My Equalizer hitch was damaging my Airstream!

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by starkruzr

I have a 2013 FC 25 and after two years (though only the last two months of really regular trips) I am still trying to figure out how to get my ride right. I have an Eaz-Lift hitch as well. There is definitely an issue with the TV (a 2017 F-150, 3.5L Ecoboost with max tow package) 1) riding too low over the back tires and 2) porpoising over bumps. When I put the chains on the third link from the end, the ride is noticeably low but there's less porpoising. When I put them on the fourth one, the ride is a little better from a front-back leveling perspective but the porpoising gets *worse*.

How do I get this right and make sure I'm not gearing up to damage something?

Have you looked into the weight balance in your trailer itself? There is more involved in all of this than just setting up the WD hitch. Any hitch is going to struggle to overcome a poorly balanced trailer.

When I say balanced in this situation, I'm talking about tongue weight in relation to the total weight, as well as where the remaining weight is carried (over the axles vs. in the rear of the trailer.

Might be a good idea to start a new thread on all this so your answers don't get lost in this larger thread.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by richard5933

Have you looked into the weight balance in your trailer itself? There is more involved in all of this than just setting up the WD hitch. Any hitch is going to struggle to overcome a poorly balanced trailer.

When I say balanced in this situation, I'm talking about tongue weight in relation to the total weight, as well as where the remaining weight is carried (over the axles vs. in the rear of the trailer.

Might be a good idea to start a new thread on all this so your answers don't get lost in this larger thread.

As far as "level" goes, he should measure the lower lip of the front fender on level ground before hooking up his WDH. When hooked up, it should be within a 1/2" of original measurement; not lower, nor higher, is my recollection. But, as for the adjustments and the Equalizer hitch he has, sounds like there is more going on...is the ball adjusted to the right height before hitching up? Not an expert here, but seems like the hitch may not be installed at right height? Should be able to get to a dealer or call Equalizer for help.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

As far as "level" goes, he should measure the lower lip of the front fender on level ground before hooking up his WDH. When hooked up, it should be within a 1/2" of original measurement; not lower, nor higher, is my recollection. But, as for the adjustments and the Equalizer hitch he has, sounds like there is more going on...is the ball adjusted to the right height before hitching up? Not an expert here, but seems like the hitch may not be installed at right height? Should be able to get to a dealer or call Equalizer for help.

You might be on to something here. In doing a bit more reading on this it appears that the ball angle on this hitch also plays into solving the problem.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

But, as for the adjustments and the Equalizer hitch he has, sounds like there is more going on...is the ball adjusted to the right height before hitching up? Not an expert here, but seems like the hitch may not be installed at right height? Should be able to get to a dealer or call Equalizer for help.

WD should not compensate for a bad hitch installation. This means that the hitch has to be installed at the right height based on an average TV payload, since the weight of the payload in the back of the TV will have an effect on the height of the ball when the trailer tongue is placed on the ball, and thus on the leveling of the trailer.

Maybe most folks always load their TV with the same payload from trip to trip, but that is not the case with us; it depends on the length of the trip, where we are going, the season(s) we will be traveling in, and what weather we are expecting (freezing temps? snow?...). So we need to be able to control the leveling of our rig, no matter the load, and the conclusion of what we have experienced with front end separation is that WD can be a solution but it needs to be used with great caution.

The angle of the hitch head will have an effect on the angle of the WD bars and thus on the torque/pressure that will be applied to the frame through the L brackets or the chains, depending on the type of hitch. If the WD bars are stiff and the hitch head is angled down (different brands have different ways to change the hitch head angle) then more pressure will be applied to the frame and the TV will sag less. But there is a price to pay if it's overdone. If the WD bars are flexible they will bend more, will have less of an effect on the TV leveling but also have less of a chance of flexing the trailer frame.

