Equal-i-zer Hitch Thread.

[Antique Pedaler]

Originally Posted by mefly2

Thank you again, Andy.
It was your empirical testing that led to my bar "reduction" project!

And my going with 600 lb. bars on my 25" FB....behind my DMAX.

[Antique Pedaler]

Here'e a different thought. This is the 400 lb bar setup on my little Bambi II. I figure it is still too much hitch behind my DMAX, but perhaps okay with the Touareg. So the setup for the Dmax is with very little, if any, leveling force. So about all it does is serve as an anti sway hitch and keep gear from bouncing around inside. So far with 6,000 miles on the Bambi this has worked fine. I towed the Bambi several hundred miles with just a plain ball-on-shank and had gear all over the place.

Here's the only reason I even have this hitch. I bought the trailer two years ago with the original 46 year old Equal-i-zer. I called the factory about welding a modification to the shank to fit the current TV. The factory hesitated then, instead, traded me straight across for a brand new one. They wanted the old one for a historic display. You can probably view it at their home plant.

[Alphonse]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Farmboy',

Someone mentioned the propane line that gets in the way of the L bracket on the curbside. It was not difficult to loosen the propane line and then run the lower bolt for the bracket in the right place. I also put vinyl tubing over the propane lines to protect them, so the line is protected from any abrasion from the bracket assembly.

Here's another solution for the gas line. I fabricated/welded up a spacer and put it over the line since I didn't want to disturb the line.

The dealer had installed L-pads over the gas line without moving it or protecting it! By the way they also put an under-capacity hitch on it as well along with the wrong drop. Bought the trailer from the original owner who simply knew no better. Fortunately he hadn't used it but for one short trip.

I sold the old setup and bought a new Equalizer and installed it per Equalizer's instructions.

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, here are a few pictures showing what I did. After this modification, my brackets have never slipped.

Note: the first set of copper tubing sleeves were cut at 2"s, this set came out about a 1/16" shorter, but still work great.

I want to do this mod, 2 questions.
1. Do I cut the copper tubing the same width as the frame, or 1/8" shorter.
2. Why not use lockwashers to prevent coming loose and slipping?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by rogerdodger

I want to do this mod, 2 questions.
1. Do I cut the copper tubing the same width as the frame, or 1/8" shorter.
2. Why not use lock washers to prevent coming loose and slipping?

Hi, cut the copper tubing the same width of the frame. The copper tubing will crush a little bit if needed. [2"] Use either lock washers or lock nuts. Not shown in my pictures, but I changed all six bracket nuts to locking nuts.

[Grand Master]

My "L" brackets are showing more wear on the forward edge of the horizontal surface the bar rests on. Is this just normal since the bar is tensioned to flex and therefore not be entirely level?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Grand Master

My "L" brackets are showing more wear on the forward edge of the horizontal surface the bar rests on. Is this just normal since the bar is tensioned to flex and therefore not be entirely level?

Hi, Yes, my "L" brackets got a little wear on them too. I think mostly because of the frame brackets moving, the "L" brackets moving, and when I had my "L" brackets up one hole. I cured the frame brackets from moving with my third bolt and copper tubing modifications. I cranked down on the "L" bracket bolts [square head] until they eventually threaded into my "L" brackets. I keep my spring bars level with my trailer frame and installed the bracket jackets. [plastic pads] You could swap sides with your "L" brackets to let them wear on the other side. I bought a spare set of bracket jackets, but never needed to use them yet.

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, cut the copper tubing the same width of the frame. The copper tubing will crush a little bit if needed. [2"] Use either lock washers or lock nuts. Not shown in my pictures, but I changed all six bracket nuts to locking nuts.

My Argosy frame is 1 1/2" thick, but because it is boxed, the welds make it 1/8 thicker at top and bottom inside frame. Is this a problem with the brackets gripping the frame, should I grind off the raised welds, or just tighten up with the copper tubes. This is an old style but new in the box hitch, and I have not used it yet on the Argosy. Your input is appreciated.

[mstephens]

I've had my Equalizer for a year and I am generally happy with it in all respects now. I wasn't sure in the beginning, but I am pretty sold on it now after towing some 10,000 miles. I have a FC 25 and I use the #1000 bars.

The EQ is easy to hitch/unhitch. My wife and I have it down to a couple minutes with maybe the worst part being lifting it out of the bin in my Suburban and putting it in the receiver. It's bulky-heavy with no good grabs. But with heavy work gloves it goes ok. (We keep bars and hitch in the back of the TV at all times.)

My weight transfer is pretty close as measured by the wheel well method in the directions. There's a paucity of scales here and I haven't done that yet. I am very sensitive to how the Sub handles hitched v. unhitched, and I am happy that it is very close having made adjustments twice now after it was initially installed a year ago.

The hookup is brainless. Insert bars, raise TV, put on the locks and pins, lower the TV - roll.

