Equal-i-zer vs. e2 round bar hitch??

[WanderStream]

Fellow AIers,
just took delivery of new 2011 23' FB International--YIPPEE!!!!
we love her!!
i specified Equal-i-zer hitch and assumed that's what they put on.
wrong!!
we are now 400 miles from dealer & discovered that it's a e2 round bar hitch--800 lb tongue/8,000 lb weight.
the size is fine but what about this hitch vs. the Equal-i-zer?
is it just as good or should i scream bloody murder?
and if so, can you point me to a review or something to make my case.
many thanks to all.
susanne

[OilnH2o]

Just curious -- you ever get any more info? I was offered a "round bar" hitch and ended up with a new Equal-i-zer with square bars... so just curious if you ever made it home!

[WanderStream]

thanks for your note, oilnh20.
you're the only one who has responded but i have since had a chance to do more research & i definitely think Equal-i-zer is the better hitch. so you got the best one.
and i am still in negotiations with dealer to get it resolved. and yes, we made it home just fine--thanks for asking. my best, susanne

[dkottum]

You have a hitch better suited to the size of your trailer. There is no 8,000# Equal-I-zer, jumps from 6,000# to 10,000#. I have the 10,000#, my sense is the square bars are extremely stiff. I am concerned about the rigid connection and long-term damage to my trailer, truck, and my back on rough roadways (an increasing problem).

If the hitch works well for you, distributes needed weight and gives a compliant ride, you may be better off.

doug k

[aftermath]

I think that Doug just made a very important point. There are many here that don't like the "stiffness" of the Equalizer, especially when you are over hooked. I had a smaller white box trailer with the 6K bars and it was fine. Now, my Airstream is a bit larger and I have the 10K setup.

People have predicted lots of trouble with the Equalizer from popped rivets to cracked panels. I think it has a lot to do with the proper size hitch, the rigidity of the truck suspension, the condition of the tires and axles and probably if the stars are aligned. I have a half ton and I have had no problems like those listed. While I think the Equalizer is a great hitch you might be better off with what you have. If it is working, I wouldn't up size.

[mefly2]

Likely you will be fine as far as towing ... perhaps even a bit better off with the ligher spec'd hitch. Hopefully, the dealer will make it right with you financially; IIRC the round bar EQ hitches are sold at a lower price ... not sure about installation time differential.

Our dealer sold us the square bar 10k EQ model and I have ground off the square edges of the bars to a more rounded profile ... to soften the ride for our FC20 / Bambi.

[WanderStream]

thanks to all for info. i had read other comments about the stiffness issue. in talking to folks at Equal-i-zer, the main differences between Equal-i-zer and the "e2" are in 4-point sway control vs. 2-point sway control for e2, lifetime warranty vs. 10-year warranty for e2, made in USA vs. somewhere else for e2, forged ball vs. welded ball for e2. plus they reccommended the 10,000 lb. rather than 6,000 lb. for the 23' 6,000 lb gross weight trailer.
on the way home from Florida, she handled fine except for one time when car carrier went by like i was standing still & trailer went into a sway which corrected quickly but still that was rather unsettling. to be fair, the hitch was not yet quite set up right but i still wonder if it would have swayed even if right??
any thoughts on the matter.........of course you do--let's hear them. thank you!!!

[JamuJoe]

tubewannabe,
FWIW, We have a 2011 FC23FB, same weight as your model, and use the 10,000 lb Equalizer. We've towed with a Grand Cherokee Overland Diesel over 14,000 miles without problems with the hitch or any chassis or body parts on the trailer. All seasons, mountains, deserts, high winds, rough roads (Chaco Canyon) etc, and the rig tracks beautifully. Save for the occasional creaking of the bars (a smear of vaseline helps that), I have no issues with the Equalizer. I did tweak it after the first 10,000 miles, for a bit more weight transfer to my TV front end). FYI, I've weighed on a set of digital automotive scales, and here are the results:

Tongue 785
Right Front 1260
Left Front 1332
Front Axle 2592
Right Rear 1187
Left Rear 1109
Rear Axle 2296
Total Trailer 5673
% Tongue Weight 14%
Equalizer Hitch Assembly 91
'Hitch Weight' on Tow Vehicle Receiver 876

Conditions:
Unhitched
Normal Towing Loads with All Gear Aboard
Full Fresh Water Tank
Empty Waste Tanks
Full Propane Tanks
Digital Scales (4)

Safe Travels - Enjoy your new Airstream!

[WanderStream]

joe, thanks so much for all the info and the increased comfort level!!
got our Equal-i-zer this week and will be gladly putting it on soon!!

we hope to make it out west next year............maybe you can help with some campgrounds to stay in.........and those to avoid!!!
again, many thanks.
susanne

[Alphonse]

The E2 is made by a sister company owned by Equalizer's parent, Progress Manufacturing. It uses the same principles in terms of adjustment and sway control. It is a good hitch but is not as robust as the Equalizer and as I am sure you have found out by now, the Equalizer is more expensive by a significant factor. As pointed out in a previous post here, the E2 is available in a 800/8000 variant and Equalizer is not.

The Equalizer is more difficult to install the ball on and you need their special socket to do it properly. Many simply use the flats on the ball to tighten it but that is difficult to achieve the specified torque of 450 ft-lbs. You also need a ball with 2 3/8" shank length which is quite difficult to find other than through Equalizer. I recently shopped several trailer parts suppliers in Houston with no success and ended up having to order the ball directly from Equalizer.

[WanderStream]

thanks for info.
your note certainly brought to our attention the ball size.
we would have found it in the install info but not sure we would have read it as carefully.
am searching for local spot to find it today.
but really, thank you--you have helped us a lot.
we really appreciate your note.

[john121]

A site for future reference you guys might wanna check!
https://www.hitchanything.com/

[Alphonse]

Originally Posted by tubewannabe

thanks for info.
your note certainly brought to our attention the ball size.
we would have found it in the install info but not sure we would have read it as carefully.
am searching for local spot to find it today.
but really, thank you--you have helped us a lot.
we really appreciate your note.

I posted some experience and photos of installing the 12k Equalizer here:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ml#post1185947