Removing sway bars for backing in

[aftermath]

This has been discussed at length. Lubing the sockets and applying a LIGHT layer of lube to the L brackets does not diminish the effectiveness of the hitch. This is according to the manufacturer.

This sounded counter intuitive to me so I checked, read some more and double checked with the manufacturer. I suppose if you go crazy with the lube it could make a difference. Each spring I lube the ball and the sockets. If the L brackets get very dry I might lube them lightly but I usually don't. Over 30K miles and no problem and very little noise.

I find that following the manufacturer's recommendations is good practice.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, eleven years with an Equal-I-zer hitch and I never removed the spring bars to back up.

[wbrisett]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Never have taken my Equalizer bars off backing.

I'm in this camp. I've never taken off my Equalizer when backing up.

[m.hony]

Grease the ball and the moving parts of the hitch head.
Get the Sway Bracket Jackets for the L-brackets.
It will pipe down.
When it gets noisy again, grease it again.


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[xrvr]

[QUOTE=cazual6;1826959]Have a look.[/
That's not an Equilizer brand hitch. It is an equilizer type hitch, though.

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by cazual6

Have a look.

That's an eazlift hitch, I believe, it has WD bars with add on separate sway control brackets not shown in the picture. A good hitch, should probably use two sway control units. It is an equilizer type hitch but not an Equilizer brand hitch.
Sorry for the gibberish,.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by cazual6

Have a look.

That looks like an Eaz Elite.
It looks like the EazLift I had.
Yes, you have to remove the sway bar when backing.
Failure to do so bent that little ball.
Now, maybe it can be straightened with a big hammer and heat.
Otherwise, the ball could be moved to the other side on the truck and trailer.
It doesn't matter which side it is on.
Sometimes there is a sway bar on both sides.


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[chaseav]

Originally Posted by aftermath

This has been discussed at length. Lubing the sockets and applying a LIGHT layer of lube to the L brackets does not diminish the effectiveness of the hitch. This is according to the manufacturer.

This sounded counter intuitive to me so I checked, read some more and double checked with the manufacturer. I suppose if you go crazy with the lube it could make a difference. Each spring I lube the ball and the sockets. If the L brackets get very dry I might lube them lightly but I usually don't. Over 30K miles and no problem and very little noise.

I find that following the manufacturer's recommendations is good practice.

I was out of grease 3-4 months ago but had a little bottle of something like a very liquid version of lithium. Just wanted to shut the hitch up so I got liberal with it thinking it wouldn't work or last long if it did. Finally the other day after driving through a torrential downpour I noticed the creaking again. It wasn't messy at all. Will try to find it again in the garage.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Grease the ball and the moving parts of the hitch head.
Get the Sway Bracket Jackets for the L-brackets.
It will pipe down.
When it gets noisy again, grease it again.


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Hi, Thank You m.hony this is the perfect statement that I have been I have been looking for when people ask, when do you re-grease your hitch: How many miles? How many days, weeks, or months? Once a year, or twice a year?

I will also add that I take my hitch apart, clean it, and re-grease it after I get home from a trip, so it will be ready for my next trip.

[m.hony]

When it starts making noise again.


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[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by chaseav

It seems like this has been thoroughly voted upon but I have the Equalizer hitch and leave it connected when backing in. I'd consider taking it off for tight maneuvering with very tight turns but it would have to be extreme. You should grease the balls and the L brackets though. People will say otherwise as it reduces the effectiveness of the sway bars but I just can't stand all that creaking, groaning and popping.

I suggest you get a Blue Ox. No groaning or moaning. Quite, smooth and very effective.

[m.hony]

I would think even the Blue Ox would moan and groan after some time and age and years of pressure and dirt and grime and rust.
The Equal-i-zer was quiet when it was new.

[chaseav]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I would think even the Blue Ox would moan and groan after some time and age and years of pressure and dirt and grime and rust.
The Equal-i-zer was quiet when it was new.

Mine was quiet when it was BRAND new. Like days, not weeks. It stays quiet when it's been lubed but tends to need it after driving in the rain. I LOVE it otherwise. No sway at all. There's plenty of counter steer when a truck passes by but much less noticeable on my shorter wheel base tow vehicle. I hate over analyzing all this stuff but something with chains doesn't appeal to me but something that was faster to unlink and go definitely would. Haven't checked out the Blue Ox but will.

[m.hony]

eeeee errrrrr eeeee creeeeeeek pop pop tick tick weeee

[airdreamers]

7 years, never did any adjustments to hook up at the hitch. The idea is not to stress anything or rack the vehicles in the backing in procedure. I would hate to remove what is meant to help towing just to see damage to the TV or the AS. Slow as she goes is the key!

[streamintrip]

For the 6 years we owned our '93 Excella 1000 29', we used an Equal-i-zer with a friction sway control bar, and we always disconnected the sway control when backing. As I remember, back then the instruction manual for the sway control device recommended it.

However, when we moved on to a '00 Classic 28 and now an '05 Classic 30, we use a Reese Strait Line hitch with Dual Cam Sway Control and have never disconnected any component when backing. This is even true when we back at home as our street is somewhat narrow, and we have to put sharp angles on the setup.

I agree with some of the earlier posts regarding the Equal-i-zer with regard to disconnecting the friction sway control if installed, but not the spring bars. I am not familiar with the other WD's mentioned.

[xrvr]

I thought the Equilizer brand hitch had built in sway control, hence nothing to disconnect. Am I confused?

[m.hony]

That is correct.
The Equal-I-zer Original 4-point Sway Control Hitch-
The weight distribution and sway control are in the weight bars and L-brackets.
As with conventional sway control hitches with the weight bars and sway control separate, the tighter it is the more weight is distributed to the trailer axles and tow vehicle front axle and the more sway control you have.
Need more?
Add a washer to the hitch head and raise the L-brackets.


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[Rocinante]

Seriously, if you have an Equal-i-zer hitch you don't need to remove the bars until you unhitch the trailer. Backing up with bars in place is just fine. There are other threads here about how to quiet a noisy Equal-i-zer hitch, btw.

One exception when it might be helpful: If you are parked on a significant side-to-side slope and are putting one side of the trailer on ramps/blocks to level it, you *may* find it helpful to remove the bars before leveling. That's because the trailer and truck will no longer be level relative to each other. That puts a bit of stress on the hitch, which can make it hard to remove bars from one side or the other. It can also make it difficult to put the bars back on until you move the trailer off the ramps/blocks. No big deal, you can experiment to see whether this trick is helpful.

[m.hony]

I have never removed the bars to back my Equal-I-zer.
That is part of the beauty or glory of it- that you don't have to remove the bars.
I did, however, have to remove the sway bar when backing with the EazLift I owned previously.


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