I am looking for advice from those who have experience towing the lighter 17B trailer with an SUV. I have ordered a 2023 Chevy Blazer with the heavy-duty trailering package to pull it. The GM trailering guide suggests that the standard ball hitch is sufficient. The Blazer has automatic sway control itself, however I suspect it doesn't work on an aftermarket trailer brake controller directly (the guide references that it works on the "integrated trailer brake controller" which is not available for the Blazer.) I don't expect to be carrying much additional load with this trailer - max two adults. Now that there is a shipping service offered, I have no expectation of driving over major mountains to pick it up. Have any of you had experience with this type of setup? Is the additional sway-control/weight distribution hitch needed or helpful? Thanks!
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Is the sway control/weight distribution hitch needed?
Is the sway control/weight distribution hitch needed?
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Hi, David:
I'll try to shed a bit of light on your Q's...
My own 4Runner has a trailer towing guide, and it states that an anti-sway device is mandatory. the 4Runner also has anti-sway software, and videos show it is quite effective (partly because driver-correction tends to lag the sway and apply correction at the wrong end of the swing; the software senses rear-end movement and acts/reacts super-fast, then applies front/rear braking on one side only). Perhaps your Blazer's anti-sway is also an extension of Vehicle Stability, and uses autonomous ABS-equipment and does not (in any way) use the trailer brake-controller.
It sounds like you've read your Blazer information, and that's my first suggestion - figure out what the manufacturer requires / suggests.
Weight distribution... again, I suggest reading. in my case, the Gen4 4Runner *prohibited* using a WDH, but the Gen5 (mine) ignores (doesn't prohibit) WDH. It's excellent for weight-management, especially on the rear axle. You may have to juggle rear-axle-load, tongue-weight, trailer loading and GVW, etc. In my case, I use a WDH to take a couple of hundred pounds off the hitch and rear axle, transferring more the front, and also more back onto the trailer (which has more "headroom" than my heavily-laden 4Runner).
A WDH is a bit of a hassle to use. If your tongue-weight is good (ie 15%) and you moderate your speed, and you don't skirt the edge of axle- or hitch-limits, you may be best-off not using a WDH.
I think the neatest setup is an aftermarket (or maybe OEM-only?) option made by Bosch: it's a trailer-mounted sway-sensor / controller / and brake-manager. This will sense sway, and apply one side (or other) of your trailer-brakes, and independently of your tow-vehicle it will handle sway. And it also adds trailer ABS too!
HTH,