? Think of it as a sail being pushed around.

[Martinjmpr]

I run an WD hitch and air bags to fine tune the trailer / truck. Adjust level with air bags when the WD bars were at optimal position and driving characteristics were perfect.
Just switched to a smaller and shorter trailer so I don't think the WD hitch was worth adding. Pulled it from Douglas GA last month and it was fine, no high winds or anything so I might need one later.

How long is your trailer? Think of it as a sail being pushed around.

It's about 20'.

This isn't ours but ours looks just like it:

[BushMasterBoy]

Whatever you do, add another transmission cooler, or replace with a 28,000lb cooler. Just my .o2 cents

[3beansalad]

You can do a WD hitch that incorporates sway control, or begin with a WD hitch alone and add the sway control later if desired.

I'm towing a 37'+ TT with my Excursion. I use an Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System w/ 4-Point Sway Control. I wouldn't rave about it's performance, but we've traveled safely across the country and around Colorado extensively using it. Even with a properly sized (+ properly set up) hitch and new 3/4 leaf springs the EX sagged more than I liked so I added air bags to level it out. So far, so good. I'm thinking that a Hensley hitch might be in my future, but the cost is crazy.

Our previous TT was smaller and we used a Reese round bar WD hitch. After several trips I added a friction sway control kit to it. The added sway control worked well in this application. For the smaller TT you have I think this is adequate.

[brutal]

You shouldn't need a WD hitch setup for that trailer, but it wouldn't hurt.

That said, if you do go WD, I've been very happy with this 6K Fastway I used for my boat (3800#) behind my fiver. Mostly just for the sway control, so I had it loaded about as light as I could just to get friction on the bars for sway control and it helped with sway and the vertical snake. https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...2-00-0600.html

It's a near knock-off of the Equal-i-zer, but the bars are way easier to remove.

I got lucky and found one on CL for $75 when I was looking.

DON'T buy anything with chains, ugh, and they're not surge brake compatible.

What's the tongue weight?
What did you have loaded in the Burb?
Do you have oversize, spongey tires?
Did you run the tire pressure up some for towing?