OK! I've had it

[kingfisher24]

with my equalizer hitch........just have had it....had it....

what to replace it with........

[aftermath]

And the reason would be.........?

[kingfisher24]

hard to articulate....other than it being a piece of sh......t that is continually breaking something.......one or another of its parts,,,,,not to mention it, i believe, the major reason for the receiver hitch being ripped off my truck.....

today it was a sway control bracket...that ripped in half..not the first time/....


it will twist grade 8 bolts in two ....

the head where the ball attaches has cracked......

you name it.....

brackets broke once and nearly destroyed my propane line

i have had it.......had it/......had it.......

[aftermath]

Wow, that sounds like some serious S.........T going on, as you would say. I can't blame you for running in a new direction but I can be of no use in the way of advice because all I know is the Equalizer.

I have had one for about 4 years now, 2 on my Airstream and they have been good to me. I have never heard of the problems that you are having but the information is good to know.

Best wishes. I am sure you will get a ton of suggestions in short order.

Dick

[ctdair]

Time for a Hensley or Propride. Ive heard prices are low each company trying to get the sale. Ive got a Hensley but like the Propride as well. Have seen several Proprides on friends trailers and like some aspects of them and like other aspects of the Hensley better so flip a coin and see who will make You the best deal.

[Wayne&Sam]

Reese Dual Cam.

[TBRich]

Hey Kingfisher...I hear your frustration. It doesn't sound like a good situation.

We use an Equal-i-zer and have never had an issue. Have you discussed this with the Equal-i-zer people? They are very much into customer service and I am sure they will help you figure out what's going on. I am certainly no hitch expert, and I would certainly not blame you for changing your hitch set-up...but it really sounds to me like something is not set up properly it you are having that kind of stress on your hitch mechanism. The only complaint we've had (and it's minor, really) are the creaks and goans and I think that increases when the bar brackets get a little loose and lose their proper angle. I'd talk to Equal-i-zer and see what they say.

[loudruff]

Call and talk to Sean Woodruff at ProPride. We have one and love it. He is #1 in customer service in our book!

[dkottum]

We use the Equal-i-zer, although I would rather have a Propride. It works well, keeps the trailer steady and have not had any problems since getting it properly adjusted.

Sounds like it is adjusted way to tight, but someone who knows hitches would have to adjust it in person. You may have a similar problem with a replacement hitch if it's adjusted the same way as this one, I suspect.

doug k

[BeBop]

Originally Posted by ctdair

Time for a Hensley or Propride. Ive heard prices are low each company trying to get the sale. Ive got a Hensley but like the Propride as well. Have seen several Proprides on friends trailers and like some aspects of them and like other aspects of the Hensley better so flip a coin and see who will make You the best deal.

The geometrics of the Hensley/Propride seem the same. I prefer heavy welds over bolts, but the Hensley paint treatment is pure trash. Even so, the rig is overbuilt and in the Mojave crosswinds never a incident of sway/failure.

I was a newbie when I purchased my AS and Hensley and have never had a moment of concern about control using the HA. Going 25k miles strong...

Piece of mind is priceless...

[klattu]

Motorhome

[moosetags]

We have a Hensley, and dearly love its performance. There is no sway or an anxious moment, EVER. If we were buying today, we would seriously consider ProPride. Are they both expensive? Yes. Do they both work? yes.

Brian

[KeithC]

I am not a trailer hitch engineer, but there are some sever sheer and tinsel strength forces being applied to this hitch combination to cause such a series of failers.

If I had this series of equipment failures happen to me, I would look at the set up to ensure that the system was rated for the applied load and that the system was installed correctly, as it is unlikly so many different hitch system componets would fail at the same time, or in a recent time period, because of faulty materials.

The componet failures are a warning that the hitch system is not capabile of handling the loads applied. Again, I'm not a hitch engineer...but if any one of these failures had occurred at Internet speeds, there could be tons of force, on different tangents, at 65+ MPH, seperating, and you would only be an observer in the tow vehicle, long for the ride to the final destination.

[Hansom-Man]

Propride.......nuff said.

[barts]

Originally Posted by KeithC

.but if any one of these failures had occurred at Internet speed

I find using the internet while trailering causes problems by itself

I will concur with what others have said: if you're breaking parts, something is set up wrong, and needs proper attention. If you cannot do that yourself, seek out the help of a pro.

- Bart

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I have an Equal-i-zer hitch and have never had anything break or wear out on it. [seven years old] I have towed in all kinds of weather and situations where most people would leave their trailer in storage, but that's me. There are lots of different hitches out there, but I feel that if your problems are set-up related, [sure sounds like it] any hitch that you buy will also have problems too.

Unrelated example: Your car keeps burning out light bulbs so you switch to different brands and types of bulbs; They also keep burning out because your charging system is putting out too much voltage. Thus the alternator was the problem not the bulbs.

Basically what I'm saying is that if your hitch has problems because of operator error and you do the same thing with a different hitch, you have cured nothing.

Also is your tow vehicle one of those with the round tube receivers that are well known for failing?

[kingfisher24]

so it was just march of this year that i was at the illustrious airstream dealer in buda texas to correct a problem with the hitch that they had fixed the prior october. it was in march that they discovered the cracked head..and at this time they "upgraded" the sway control bracket from the original configuration to the new improved version...like the one that just tore in half yesterday....

so the "dealer has set this hitch up..just in the last six months....i don't know what else a person could do to see if it was set up properly...../????????

it is a 10000 lb version...my trailer is 7600 lbs...i have the correct series of hitch.....

i have only towed with this hitch for 50000 miles

[JFScheck]

Very, very happy with my ProPride, call Sean and tell him your story, bet you he can be of some assistance.

[Pahaska]

From a fellow Highland Lakes member.

You don't need the cost of a Hensley or ProPride for that trailer. I have towed with a Reese HD Dual Cam many thousands of miles on my last (Classic 25) and present (Classic 28) trailer with full satisfaction and without anything ever breaking. I can drive with one hand in most any conditions and I have had friends following me comment on how stable my trailer is.

[aftermath]

Kingfisher,

I agree with those who have said that the problem is most likely with the setup. I am pulling the same trailer and I have had zero problems. I purchased this used and the prior owner had a big 3/4 ton truck that was pretty high in the air. He had trouble with the hitch and decided to travel without the bars in position. The L pins were both bent and when I got it home I realized that the brackets were mounted incorrectly to the trailer frame.

I reset the hitch according to the instructions from the company and all has been well. It is a shame that the dealer can't figure out what is wrong.

I suggest that you call Progressive Manufacturing and ask them for some help, if only to find a distributor that knows what they are doing. If, on the other hand, you have lost all confidence, try to find a Reese dealer that knows what they are doing.

If you have lots of money to spend, you could go with a HA or PP but, as many others have suggested, you can do well with one of the others.