Comparing Reese Dual Cam and Reese SC Weight Distribution on Ford F150 Towing 30 Foot Travel Trailer

Question:

My tow vehicle is a 2012 Ford F150 Supercrew Ecoboost with a GVWR = 7100# and a tow capacity of 9800#. My TT is rated at: Dry Weight = 6780#, GVWR = 9500#, Hitch Weight from specs, not measured = 810#. I am looking at the Reese Dual Cam and the SC hitches. Can you recommend which system will work best in my application, and which TW rating 1000#TW vs. 1200#TW would work best? It appears that the Reese dual cam system is more complicated for installation/calibration but is a proactive system vs. a friction system of the SC. Also, can you give me pros/cons of both systems? I havent been able to measure the actual TW of the TT, and due to work schedule wont be able to before I have to place my order. We do have a scheduled camping trip coming up very soon, so a timely response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

asked by: Larry O

Expert Reply:

When choosing a weight distribution system, it is best to begin the process knowing the fully loaded and ready to tow tongue weight. The procedure for determining this is shown in the FAQ article I have linked you to.

Since you are not able to confirm your tongue weight, please understand that anything I recommend will merely be an educated guess. I would recommend going with a 1,200 lb max capacity system to provide some cushion, since actual ready-to-roll tongue weight is not known. The weight of any gear stored in the truck bed behind the rear axle needs to be considered as tongue weight as well.

It sounds like you already have a good handle on the differences between the Reese Strait Line and Steadi-Flex systems. The Strait Line system, part # RP66084 is proactive, the detents on the spring bars normally ride in the cams, forcing the trailer to ride in a straight line behind the tow vehicle. When the tow vehicle makes a turn, the tilt of the trailer causes the bar on the outside of the turn to come off of the cam, allowing the trailer to smoothly negotiate the turn. Although the initial adjustment and set-up are indeed more involved, the Reese Strait-Line system is a bit less expensive. This is a very popular system that works very well.

The Steadi-Flex system # RP66560 derives its sway control function from friction from both the downward force of the spring bars on the trailer mounted brackets. The initial set up of this system is more simple than the dual-cam system, and there are fewer moving parts. Although the sway control portion of the system is not considered proactive, it still works very well and is highly rated by our customers.

Although the sway control offered by the Steadi-Flex system is very effective, I would give a slight performance advantage to the Reese Strait Line system.

In the end, either system would work well for you. If it were me making the decision, I would choose the Strait-Line system for its slightly more effective sway control system, which is important for longer trailers, and its slightly lower cost. If ease of set-up is important to you, you could go with the Steadi-Flex system and really not feel like you sacrificed much of anything.

Both systems include the weight distributing shanks, but the trailer ball with the correct shank diameter and length is sold separately. Use # A-90 for a 2 inch ball, or # 19286 for a 2-5/16 inch ball.