Do I need a WD hitch?

[Rocinante]

Towed the trailer today with the new bracket jackets instead of greasy WD bars with our EQ. Sweet silence and no mess. Highly recommended if you're using an EQ.

Speaking of which, we weighed the rig today. Overall, we're well within the limits of what our 1/2 ton truck can handle, but we were right to suspect the weight wasn't yet properly distributed. Despite a reasonable "eyball" adjustment (measuring the fore/aft elevation changes of the truck before/after hitching up), the EQ as it is currently configured is clearly not shifting enough weight forward to the front axle of the truck and back to the trailer axles. So, those who say eyeball isn't good enough are 100% correct. That should surprise nobody, I guess.

We dropped the trailer off for warranty service today, so we'll have the dealer help us adjust the hitch when we pick it up in a week or two. The scales are roughly 20 minutes from the dealer, so we can fairly easily check it out again after they make the adjustment. We'll probably have them shorten the L-brackets by another notch and maybe add a washer or two, depending.

Of course the amount and disposition of the weight will change as we load up the trailer with more water and food. However, as things stand right now I need to see the WD hitch move a respectable amount of weight off that rear truck axle and fore/aft to the others. I expect that only becomes more important as we load up for a big trip.

[m.hony]

The only way I can see to transfer more weight to the front axle or trailer axles is to add a washer to the hitch head.
I have a couple of washers. It is on my to-do list.
I have 4 washers in the hitch head now.
I still have noise with the Sway Jacket brackets. I think it is coming from the hitch head.

[Rocinante]

The EQ manual says on page 20, "To correct under adjustment you must add more weight distribution force to the hitch by adding spacer washers, or raising the L-brackets." We'll do one or the other, or both, until it's right.

Yup, the noise you're getting at this point from your EQ is probably from the hitch head at the pivots where the bars insert into the head and swing one way or the other as you turn. From page 23 of the manual, "The friction surfaces of the head and sockets should be kept clean and well lubricated with a good quality lubricant. They should be lubricated before each trip." We did not do this at first and had horrendous noises until we did so. Interestingly, you'll get the best results here if you get down low and look up at the EQ head from beneath (or just flip it upside down when its not on the truck). From there, as you look up you'll see clear wear patterns at the pivot points that you did not see when looking down from above. Grease those spots on either side and the screeching zombies will go back to sleep.

Link to the EQ manual I'm citing: http://www.equalizerhitch.com/pdf/EQOwnersManual.pdf

[m.hony]

I tried raising the L-brackets. That didn't do it.
Washers is the only thing left to do.
I have 2 copies of the manual- not that I've read it all the way through-
I printed one from the internet, then I found one in the trailer- same scenario with my Linear recumbent bike/

[Rocinante]

Thanks for the note about the L-brackets not doing the job. I'll call EQ tomorrow to ask them for the washers I didn't get with my hitch so I have some when I go back to the dealer next week. Perhaps the an additional washer or two will tweak the angle of the bars enough to distribute the weight more effectively. Now that we've got our EQ quieted, we're expecting it to do the WD job it was built for.

BTW, Linear is a pretty cool recumbent. I ride a 'bent bike and a trike, both made by by HP Velotechnic. http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/index_e.html

[m.hony]

Would you like to buy my Linear?
My hips and knees are so bad I can no longer ride.

[m.hony]

Equalizer will send you 2 washers free of charge. They may send more. I asked for one and they sent me two. I can try one to make a total of five. If that still doesn't do it, I can add number six-

[m.hony]

Justin Andrew at Progress Manufacturing has bent over backward to be helpful.

[Rocinante]

Sorry to hear about the bad joints and all. My wife would rightfully be disappointed if I did, as I have plenty of pedal-powered toys for now!

I'll give Justin a call tomorrow morning to ask for a couple of washers.

[m.hony]

I sold my beautiful Trek 2.1 road bike last year.

[m.hony]

The Linear was a last effort to ride with no pain. I did ride it for 3-4 years before giving up.