[captainkirk]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

As far as "level" goes, he should measure the lower lip of the front fender on level ground before hooking up his WDH. When hooked up, it should be within a 1/2" of original measurement; not lower, nor higher, is my recollection. But, as for the adjustments and the Equalizer hitch he has, sounds like there is more going on...is the ball adjusted to the right height before hitching up? Not an expert here, but seems like the hitch may not be installed at right height? Should be able to get to a dealer or call Equalizer for help.

This is a good idea in "Most cases", but there's always a "But" to add... Ford evidently has done their homework on their new trucks and their manual states that the distance that the edge of the front fender moves when hooked up vs. not hooked up to the WD bars should be halved with the bars in place. Not the same or close to the same.
So, it is advised to also check your manual to see if it addresses the issue as it is the manufacturer of the tow vehicle that ultimately has the final say as they designed the suspension that is being affected.

There is also a bit of concern about the frames on the newer trucks that are buckling while towing trailers. Evidently to meet crash requirements or some such other reason they have designed the frames in such a way as they are not very strong in some directions. A quick look into YouTube videos will give you an idea just how bad the problem is...so again check your tow vehicle's manual for possible instructions.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by captainkirk

This is a good idea in "Most cases", but there's always a "But" to add... Ford evidently has done their homework on their new trucks and their manual states that the distance that the edge of the front fender moves when hooked up vs. not hooked up to the WD bars should be halved with the bars in place. Not the same or close to the same.

So, it is advised to also check your manual to see if it addresses the issue as it is the manufacturer of the tow vehicle that ultimately has the final say as they designed the suspension that is being affected.



There is also a bit of concern about the frames on the newer trucks that are buckling while towing trailers. Evidently to meet crash requirements or some such other reason they have designed the frames in such a way as they are not very strong in some directions. A quick look into YouTube videos will give you an idea just how bad the problem is...so again check your tow vehicle's manual for possible instructions.

This is correct. There is no universal formula. Read your vehicle manual. The correct recommendation depends upon suspension design and rear overhang. Even within a manufacturer, you my find differences between car/truck lines.
Back to within a half inch may be too much wd application.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

This is correct. There is no universal formula. Read your vehicle manual. The correct recommendation depends upon suspension design and rear overhang. Even within a manufacturer, you my find differences between car/truck lines.
Back to within a half inch may be too much wd application.

The 1/2" rule is pretty standard, as I have read it several places. Starting with the level TT hitch when set on the ball with WDH set up properly, is also most important; not angled up/nor down, when the WDH is set properly. If the weight of the TT on the ball is not "adjusted" to bring the load at the ball so the front tire fender is within a 1/2" of unhitched height, you got a problem, is what I am saying.

As for the previous comments about "carrying different cargo/payload" each outing, and how it affects "payload" all that should be taken into account. If your bed is "squatting" because of payload, prior to hooking up, I would surely be weighing your load; it's likely your overloading, and this can become a real issue with your tongue weight and WDH being added. If your not exceeding your "max payload" and you can not get the rig "level" within a 1/2" of front fender, there is surely something wrong and out of whack.

oh, and adding "airbags" does nothing to help your suspension issues. Lots of Youtubes on this one...

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

The 1/2" rule is pretty standard, as I have read it several places. Starting with the level TT hitch when set on the ball with WDH set up properly, is also most important; not angled up/nor down, when the WDH is set properly. If the weight of the TT on the ball is not "adjusted" to bring the load at the ball so the front tire fender is within a 1/2" of unhitched height, you got a problem, is what I am saying.

As for the previous comments about "carrying different cargo/payload" each outing, and how it affects "payload" all that should be taken into account. If your bed is "squatting" because of payload, prior to hooking up, I would surely be weighing your load; it's likely your overloading, and this can become a real issue with your tongue weight and WDH being added. If your not exceeding your "max payload" and you can not get the rig "level" within a 1/2" of front fender, there is surely something wrong and out of whack.

oh, and adding "airbags" does nothing to help your suspension issues. Lots of Youtubes on this one...

