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06-28-2014, 04:17 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Salida
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 17
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Removing tow ball and equilizer sway bar
Hi: Our first trip out. We are finding it a bit annoying to remove the ball and sway bar when we park, lifting it up into the pickup bed and then needing to reinstall when we are ready to leave.
First, it is so heavy, it takes both my husband and I.
And it is difficult to lift into the pickup bed to store. And to slide it
out to the ground and lift it in place when we need to move.
So, I need some suggestions on how to eliminate that pain. How do you handle this, where do you store your ball and sway bar? Is there any sort of lift or support to maneuver the thing without breaking our backs? Is there some sort of slide to drop it on and move it under the trailer, then
lock it up?
Thanks for any suggestion and help!
We love our new "stream."
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06-28-2014, 04:22 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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Maybe you mean the load bars. The sway bar is a linear brake thing that prevents sway. It is usually pretty light. The load bars can be a little heavy. I usually stow mine on the A frame behind the propane tanks. I am not sure what you mean by ball. Do you mean the main ball that holds the trailer or the little ball that holds the sway bar? You should not have to remove the main ball from the receiver hitch. The smaller balls for the sway bar should stay on the trailer and on the hitch.
Perry
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06-28-2014, 04:25 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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Why remove it?
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06-28-2014, 04:34 PM
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#4
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Moderator
1968 17' Caravel
Battle Ground
, Washington
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,253
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We usually set ours under the tongue, but there might be security issues with that in some parks (after all, if somebody stole them, you'd be in a pinch to get home).
I have heard some states require you to remove the hitch head (where the ball is) when not towing - there was a discussion about it recently. But if you don't have to remove it, you can leave it on the tow vehicle.
__________________
Stephanie
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06-28-2014, 04:41 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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I've heard that too, how would one know?
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06-28-2014, 05:31 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
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Although I have heard it is illegal to keep the ball and spring bar mount hitch head on the tow vehicle, in 40 years of trailering I have never, ever, heard of anyone being cited for this "violation". I usually remove mine, but it is a very light Andersen system. Even so, I leave it on often when I am just running around camping.
If you have a head with extra holes in the L shaped mount which slides into the tow vehicle receiver, you can put an 18" piece of (5/8 I think) all thread into one of the extra holes and secure it with two nuts. That gives you a lifting point to hold onto when you do wish to take it out of the hitch receiver.
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06-28-2014, 06:20 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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I leave mine on including the mud flaps that are attached to the square bar. Mine is heavy cast iron. I figure it should deter tail gating. I see those hitch mounted carrier things sticking way out past the bumper all the time.
Perry
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06-29-2014, 04:22 PM
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#8
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1 Rivet Member
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Salida
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 17
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Because we can't drive around in our pickup with that hanging on!
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06-29-2014, 04:35 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
K.C.
, Missouri
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 585
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vakathy
Because we can't drive around in our pickup with that hanging on!
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Why not ? I leave mine in there unless I'm going to be stationary for a couple weeks or so at a given camp.
Is there some reason why you think "you can't" drive around with the hitch head in the receiver, or is it that just "don't want to" ? Trying here to get a more clear understanding of your comment.
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06-29-2014, 04:40 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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I don't plan to take mine off. Seems like a waste of precious time and energy that could be used for drinking beer!
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06-29-2014, 04:51 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Mantua
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
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What kind of hitch do you have? What brand? Jim
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06-29-2014, 06:12 PM
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#12
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4 Rivet Member
1975 31' Sovereign
Palomar Mountain
, California
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 355
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I welded a receiver tube under my trailer tongue at the side. I just slip the receiver into it and lock it in with a receiver lock when I remove it from truck, but: I never remove it when I travel - waste of time and effort.
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06-29-2014, 08:22 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2007 23' Safari SE
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,495
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If it is the Equal-i-zer brand hitch...
Quote:
Originally Posted by vakathy
Hi: Our first trip out. We are finding it a bit annoying to remove the ball and sway bar when we park, lifting it up into the pickup bed and then needing to reinstall when we are ready to leave.
First, it is so heavy, it takes both my husband and I.
And it is difficult to lift into the pickup bed to store. And to slide it
out to the ground and lift it in place when we need to move.
