Weight Distribution & Sway Control
The Best Weight Distribution Hitch For A Lifted Truck
A lift does not stop you towing. It changes which shank you need, and getting that wrong is a sway problem rather than a cosmetic one.
By Mike M. ·
How this page is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we rank first. Prices come from Amazon and are read automatically — each one shows the date it was read. Full disclosure.
Quick picks
Hitches whose head and shank arrangement tolerates a large drop. The important purchase on a lifted truck is often the shank rather than the hitch, so the drop hitches are listed too.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Equal-i-zer 4-Point Sway Control Hitch, 90-00-1001 Four-point sway control built into the head, so there is no friction bar to unclip before you back into a site — the single biggest quality-of-life difference for a first-timer. Top pick | Most half-ton trucks pulling a 5,000-10,000 lb trailer | 7.9/ 10 | |
| 2 |  Andersen No-Sway Weight Distribution Hitch Chains and a urethane cone instead of steel spring bars, so it is the quietest and the lightest of the mainstream kits — and the only one most people can lift with one hand. Best with a big drop | Owners who care most about weight, noise and a short hookup | 7.5/ 10 | Check price on Amazon No buyable offer at the last price check. |
| 3 |  CURT TruTrack 4P Weight Distribution Hitch, 17500 CURT's answer to the four-point Equal-i-zer, with a 10,000 lb rating and an adjustable sway bias — generally a couple of hundred dollars under the hitch it is aimed at. | Four-point sway control at a mid-range price | 7.9/ 10 | |
| 4 |  GEN-Y Mega-Duty 12.5 in Drop Hitch Ball Mount Twelve and a half inches of drop at a 10,000 lb rating, built in the USA. This is the category where a budget mount is genuinely the wrong answer. Best drop shank | A lifted truck that needs real drop with real capacity | 7.7/ 10 | |
| 5 |  BulletProof Hitches 2 in Aluminum Adjustable Hitch, 14,000 lb A 14,000 lb rating in an aluminum body with a dual ball, which is the rare combination of high capacity and a mount you can carry one-handed. | High capacity without the weight of a steel drop hitch | 7.4/ 10 |
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Prices come from Amazon and are read automatically — see each product below for the date.
The short answer
Lifting a truck raises the receiver tube. A standard weight distribution shank has a few inches of adjustment, and past that the trailer sits nose-high. Nose-high is not a cosmetic problem. It shifts load rearward onto the trailer axles and reduces the tongue weight percentage, which is precisely the condition that makes a trailer sway-prone.
The measurement, in four steps
Do this with the trailer loaded as you travel and both vehicles on level ground.
- Measure from the ground to the top inside face of the receiver tube on the truck.
- Uncouple the trailer, level it with the tongue jack and a long level on the frame, then measure from the ground to the bottom of the coupler.
- Subtract. The difference is the drop (or rise) your shank has to provide, measured from the receiver face to the ball platform.
- Add about an inch of extra drop. A loaded trailer squats the truck slightly, so a setup that is dead level empty ends up marginally nose-high loaded.
Most standard weight distribution shanks give something in the range of a 2 in rise to a 6 in drop depending on how they are flipped and which hole you pin. A moderate leveling kit often stays inside that. A 4 in or 6 in lift usually does not, and you need a dedicated high-drop shank.
The common mistake
What to look for in a hitch on a lifted truck
Shank compatibility. Weight distribution heads mount to a shank with a specific hole pattern and spacing. Not every high-drop shank will accept every head. Buy the shank the hitch maker sells for the hitch, or confirm compatibility before ordering.
Bracket height range on the A-frame. A nose-high geometry changes the angle the spring bars sit at, and some hitches have more bracket adjustment than others. The Equal-i-zer brackets adjust in the field with a wrench, which is useful when you are chasing an unusual geometry.
Weight. On a lifted truck you are lifting the hitch head higher to install it. The Andersen is dramatically lighter than a bracket-and-bar kit and this is the one context where that is an ergonomic argument, not a marketing one.
