Broken Equalizer Socket

[Mollysdad]

Observation: Equalizer could solve a lot of the broken socket woes by including the ball with the hitch. They don't, leading to owners going to the ball store and getting the generic 2 5/16" ball.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I agree with Bob.
Breaker bars, 1 1/8" sockets and a 3' section of pipe make changes do-able for the shade tree commando. Keep in mind that you can turn the shank in the receiver upside down or sideways so that you push down on the wrench. (Read, "stand on the pipe over the breaker bar") It's so much easier than pulling up and hurting your back or having the wrench slip and your hand bashing the tailgate.
The Equalizer hitch is simple in theory, but so adjustable in practice. Usually involving removing the 3/4" bolts to adjust the washers on the rivet. You can use up to eight washers, but then you could also raise the "L" pads one hole and reduce the number of washers.
Experimenting is NOT what the dealer will do. He'll have a general setup and that's what you'll get. YOU can make it perfect.

This Bob also agrees with Bob...DIY it ain't roket sience

Bob
🇺🇸

[Bill M.]

Is there a need to stick with the Equalizer? Lots of hitches out there. Equalizers do seem to work fine when set up correctly. I am camped next to a successful user now. But it took him a while to get it right.

[kscherzi]

The problem and fix looks obvious. The ball installed by the dealer was wrong. I've seen your problem crop up more than a rew times. While making a sharp turn the too long shank of the ball prevents further motion required by the socket and under severe stress the hitch breaks.

Get the Equalizer brand ball on Amazon (or Equalizer) and ask Equalizer to send you a replacement socket and bolt.

[mikeinca]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Observation: Equalizer could solve a lot of the broken socket woes by including the ball with the hitch. They don't, leading to owners going to the ball store and getting the generic 2 5/16" ball.

My Equalizer hitch came with an Equalizer hitch ball.

FWIW, there is a recess in the hitch head and the threaded shank and nut for the hitch ball reside completely within it.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Get the Equalizer brand ball on Amazon (or Equalizer) and ask Equalizer to send you a replacement socket and bolt.

The reason I didn't recommend this (post #3) is the ball is torqued to 450 ft/lbs. Not easy for the country club guys. However, with a long breaker bar and that 3' section of water pipe I recommended it's simple. Make the length from bolt to foot 3', call in wife to stand on the breaker bar/pipe. Voila' 450 ft/lbs. (give or take. You may want to be diplomatic here)
The trailer shop will put their impact wrench on it and "Brrrrrpt". They'll call it 450.

[GCinSC2]

A few weeks ago at a dual unit rally here in SC these tools got two workouts. One on a loose I mean really loose hitch ball but due to damage we were not able to correctly torque the ball only tighten it up a good bit. Then an Equal-I-Zer with a loose ball and loose hitch head to shank. The hitch head to shank fit will be fixed at Alumalina when I install the homemade shims between hitch head and shank. Years ago one ball/nut was so loose the owner snugged stuff up with a Channel Lock pliers before I got back with tools. The 1 7/16" socket takes care of the Nev-R-Lube hub nut drum or disc.

The 3/4" breaker bar gives me 36" of leverage. And all of these tools, spare bolts, hitch ball and lock washers travel with me to help old friends and new ones.

[Ray Eklund]

Do this work, with the Hitch inserted into your tow vehicle. Upside down or Right side up. You do not want to mess up your Work Bench as this process will move the bench, once tight.

If you want to mess up your Equalizer Hitch, just do it however you like to do it. I have watched... learned... and brains work better than huge muscles. Sometimes.

Easier to have the wrong length of shank on the ball. If you have the correct shank length... begin to Torque until you Pass Out... way too much torque. When tight, no threads will show. If they show... probably the wrong length of shank.

When torquing, with the Lock Washer and then attaching the Nut be cautious.

The Equalizer Ball, itself, has a round base with two straight edges to fit a wrench so the nut can be tightened without the shank rotating. But it will if you over do it...

Nancy held on to prevent the Ball from rotating once torqued... using a 32 inch Oil Field Adjustable wrench that must weigh 20 to 25/30 pounds and I torqued the nut and lock washer to the point... she could not lay into this huge piece of iron, unless you wanted to over do the lock washer compression and cutting edge.

TIGHT. No torque wrench to 500# to get 450#? You are not going to stretch this shank to torque. It is too massive. Not like a head bolt on your exhaust system on a truck.

The lock washer will do what it does... locks. If you keep giving it excessive torque... it can no longer tighten but will rotate. The lock washer will gouge the metal where it is totally engaged and you have maxed out.

