What's the best hitch for someone *without* a trailer?

[chrispitude]

Hi folks! I'm new to trucks, and in the 3000 miles I've had my 2005 Tundra V8 4x4 for, I have been having lots of fun. (Is it wrong to get excited about snowstorms when everyone else dreads them?)

So here's the deal. My truck came with the tow package. I need to pick up two 3000lb pallets of stone from a stone place about 45 miles away. I can rent a UHaul trailer which will carry one pallet at a time:

http://www.uhaul.com/guide/?equipment=trailer6x12open

I'll need to move some stone from the pallet to the bed to honor the trailer's weight rating, but that's easy enough to do. I'll put it as far forward in the bed as I can. This trailer will be around 4400lbs loaded. This means I'll want a weight-distributing hitch. I assume an anti-sway hitch is also a good idea.

I've read great things on the forums about the Equal-i-zer and Reese Straight-Line hitches. However, I don't own a trailer myself, and only plan to rent or borrow them as I need them. From the reading I have done, I *think* that the Reese requires drilling into the trailer arms, while the Equal-i-zer does not permanently attach to the trailer. Can anyone confirm this for me?

I've also read that the Equal-i-zer works well with surge brakes, which is another plus.

And while the UHaul trailer doesn't have electric brakes, I think I've decided to get and install the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller as well.

- Chris

[chrispitude]

I did a bit more homework, and from what I can tell from the installation instructions, the Equal-i-zer hitch system doesn't require any permanent attachment or modification to the trailer:

Equal-i-zer installation instructions (pdf)

It sure does look like it will be a learning experience the first time though.

- Chris

[sequoiasoon]

Read here also. Most of the U-haul trailers do have surge brakes on them already. The Eqaulizer is like $700+ I believe plus you'll have to go through bolting up to the u-haul. How much is delivery?? I found my local tool rental place also rents trailers. Equalizer is awesome but I probably wouldn't go through getting just for the 2 pallets. Plan on getting a trailer, sure great investment. I'm thinking more like renting the Home Depot truck for $20/hour or hook up with a local landscaper and toss him some $$. No closer stone places?

[chrispitude]

Originally Posted by sequoiasoon

Read here also. Most of the U-haul trailers do have surge brakes on them already. The Eqaulizer is like $700+ I believe plus you'll have to go through bolting up to the u-haul. How much is delivery?? I found my local tool rental place also rents trailers. Equalizer is awesome but I probably wouldn't go through getting just for the 2 pallets. Plan on getting a trailer, sure great investment. I'm thinking more like renting the Home Depot truck for $20/hour or hook up with a local landscaper and toss him some $$. No closer stone places?

Well, I ordered my Equal-i-zer hitch today. It was only $399 including shipping from RVWholesalers.com. I got the 1000lb tongue/10000lb tow model.

The stone place is only about an hour away, but they wanted $180 to send their flatbed up my way and forklift it off the truck. There are two stone places closer; one doesn't have what I'm looking for, and the quality at the second place is much worse (smaller pieces, broken pieces, etc.). I'm buying flat drywall stone to put on a concrete patio, so having a nice consistent 1" thickness is worth quite a lot in terms of quality of the finished product, and in reducing the amount of mortar I'll need to be mixing and using.

I have a landscaper who said he'd give me a break on running his flatbed down there and picking up the stone, but to pay him for his time and fuel, I'm still looking at $100.Renting the trailer from UHaul is $30 for the day, and I'll only need it for a few hours (two round trips, plus unloading at my house with a buddy).

So my thought process is this:

I don't own a trailer right now, although I'm sure I will some day. To rent one for $30 for now is a no-brainer. So whether I rent or buy, I will need a hitch. Rather than buy a cheap one to just get by, I'd rather buy it once and get a decent one. The way I see it, $399 is not that much to spend, especially considering I was ready to shell out $160 for one of those shiny Rapid Hitch adjustable hitches with no sway control or weight distribution! I'm sure glad I did my homework and realized the need for sway control and weight distribution when towing 5000lbs of trailer.

I also decided to hold off on the brake controller for now, since it could be a year or two before I need that capability, and there might be a newer/better controller to buy at that point.

- Chris