The rating that collapses at full drop
This is the spec to read carefully on any drop hitch. A drop ball mount’s capacity often falls as the drop increases, because the ball platform is further from the receiver and the bending moment is larger. A mount advertised at 10,000 lb may be rated far lower at maximum drop.
The GEN-Y and BulletProof mounts on this list are here because their ratings hold up at real drop figures. Budget adjustable mounts frequently do not, and the 7,500 lb class is not enough for a loaded travel trailer. The drop hitch picks in full.
The verdict
Measure first. Buy the shank that gets the trailer level, then the hitch that suits your tongue weight. The Equal-i-zer and TruTrack work fine with a high-drop shank provided the hole pattern matches; the Andersen is the easiest to handle at height; and if the drop you need is past what a weight distribution shank offers, the GEN-Y or BulletProof adjustable mounts are the answer for a non-weight-distribution setup.
What to remember
- The problem a lift creates is a nose-high trailer, and nose-high causes sway.
- Measure receiver height and level coupler height, subtract, add an inch for squat.
- Never stack drop adapters — it multiplies leverage and voids the rating.
- Check the drop mount's rating at full drop, not its headline figure.
The picks in full
Equal-i-zer 4-Point Sway Control Hitch, 90-00-1001
Equal-i-zer · Best for most half-ton trucks pulling a 5,000-10,000 lb trailer
Four-point sway control built into the head, so there is no friction bar to unclip before you back into a site — the single biggest quality-of-life difference for a first-timer.
Key specifications
- Trailer weight rating
- 10,000 lb
- Tongue weight rating
- 1,000 lb
- Sway control
- 4-point, integral to the head
- Included
- Weight distribution kit; shank and ball sold separately
Capacity figures read from Equal-i-zer product specifications, October 2026.
How it scored
- Sway control (25%)9
- Tongue-weight range (20%)8
- Backing up (20%)9
- Setup effort (15%)7
- Quietness (10%)5
- Price for capability (10%)7
Weighted average of the figures above. We did not test this product — see how we pick.
What it does well
- Sway control is always on — nothing to remember, nothing to remove
- Back up and turn sharply without unhooking anything
- Bracket height is adjustable in the field with a wrench, not a shop visit
What it is bad at
- It creaks and groans in tight turns; owners report this consistently and it is normal, not a fault
- Needs a shank and ball bought separately, which catches people out on price
- Heavier to lift onto the coupler than a friction-bar setup
Price as of October 5, 2026. #ad How this is funded
Andersen No-Sway Weight Distribution Hitch
Andersen Hitches · Best for owners who care most about weight, noise and a short hookup
Chains and a urethane cone instead of steel spring bars, so it is the quietest and the lightest of the mainstream kits — and the only one most people can lift with one hand.
Key specifications
- Gross trailer weight rating
- 14,000 lb
- Shank
- 2 in shank, 4 in drop
- Ball
- 2-5/16 in included
- Sway control
- Friction cone, always engaged
Capacity figures read from Andersen Hitches weight distribution specifications, October 2026.
How it scored
- Sway control (25%)7
- Tongue-weight range (20%)8
- Backing up (20%)8
- Setup effort (15%)6
- Quietness (10%)10
- Price for capability (10%)6
Weighted average of the figures above. We did not test this product — see how we pick.
What it does well
- Quiet — the complaint that defines steel-bar hitches mostly goes away
- Much lighter than a bar-and-bracket kit, so hookup is a one-person job
- Ball and shank are included, which is rarer than it should be
What it is bad at
- Chain tension is set by feel and a wrench, which is fiddlier to get right the first time
- The urethane cone is a wear part you will eventually replace
- Price sits at the top of the range
CURT TruTrack 4P Weight Distribution Hitch, 17500
CURT · Best for four-point sway control at a mid-range price
CURT's answer to the four-point Equal-i-zer, with a 10,000 lb rating and an adjustable sway bias — generally a couple of hundred dollars under the hitch it is aimed at.
