Weight distribution
CURT TruTrack weight distribution hitch review
A weight distribution hitch moves tongue load off the tow vehicle rear axle and back onto the steer axle and the trailer axles, which restores steering feel, braking balance and headlight aim. It does not raise the tow vehicle payload, GVWR, GCWR or any axle rating, no matter which hitch is bolted on.
The CURT 17601 TruTrack 2P folds sway control into that same job by building two points of friction resistance into the hitch head itself, rather than selling a separate bar that clips on beside a plain chain style head. This review covers what CURT actually publishes for it, where the design falls short of its own 4-point sibling, and when the extra cost of stepping up is worth it.
On this page
- What is the CURT TruTrack 2P, and what problem does it solve?
- How does the TruTrack 2P compare against CURT own catalog and a competing integrated design?
- What does CURT actually publish for the 17601?
- What is the honest weakness of a two-point integrated system?
- When should you step up to the TruTrack 4P instead, or look at a different brand?
- What should you check before buying a TruTrack for your own trailer?
What is the CURT TruTrack 2P, and what problem does it solve?
Tongue weight is the downward force the coupler puts on the ball. Too little of it lengthens the effective pendulum the trailer swings from and reduces the weight holding that pendulum steady, and the resulting oscillation grows instead of damping out. A weight distribution hitch fights that by using spring bars or tension chains to push some of that load forward onto the tow vehicle front axle and back onto the trailer axles.
The TruTrack 2P does that job with a welded head and adjustable friction brackets rather than round or trunnion spring bars run through chain links. CURT rates it to a 10,000 lb GTW, and the two-point design gives it a resistance to yaw the moment the hitch is set up, with no separate bar to install, adjust or forget.
How does the TruTrack 2P compare against CURT own catalog and a competing integrated design?
The clearest way to see what the integrated design trades away is to put it beside a round bar kit with a bolt-on sway bar, its own 4-point sibling, and the best known integrated competitor.
| Published rating | CURT 17601 TruTrack 2P Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control, 10,000 lb | CURT 17500 TruTrack 4P Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control, 10,000 lb | Equal-i-zer 4-point Sway Control Hitch, 10,000 lb | CURT 17063 Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control, 14,000 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $398.78 | $609.95 | $552.69 | $366.88 |
| Gross trailer weight rating | 10,000 lb | 10,000 lb | 10,000 lb | 14,000 lb |
| Tongue weight rating | not published | not published | 1,000 lb | 1,400 lb |
| Sway control | 2-point integrated | 4-point integrated | 4-point integrated friction | Add-on friction bar included |
| Spring bar type | not published | not published | Trunnion | Round bar |
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 does CURT actually publish for the 17601?
Reading the maker own listing rather than a marketplace summary matters here, because the 2P line publishes fewer figures than the round bar kits it replaces.
CURT rates the 17601 to a 10,000 lb gross trailer weight and does not publish a separate tongue weight figure for it.
Published standard A published, traceable figure: a standards body, a federal regulation or a manufacturer specification states it.
| Published spec | 17601 TruTrack 2P |
|---|---|
| Gross trailer weight rating | 10,000 lb |
| Tongue weight rating | Not published |
| Sway control design | 2-point integrated friction |
| Bar or chain type | None; friction brackets in the head |
A blank row is a figure CURT does not publish, not a figure we estimated.
What is the honest weakness of a two-point integrated system?
CURT publishes a gross trailer weight ceiling for the 17601 and stops there. The round bar kits in the same catalog, like the 17063, publish both a GTW figure and a tongue weight figure, which lets a buyer check their own weighed tongue weight against the bar rating the way the setup guide recommends. With only a GTW number published, the 2P buyer has one fewer figure to check their trailer against, and has to lean more on CURT stated intended trailer range than on a bar-specific tongue weight rating.
The 2-point layout is also simply less sway resistance than a 4-point layout at the same price tier. Two friction points fight the first yaw less aggressively than four, which matters most on tall, slab-sided trailers that catch crosswind and passing traffic.
When should you step up to the TruTrack 4P instead, or look at a different brand?
The CURT 17500 TruTrack 4P keeps the same 10,000 lb GTW rating and the same welded head concept but doubles the friction points to four, which is the more honest choice for a tall travel trailer that gets passed by trucks on the interstate regularly. It is not a jump in capacity, only in yaw resistance.
Buyers who want a published tongue weight figure alongside the GTW ceiling, and who do not mind spring bars over a friction head, should look at the Equal-i-zer 4-point, which publishes 1,000 lb of tongue weight against its 10,000 lb GTW rating. And a reader whose trailer is closer to 14,000 lb GTW is outside either TruTrack rating entirely and belongs on the CURT 17063 instead, which is built for that weight with a separate friction sway bar included in the box.
What should you check before buying a TruTrack for your own trailer?
Start with a weighed tongue weight rather than a brochure percentage, using the tongue weight calculator against your own trailer, then confirm your receiver carries a weight distributing rating at all: not every 2 inch receiver does. From there, size the drop or rise with the hitch drop calculator, because a hitch that tows nose up or nose down changes how a trailer sways regardless of which sway system sits under it.
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
- CURT published specifications for the 17601 TruTrack 2P
- CURT published specifications for the 17500 TruTrack 4P
- Equal-i-zer published specifications for the 4-point 10,000 lb hitch
Frequently asked questions
Does the CURT TruTrack 2P raise my tow vehicle towing capacity?
No. A weight distribution hitch, including the TruTrack 2P, redistributes tongue load across the tow vehicle and trailer axles and restores ride height. It does not change payload, GVWR, GCWR or any axle rating on your specific vehicle, which come only from your door jamb sticker and owner manual.
Why does CURT not publish a tongue weight rating for the TruTrack 2P?
CURT lists a 10,000 lb gross trailer weight rating for the 17601 but does not publish a separate tongue weight figure the way it does for its round bar kits. Buyers should treat the GTW figure as the governing published number and check their weighed tongue weight against CURT stated intended trailer range.
Is the TruTrack 4P worth the extra cost over the 2P?
Both share the same 10,000 lb GTW rating, so the 4P does not add capacity. It adds two more points of integrated friction, which resists the initial yaw more aggressively. That is worth paying for on a tall, slab-sided trailer that catches crosswind, and less necessary on a lower profile trailer towed mostly on calm roads.
Can I add a separate sway bar to a TruTrack hitch?
The TruTrack line builds sway control into the head itself rather than leaving a mounting tab for an add-on bar, so it is designed to be used as sold. A reader who wants an add-on bar they can tune or remove independently should compare a round bar kit like the CURT 17063 with the CURT 17200 sway control kit instead.
What receiver size does the CURT TruTrack 2P need?
CURT builds the 17601 for a standard 2 inch receiver, which is the most common size on half ton trucks and many SUVs. Confirm your own receiver carries a weight distributing rating before buying any hitch in this class, since a plain towing rating on the receiver itself is not the same thing.
How do I know if my trailer is a good fit for a 2-point sway system?
A 2-point system suits a shorter, lower profile trailer towed mostly in calm conditions, within the 10,000 lb GTW ceiling CURT publishes. A taller trailer that gets buffeted by passing trucks or crosswind is better matched to a 4-point system, either the TruTrack 4P or a competing integrated design at the same rating.
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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.