Equal-i-zer Hitch Thread.

[billrector]

Originally Posted by JMynes

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.

Thank you. I called Equalizer today and heard the same thing from them. I had 5 washers and that is what it took to get the hitch setup. I was surprised that one washer made that much difference!

The odd thing about the setup is that I had to start with the ball at least an inch higher than the receiver on the trailer and this is the opposite of what Equalizer suggests in their instructions and videos.

I did have a discussion with them on the size of the bars. I have read reports that suggest that vehicles with a stiff suspension require bars that are lighter or the trailer can get damaged through vibration. I have 1200 lb bars for my F250/FC27FB and Equalizer said these were the proper bars.

[JMynes]

I had a Chevy 1500 prior to this truck. The hitch migrated to the new truck, but I had to get a different shank with more drop.
I took one washer off the rivet and the setup is pretty close. Towed 300 miles with no problem. I’m waiting for the topper to arrive so I can load up and get it dialed in.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by billrector

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

Adding washers on the rivet tilts the hitch down, therefore increasing the tension on the bars without changing the height of the ball. I found that Grade 8 washers from Lowe's hardware cabinet work just fine.
I can never remember the size, I want to say 1". A package has about 4 for $2.
I once contacted Equalizer, because I bought my hitch used, so I needed washers, and they told me any hardened washer will work. BTW, it's normal for a gap to open up at the rivet, since the force flattens any washer when new. I need to tighten my adjustment bolt.

Equalizer's web site has good advice for setting the ball height. It's not a perfect system since it moves in 1 1/4" increments.
Coupler height is pretty consistent with Airstream. 17 3/4"

[PatSoozy]

Hi, We are new to Airstream and new to this forum. We are in the process of purchasing a 2017 22FB with pickup anticipated in April due to the delightful Midwest weather we are having. Shout out to Shorewood RV in Anoka, MN for allowing this to happen.

But I digress. We will be purchasing an equalizer hitch (600 /6000 lb.) with this trailer, but from previous experience with a different brand of WD hitch (that went away with ITS trailer), I'd like to find out how much the dang thing weighs - as in dead lift from whatever box or container we will be keeping it in for storage in between road trips.

Our old Reese weighed in at 100 pounds with the hitch ball at around 50 and each spring with chains at about 25 lbs. Part of the reason we got rid of the old trailer was the physical demands, only one of which was lifting the WD hitch. This time around, we invested in an electric lift and it seems that the equalizer will be easier to use than the chains on the old Reese springs. But I'd like to be prepared for what it will take to lift the hitch up into the receiver. I suppose I need to get back into some back strengthening exercises!

BTW, I love the ideas I have seen thus far for storage. After the old WD hitch parts bashed up the interior of our SUV, I came up with an institutional heavy plastic box that I found on Amazon. They sell varying sizes of heavy plastic crates - the sort of thing you might use to hold inventory for a vending machine. When we had to drive around with the hitch in the back, we ran some cargo ratchet straps around and across the top of the box in the hope that if we got rear-ended, we wouldn't get bashed in the back of the head by a 50 lb hitch. The highlander has well placed cargo hooks in the back.

Anyway, y'all's storage solutions are much more elegant!

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by PatSoozy

Hi, We are new to Airstream and new to this forum. We are in the process of purchasing a 2017 22FB with pickup anticipated in April due to the delightful Midwest weather we are having. Shout out to Shorewood RV in Anoka, MN for allowing this to happen.

But I digress. We will be purchasing an equalizer hitch (600 /6000 lb.) with this trailer, but from previous experience with a different brand of WD hitch (that went away with ITS trailer), I'd like to find out how much the dang thing weighs - as in dead lift from whatever box or container we will be keeping it in for storage in between road trips.

Our old Reese weighed in at 100 pounds with the hitch ball at around 50 and each spring with chains at about 25 lbs. Part of the reason we got rid of the old trailer was the physical demands, only one of which was lifting the WD hitch. This time around, we invested in an electric lift and it seems that the equalizer will be easier to use than the chains on the old Reese springs. But I'd like to be prepared for what it will take to lift the hitch up into the receiver. I suppose I need to get back into some back strengthening exercises!

BTW, I love the ideas I have seen thus far for storage. After the old WD hitch parts bashed up the interior of our SUV, I came up with an institutional heavy plastic box that I found on Amazon. They sell varying sizes of heavy plastic crates - the sort of thing you might use to hold inventory for a vending machine. When we had to drive around with the hitch in the back, we ran some cargo ratchet straps around and across the top of the box in the hope that if we got rear-ended, we wouldn't get bashed in the back of the head by a 50 lb hitch. The highlander has well placed cargo hooks in the back.

Anyway, y'all's storage solutions are much more elegant!

The Equalizer brand hitch head is fairly heavy. I just minimize how far I lift/carry it. I store the spring bars and L brackets in the rear bumper compartment of my 23D. When I get home, I back the truck into the garage close to where I store the hitch head, put a garbage bag over it and schlepp it a few feet to its ‘home’ until the next trip.
If you’re physically unable to lift that weight, I’ll bet if you looked around there might be some gadgetry available that can make that task easier.