If you persist... you may as well replace it with another Equalizer assembly or another brand you can trash...

Do as you want... but when the entire assembly is rotating... you are finished and leave it at that.

Did the Bar Fall out? Did it bend? Did the L bracket attached to the frame, bend?

I still believe you had the wrong Ball with a longer shank than needed.

[JEggers]

OK so to answer a few things...this is an Equalizer brand ball in the correct size. It came with the hitch installed at Colonial AS. The shank absolutely does not extend through the assembly or in any way touch the sockets. The picture that was circled in red and looks like a 'witness mark' on the nut, is in fact, a smudge of grease on the nut. Even the Equalizer guys said that was installed correctly. The torque, I'm betting is not, but I have no way to measure that. They did finally find the part and I paid to have it overnighted. I would like to learn how to do this myself, but I can't risk my safety guessing until someone can show me. I really will go back through this and the manual and try to figure it out, but a professional will install this this time after I give them the torque page of the manual. I will research other hitches over the winter because I don't think I trust this one at this point. There were at least 2 people on FB who told me they went through several sockets that did this with everything installed and torqued correctly. That's too risky while traveling in my book.

I really appreciate all of your help and input. I am pretty handy but many of you are WAY more mechanical than I am and I don't have all the heavy tools. (Yet) I get that I can make adjustments, but I would not know where to start without some guidance. I am going to my first local rally later this month and will see if there is someone who can teach me a bit more about this torquing stuff!

[JEggers]

Originally Posted by JEggers

I'll look at that closer. I think it's just grease. I really did not think there was a scratch there when I looked at it today, but it's worth checking again. It is definititely suspect.

Confirmed...this is just a smudge of grease. There is no mark on the metal but definitely grease everywhere.

[JEggers]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I agree with Bob.

Breaker bars, 1 1/8" sockets and a 3' section of pipe make changes do-able for the shade tree commando. Keep in mind that you can turn the shank in the receiver upside down or sideways so that you push down on the wrench. (Read, "stand on the pipe over the breaker bar") It's so much easier than pulling up and hurting your back or having the wrench slip and your hand bashing the tailgate.

The Equalizer hitch is simple in theory, but so adjustable in practice. Usually involving removing the 3/4" bolts to adjust the washers on the rivet. You can use up to eight washers, but then you could also raise the "L" pads one hole and reduce the number of washers.

Experimenting is NOT what the dealer will do. He'll have a general setup and that's what you'll get. YOU can make it perfect.

A lot of this makes sense in terms of working on it. My problem here is that I don't know what perfect looks like or what different adjustments do at this point. I will read the manual again and see if I can make sense of it. This is just outside my current skillset and I don't want to screw it up.

[mikeinca]

Originally Posted by JEggers

A lot of this makes sense in terms of working on it. My problem here is that I don't know what perfect looks like or what different adjustments do at this point. I will read the manual again and see if I can make sense of it. This is just outside my current skillset and I don't want to screw it up.

I think a careful reading or two of the Equalizer manual will reveal that setting up the hitch is not that difficult. I was leery at first of making adjustments to mine but some study of the manual and a bit of hands on has me confident working with it.

The issue might be if you don't have the proper tools. It's possible to substitute a length of pipe for a breaker bar but IMHO there is really no substitute for a proper torque wrench if you want to do the job to spec. Not counting the nut for the hitch ball, even the 2-3/4" shank bolts must be torqued to 320 ft/lbs so you will need a high capacity torque wrench. I already have one that I bought to deal with the center lock wheels on my track car so that wasn't an issue for me. A good American made one will set you back north of $400, although a cheaper Chinese model would do the job. You could also rent one.

If you follow the Equalizer instructions carefully you will be able to set up the hitch correctly, but if you are unsure and can find someone who you are certain will do the job properly that may work out best for you. Good luck.

[mikeinca]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

...the 2-3/4" shank bolts must be torqued to 320 ft/lbs...

BTW, I meant the two 3/4" shank bolts which are actually each 5" long.

[JEggers]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

I think a careful reading or two of the Equalizer manual will reveal that setting up the hitch is not that difficult. I was leery at first of making adjustments to mine but some study of the manual and a bit of hands on has me confident working with it.

The issue might be if you don't have the proper tools. It's possible to substitute a length of pipe for a breaker bar but IMHO there is really no substitute for a proper torque wrench if you want to do the job to spec. Not counting the nut for the hitch ball, even the 2-3/4" shank bolts must be torqued to 320 ft/lbs so you will need a high capacity torque wrench. I already have one that I bought to deal with the center lock wheels on my track car so that wasn't an issue for me. A good American made one will set you back north of $400, although a cheaper Chinese model would do the job. You could also rent one.