Key specifications
- Gross trailer weight
- 10,000 lb
- Sway control
- 4-point, integral
- Adjustment
- Sway-control bias adjustable
- Included
- Weight distribution kit with sway control
Capacity figures read from CURT TruTrack specifications, October 2026.
How it scored
- Sway control (25%)9
- Tongue-weight range (20%)8
- Backing up (20%)9
- Setup effort (15%)6
- Quietness (10%)5
- Price for capability (10%)8
Weighted average of the figures above. We did not test this product — see how we pick.
What it does well
- Four points of sway control for less than the obvious four-point alternative
- Bias adjustment lets you dial sway resistance to the trailer
- No bar to unclip before backing
What it is bad at
- More parts to understand on first setup than a two-point kit
- Less owner experience published than the market leaders, so fewer reports to read
- Friction surfaces mean friction noise
Price as of October 5, 2026. #ad How this is funded
GEN-Y Mega-Duty 12.5 in Drop Hitch Ball Mount
GEN-Y Hitch · Best for a lifted truck that needs real drop with real capacity
Twelve and a half inches of drop at a 10,000 lb rating, built in the USA. This is the category where a budget mount is genuinely the wrong answer.
Key specifications
- Drop
- 12.5 in
- Capacity
- 10,000 lb
- Receiver
- 2 in
- Origin
- Made in USA
How it scored
- Rated capacity (25%)9
- Adjustability (25%)7
- Security (20%)7
- Build quality (15%)9
- Price for capability (15%)6
Weighted average of the figures above. We did not test this product — see how we pick.
What it does well
- Enough drop for a genuinely lifted truck without stacking adapters
- Capacity holds up at full drop, which is the spec that usually collapses
- Heavy-gauge construction
What it is bad at
- Very heavy to handle and store
- Expensive
- Overkill for a stock-height truck
Price as of October 5, 2026. #ad How this is funded
BulletProof Hitches 2 in Aluminum Adjustable Hitch, 14,000 lb
BulletProof Hitches · Best for high capacity without the weight of a steel drop hitch
A 14,000 lb rating in an aluminum body with a dual ball, which is the rare combination of high capacity and a mount you can carry one-handed.
Key specifications
- Capacity
- 14,000 lb
- Drop / rise
- 2 in
- Balls
- 2 in and 2-5/16 in dual ball
- Body
- Corrosion-resistant aluminum
How it scored
- Rated capacity (25%)10
- Adjustability (25%)5
- Security (20%)7
- Build quality (15%)9
- Price for capability (15%)6
Weighted average of the figures above. We did not test this product — see how we pick.
What it does well
- Highest rating here, in the lightest material
- Dual ball covers both coupler sizes
- Corrosion resistance is a real advantage on a salted road
What it is bad at
- Only 2 in of drop — not a lifted-truck solution
- Aluminum needs anti-seize in a steel receiver
- Price
Price as of October 5, 2026. #ad How this is funded
Common questions
Measure ground to the top inside face of the receiver, then ground to the bottom of the coupler with the trailer level, and subtract — plus about an inch for squat. A 4–6 in lift commonly needs 8–12 in of drop.
Yes, provided the shank gets the trailer level and you have not exceeded the vehicle’s ratings. Getting level matters more on a lifted truck than a stock one, because the geometry error is larger.
You need a weight distribution shank with the drop built in, not a separate drop ball mount. The head bolts to a specific hole pattern, so buy the high-drop shank made for your head.
Sources
- Equal-i-zer published hitch specifications and bar ratings — read October 2026
- Blue Ox SwayPro published specifications — read October 2026
- CURT published weight distribution specifications — read October 2026
- Andersen Hitches weight distribution hitch specifications — read October 2026
- SAE J684 — trailer couplings, hitches and safety chains — read October 2026
- 49 CFR 393.70 — coupling devices and towing methods — read October 2026