No, it is not. It may be common, but please don't mislead those who won't check their vehicle's needs. This from my owner manual.

"When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure distance (1) before
coupling the trailer to the hitch ball.
Measure the height again after the
trailer is coupled and adjust the
spring bars so the distance (1) is as
close as possible to halfway
between the two measurements."

Your methodology puts me in the ball park of the owner manual, but applies a bit too much WD. Not a huge deal , in my case, but PUs all pretty much have roughly the same overhang. What about some of the FWD SUVs and folks with smaller ASes? The 1/2 half inch suggestion will be pretty far off.

We need to check our manuals.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

The 1/2" rule is pretty standard, as I have read it several places. Starting with the level TT hitch when set on the ball with WDH set up properly, is also most important; not angled up/nor down, when the WDH is set properly. If the weight of the TT on the ball is not "adjusted" to bring the load at the ball so the front tire fender is within a 1/2" of unhitched height, you got a problem, is what I am saying.

As for the previous comments about "carrying different cargo/payload" each outing, and how it affects "payload" all that should be taken into account. If your bed is "squatting" because of payload, prior to hooking up, I would surely be weighing your load; it's likely your overloading, and this can become a real issue with your tongue weight and WDH being added. If your not exceeding your "max payload" and you can not get the rig "level" within a 1/2" of front fender, there is surely something wrong and out of whack.

oh, and adding "airbags" does nothing to help your suspension issues. Lots of Youtubes on this one...

The max payload capacity of the TV should never be exceeded, it goes without saying. But depending on the stiffness of the TV rear suspension (number, size and stiffness of the leaf spring blades), varying payloads will affect the vertical displacement of TV's rear, which affects the leveling of the trailer. WD reduces the vertical displacement of the TV by putting pressure on the trailer frame. Within certain bounds this is not a problem, but beyond a certain point, it creates the problems this thread has discussed.

As far as airbags go, they are not a replacement or an alternative to WD; they are a complement that become part of the TV rear suspension when properly installed (in fact some trucks such as the Ram come with airbag suspensions, and some large semi trailers have air suspensions).

They don't change the load capacity of the TV and they can counteract WD, so you don't want to over do it. In my case I use them to fine tune my trailer leveling and, as indicated to me by Andy Thompson of Can Am, by keeping the pressure reasonably low, they also smooth out the vibrations from the stiff TV suspension, which combined with the more flexible WD bars produces less wear and tear on the trailer frame, and consequently on the shell.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

No, it is not. It may be common, but please don't mislead those who won't check their vehicle's needs. This from my owner manual.

"When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure distance (1) before
coupling the trailer to the hitch ball.
Measure the height again after the
trailer is coupled and adjust the
spring bars so the distance (1) is as
close as possible to halfway
between the two measurements."

Your methodology puts me in the ball park of the owner manual, but applies a bit too much WD. Not a huge deal , in my case, but PUs all pretty much have roughly the same overhang. What about some of the FWD SUVs and folks with smaller ASes? The 1/2 half inch suggestion will be pretty far off.

We need to check our manuals.

Not sure you understand my point; this isn't rocket science. Pretty much universal agreement on my 1/2" comment above. You can find this data easily on the internet; 1/2" is pretty much used by all the WDH guys.

Here are a couple youtubes on this also.

This Youtube is from Equalizer on how to properly hook up and measure the front fender WDH;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymcB2yeZr4s

This one is from Reese: If you look start at time- 6:50 in to this video, you will see the reference to 1/2" measurement also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqZ4WhQIG-0

From Curt:
Step 7: How to adjust weight distribution hitch
Retract the trailer jack so that the full weight of the trailer is resting on the hitch. Then, re-measure the distances between the ground and the front and rear bumpers. Each distance should be within 1/2" of the original measurement. If the distances have changed too drastically, you can adjust the number of links on the spring bar chains to increase or decrease tension. You can also adjust the tilt of the head unit

Hey, read your manual also for sure, but don't discount these folks; they know an awful lot about towing!

