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Old 12-07-2017, 09:10 AM   #1101
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Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS View Post
Hi, for me, a 16" shank would work great, but I couldn't find with the other measurements that I needed.
Same here. And it's complicated by different manufacturers measuring differently. One measures hole to hole and another measures overall. That's why e-trailers videos are so valuable. But they don't carry every shank.
I think I have the standard equal-I-zer shank. The distance between the pin hole and mounting holes is about 9".
I think a 12" shank would be perfect (between the holes) but there aren't any. There's a limit on how far you can re-drill an 18" shank, because the welded gusset will get in the way.
With my luck, the new hole would be off center and the pin wouldn't go in.
I just looked at the 18" shank video, and the pin to mount distance is 14". The gusset is 5" behind the pin hole. So if you re-drill 2" behind the original hole, you get 12" spacing and the hitch must have at least 3" from the pin hole to the receiver opening. Interesting.

For those of you who've drilled a longer shank or just used the 18", have you noticed handling problems? Now that the trailer has more leverage on the back of the truck?
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Old 12-07-2017, 11:42 AM   #1102
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Originally Posted by Troutboy View Post
I also did the 3” lify on my 23D. No difference in towing. It’s an easy mod for the DYIer. And well worth it.
Okay guys, I'm now the owner of 3 shanks and you keep suggesting other alternatives.....I'm going broke here LOL!

So I like the idea of raising the AS, but the attached video does not make it sound so easy.

Looks like he made customer "clips" and had to install bolts backwards, had access issues, etc. I'm a pretty handy guy, but I don't need a project where the neighbors can hear my frustration! Is this video representative of what I'd be dealing with?
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:00 PM   #1103
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Originally Posted by Captain Hank View Post
pteck,
I agree you have to be careful when towing the trailer across dips. However, raising the trailer raises the center of gravity. Have you noticed any instability in high winds or heavy trucks passing?
Hi. I've not noticed any differences honestly. I was likewise concerned about this prior to lifting, as 3" is not an insignificant lift. Pleasantly surprised that it really didn't effect stability whatsoever. When I pass rigs or get passed by them, I can hardly feel any wind pushing against my rig. I'll attribute this to the excellent stability afforded by the Equilizer, as well as my relatively very heavy tow rig (6150lbs curb weight).
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:03 PM   #1104
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Originally Posted by billrector View Post
Okay guys, I'm now the owner of 3 shanks and you keep suggesting other alternatives.....I'm going broke here LOL!

So I like the idea of raising the AS, but the attached video does not make it sound so easy.

Looks like he made customer "clips" and had to install bolts backwards, had access issues, etc. I'm a pretty handy guy, but I don't need a project where the neighbors can hear my frustration! Is this video representative of what I'd be dealing with?
I lifted my '07 27FB myself, without the need to make any custom tabs. I was ready to (after watching the vid too), but pleasantly surprised I didn't need to.

It's relatively straightforward, but given the size of the trailer/axles/job, number of heavy bolts, and suspect tool clearances, I wouldn't recommend this as a DIY to everyone.
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Old 12-07-2017, 01:30 PM   #1105
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I installed one with the "encouragement" from the owner in his 30' Classic. Didn't have ability to make any tabs to hold fasteners but I did use a 15/16" iirc stub wrench and some pretty creative wrench accessing and finagling.
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Old 12-07-2017, 01:32 PM   #1106
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Raising the coach does impact tow stability. The amount of impact is less noticable, because the Airstream is a good towing trailer by design. Raising the coach with a block lift will improve front and rear clearance for off road and driveway transitions. It does not improve axle clearance, which can be a problem for off road travel. It will degrade roll over stability, but a reduction in speed can help significantly to offset that degradation.

Think first about an upgrade in tire size. It may cost you a bit, but it's an easy upgade to implement and will lift the axle. There are also axle configurations that have more lift in the arm orientation. More complex install and more cost than the blocks, but the axle gets lifted with the front and back of the coach.

Consider your use, investigate the trade offs and make the best decision for your application. In any case, understand that the little things you do to degrade the stability of your rig will add up. Higher COG, more weight in back, longer shank for tail gate clearance and so on. Understand the impacts of your rig tuning. Pat
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Old 12-07-2017, 01:43 PM   #1107
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It wasn’t easy but doable, and no custom fab or tabs. Creative use of tools.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f382...3d-168184.html
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Old 12-07-2017, 03:18 PM   #1108
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Raising the coach does impact tow stability. The amount of impact is less noticable, because the Airstream is a good towing trailer by design. Raising the coach with a block lift will improve front and rear clearance for off road and driveway transitions. It does not improve axle clearance, which can be a problem for off road travel. It will degrade roll over stability, but a reduction in speed can help significantly to offset that degradation.

Think first about an upgrade in tire size. It may cost you a bit, but it's an easy upgade to implement and will lift the axle. There are also axle configurations that have more lift in the arm orientation. More complex install and more cost than the blocks, but the axle gets lifted with the front and back of the coach.

