Equal-i-zer Hitch Thread.

[terryV]

Originally Posted by JimGolden

Post #9 is how I got my L-bracket link plates to stay still.

30,000 miles later, they still work fine.

I have the E4, but similar concept.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ort-34484.html




See you on the road

Yup, read that. That seems to be the simplest way to fix the problem that I have seen.

I took my brackets off and turned them over, so that the studs for the L brackets are at the bottom. Using the 3rd and 4th holes (from the bottom) in the L brackets, I have effectively lowered them one inch.

Hitching up I find that the front end of my truck is now 7/8" higher than it would be with no load, and the rear is 2" lower.

It seems to drive just fine. In fact, I don't really notice any difference. However, if that 7/8" is a problem, I suppose the only recourse is to add washers.

Or, I could raise the L bracket 1 hole and subtract washers.

Either way I have to remove the ball, right. That might be a problem for me right now. I'm pretty sure I do not have a socket that big.

My parts are in at Reliable RV in Springfield, and I need to hit the road. So, unless you feel that the 7/8" rise in the front is dangerous, I'll leave it as is for the time being.

[JimGolden]

You'll probably be fine with it as-is, though I might move the L-brackets up one notch. I wouldn't fool with the washers, unless you have a good flat parking lot and an hour or two to play with it. Not a big deal, but when you add a washer, you often wind up having to adjust the L-brackets too. Kind of a domino thing.

For 7/8", one L-bracket movement would probably bring you close to level. But, I still think it'd probably be OK as-is to get you home on, and you could fine tune it all when you have a little more time.

See ya on the road,

[terryV]

Originally Posted by JimGolden

You'll probably be fine with it as-is, though I might move the L-brackets up one notch. I wouldn't fool with the washers, unless you have a good flat parking lot and an hour or two to play with it. Not a big deal, but when you add a washer, you often wind up having to adjust the L-brackets too. Kind of a domino thing.

For 7/8", one L-bracket movement would probably bring you close to level. But, I still think it'd probably be OK as-is to get you home on, and you could fine tune it all when you have a little more time.

See ya on the road,

I am back home now. On the trip to Springfield I left everything as it was. (I took a 1/2" socket set with a big breaker bar along, just in case, tho).

You were right. I had no problems on the road. Joyce and I both felt the ride was better than before I lowered the L brackets, although not day and night better.

I think I may raise one L bracket when I go back to get the AS in a couple of weeks, just to see how that works.

I do have a question tho. My Chevy Quadrasteer heavy half ton has a button on the dash for trailering, bumpy roads, and heavy loads. I'm not sure just what it really does, but it does seem to smooth out the ride on a bumpy or choppy highway. Is this good for the trailer?

[JimGolden]

Terry,

Glad to hear you made it safe and sound.

I'm not certain, but if I had to guess, I would say that button controls the shock absorber valving. I had a Thunderbird Super Coupe that had a switch like that...basically "Sport" or "Touring" modes. If that's the case, it would firm things up a bit by stiffening up the shocks.

Now whether or not that is enough to hurt the trailer, I don't honestly know. They say the 3/4 ton trucks are plenty stiff enough already for an Airstream, but it may be that your model has a special soft suspension so that it rides more like a 1/2 ton and you can stiffen it up as needed.

Others on here may know more on this. If it does handle a lot better with it switched on, i would probably try it and just keep an eye out for signs of rivets popping, etc.

Hope that helps a little

[kscherzi]

I have a question for the experts. After arriving to camp at dinnertime earlier this summer I proceeded to annoy/entertain the entire campground as I passed by seeking my campsite. AREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!, ERCH ERCH ERCH ERCH, AREEEEEEEE!!!!!, CLUNK. Repeat.

To end it promptly ordered and installed the Teflon L Bracket jackets. I also completely disassembled, cleaned, and re-greased (w/equalizer grease, light blue color). After one 10 day 900 mile trip the noise is somewhat back and the hitch head grease is really black. How often do people clean and grease the hitch head?

[Gene]

The hitch head grease will get black fast because it picks up road dirt. I clean it off and put on new every day or two or three days, or around that, depending how far I go and whether I unhitch. Grease and a few paper towels are cheap and keep those little dirt particles from wearing the coupler and ball.

But you have to clean out the coupler from time to time—it isn't all that easy to get under there and around the parts inside. One way is to spray WD-40 in there after unhitching and some of the grease will drip down and you can try to get the rest out with paper towels or rags. But dry it well so the new grease doesn't get too watery.

My solution to the noise from the hitch is to close the windows and turn up the radio. Noise problem solved. I think that since the hitch uses friction for sway control, using grease or teflon covers reduces the friction, thus reducing sway control.

Gene

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, depending on the length and time on the road, I will take my hitch apart, clean, and re-grease it once a week or at the turn around point. Short trips which I almost never do, I will do my hitch before leaving home and again after I get home.

[m.hony]

The noise certainly gets the attention of pedestrians and cyclists.
Why y'all lookin' at me like that? Yo camper makes the same noise.