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Hermes

The max payload capacity of the TV should never be exceeded, it goes without saying. But depending on the stiffness of the TV rear suspension (number, size and stiffness of the leaf spring blades), varying payloads will affect the vertical displacement of TV's rear, which affects the leveling of the trailer. WD reduces the vertical displacement of the TV by putting pressure on the trailer frame. Within certain bounds this is not a problem, but beyond a certain point, it creates the problems this thread has discussed.

As far as airbags go, they are not a replacement or an alternative to WD; they are a complement that become part of the TV rear suspension when properly installed (in fact some trucks such as the Ram come with airbag suspensions, and some large semi trailers have air suspensions).

They don't change the load capacity of the TV and they can counteract WD, so you don't want to over do it. In my case I use them to fine tune my trailer leveling and, as indicated to me by Andy Thompson of Can Am, by keeping the pressure reasonably low, they also smooth out the vibrations from the stiff TV suspension, which combined with the more flexible WD bars produces less wear and tear on the trailer frame, and consequently on the shell.

No arguments on the airbags helping with the "ride" but too many times we have seen posts from folks thinking they are the answer to a sagging rear end...when actually, they are over loaded...

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

No, it is not. It may be common, but please don't mislead those who won't check their vehicle's needs. This from my owner manual.

"When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure distance (1) before
coupling the trailer to the hitch ball.
Measure the height again after the
trailer is coupled and adjust the
spring bars so the distance (1) is as
close as possible to halfway
between the two measurements."

Your methodology puts me in the ball park of the owner manual, but applies a bit too much WD. Not a huge deal , in my case, but PUs all pretty much have roughly the same overhang. What about some of the FWD SUVs and folks with smaller ASes? The 1/2 half inch suggestion will be pretty far off.

We need to check our manuals.

Am I rong...the '50%' rule has little to do with 'proper' WD but the design of the TV vehicle itself.
How do they know how YOUR rig will tow with just 1/2 the weight that was removed from the steering axle replaced.
Could it be just a pick up thing?

Bob
🇺🇸

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

No, it is not. It may be common, but please don't mislead those who won't check their vehicle's needs. This from my owner manual.

"When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure distance (1) before
coupling the trailer to the hitch ball.
Measure the height again after the
trailer is coupled and adjust the
spring bars so the distance (1) is as
close as possible to halfway
between the two measurements."

Your methodology puts me in the ball park of the owner manual, but applies a bit too much WD. Not a huge deal , in my case, but PUs all pretty much have roughly the same overhang. What about some of the FWD SUVs and folks with smaller ASes? The 1/2 half inch suggestion will be pretty far off.

We need to check our manuals.

Am I rong...the '50%' rule has little to do with 'proper' WD but the design of the TV vehicle itself.
How do they know how YOUR rig will tow with just 1/2 the weight that was removed from the steering axle replaced.
Could it be just a pick up thing?

Bob
🇺🇸

[Gene]

If I recall properly, Equalizer says you can be within 1/2" at the front wheel cutout of the tow vehicle. This hitch has a number of adjustments and each affects the height of the front end of the truck, how level the trailer is and how level the bars are. If all three are good, great. I found the trailer being level was the most important thing, truck front end closest to original height was second, and hopefully the bars are close to level. Tweaking each adjustment on the Equalizer should get all three reasonably correct, but it takes some time to master the thing.

I agree about airbags. They do not increase the capabilities of the suspension. They may make for a smoother ride, but other than that they cause trouble for those that believe there suspension can handle more weight than the truck's rating. You can add another leaf, but the rest of the truck may be overloaded.

How to approach the manufacturers weight ratings differs according to brand. Some use SAE numbers, some use their own and some seem to make them up. As different companies adopt the SAE approach it seems their stated weight capacities drop, sometimes significantly.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

No arguments on the airbags helping with the "ride" but too many times we have seen posts from folks thinking they are the answer to a sagging rear end...when actually, they are over loaded...