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Welcome to the AirForums, vakathy and congratulations on your new 23' Flying Cloud and your first trip out!
If you have the Equal-i-zer brand, Sway Control Hitch, the ball is part of the "Hitch Head" and the "sway bars" are called "spring arms".
Something tells me that you and your husband are removing the hitch head with the spring arms attached (I have seen a new Airstream owner do this when they arrived next to us in the desert.)
The hitch head is indeed heavy and we have never removed it while on camping trips.
Of course, the spring arms are removed from the hitch head and the trailer when unhitching. We place our greasy spring arms in custom-made ABS tubes as seen below and described in post #364 of "SilverGate's Safari is Home at Last!" thread. These tubes are then placed in the back of the pickup truck.
At home, I remove the hitch head and place it in a Roughneck storage tote (that contains other hitching tools) and two of us lift it into the back of the pickup truck that is kept locked.
Hope this helps and glad you love your Airstream!
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06-30-2014, 02:51 PM
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#14
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1 Rivet Member
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Salida
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 17
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Hi! Thanks, yes, this is what we have. We just measured the head hitch and it would stick out 16". But you've inspired us with some ideas. Do you lock it on your pickup so it doesn't get stolen while driving around? Thanks, Kathy
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06-30-2014, 03:08 PM
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#15
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1 Rivet Member
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Salida
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Hawk
I welded a receiver tube under my trailer tongue at the side. I just slip the receiver into it and lock it in with a receiver lock when I remove it from truck, but: I never remove it when I travel - waste of time and effort.
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Hi: So you put the head hitch and bars into a holder under the trailer? do you have a picture? Thanks!
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06-30-2014, 04:56 PM
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#16
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4 Rivet Member
1977 Argosy 28
Euless
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 338
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Hitch storage when camping
I have an Eaz-lift hitch as well and sometimes I leave the hitch ball in the tongue with a padlock in the latch and swing it around hanging under the frame frame out of the way. I put the bars across the frame behind the tanks and padlock the bar chains to the lifting loop on the side with a long hasp padlock or a padlock and a short additional length of chain. This way everything is out of the way but also locked to the trailer.
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07-01-2014, 12:02 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2007 23' Safari SE
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vakathy
Hi! Thanks, yes, this is what we have. We just measured the head hitch and it would stick out 16". But you've inspired us with some ideas. Do you lock it on your pickup so it doesn't get stolen while driving around? Thanks, Kathy
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You're welcome!
Yes, when the hitch head shank is put into our truck's receiver, it is locked in place with a hitch pin lock. Our lock was made by Fulton and when I bought it, I also bought a Fulton trailer lock that locks down the lever on the the top part of the trailer's A-frame coupler. (I'm not sure if Fulton still makes this as a combination set anymore.)
In addition to that, we also use a Huskey Universal Coupler Lock that fits into the underside of the coupler. (See photo and description in my post #58 in the thread, " Theft Prevention of Airstream Trailers".
-- Bill
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07-01-2014, 12:34 AM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vakathy
Hi! Thanks, yes, this is what we have. We just measured the head hitch and it would stick out 16". But you've inspired us with some ideas. Do you lock it on your pickup so it doesn't get stolen while driving around? Thanks, Kathy
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Hi, do not leave the hitch head in the receiver. I have seen vehicles where they left the hitch head in the receiver and got rear ended; This caused the rear of the truck's frame to bend downward. Now you aren't towing anything. And this wouldn't be fun three states away from home.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
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07-01-2014, 02:42 AM
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#19
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3 Rivet Member
2013 20' Flying Cloud
Cream Ridge
, New Jersey
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 124
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I put the ball back into the coupler and lock it. Then I swing it under the a frame out of the way. The bars go in the truck bed. None of the parts are that heavy and I wipe the bar pivots with a rag so there's no mess.
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07-17-2014, 02:16 PM
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#20
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1 Rivet Member
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Salida
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 17
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Thanks everyone! We've worked it all out thanks to a lot of input from our airstream friends. We are still taking off the hitch, but we didn't know we could take off the bars - that helps a lot with the weight. We just don't like driving around with the ball and hitch on the pickup.
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