What hitch is this?

[pteck]

Does anyone recognize this hitch head? We can't find the weight distribution bars.


I'm looking to pickup a new to me Airstream 27FB this saturday.

The current owner never took her on the road and is not familiar with the running gear. I'm hesitant to pick her up without proper WD for my LX570. Would really help if someone knew what brand so I can source some.

Or does anyone else have ideas for what I can do in a pinch?

[joshjack]

How far is your initial Tow? My thought would be to just tow it without WD if it's inside 100 miles and figure it out at home or get a new WD hitch to put on at home

[AlinCal]

Has some cast mfg info on it, try googling that name.

[pteck]

My tow is just about 100 miles from Santa Monica to San Diego.

I'm leaning towards just a slow cautious tow home. It'll be sunny with no winds this weekend. The LX570 is 6150lbs so just heavier than the trailer, and it has autoleveling. Fortunately it's not my first tow but more safety margin is always good.

The pic is from the seller and I couldn't make out the casting marks.

[Kevin245]

Just some perspective.

Expensive tow vehicle and an expensive Airstream connected with a hitch of unknown mfg., age, condition, or capacity. Might not be the best combination.

If it were me I'd buy a new hitch.

[rostam]

Given the short wheelbase of LX570 and the long Airstream, personally, I would not tow it without a WDH. You have a few days. You can buy a simple WDH (Reese, Curt, etc) from an RV shop (they usually stock certain brands). If I were to tow without a WDH, I would avoid interstates, use local roads, and limit my speed to less than 40 MPH. Good luck.

[joshjack]

Originally Posted by pteck

My tow is just about 100 miles from Santa Monica to San Diego.



I'm leaning towards just a slow cautious tow home. It'll be sunny with no winds this weekend. The LX570 is 6150lbs so just heavier than the trailer, and it has autoleveling. Fortunately it's not my first tow but more safety margin is always good.



The pic is from the seller and I couldn't make out the casting marks.

I totally agree with this approach. Take a good hitch you trust with you. Take it easy and leave extra room to slow down and not jerk around too much.

[4streams]

It looks like the Equal-I-zer hitch head I had on my 31, If that's the case you'll need to know which size so you can get the right load bars.

[m.hony]

Equal-i-Zer Original 4-Point Sway Control Hitch

[jimfa440]

Originally Posted by 4streams

It looks like the Equal-I-zer hitch head I had on my 31, If that's the case you'll need to know which size so you can get the right load bars.

Agree, it is an Equal-I-Zer hitch. I use one now and have for years.

[rostam]

Given the short wheelbase of LX570 and the long Airstream, personally, I would not tow it without a WDH. You have a few days. You can buy a simple WDH (Reese, Curt, etc) from an RV shop (they usually stock certain brands). If I were to tow without a WDH, I would avoid interstates, use local roads, and limit my speed to less than 40 MPH. Good luck.

[joshjack]

Originally Posted by pteck

My tow is just about 100 miles from Santa Monica to San Diego.



I'm leaning towards just a slow cautious tow home. It'll be sunny with no winds this weekend. The LX570 is 6150lbs so just heavier than the trailer, and it has autoleveling. Fortunately it's not my first tow but more safety margin is always good.



The pic is from the seller and I couldn't make out the casting marks.

I totally agree with this approach. Take a good hitch you trust with you. Take it easy and leave extra room to slow down and not jerk around too much.

[SagaCapt]

It's an Equalizer. Great hitch. What we use on our Bambi 16'. Both weight distribution and sway control. Easy to use backing up too.

There should be info on the casting. The other parts are the 2 load bars and the brackets for the trailer tongue.

Easy to adjust ASSUMING you can loosen the rusted bolts.
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/

If this is coming with the trailer, the parts may be hanging around.

Also make sure you get grease for it. The load bars make HORRIBLE noises otherwise.

[jimmer20]

Here's the info from one of my sway bars...my hitch looks just like yours.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by pteck

Does anyone recognize this hitch head? We can't find the weight distribution bars.
Attachment 287934

I'm looking to pickup a new to me Airstream 27FB this saturday.

The current owner never took her on the road and is not familiar with the running gear. I'm hesitant to pick her up without proper WD for my LX570. Would really help if someone knew what brand so I can source some.

Or does anyone else have ideas for what I can do in a pinch?

Yes, that's an equl-i-izer head.
They sell the parts (bars) as well as all the other stuff.
The bars slip into the head and are held by pins and clips.
However, on the trailer there need to be a "L" looking bracket for the bars to rest on, (No chains).
https://www.equalizerhitch.com
I'm not sure if the head is marked for size. For a tongue weight of under 1000# you'd use 1000/10,000 size.

Amazon also sells the hitch.
It takes a bit of set up to get it right but it's not brain surgery. It does take a 1 1/8" socket or box end wrench to move the head on the shank.
My 1000# bars are square, I can't tell from the image if yours are larger. If so it's probably a 12,000 hitch.

How far are you going? Can't say I'd recommend towing without the WD or sway control unless it was just a couple miles on back roads.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Setting up a WD hitch so it works properly is not a "one size fits all" kind of thing. The hitch, TV, and trailer are matched up in a couple of ways. The odds of that hitch being set up correctly already are pretty slim. If you have all of the great big wrenches to play with it and the various bits and pieces that get swapped out - you can do it. Most people when confronted with their first WD hitch let a dealer do all the fitting.

Bob

[WestieHouse]

It looks exactly like my Equalizer hitch head.

[pteck]

Great stuff! Thanks for solving the hitch head mystery!

The hope is I will find the load bars in one of the trailer cubbies.

Yes, the tongue of the trailer does have the load bar receivers so all that is misplaced (I hope) is the actual load bars.

To uncle_bob's point, I do understand that even with all the parts, there will be some need to dial things in. Bringing my big wrenches and torque wrench.

The 27FB Ocean Breeze is spec'd at ~5800lbs dry and ~800 hitch. Hoping the appropriate 1000lb bars will turn up.

Wish me luck.

[ericpeltier]

Originally Posted by rostam

Given the short wheelbase of LX570 and the long Airstream, personally, I would not tow it without a WDH. You have a few days. You can buy a simple WDH (Reese, Curt, etc) from an RV shop (they usually stock certain brands). If I were to tow without a WDH, I would avoid interstates, use local roads, and limit my speed to less than 40 MPH. Good luck.

I disagree. It'd tow it home at 45mph on the freeway in the slow lane with flashers. I personally feel like side roads are filled with more panic stops than on an interstate. And going 45mph in the slow lane means everyone will be avoiding you.

And I also feel like you could tow it home slowly with what you have, no WD bars.

[rem3006]

Where are the bars that go wih it? What are the attachments to trailer?