Weight distribution
Fastway Connect weight distribution hitch review
The Fastway Connect is built to remove the two most common reasons a first-time buyer avoids a weight distribution hitch: price and setup complexity. Hardened chains run from the hitch arms to frame brackets, and tension is adjusted by moving to a different link rather than tuning a bracket position, which is closer to how the very first chain-style hitches worked decades ago.
This review covers what Fastway publishes for it, where the chain-link adjustment costs precision compared to a bracket or cam based hitch, and who should spend more instead.
On this page
- What does the Fastway Connect include, and what does it actually publish?
- How does the Connect compare to a Husky budget kit and two mid-range hitches with integrated sway control?
- What does the chain-link adjustment actually cost you?
- What is the honest downside of the Fastway Connect?
- When should you spend more instead of buying the Connect?
What does the Fastway Connect include, and what does it actually publish?
The Connect ships with round bar arms, hardened steel chains, a shank and a pre-installed 2-5/16 inch ball, which is unusual at this price point since several competing kits sell the shank or ball as a separate purchase. Fastway rates it for 1,000 lb maximum tongue weight and 10,000 lb maximum trailer weight, and lists a 3 inch drop or 7 inch rise range on the shank, which covers a wide range of truck-to-trailer height combinations without buying a second shank.
How does the Connect compare to a Husky budget kit and two mid-range hitches with integrated sway control?
The Connect published GTW and tongue weight ratings line up with a Husky budget hitch and undercut the mid-range hitches that add integrated sway control at a higher price.
| Published rating | Fastway Connect Weight Distribution Hitch | Husky Towing 30849 Weight Distribution Hitch | CURT 17063 Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control, 14,000 lb | Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 Weight Distribution Hitch Kit, 1,000 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.00 | $375.51 | $366.88 | $490.91 |
| Gross trailer weight rating | 10,000 lb | not published | 14,000 lb | not published |
| Tongue weight rating | 1,000 lb | not published | 1,400 lb | 1,000 lb |
| Receiver size | 2 | not published | not published | not published |
| Ball diameter | 2-5/16 | not published | not published | 2-5/16 |
| Drop | 3 in | not published | not published | not published |
| Rise | 7 in | not published | not published | not published |
| Sway control | not published | not published | Add-on friction bar included | Integrated |
| Spring bar type | not published | not published | Round bar | 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 does the chain-link adjustment actually cost you?
A chain-link hitch like the Connect adjusts in whole-link steps, while a bracket or cam-based hitch can be set to a specific measured position.
Published standard A published, traceable figure: a standards body, a federal regulation or a manufacturer specification states it.
| Design | Adjustment granularity | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Chain-link | Whole links only | Fastway Connect |
| Rotating latch bracket | Continuous, set by measurement | Blue Ox SwayPro |
| Friction head, no bars | Continuous friction tension | Andersen weight distribution |
A whole-link step is the nearest available setting, not the exact tension a setup procedure calls for, so the trailer may tow slightly nose-high or nose-low between links.
What is the honest downside of the Fastway Connect?
The chain adjustment is the tradeoff for the low price. Because tension can only be set to the nearest whole link, the setup procedure figure you are aiming for and the tension you can actually lock in will rarely match exactly, which can leave the tow vehicle riding slightly nose-high or nose-low compared to a hitch with continuous, measured adjustment. On a trailer near the top of the 10,000 lb rating, that gap matters more than it does on a lighter trailer with margin to spare.
The Connect also has no integrated sway control of its own. A reader who wants sway resistance beyond what correct tongue weight and distribution provide needs to add a separate kit like the CURT 17200.
When should you spend more instead of buying the Connect?
A trailer whose weighed tongue weight sits near the 1,000 lb ceiling, or one that gets towed often enough that fine-tuning matters, is better served by the CURT 17063, which publishes a 1,400 lb tongue weight rating and includes a sway bar in the kit. A reader who wants sway control built into the head rather than added afterward should look at the Camco Eaz-Lift ReCurve R3 instead, which integrates sway control and ships with the 2-5/16 inch ball already fitted.
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
- Fastway published specifications for the Connect weight distribution hitch
- Husky Towing Products published specifications for the 30849
Frequently asked questions
Is the Fastway Connect a full weight distribution hitch kit?
Yes. It includes the hitch head, round bar arms, chains, a shank and a pre-installed 2-5/16 inch ball, so there is no separate shank or ball purchase needed. Fastway rates the complete kit to 10,000 lb GTW and 1,000 lb tongue weight.
Why is the Fastway Connect so much cheaper than other weight distribution hitches?
It uses hardened chains adjusted by link rather than a rotating latch bracket or a friction cone head, which is a simpler and cheaper mechanism to manufacture. The tradeoff is coarser tension adjustment, not a lower published GTW or tongue weight rating for the same 10,000 lb class.
Does the Fastway Connect include sway control?
No. It handles weight distribution only. A reader who wants sway resistance beyond correct loading needs to add a separate friction bar kit such as the CURT 17200, which bolts onto most weight distribution hitches including chain-style kits like the Connect.
Can I fine-tune the tension on a chain-style hitch?
Only to the nearest whole link. Unlike a rotating latch bracket or a friction cone design, a chain hitch cannot be set to an exact measured position between links, so the trailer may tow slightly nose-high or nose-low compared to a hitch with continuous adjustment.
What size receiver does the Fastway Connect need?
The Connect is built for a standard 2 inch receiver, which covers most half ton trucks and many SUVs. Confirm your own receiver carries a weight distributing rating, since a plain towing rating printed on the receiver is a separate figure from a weight distributing rating.
Is 10,000 lb GTW enough for my trailer?
That depends on your trailer own gross weight, not a brochure dry weight figure. Weigh the trailer loaded the way you actually travel, and if the loaded weight is close to or above 10,000 lb, a higher rated kit like the CURT 17063 has more margin.
Free download
Get the complete tow rig setups emailed to you
Both ladders, conventional travel trailer and fifth wheel, at beginner, intermediate and expert budgets, every item priced and linked with a running total, plus a printable pre-trip weighing worksheet you can fill in at the scale.
One email with the setups. No sequence, no sharing your address, unsubscribe any time.
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.