Agree.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Am I rong...the '50%' rule has little to do with 'proper' WD but the design of the TV vehicle itself.
How do they know how YOUR rig will tow with just 1/2 the weight that was removed from the steering axle replaced.
Could it be just a pick up thing?

Bob
����

No, you're not necessarily wrong. That is why NO rule of thumb is appropriate. FSSUV is different than PUs....is different than some unibody SUVs, etc.

Read your particular manual....there is no one size fits all.

FSSUV, BTW says to return front fender to original height. (for GM, last gen...I'm not looking them all up)

It is, however, ALL about the proper WD....specific to your vehicle.

[Rltports]

Originally Posted by captainkirk

This is a good idea in "Most cases", but there's always a "But" to add... Ford evidently has done their homework on their new trucks and their manual states that the distance that the edge of the front fender moves when hooked up vs. not hooked up to the WD bars should be halved with the bars in place. Not the same or close to the same.
So, it is advised to also check your manual to see if it addresses the issue as it is the manufacturer of the tow vehicle that ultimately has the final say as they designed the suspension that is being affected.

There is also a bit of concern about the frames on the newer trucks that are buckling while towing trailers. Evidently to meet crash requirements or some such other reason they have designed the frames in such a way as they are not very strong in some directions. A quick look into YouTube videos will give you an idea just how bad the problem is...so again check your tow vehicle's manual for possible instructions.

Hold on… we are talking about towing AS trailers with WD and now we have included newer Ford truck frames buckling. Nothing against Captainkirks posting as it is interesting to me as a relatively new owner of a Ford super duty but something is serious wrong if I’m now concerned about my truck frame being damaged by towing an AS regardless of WD. How about if Ford pledges to completely eliminate the term Death Wobble from our vocabulary. Now that would be “doing their homework” IMHO. An issue which I wonder isn’t potentially magnified without enough WD. Again, thanks for the heads up Captainkirk but another warning about Ford trucks hit a sensitive nerve.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Rltports

Hold on… we are talking about towing AS trailers with WD and now we have included newer Ford truck frames buckling. Nothing against Captainkirks posting as it is interesting to me as a relatively new owner of a Ford super duty but something is serious wrong if I’m now concerned about my truck frame being damaged by towing an AS regardless of WD. How about if Ford pledges to completely eliminate the term Death Wobble from our vocabulary. Now that would be “doing their homework” IMHO. An issue which I wonder isn’t potentially magnified without enough WD. Again, thanks for the heads up Captainkirk but another warning about Ford trucks hit a sensitive nerve.

There's no AS that's going to bend any full frame PU's frame. That was an aside, showing what can happen when manufacturer's specs are ignored....obviously by a wide margin, in this case.

[Mikemdd]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

There's no AS that's going to bend any full frame PU's frame. That was an aside, showing what can happen when manufacturer's specs are ignored....obviously by a wide margin, in this case.

Agreed. Ford assumes you are staying within their hitch/payload capacity and knows the capabilities of their trucks. That is the basis for their WDH guideline and not just the half inch rule.... Go outside of the specs and all bets are off. This is also a reminder for those who do not pay attention to specs (ie low payload F150's pulling 30 foot trailers) that while you "can" get by with it, bad things can happen. Finally, the death wobble is a function of worn parts not WDH causation.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Mikemdd

Agreed. Ford assumes you are staying within their hitch/payload capacity and knows the capabilities of their trucks. That is the basis for their WDH guideline and not just the half inch rule.... Go outside of the specs and all bets are off. This is also a reminder for those who do not pay attention to specs (ie low payload F150's pulling 30 foot trailers) that while you "can" get by with it, bad things can happen. Finally, the death wobble is a function of worn parts not WDH causation.

Death Wobble...Agree; worn parts; but there is a "fix" if you do have this occur...I have/do ask about the recall/warranty fix each time I take my rig in for service...mine seems to be fine, so far at 125K miles.