Weight distribution
Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 weight distribution hitch review
The Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 targets the same 8,000 to 10,000 lb travel trailer range as several round bar kits, but sets itself apart with top-loading spring bars that need no grease and an on-off sway control feature built into the head. Camco has sold RV hardware for decades, which matters for a part you may need a replacement bracket for years from now.
This review covers what Camco actually publishes for the R3, the honest limit of its on-off sway feature, and when the heavier TR3 sibling is the better buy.
On this page
- What does the ReCurve R3 publish, and how does the top-loading design work?
- How does the R3 compare against its own heavier sibling and two other integrated designs?
- What tongue weight range actually fits each Eaz-Lift kit?
- What is the compromise with the on-off sway feature?
- When should you choose the TR3 or a different brand instead?
What does the ReCurve R3 publish, and how does the top-loading design work?
Camco rates the ReCurve R3 for a 2 5/16 inch ball at up to a 15,000 lb rating on the ball itself, a 1,200 lb maximum tongue weight and a 12,000 lb maximum GTWR for the complete kit, whichever figure is reached first. The patented top-loading spring bars drop in from above rather than requiring the bars to be greased and threaded through a lower channel, which Camco markets as a no-grease design that also improves ground clearance versus a bar that hangs lower off the head.
How does the R3 compare against its own heavier sibling and two other integrated designs?
Camco sells a trunnion bar version of the same head design at a higher tongue weight rating, and two other brands build integrated sway control differently at a similar price point.
| Published rating | Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 Weight Distribution Hitch Kit, 1,000 lb | Camco Eaz-Lift TR3 Weight Distribution Hitch Kit, 1,200 lb | CURT 17601 TruTrack 2P Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control, 10,000 lb | Fastway Connect Weight Distribution Hitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $490.91 | $526.00 | $398.78 | $199.00 |
| Gross trailer weight rating | not published | not published | 10,000 lb | 10,000 lb |
| Tongue weight rating | 1,000 lb | 1,200 lb | not published | 1,000 lb |
| Receiver size | not published | not published | not published | 2 |
| Ball diameter | 2-5/16 | not published | not published | 2-5/16 |
| Drop | not published | not published | not published | 3 in |
| Rise | not published | not published | not published | 7 in |
| Sway control | Integrated | Integrated | 2-point integrated | not published |
| Spring bar type | not published | Trunnion | not published | not published |
Every figure here is the manufacturer's own published rating. A blank is a figure the maker does not publish, and we leave it blank rather than estimating it. The rating stamped on the part you actually receive is what governs.
What tongue weight range actually fits each Eaz-Lift kit?
Camco publishes a 1,200 lb tongue weight ceiling on the round bar ReCurve R3 and a higher figure on the trunnion bar TR3.
Published standard A published, traceable figure: a standards body, a federal regulation or a manufacturer specification states it.
| Kit | Bar type | Tongue weight rating | GTWR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 | Round bar, top-loading | 1,200 lb | 12,000 lb |
| Eaz-Lift TR3 | Trunnion | 1,500 lb | 15,000 lb |
These are Camco published ceilings for the hardware, not a tow rating for any vehicle.
What is the compromise with the on-off sway feature?
The on-off switch is a genuine convenience: it lets a driver back off sway resistance for reversing or icy roads without fully removing hardware. But it is still a friction based system rather than the cam or 4-point designs some competitors sell, so the resistance it adds to an already correctly loaded trailer is comparable to other single or dual point friction kits, not a step up in sway control strength. A tall, slab-sided trailer that fights crosswind hard is still better matched to a 4-point integrated design or a cam-based hitch than to any single-mechanism friction system, including this one.
When should you choose the TR3 or a different brand instead?
A trailer whose weighed tongue weight is closer to 1,200 to 1,500 lb is outside the R3 published range and belongs on the Eaz-Lift TR3, the trunnion bar version of the same head with a higher rating and more clearance behind the bumper. A reader on a tighter budget who does not need integrated sway control can step down to the Fastway Connect instead, and a reader who wants a two-point integrated head from a different maker at the same class should compare the CURT TruTrack 2P.
How we chose
We did not test this hardware in person and we never claim to. Picks are researched from manufacturer specification sheets, published towing standards, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. Every pick is matched to a real gross trailer weight rating, a real tongue or pin weight rating, a real receiver size or a real load index rather than to a price bracket, and it is placed in the tier where its published capability actually belongs. We rejected the unbranded flood that dominates the search results in several of these categories, because a weight distribution hitch, a brake controller, a trailer tire and a set of safety chains are all parts whose failure puts a loose trailer on a public road. Where a figure is towing convention rather than a published standard we label it that way, and where a manufacturer does not publish a figure we leave it out instead of estimating it.
Sources
- Camco published specifications for the Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3
- Camco published specifications for the Eaz-Lift TR3
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum tongue weight for the Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3?
Camco publishes a 1,200 lb maximum tongue weight and a 12,000 lb maximum gross trailer weight rating for the complete kit, whichever limit is reached first. A trailer whose weighed tongue weight runs higher than that fits the trunnion bar TR3 better.
Does the ReCurve R3 need grease like other round bar hitches?
No. Camco markets the top-loading spring bar design specifically as a no-grease system, unlike round bar kits from other makers that require periodic grease at zerk fittings on the hitch head to keep the bars operating smoothly.
What is the difference between the ReCurve R3 and the TR3?
The R3 uses round spring bars and is rated to 1,200 lb tongue weight and 12,000 lb GTWR. The TR3 uses trunnion bars mounted higher for more ground clearance and is rated to 1,500 lb tongue weight and 15,000 lb GTWR. Choose based on your weighed tongue weight, not your trailer brochure weight.
Can I turn the sway control off on the ReCurve R3?
Yes. Camco built an on-off feature into the head so a driver can reduce sway resistance for reversing or hazardous conditions without removing hardware. It is still a friction based system, so it should be turned back on for regular highway towing.
Does the ReCurve R3 include the trailer ball?
Yes. Camco ships the kit with a 2 5/16 inch ball rated to 15,000 lb, which covers the most common travel trailer coupler size. Confirm your own trailer coupler size before ordering, since a smaller or larger coupler needs a different ball.
Is the ReCurve R3 a good fit for a tall travel trailer in windy conditions?
It works, but a single friction mechanism resists the first yaw less aggressively than a 4-point integrated design or a cam-based hitch. A tall, slab-sided trailer regularly passed by trucks on the interstate is better matched to one of those designs instead.
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Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published standards, manufacturer towing guides and product specifications, and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are towing convention rather than published standards, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Nothing here overrides your own ratings. Work your payload sum before your tow rating, because payload is the limit that actually binds on most half ton trucks and nearly every SUV. Load a conventional trailer to 10 to 15 percent tongue weight and a fifth wheel to 15 to 25 percent pin weight, and never lighter: a tail heavy trailer is what starts sway. Weigh the rig loaded rather than trusting a brochure dry weight. A weight distribution hitch and a set of air bags both restore ride height and control, and neither one raises a single rating. Trailer brakes are required by state law above a threshold that varies by state, and a breakaway battery that has quietly gone flat is the normal condition of most trailers on the road.