Consider your use, investigate the trade offs and make the best decision for your application. In any case, understand that the little things you do to degrade the stability of your rig will add up. Higher COG, more weight in back, longer shank for tail gate clearance and so on. Understand the impacts of your rig tuning. Pat
Thanks Pat. This is a good reminder that it should all be considered in whole. And that stability shouldn't be taken for granted. While theory is good, I don't think 3" materially made the stability any worse. Though it's also why I counteracted to ensure stability, but shortening my stinger.

Interestingly, in regards to improving axle clearance, one should note that on a stock AS, the axles are generally not the lowest point. That distinction is taken by the tanks. Lifting the axles 3", puts the axles just about flush with the lowest point of the tanks. Which does meaningfully increase overall clearance by 3".

I meant to take a picture here of the axle label. But you can see that that tanks are lower than the axle. Picture is pre-lift.

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Old 12-07-2017, 04:16 PM   #1109
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-- snip -- Lifting the axles 3", puts the axles just about flush with the lowest point of the tanks. -- snip --
Good point - thanks! Pat
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Old 12-07-2017, 11:27 PM   #1110
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Originally Posted by Mollysdad View Post
Same here. And it's complicated by different manufacturers measuring differently. One measures hole to hole and another measures overall. That's why e-trailers videos are so valuable. But they don't carry every shank.
I think I have the standard equal-I-zer shank. The distance between the pin hole and mounting holes is about 9".
I think a 12" shank would be perfect (between the holes) but there aren't any. There's a limit on how far you can re-drill an 18" shank, because the welded gusset will get in the way.
With my luck, the new hole would be off center and the pin wouldn't go in.
I just looked at the 18" shank video, and the pin to mount distance is 14". The gusset is 5" behind the pin hole. So if you re-drill 2" behind the original hole, you get 12" spacing and the hitch must have at least 3" from the pin hole to the receiver opening. Interesting.

For those of you who've drilled a longer shank or just used the 18", have you noticed handling problems? Now that the trailer has more leverage on the back of the truck?
Hi, I was thinking of drilling the new hole at 3"s, but as you mentioned it would get in the way of the gusset so I settled for 1" less. I had concerns of a difference in handling. I towed my trailer for over ten years with my 2000 Lincoln Navigator; Adding a few inches to my shank on my F150 which is about two feet longer than the Lincoln seemed to me it wouldn't have a noticeable difference. My last trip was with the longer shank and with winds and what-have-you, I felt good while towing.
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Old 12-09-2017, 02:02 PM   #1111
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Originally Posted by billrector View Post
Hi....I am moving from a Toyota Tundra to a Ford F-250. My AS is a 27' Flying Cloud FB. The trailer is in storage, so I am unable to get there to measure the hitch height.

I believe the F-250 receiver is higher than the Tundra. I put the Equalizer hitch into the receiver and the top of the ball is about 25" above the ground. My issue is that it looks like the hitch is set on the lowest setting, so how would I lower it? If I need to get something else, can you point me in the right direction? What height should the ball be?
Sorry I'm late to the party here, hopefully you are squared away by now however earlier this year I moved from a '14 Ram 1500 ED to a '17 F-350 SD. I have the Equal-i-zer 10,000 lb bar setup. I had to replace my shank and went with a 12" horizontal, 11' vertical with 8 holes. I picked it up at a local hitch supply store. It might be a Reese, not sure. I think it was around $80 CDN but can't recall exactly.
I removed 3 spacers in the hitch so now run with 4. My trailer is a '17 27FB. I am at the lowest holes so with a F-250 you'd probably be one or tow holes above as it sits about 2" lower than a F-350 IIRC. Anyway, it is level and tows perfect, no interference with the tailgate or clearance issues at all. I've run across the scales a few times and am very happy.
With the Ram and previous shank I did drill an additional hole to move everything towards the truck, but that isn't necessary with the F-350 and this shank doesn't have the room anyway.
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Old 12-28-2017, 01:00 PM   #1112
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Hi All,
Newbie here and just bought a new 2017 Tundra V8 4X4 5.7 liter engine with the tow package I think. It’s got the built in receiver and the tow brake.
Please advise if the Equalizer is good for my new 2017 International serenity 23’. The bay area dealer wants $1,100 and to install it. I’m on the wall thinking if I should install it myself and save some money.
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Old 12-28-2017, 01:05 PM   #1113
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Yes, had this hitch on my Tundra. Buy fro Etrailer.com for about 1/2 of what the dealer wants. Even if you have the dealer install it, you will likely have to make adjustments when you load your trailer and/or truck. The only issue you will have is torquing the ball to the hitch.
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Old 12-28-2017, 02:59 PM   #1114
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Yeah I don’t have the skills nor the tools to torque it myself. But...maybe I should start learning...never really ventured into the doing yourself stuff. A bit worried but like you said even with the dealer installing the equalizer I might still need to make adjustments.
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Old 12-28-2017, 03:53 PM   #1115
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Originally Posted by Ag&Au View Post
I towed a 21 foot Bigfoot with an Equal-I-Zer for 9 years. I had no problems that were not self induced. The only significant problem was trying to back up from the flat to a steep upslope. The rear wheels on the tow vehicle started to spin in the gravel, so I solved the problem by engaging the 4WD. I thought nothing else about it, until I went to hook up to leave a few days later. I found that the hitch seemed to be out of adjustment, because the bar ends were above the bracket. After removing the bars, and inspecting them, I found they both had been bent in the up hill backing. I made do for the rest of the trip, by turning both bars upside down. When I got home I up graded to the larger capacity hitch. I believe the original was 6000# rating on a 6300# GVW trailer. I upgraded to the 10,000# hitch. I also made a note to always remove the bars from the brackets before backing up a steep slope.

