6 Best Horse Trailer Weight Distribution Hitches For Small Trucks To Haul Safely
A weight distribution hitch is essential for safely towing horse trailers with small trucks. Explore our top 6 picks for improved stability and sway control.
You’ve seen it before: a half-ton truck with its nose pointed at the sky, rear axle groaning under the weight of a two-horse trailer. That dangerous "squat" isn’t just a bad look; it’s a serious safety problem that compromises your steering, braking, and overall control. For anyone hauling horses with a smaller truck, a weight distribution hitch isn’t an upgrade—it’s essential equipment.
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Why Your Small Truck Needs a Weight Distribution Hitch
A weight distribution hitch (WDH) does exactly what its name implies. It uses leverage through heavy-duty spring bars to redistribute the trailer’s tongue weight. Instead of all that pressure pushing down on your rear bumper, a WDH transfers some of it back to the truck’s front axle and onto the trailer’s axles.
This simple act of leverage dramatically changes how your rig handles. It levels out your truck, putting weight back on the front wheels for proper steering and braking response. It also significantly reduces the bouncing and porpoising you feel on uneven roads, creating a more stable and less stressful ride for you and your horses.
Many people mistakenly think a WDH increases their truck’s towing capacity. It does not. Your truck’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is a fixed limit. What a WDH does do is make it possible to safely handle the weight you are already rated to tow, especially when dealing with the high tongue weight of a loaded horse trailer.
Equal-i-zer 4-Point: Top All-Around Performer
The Equal-i-zer is often considered the gold standard, and for good reason. Its design integrates weight distribution and sway control into one simple, brutally effective package. It relies on four points of steel-on-steel friction to actively resist trailer sway before it can even start.
This hitch is known for being incredibly robust and reliable. Once you have it dialed in for your specific truck and trailer combination, the setup is consistent every time. The downside? That steel-on-steel friction can be noisy, producing groans and creaks, especially in tight, slow turns.
For many, the noise is a small price to pay for the rock-solid stability it provides. If you want a proven, powerful, and durable system that you can set and forget, the Equal-i-zer is arguably the top contender. It’s a workhorse built for serious hauling.
Blue Ox SwayPro: Quiet and Simple Hook-Up System
If the noise of a friction-based system is a major turn-off, the Blue Ox SwayPro should be at the top of your list. It uses the geometry of its tapered spring bars under tension to control sway, making it one of the quietest hitches on the market. There’s no metal-on-metal grinding to announce your arrival at a pre-dawn show.
The SwayPro’s other major advantage is its ease of use. The rotating chain latches are brilliantly simple. Instead of using a pry bar to force spring bars into place, you just use the included wrench to rotate the latches, applying tension with minimal effort. This makes hooking up and disconnecting significantly faster and less strenuous.
This hitch provides excellent weight distribution and sway control without the drama. It’s a fantastic choice for those who haul frequently and value a quiet, user-friendly experience. The combination of performance and convenience makes it a favorite among many trailer owners.
Andersen No-Sway: A Modern, Lightweight Design
The Andersen hitch throws traditional design out the window. Instead of heavy spring bars, it uses a patented ball-and-socket system with a polyurethane cone to provide both weight distribution and sway control. This design is incredibly lightweight, quiet, and surprisingly effective.
Sway is dampened through friction within the cone system, which automatically adjusts to conditions. It’s also one of the easiest hitches to hook up, with no heavy bars to lift. The entire unit is clean, compact, and offers a remarkably smooth ride.
Some traditionalists might be skeptical of its unconventional appearance, but its performance speaks for itself. The Andersen is an excellent modern solution, particularly for those who struggle with lifting the heavy components of other systems or who want the absolute quietest tow possible. Its simplicity is its greatest strength.
Curt TruTrack: Dependable Integrated Sway Control
Curt is a major player in the towing world, and the TruTrack is their answer to the integrated hitch market. It functions similarly to other systems, using spring bars and a cam-like system to actively combat sway. It’s a dependable, well-engineered piece of equipment that provides confidence on the road.
The TruTrack uses hardened components that hold up well to regular use. Its setup is straightforward for anyone familiar with weight distribution hitches, and it offers a solid, connected feel between the truck and trailer. It effectively manages sway from crosswinds and passing trucks.
Think of the TruTrack as a no-nonsense, reliable option that balances proven technology with good value. It may not have the unique selling points of a Blue Ox or Andersen, but it does its job exceptionally well without commanding the highest price tag. It’s a strong, all-around choice.
Eaz-Lift Elite: A Reliable and Affordable Choice
For the hobby farmer on a tighter budget, the Eaz-Lift Elite is a fantastic starting point. This hitch gets the core job of weight distribution done reliably and affordably. It’s a classic design that has been proven over millions of miles.
Most Eaz-Lift kits are sold with an optional, separate sway control bar. This is a friction-based arm that attaches to the hitch head and the trailer A-frame. While it requires an extra step to install and remove during hookup, it’s a cost-effective way to add crucial sway control.
This system is a perfect example of a practical tradeoff. You sacrifice the convenience of integrated sway control for a much lower upfront cost. For someone who only hauls a few times a month, the extra minute it takes to attach the sway bar is a perfectly acceptable compromise for the savings.
Husky Center Line TS: Strong and Easy to Adjust
The Husky Center Line TS combines heavy-duty construction with some smart, user-friendly features. It offers excellent weight distribution and integrated sway control that works to keep your trailer in line. The "TS" stands for "Top-loading Spring bars," which many find easier to install.
What sets the Center Line apart is its head design, which often requires fewer adjustments to get the angle just right. This can simplify the initial setup process, which can be the most frustrating part of owning a WDH. The result is a strong, stable connection that performs well in various conditions.
Husky has built a reputation for producing tough, durable towing gear. The Center Line TS is a great middle-of-the-road option that offers the performance of more premium hitches with a focus on strength and straightforward operation.
Key Features: Tongue Weight and Sway Control Tech
When choosing a hitch, two factors matter more than anything else: tongue weight rating and the type of sway control. Get these wrong, and you’ve wasted your money on a system that is either inadequate or unsafe.
Tongue weight is the downward force your fully loaded trailer exerts on the hitch ball, and it’s typically 10-15% of your total trailer weight. A two-horse bumper pull with a tack room can easily have a 700 lb tongue weight. You must buy a hitch rated for your actual, loaded tongue weight, not the trailer’s empty weight. Always choose a rating that gives you a comfortable margin.
Sway control is not optional when hauling live animals. Integrated systems, like those on the Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox, are built into the hitch and work constantly. Add-on friction bars, common with budget hitches like the Eaz-Lift, are attached separately. While both are effective, integrated systems are more convenient and can’t be forgotten. For the safety of your horses, a system with robust, active sway control is the only responsible choice.
Choosing the right weight distribution hitch is one of the most important safety decisions you’ll make for your small farm. It transforms a stressful, white-knuckle towing experience into a stable and controlled one. The best hitch for you balances your budget, your trailer’s specific needs, and how much convenience you’re willing to pay for.
