Recommended Reese Weight Distribution Hitch For a 2018 Gulf Stream Ameri-Lite Travel Trailer.

Updated 11/19/2021 | Published 11/10/2021

Question:

Hello I have a probably naive question about a couple Reese WD hitches. I had kind of settled on RP66540 and read more about needing sway control. So I came upon RE34FR. How can the RE34FR be so less expensive? Im concerned with going cheap and having a problem. My trailer is about 3500 - 4000lbs and I have a Ford F150 and a Nissan Frontier truck. Any insights would be great. Thanks

asked by: John D

Helpful Expert Reply:

The main reason for the price difference is the different construction used for the weight distribution hitches. The Reese Weight Distribution System # RP66540 uses mostly cast parts that are more expensive to manufacture. While the Reese Pro Round Bar Weight Distribution # RE34FR uses flat stock combined with tube steel that is welded together. The process of cutting and welding the materials together is far more inexpensive than casting parts.

You can add sway control to the Reese Weight Distribution System # RP66540 by adding the Reese Dual Cam High-Performance Sway Control # RP26002. This would make for a far superior hitch system as it will not make as much noise as the Pro Round Bar when turning. It also does not hang down as low as the round bars as it uses trunnion bars that extend out of the hitch head rather than extending down and putting a bend in the bar which creates a weak point.

Since you are looking to tow with both your Ford F-150 and Nissan Frontier the Reese # RP66540 with the Cam Sway # RP26002 is the one I recommend using. This will not require you to adjust the head of the hitch when switching trucks as you will be able to adjust for the correct amount of tension with the chains set at different heights in the frame brackets. If your tongue weight is different than the 200-600lbs that this hitch is rated for, please let me know and I will recommend the correct system for your weights.

expert reply by: Bud M

John D.

11/15/2021

Just a couple follow up questions regarding Reese WD. There's no problem hooking up the Nissan Frontier with the trailer, the rise is well within the specs of the Reese shank. But where the trailer is being stored isn't level, so I'm going by memory on which holes the ball mount is attached to the current shank while hooked up to the F150. With the trailer hooked up, the lowest possible drop is 4 1/4 (pretty sure the ball mount was one set of holes higher). I realized that I would need to order the WD without shank and order shank RP69FR. The specs for that shank list max drop of 4". Will that potential 1/4 be a problem? Not sure I want to order the larger drop shank - nearly doubles the price. I wanted to verify that RP69FR works with Reese RP66020. And just throwing this out there, but is there any chance that the Bullet Proof MD204 that I got from Etrailer this fall is compatible with the RP66020 system? Thanks again for clearing up my lack of knowledge!

Les D.

11/19/2021

@JohnD The purpose of an adjustable shank is to allow you to tow with you trailer level to the ground. For instance, park your trailer on level ground, disconnect it from the truck and use the tongue jack to level the trailer from front to back. Now measure the the height from the ground to the top of the coupler. Next, with your truck parked on level ground (and not hitched to the trailer) measure the height from the ground to the top of your hitch ball. The difference in these two measurements is the rise or drop you need to use your adjustable shank to accomplish. A 1/4 inch difference will not matter. I have attached an article that explains this further. Once you have these measurements you can determine if you can use a smaller adjustable shank. I would use a Reese weight distribution shank with your system rather than the MD204 adjustable hitch.

Helpful Links

faq-ballmount.aspx