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Old 11-11-2021, 12:09 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by gypsydad View Post
Where do you keep your bars? I like the Hitchport design; simple U shaped SS with hardware. I called and they said the 3" will work for the 2.5" shank, so thats what I will get. I am going to check out the bar location.

Hey Gypsydad, I store our 1000# Blue Ox bars in the curbside front compartment along with Anderson Levelers and tools. They go just inside the door; can’t see them in this photo. So far it’s worked out well for me.

By the way, thanks again for suggesting I check our 1500’s door sticker a while ago. We’re much happier with the 2500’s payload and towing.
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Old 11-11-2021, 01:18 PM   #22
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I always just put the WD bars in the back of my truck since I have a truck cap. And leave the hitch attached to the truck. But now, with some of the comments here maybe I should take it off when unhitched. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to get hurt walking behind my truck. And it would prevent the backup sensor from sounding continuously. But I could see putting it under my airstream and dragging it out to hitch up would really reek havoc on my back.
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Old 11-11-2021, 01:32 PM   #23
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I agree with you. I leave it in the receiver when camping. But do have to be careful when backing up. My truck as a backup warning assist and the Hitch makes it useless since it senses it with the camera and continuously sounds. And the extra foot it adds makes it very easy to destroy someone's bumper if I'm not paying attention when backing up in parking lots. Colonial Airstream suggested removing it when not hitched for others protection. If someone were to ram me from behind the equalizer hitch still attached it would probably go straight thru the font of a car.
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Old 11-11-2021, 01:40 PM   #24
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I have a canvas Airstream carry bag that the dealer gave me and the bars and clips go in the bag and the bag goes in the truck bed. The Equalizer hitch head and 2 1/2" shank stay in the receiver with a locking hitch pin to secure them.

I do have to pay attention to my shins but leaving the hitch in place means less handling and hauling of the 65lb head assembly. I don't really see a need to store it somewhere else.
I had a canvas bag our dealer gave us too, but it did not last long...stitching came apart.
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Old 11-11-2021, 02:10 PM   #25
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I had a canvas bag our dealer gave us too, but it did not last long...stitching came apart.
Bummer. Mine's held up well since 2017. Maybe they're different bags. Mine's zippered, pretty thickly padded and is marked with the Bay Area Airstream Adventures logo. At some point I acquired a spare from them, so I have backup...in case.
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Old 11-11-2021, 02:25 PM   #26
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I agree with you. I leave it in the receiver when camping. But do have to be careful when backing up. My truck as a backup warning assist and the Hitch makes it useless since it senses it with the camera and continuously sounds. And the extra foot it adds makes it very easy to destroy someone's bumper if I'm not paying attention when backing up in parking lots. Colonial Airstream suggested removing it when not hitched for others protection. If someone were to ram me from behind the equalizer hitch still attached it would probably go straight thru the font of a car.
Interesting. The parking sensors on my F250 don't seem to care and they function normally. Of course, they also think the bumper doesn't stick out that extra foot so I do have to be careful. Fortunately, I have the cameras that give a rear and "overhead" view so that helps. The Equalizer hitch is definitely a deterrent for anyone who wants to park too close!
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Old 11-11-2021, 02:32 PM   #27
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Leaving the hitch in the bumper while driving around just seems like an invitation for problems. It would seem that other drivers are much more likely to bump into the hitch in a parking lot. It's not like we're driving small vehicles - most of our tow vehicles already fill parking spots end to end.

True, the other car is going to sustain more damage, but I sure don't want to have someone in a compact car ram the end of the truck's frame by hitting the hitch. Easy enough to pull it from the back of the truck and store it in the extra mount on the A-frame.
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Old 11-11-2021, 02:57 PM   #28
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A quick Google search shows a number of bolt up receivers. Designed for square 4" RV bumpers, but with a plate and bolts it would be easy to adapt to a rectangular A-Frame.
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Old 11-11-2021, 03:05 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by richard5933 View Post
Leaving the hitch in the bumper while driving around just seems like an invitation for problems. It would seem that other drivers are much more likely to bump into the hitch in a parking lot. It's not like we're driving small vehicles - most of our tow vehicles already fill parking spots end to end.