The bars are stiff and they do not have the appearance of a big bow in them like some other WD hitches. The only significance of this stiffness is that when rolling up a dip like a driveway of a gas station, the TV/TT pair doesn't bend as easily at the ball/coupler, so you get some groaning. This has no negative affect on the trailer - in spite of this sound. If one had to do a LOT of slow speed maneuvering over such gullies, it might be a concern. Otherwise, insignificant. The "ride quality" (softness/harshness) of the TT is unaffected by the stiffness because the ball/coupler is a solid connection, so that whatever the rear end of the Sub body does, so does the TT through the ball/coupler connection (just like with a 'bendy' bar). My Sub is not over stiff, so the ride in both is smooth, subject to the road surface.

The last question is the anti-sway performance. I think first off my Sub has a great tire. They are very low profile 20 inchers with a stiff sidewall. It is hard to push the back end to and fro over the axle. With the trailer on, there is no sway under any of the conditions I've encountered yet. On a two lane, running at 60MPH, if a tractor trailer comes by at 60MPH, I don't even have to twitch the steering wheel - nothing. The trailer may rock slightly, but it doesn't lose track and pull my back end out.

I've driven in high wind and no trouble. I have to cross many twisty 9,000 foot passes back and forth, and the unit handles flawlessly. I don't drive over 62MPH even on open road, so I have no comments about what it might be like at speeds higher than that.

I have considered other hitches by simply getting involved in the excitement over other brands, or new designs, or more exotic ones, but now that a year - and 10,000 miles - has come and gone, I feel like the hitch is "checked off" and under control. It does everything a hitch should do. Even my brackets are still straight. It gathered a little rust, but otherwise is fine. For $650 or so, I'd say kudos to the company.

[Airtandem]

I really don't want to hijack this thread ; but has anyone seen the American Family Insurance Ad? There is a single axel Airstream that needs a hitch. The back of the trailer is way lower than the front.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by rogerdodger

My Argosy frame is 1 1/2" thick, but because it is boxed, the welds make it 1/8 thicker at top and bottom inside frame. Is this a problem with the brackets gripping the frame, should I grind off the raised welds, or just tighten up with the copper tubes. This is an old style but new in the box hitch, and I have not used it yet on the Argosy. Your input is appreciated.

Hi, without seeing your frame and trying to visualize what it looks like, I would not grind the welds down or flat. The hitch bracket closest to the spring bars would be the smooth side of your frame. This should tighten up nice and stay in place.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I also wanted/needed a little more tilt on the hitch head to transfer a bit more weight to my front axle and a bit less weight on my rear axle. I already had six washers in it and added one more to make it seven. When I pre-assembled the hitch head, I thought the angle was too much, so I found a half thickness washer to use. This seems like it will make the little difference that I needed.

(1.) Shows seven washers in place.

(2.) Shows what I call six and one half washers. Click on picture to enlarge. [easier to see]

Hi, I just got home from about an eight hundred mile round trip to Phoenix, Arizona and back. I feel that my six and one half washer set up worked great. Although I have never had any drive-abilty or sway issues before. I did it to bring my front end closer to my Lincoln's un-hitched ride height. I had no issues from my trailer or tow vehicle on this trip.

On my last stop [camp ground] before coming home, My water hose froze and the camp ground sewer pipe froze. It got down to 18 degrees in the early morning. More on this story at "Bob and Lee's random trip" in the "On The Road" section of this forum.

[JimGolden]

mefly2,

Absolutely excellent post there in #51. Well done.

Andy, if we were all ninja, you would be our sensei Seriously though, it's great information.

Keep up the good work guys!

[mcgintyrch]

My AS came with an Equalizer system. I'm having trouble getting one of the sway bars attached. I can't seem to get it high enough to slide onto the coupler. Any advice or tips?
Thanks!
Susanne

[SilverGate]

Once your trailer is hitched up to the receiver hitch head, you should be able to raise your SuperJack to raise the trailer and receiver high enough to slide the spring arms (sway bars) onto the L-brackets, with the assistance of the Snap Up lever tool.

See Equal-i-zer Frequently Asked Questions, "How Does the Equal-i-zer Hitch Hook up?"

[mcgintyrch]

Thanks. Got it done this morning. Unfortunately, the snap up lever tool didn't come with the trailer. I was able to get in place but that tool should would have been handy.
S

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by mcgintyrch

Thanks. Got it done this morning. Unfortunately, the snap up lever tool didn't come with the trailer. I was able to get in place but that tool should would have been handy.
S

Hi, I only used the snap up tool a few times after I first bought my trailer and never used it since. I totally use my tongue jack to get enough lift to easily install my spring bars by hand.

[Gene]

It depends on what the ground it like. Where we park the trailer, the front of the truck is a bit uphill from the trailer, so the lever tool helps. Getting it off can be difficult since I can't figure out a way to make the tool work to remove the bar easily.

Gene

[RUMSHIP]

What I have come to do with removal is, when I get to where we are camping, I just lift the rig while on level surface such as the office or just before I back it in, remove the bars and swing them to the bumper so then I'm free to back into any situation high or low. Also takes the poping sound away when I'm backing into a 90 deg angel. It works for me.

[JimGolden]

Rumship,

I do the same thing if it's really unlevel ground. Works like a charm.

If it's fairly level, I just run it up with the jack until the pressure is off and pull them off by hand.

Cheers,