Equal-i-zer Hitch Thread.

[Al and Missy]

I used ROBERTSUNRUS' copper tubing modification (Thanks!). I haven't been on the road with it yet but the links seem really tight now and aren't bowed from over tightening.


Al

[Gene]

The only time I had the plates on the tongue slip was before I lowered the propane line out of the way. Before that I would reverse the bent plate until it eventually bowed and slipped, so then I moved the propane line. That was pretty easy and I wondered why I hadn't done that before. Maybe I've been lucky because that was all I had to do. And maybe the rust I haven't cleaned off for a while provides good resistance to slippage.

Steve (post 301), some people report Camping World is not the best place to go for work. You might ask around about other repair shops. The best thing, if you can do it, is to adjust it yourself. Then you'll know how it works and if you have a problem, you can fix it yourself.

Gene

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by JimGolden

I had the same problem, covered it in a thread long ago (you can find it with a search on Equal-I-Zer setup or similar).

The link plates are too flexible. If your tongue frame is smooth (as it should be), they can slide around. I welded my link plates to 1/2" thick steel plate doublers, then put a piece of rubber between the link plate and the frame. Rubber has high friction (it's why they make tires out of it) and so between the stiffness of the thicker plate steel and the higher friction of the rubber, it totally fixed the problem. I had to get longer bolts to bolt it all together, but that was fairly cheap. I used Grade 8.

The Equal-I-Zer is a great hitch. The only problem I've ever had was the link plates slipping. That is an easy fix. You fix that, you'll love the hitch.

See ya on the road,

Maybe this will help.

The Hitch Torsion Bar Story

Andy

[m.hony]

My propane line is already rerouted.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

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

Bob, in your post #13 you show brackets like I have, with the box and set screw. Is this an older style bracket or an upgrade of some sort? In other pictures the brackets are flat with bolts inserted through these and the L bracket. In yours and mine the L bracket goes in the sleeve on the tongue bracket and the square set bolt is used to tighten it.

Older style? I think the PO also had the other type, just wondering which is better or does it make a difference?

[Antique Pedaler]

I, too, had trouble with the "L" bars sliding that no amount of bolt tightening would stop. My "outside the box" answer was to put pieces of dry wall finishing sanding screen between the "L" bar and frame.

[JimGolden]

Andy,

Excellent test data! Well done!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by JimGolden

Andy,

Excellent test data! Well done!

Thanks.

Andy

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by richw46

Bob, in your post #13 you show brackets like I have, with the box and set screw. Is this an older style bracket or an upgrade of some sort? In other pictures the brackets are flat with bolts inserted through these and the L bracket. In yours and mine the L bracket goes in the sleeve on the tongue bracket and the square set bolt is used to tighten it.

Older style? I think the PO also had the other type, just wondering which is better or does it make a difference?

Hi, Rich; Mine is the old style, or what was available in 2004. I personally don't know if the new style are any better or not.

[kscherzi]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Maybe this will help.

The Hitch Torsion Bar Story

Andy

Good data. What I conclude is that Eaz-lift is much less stiff than Reece or Equal-i-zer. Lighter weight bars are less stiff than heavier bars. At extremes Equal-i-zer remains linear in regards to deflection vs force.

But what does this mean in real life? If the requirement is to carry 1,000 lbs then the Eaz-lift will have deflected more than the Reece or Equal-i-zer. Maybe the Eaz-lift would be easier on the TV/trailer combo over a steep drive, but would it not function worse in a porpoising conducive roadway?

[dznf0g]

My .02$. First we need to define porpoising. A single rear TV down-up-down motion when covering a dip in the road is not porpoising, and is desirable IMO. Porpoising is a repetitive oscillation due to wheelbase matching the undulations in the road. A stiffer bar won't stop this. The amplitude of the motion might be less than with a more flexible bar, but it will still be there.
Since, in my experience, porpoising occurs in far less than 1% of the total towing miles I cover....why would I manage to the exception rather than the rule, when the benefit of a softer bar far outweighs the drawbacks? In the occasion that I experience porpoising, simply changing speed or changing routes cures it.

I had 800# bars on my Reese (1000# tongue weight) and felt it was a perfect match. I have 1000# round bars on my HAHA and wish I could find 800# bars for it. The 1000#ers aren't bad, but just not as nice a ride as the 800#ers.

[Shaggy1970]

Question for the experts. I just bought a 27B and pick it up on Monday. Bought the equalizer mainly because of this thread (450 shipped to my door from PPL Motrohomes in case someone is looking for the best deal out there).

The Factory manual says the hitch ball height 17.75 inches. I have read this thread and know that its not the exact number since lots of things on the trailer have changed (I don't have it out front to level it and take a correct reading). My question is when I test fit the head to the shank I am at the very bottom hole and the height of the ball is 18.5 and thats with 7 washers in. There is no physical way to match the head to 17.75. Any ideas?

[Landrum]

Typically you want to set your ball a little high. It will take some fine tuning to get your AS level and you may have to buy a new shank. It took me 3 try's to get the right shank. The first shank was too short. The second shank was too long (hit the ground a couple of times ). The third shank was just right. That reminds me of a story, but I can't quite "put my finger on it".

[Landrum]

Oh wait.....I'm not an expert. Maybe I shouldn't have responded??

[kscherzi]

Your tow vehicle will squat at least one inch in the rear after you get it all dialed in. Maybe up to two inches. I'll give you the same advise I got when I had the same question for my new trailer; don't over think it.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, my shank was a bit too long/low, so I cut the last hole off. [dragging on driveway] A few years later, either my trailer got heavier or it settled a bit, so I lowered the ball one hole and it's been fine ever since. For mine the magic number was 6 1/2 washers. [post number 5]

[Shaggy1970]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Your tow vehicle will squat at least one inch in the rear after you get it all dialed in. Maybe up to two inches. I'll give you the same advise I got when I had the same question for my new trailer; don't over think it.

But isn't that defeating the purpose, I mean from what I have watched online and read here, the goal is to do the measurements without Sag. Starting with the shank too high is throwing the whole word distribution out of weight distribution. I know I am not expert but without a new shank I don't think I can fix the issue and utilize the product fully.

[kscherzi]

Originally Posted by shaggy1970AS

But isn't that defeating the purpose, I mean from what I have watched online and read here, the goal is to do the measurements without Sag. Starting with the shank too high is throwing the whole word distribution out of weight distribution. I know I am not expert but without a new shank I don't think I can fix the issue and utilize the product fully.

Not sure about all those videos. I think my 4x4 Ford holds the ball close to 19" high at the lowest setting of the regular, I think 4" drop, Equal-i-zer hitch. Hitched up I am able to return front axle back to unloaded height, the rear sags about a inch and an half or so which gets my Airstream pretty close to level.

[Gene]

I also am not an expert shaggy. But the guys at Progress (manufacturer of the Equalizer) should be. Give them a call. They will help you through the whole thing.

I tend to overthink these things, but sometimes it just can't be perfect for every tow vehicle. I seem to recall the instructions being unclear where you measure the 17.75" from—top or base of the ball.

Gene

[Al and Missy]

If I remember correctly, the dimension is to the top of the ball. But the truck will, and should, squat when loaded. My truck has 1200# of payload but the front axle is way closer to its limit than the rear. So when that 1200# is put in the truck, mostly in the bed, the rear suspension will squat more. You just don't want it to squat so much as to take any load off the front.

The equalizer manual on line has a rule for estimating squat. Check that out, but I'll bet your truck will squat 1-2 inches in the rear and you will be fine.

Al