True, the other car is going to sustain more damage, but I sure don't want to have someone in a compact car ram the end of the truck's frame by hitting the hitch. Easy enough to pull it from the back of the truck and store it in the extra mount on the A-frame.
Since I don't spend a lot of time in parking lots when camping I consider the odds of parking lot mishaps to be reduced in the first place and a low-speed parking lot nudge is unlikely to damage my vehicle; certainly, less so if contact is on the hitch rather than on my bumper. Besides, while I can handle the 65lb combination hitch head and 2 1/2" shank when necessary, at home I use a hand truck to wheel it around which my back greatly appreciates. On the road, I just leave it locked in place; one less task to deal with when setting up camp.

I guess I could show more consideration for the inattentiveness of someone who might choose to run into the back of my vehicle by removing the hitch, but it is what it is.
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Old 11-11-2021, 03:13 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by mikeinca View Post
Bummer. Mine's held up well since 2017. Maybe they're different bags. Mine's zippered, pretty thickly padded and is marked with the Bay Area Airstream Adventures logo. At some point I acquired a spare from them, so I have backup...in case.
Yes, thats also where I purchased my 2014 and my 2017 AS's...they gave me the bag with the2014 and I thought it was great; didn't last too long, plus not really easy to carry the bars and hitch in that bag, IMHO...Hope yours lasts you longer; we travel quite a bit...I always am thinking it would be nice to have a durable system, but I think these A frame SS mounts from Hitchholder will work great. We shall see...
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Old 11-11-2021, 03:24 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by richard5933 View Post
Leaving the hitch in the bumper while driving around just seems like an invitation for problems. It would seem that other drivers are much more likely to bump into the hitch in a parking lot. It's not like we're driving small vehicles - most of our tow vehicles already fill parking spots end to end.

True, the other car is going to sustain more damage, but I sure don't want to have someone in a compact car ram the end of the truck's frame by hitting the hitch. Easy enough to pull it from the back of the truck and store it in the extra mount on the A-frame.
Funny you should bring this topic up; exactly what happened to me while I was at a fitness center working out...came out and someone had backed into my rear bumper with their "hitch" and took off without a note! I carry a $2K deductible and the bumper was $2004.00 as I recall, so I didn't turn in.
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Old 11-11-2021, 03:29 PM   #32
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There are lots of ways to skin the cat, which includes only skinning part of it. Over the 40yrs we've Airstreamed, I've trimmed the repetitive tasks as I've aged. Today, I leave the shank in place, stand the bars against the brackets, store the greasy connecting pieces in a plastic container that remains in the metal storage compartment and remove my greasy gloves onto the hitch ball inside out (avoiding the storage of a greasy ball cover). On very rare occasions, I've sported a grease mark on my jeans (about shin high). Opening the tailgate removes that concern, BUT when coupled, an open tailgate is a gotcha, because it can crease the corners of the propane tank cover... as mine has! Long ago, I fashioned a bar hanger out of aluminum rod. It stores the bars parallel to the A frame. I see it each time I open the metal locker. The last time I used it? Dunno. Economy of motion is the mainstay of these later years.
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Old 11-11-2021, 03:58 PM   #33
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Yes, thats also where I purchased my 2014 and my 2017 AS's...they gave me the bag with the2014 and I thought it was great; didn't last too long, plus not really easy to carry the bars and hitch in that bag, IMHO...Hope yours lasts you longer; we travel quite a bit...I always am thinking it would be nice to have a durable system, but I think these A frame SS mounts from Hitchholder will work great. We shall see...
I only carry the bars and small hardware bits in the bag, not the hitch head which (as I have mentioned to some chagrin ) stays in the receiver while camping and at home in a plastic garbage bag in my garage to keep stuff from sticking to the greasy parts. Maybe that's why my bag has lasted longer?
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Old 11-11-2021, 04:01 PM   #34
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We frequently head off pavement in the TV when camping and leaving the Blue Ox on the truck can make travel difficult at times. We place the bars in one of the locking storage compartments on the trailer and lock up the hitch unit to the a-frame. We use a kryptonite u-shaped bike lock and heavy chain. The diameter of the kryptonite bar is exactly the same as the holes in the blue ox bar, so we run it through the hitch and chain. The chain can be made short enough to prevent using the hitch as intended and make off with the trailer.
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Old 11-17-2021, 01:30 PM   #35
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I always remove my Blue Ox hitch and set just under the right side of the A frame, and I rest the anti sway bars on the front jack 8x8x12" wood block I use for the jack foot with the other ends on the ground. This has been fine for years, but I like the mounts shown earlier in this thread; may get one of those now.