[KK4YZ]

....and when we’re at a camp site I do the same thing with the garbage bag. I’ll leave the hitch under the A frame still protected from the elements by the plastic garbage bag. Any thief wanting to run off with it will get a hernia😱

[paiceman]

I store the head bars and clips in the back of our F350. Pull out Bedslide, put them on

[Mollysdad]

There's a gadget that makes lifting the hitch by the ball easier. It grabs the ball and balances the weight.
https://www.amazon.com/HitchGrip-HG7...qualizer+hitch
Other than that, I have a heavy duty rubbermaid tub to keep it dry and clean (as possible)
My big fear is dropping it on my foot.

For the bars, I made two PVC storage tubes, 2" dia. X 3', with a cap on one end and a screw plug on the other.
The bars live in them in the back of the truck, clean and ding free. They don't roll around because the grooves in the truck bed keep them in place. (MOL)

[Mattirs]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

There's a gadget that makes lifting the hitch by the ball easier. It grabs the ball and balances the weight (MOL)

I really like this gadget. It takes a little playing around with it to get the hang of it, but once you do it is great.
If you have a deep drop on your hitch it won't work. Will have to measure when I get home.

Matti

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Mattirs

I really like this gadget. It takes a little playing around with it to get the hang of it, but once you do it is great.

Yes, it moves the center of gravity so the weight is centered under the handle.
If I designed it, I'd have made it a touch wider, so it held the ball more securely. Picking up the hitch if it's laying on it's side is hit and miss. Dropping it on your toes would mean a trip to the hospital.

[pteck]

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...amp+tie+handle

I have this always attached to my hitch head. I loop it through one of the spare holes in the drop shank. Topmost in my case which makes it balance good.

Super cheap and makes the hitch head easy to grab and move around.

I also use the handle loop to route my tether and emergency brake wire through and it keeps everything nice and tidy.

I'll grab a pic of it in actual use when I get out camping again this weekend.

[pteck]

Here's what it looks like attached to the hitch head.

Like I mentioned, I leave it on all the time (though it's super easy to remove with the quick release). Easy to grab and the handle helps with a better posture with minimal bending over to lift the heavy thing.



Under tow, it lays to the side like this and I use it also to route the 7-pin tether and emergency brake lines through it so they aren't just dangling.

[GCinSC2]

Pteck,

Could you take a look at you hitch ball and double check if it's tight please?

In your first pic am I seeing a witness mark on the head from possible ball rotation?

Gary

[pteck]

Good eye! It's at 450ft/lbs as I just checked it this season. Though when I acquired it and the AS from the previous owner, it sure wasn't tight enough from my inspection.

I think the mark is from my use with it this past weekend for a hydraulic dump loader. I probably shouldn't have used my WD hitch, but it was already on and the right size.

[GCinSC2]

Glad alls well. I just saw something that looked like a concern.

Several times I've seen a rotation witness mark on the head from ball rotation.

I'm ready for a campfire.

[SilverCabin]

Here's what I use to move my hitch. Works great. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Orang...C0EC770CE60F3E

[RicknTrish]

Originally Posted by pteck

Attachment 302864
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...amp+tie+handle

I have this always attached to my hitch head. I loop it through one of the spare holes in the drop shank. Topmost in my case which makes it balance good.

Super cheap and makes the hitch head easy to grab and move around.

I also use the handle loop to route my tether and emergency brake wire through and it keeps everything nice and tidy.

I'll grab a pic of it in actual use when I get out camping again this weekend.

Am interested in this device, but want to make sure I get the right model. The stock photo in your post shows the brown handle, which on Amazon is CLPT-02, $8.37. Your "in use" photo in your subsequent post shows a dark green handle, which on Amazon is $6.97, but no model number. Both Southwire, and they appear to have same specs (2" adjustable, rotating handle, etc.). Are they the same? (I don't care that one is a couple of $ more, I just want to get the one you say works for you). Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I don't want to miss a small detail that makes one work for this purpose and the other one won't work.

Thanks, Rick

[Mattirs]

Originally Posted by SilverCabin

Here's what I use to move my hitch. Works great. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Orang...C0EC770CE60F3E

I second this hitch carrier. It makes lugging the hitch around a breeze and grease free. People think the carrier would slip off but it is designed to lock into place on the ball by being slightly off level. This puts enough pressure on the unit to tightly lock it in place.
The price is also very good.

Mstti

[pteck]

Originally Posted by RicknTrish

Am interested in this device, but want to make sure I get the right model. The stock photo in your post shows the brown handle, which on Amazon is CLPT-02, $8.37. Your "in use" photo in your subsequent post shows a dark green handle, which on Amazon is $6.97, but no model number. Both Southwire, and they appear to have same specs (2" adjustable, rotating handle, etc.). Are they the same? (I don't care that one is a couple of $ more, I just want to get the one you say works for you). Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I don't want to miss a small detail that makes one work for this purpose and the other one won't work.

Thanks, Rick

Hi Rick. I actually picked up mine at Home Depot and it was the only one there. I couldn't find the green one on Amazon prior. They do look to be one and the same other than color.

Here's a pic of how I have it setup under tow. I run my umbilical and emergency brake wires through the loop to keep them tidy. And make sure they aren't hanging low and risking getting caught by road debris.

[RicknTrish]

Originally Posted by pteck

Hi Rick. I actually picked up mine at Home Depot and it was the only one there. I couldn't find the green one on Amazon prior. They do look to be one and the same other than color.

Here's a pic of how I have it setup under tow. I run my umbilical and emergency brake wires through the loop to keep them tidy. And make sure they aren't hanging low and risking getting caught by road debris.

Thanks for the clarification and additional photo. Yes, it looks like a nice clean setup. Will see if a Home Depot in my area (there are several) carries them.