Hopefully, this post will keep someone else from learning this lesson the hard way.

Ken


Good advice!
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Old 12-29-2017, 06:03 AM   #1116
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Yeah I don’t have the skills nor the tools to torque it myself. But...maybe I should start learning...never really ventured into the doing yourself stuff. A bit worried but like you said even with the dealer installing the equalizer I might still need to make adjustments.
I had a local RV shop torque down the ball (no cost since I bought something) then installed the hitch myself. Took my time, measured, and remeasured (several times) to get the trailer as level as possible, then got weight distribution correct. CAT scales proved I was successful. Trailer tows great - made all the difference in the world.
Yep, had to buy a few more tools, but need them anyway for adjustments and re-tightening. Recommend doing it yourself because learn how the whole system works and need that knowledge for future adjustments - and save a little money too.
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Old 12-30-2017, 01:13 AM   #1117
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Appreciate the advice MWBishop.
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Old 01-07-2018, 04:29 PM   #1118
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I'm trying to move my Equalizer hitch from my Tundra to my new 2017 F250 and am having some trouble.

I leveled the trailer by using a tape measure on the front and back. I started by setting ball height to as close to the receiver height as possible. I have 4 washers in there right now and only have 5 as my dealer did not supply me with the spares.

I then added the WD bars and noticed that the bars had an upward tilt from truck to trailer. I believe they are suppose to be parallel to the trailer, but I don't see a reference to that in the instructions. I lowered the L brackets to make them level, but I have virtually no WD when I do that....the bars just sit on the L brackets with no real friction. The trailer was no longer level but instead pointed down in the front a few inches.

I then raised both the L-brackets and the hitch ball height by one hole. The ball is now above the receiver when the trailer is leveled. I now have some WD or at least friction on the bars, but the trailer is still lower in the front.

I guess I need to add some washers and see if that lifts the front of the trailer?
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Old 01-08-2018, 12:43 PM   #1119
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Originally Posted by billrector View Post
I'm trying to move my Equalizer hitch from my Tundra to my new 2017 F250 and am having some trouble.

I leveled the trailer by using a tape measure on the front and back. I started by setting ball height to as close to the receiver height as possible. I have 4 washers in there right now and only have 5 as my dealer did not supply me with the spares.

I then added the WD bars and noticed that the bars had an upward tilt from truck to trailer. I believe they are suppose to be parallel to the trailer, but I don't see a reference to that in the instructions. I lowered the L brackets to make them level, but I have virtually no WD when I do that....the bars just sit on the L brackets with no real friction. The trailer was no longer level but instead pointed down in the front a few inches.

I then raised both the L-brackets and the hitch ball height by one hole. The ball is now above the receiver when the trailer is leveled. I now have some WD or at least friction on the bars, but the trailer is still lower in the front.

I guess I need to add some washers and see if that lifts the front of the trailer?
Bill,

I have a 2017 F250 6.2 Gas, 6-3/4 bed, 160" wheelbase, SuperCrew. I have a 2014 27FB Serenity. I have the Equalizer 1200lb and I am using the same shank you have, the Curt 17122.

The bolts mounting the hitch head to the shank are in the 5th and 7th holes from the top of the shank. The top of the ball is 1-1/2" from the top of the shank.

I am using six washers on the head, that returns the rise to the front end 50%.

The "L" brackets from the top of the Airstream frame to the top of the "L" brackets where the bars rest is 9-7/8" .

The top of the shank when mounted in the receiver with no load is 23-3/4". I do not have the loaded measurement but it squats a good three or four inches with-out the load bars. With the load bars installed it raises about an inch.

My Tongue weight is 1060 pounds loaded with food, gear, LP, and a full fresh water tank.

Lastly, I am running 16" wheels and Michelin 225/75/16 XPS RIB tires that raise the trailer overall by about 1/2". My trailer sits about 1/2" low in front.

Good luck!
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Old 01-08-2018, 05:08 PM   #1120
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I have 4 washers in there right now and only have 5 as my dealer did not supply me with the spares.
There’s nothing special about those washers. Get more from the hardware store.
The hitch comes with 8, I think the instructions recommend no more than 8.
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