I sure don't like leaving it in the hitch mount on the truck; Only takes one "shin" encounter by the "Dear Wife or a "guest" or yourself to learn that lesson! It can cause a nasty bruise or worse...I accidently ran into one sticking out from someone's truck years ago outside a restaurant...I wanted to rip off his antenna, scratch his car with my key, and throw the darned hitch in the bushes...but, DW talked me out of it...

I, on the other hand prefer keeping the hitch in place. While walking into it can be a problem, I have taught myself to walk wide of any vehicle rear end!

Years ago, I had a heavy duty hitch on my nine passenger van, to haul a two stall horse trailer. One day when my wife and I had our six kids loaded in the van, a teen slammed into the back of us while we were stopped and he was not paying attention.

We wound up with a smear of white paint on the hitch ball and no other damage. He peeled his hood back to his windshield and pushed his radiator into the engine block. While he needed a tow and likely ended up with a totaled vehicle, our van was completely unscathed otherwise, as were the passengers!

The added protection the ball hitch provided had protected the occupants of my van... especially the three kids who loved sitting on the back seat... and prevented any crush damage from occurring.

I have often considered adding a hitch cargo carrier to my receiver and stacking empty boxes printed with TNT, DYNAMITE, EXPLOSIVE and STAY BACK on them.... in the attempt to keep idiots from following too close and tailgating!!!
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Old 11-17-2021, 10:11 PM   #36
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Many years ago we were traveling in the mountains in Northern California and spotted an obviously homemade van conversion with a huge horizontal propane tank on a crude rack atop the rear bumper. A large sign on the tank read, “Hit me, and we both go up in flames!”

Was fascinated by the wide berth all the other traffic (and I) gave him…
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Old 11-18-2021, 10:11 AM   #37
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Many years ago we were traveling in the mountains in Northern California and spotted an obviously homemade van conversion with a huge horizontal propane tank on a crude rack atop the rear bumper. A large sign on the tank read, “Hit me, and we both go up in flames!”

Was fascinated by the wide berth all the other traffic (and I) gave him…
Now you've got me thinking! That was a great idea!
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Old 11-18-2021, 02:26 PM   #38
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Here is my solution with a place for the bars also. All are fully securable. However, I will probably catch heat from actually welding them to the A-frame.
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Old 11-18-2021, 03:42 PM   #39
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Refer back to post #10; I received my new "goodies" this week including this type storage bracket and will be installing soon...will post pictures!
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Old 11-18-2021, 07:00 PM   #40
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I remove the bars from the Equalizer when not in use. I put together tubes made from common 2" PVC with a permanent cap on one end and a screw cap on the other. I have a handle in the middle, but just to snag it with the boat hook in case it slides out of reach.
In the tubes the bars stay ding free and are easy to retrieve.

The tubes are not mounted although the image looks like it. They don't roll around because the bed has ridges.
Works well for us over the last 20 years ... keeps the dirt and grit that collects on the bars from the road from getting on our bed rug.
Removing the spring bars is quick and easy ... removing the hitch head is heavy for this 73 year old fellow ... and now we are considering adding one of those "cushioning" devices to the heavy mix !
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