[Tincampers]

Get a Blue Ox an eliminate the noise and greasy mess.

[Rocinante]

Thus far we've found that as long as we periodically grease the pivot points and use the sway bracket jackets our EQ hitch makes very little noise. We know it's time to grease the pivot points again when it starts making noise.

It does seem a good idea to wipe everything off and start over, including the ball and coupler, now and then so we'll certainly do that.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by Gene

My solution to the noise from the hitch is to close the windows and turn up the radio. Noise problem solved. I think that since the hitch uses friction for sway control, using grease or teflon covers reduces the friction, thus reducing sway control.
Gene

Out of curiosity, are the Pro-Pride hitches or Hensley Hitches as noisy as the equalizer? Pulling out of the driveway at home, I know I've startled neighbors with the snap, crackle, pop of my equalizer... A friend traveling with me once yelled "stop! You broke your axle!"... I'm used to it but it can be distracting...

[m.hony]

My EazLift before the Equal-i-zer was noisy, too. I thought they all were noisy. Someone said ProPride and Hensley aren't as noisy, but I don't really know.

[kscherzi]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I had been thinking once a season for a through cleaning and greasing. I'm mostly a long weekend camper right now. Not yet retired. About 4,000 miles a year (I track by google map distances). A couple long trips mixed with several short trips. This aside.....

When cleaning do you mean (1) wipe the hitch head down and lay new grease on the exposed parts, or (2) completely dissemble the two pivoting WD bar parts from the hitchhead clean inside and out and regrease? Also, last cleaning I saw some serious smoothing out (wear) inside the hitch head where the WD parts rub under load. If a friction hitch, how long is this hitch expected to last?

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Out of curiosity, are the Pro-Pride hitches or Hensley Hitches as noisy as the equalizer? Pulling out of the driveway at home, I know I've startled neighbors with the snap, crackle, pop of my equalizer... A friend traveling with me once yelled "stop! You broke your axle!"... I'm used to it but it can be distracting...

No, silent.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I had been thinking once a season for a through cleaning and greasing. I'm mostly a long weekend camper right now. Not yet retired. About 4,000 miles a year (I track by google map distances). A couple long trips mixed with several short trips. This aside.....

When cleaning do you mean (1) wipe the hitch head down and lay new grease on the exposed parts, or (2) completely dissemble the two pivoting WD bar parts from the hitchhead clean inside and out and regrease? Also, last cleaning I saw some serious smoothing out (wear) inside the hitch head where the WD parts rub under load. If a friction hitch, how long is this hitch expected to last?

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, on the bottom of the top part of the hitch head were the spring bar sockets ride, Mine got a few wear marks on it. I cleaned those up with my cut-off wheel, being used as a grinder. Then my spring bar sockets can be greased and installed.

(1.) You can see were I did some grinding.

(2.) On my hitch, the socket bolts go in through the bottom.

(3.) Top view with sockets greased and torqued in place. I also changed these bolts to grade eight bolts. And also had to cut some of the threads off because they were too long. I torque these bolts to 80 lbs.

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, now that my hitch is all back together, painted, greased, and torqued, it's time to grease the ball and cover it up so it will be ready for our next trip.

Hi, these were posted on page one and post numbers 10 and 11. [with pictures] My hitch has been used for nine years and no parts have gone bad, worn out, or replaced. I have towed in 13 Western States and 3 Western Provinces; Some places several times. In my Alaska trip alone I was gone for 50 days and went over 10,000 miles. [lot of miles on this hitch] Decals replaced once and hitch repainted a few times.

[Rick75]

My wife and I are new AS owners and the dealer recommended an Equalizer hitch for our 2014 FC 27'. We're pleased to read the many posts here on the Equalizer and will follow them with much interest. On our maiden tow from the Jersey shore to home earlier this week we experienced some rough roads, tight conditions, and heavy truck traffic along the GSP and I-287 in NJ and we're pleased to report our hitch handled it all quite well.

[Gene]

We've used the Equalizer for 50,000 miles all much of Canada and the US. Nothing on the hitch has worn out. I added a couple of washers early on, adjusted it properly, and left it that way ever since.

It is relatively easy to use, you don't have to detach it to back up (I think a few hitches require that), requires little maintenance, and works well on the highway.

It is even made in the US (I think).

How many products for RV's are that reliable?

Gene

[KJRitchie]

After my mishap this past Sunday forgetting to put the hitch pin in the receiver head

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ut-125955.html

I have my AS hitched to my Tundra in my driveway without the weight distribution bars connected. My power jack is a total loss so I can't raise or lower the AS without a floor jack. I noticed there is a gap between the washers and head with the weight of the trailer on the Equalizer head. Shouldn't the washers be snug up against the head? I think I may need to take the trailer off the TV and have my Equalizer head checked.

Kelvin

[m.hony]

There should be no gap. Get out that big ole inch and a quarter socket and breaker bar, loosen both bolts, put it where it belongs, and tighten as hard as you can.

[subfan1]

Don't forget to tighten the set bolt at the bottom of hitch head as well!


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