If you follow the Equalizer instructions carefully you will be able to set up the hitch correctly, but if you are unsure and can find someone who you are certain will do the job properly that may work out best for you. Good luck.

I do have a breaker bar and a torque wrench for the tires. Would that be heavy enough for this?

[JEggers]

I am still concerned that we don't know why this happened. Something I discovered is that the pin that hold the tortion bar was bent to almost a 45 degree angle. I'm wondering if that is a clue to anything.

[GCinSC2]

Pics?

[Ray Eklund]

I am a Neanderthal. I have found my Equalizer Hitches are stable. You can over torque anything... but not necessary. The swivels can be tight or snug. It depends more on the Tow Vehicle... if the 'tail is wagging the dog', you need more torque for Sway.

I have little or no sway towing on the Ball. I have more security having the sway bars working for me... even if not necessary 100% of the time. Remove them when off road at lower speeds. The bars become a liability...

When we pass a trailer being towed... we glance at the hitch and how the tow vehicle and trailer are tracking. From the rear, approaching... a swaying trailer will tell you to PASS and get away from these people. Seriously.

Each Tow Vehicle, Trailer, Loaded or Unloaded trailer... changes everything. One person giving you perfect advice for THEM, may be dangerous for YOU.

Figure it out with some help. Find someone with your Tow Vehicle and Trailer length. Compare notes. Everyone tows differently. Some like Fast, some like Safe and others are paranoid and hit every curb with the curb side axles.

Towing on the Ball is possible... but having Sway Control is adding another layer to Safety.

I would believe that the Lighter the Tow Vehicle... the more attention to Torque on Sway Bars system is very important. Torque on the Ball Nut... When a 32 inch Oil Patch heavy iron wrench cannot leverage any longer the torque being applied... already more than enough.

Someone towing, like myself, with a F350 Diesel 4x4 is not going to be the same settings as a Ford Bronco. Too many variables. There was a time when you could take someone's advice... but they offer so little 'Important Facts' that you should have a Trailer Hitch Salesman set you up... or a Trailer Dealership of ALL kinds of Trailers.

I am weary of giving and taking advice. Much like a Test Pilot... you need to get comfortable with your Airstream and how it handles while towing. Basic tools are needed for your Equalizer Hitch. Once I used them... they are sitting in the bag within the back of the F350. Very simple. Very secure. What is the # on your bars? Tow Vehicle. Trailer. Loads for Boondocking or RV Parks?

Do you swivel the Bars to the side when off the paved roads to set the trailer? Even... remove the Bars, when on a National Forest Road. You are not going 70mph... but 15 to 20mph.

There is not ONE correct setting. That is why it is confusing. Call me... ignorant of other Airstream Owners preferences... they may not work for... ME.

[Ray Eklund]

Before any comments:

******

"Do you swivel the Bars to the side when off the paved roads to set the trailer? Even... remove the Bars, when on a National Forest Road. You are not going 70mph... but 15 to 20mph."

Swivel bars to the side when setting the trailer... not while driving down the road. That WILL damage your sockets. Like the photo with damaged socket. A bar inserted would the fulcrum forces (lever like pulling a tree stump out of the ground by yourself) would be enormous and damage the socket would happen... the FIRST TIME.

******

REMOVE the two Bars when off the paved road. Store in the tow vehicle. Not in the exterior Storage compartment. That is messy and not a Human Bean alternative, nor a Neanderthal.

If you feel unsafe towing on a NFS or BLM at 15mph without sway bars... we need to talk.

The SKID PLATES on the rear bumper? You might know about those... if not, you will.

These COUNT how often you are dragging the back of your Airstream. If one or both of these are laying... sideways... take a deep breath. You... Did... It... Yourself. You are dragging your Rear End. The Sway Bars can also ADD to the tension of dragging by forcing the front of the Trailer UP... and dragging your Butt. Again and again will grind away metal and mess up the back of your Airstream. Don't do it...

The Sway Bars are long and have lots of bad aspects, as well. Used properly, good. Adjusted too tight... maybe not good. Someone posted they replaced a BENT L bracket. Whoaaaa there. That is hard to do. Maybe once thought impossible... not now.

When you are Buying a used Airstream... feel the Skid Plate bottom edge. If it is thin, bent or has excessive BUTT DRAGGING... look for other damages.

I learned with the 2006 23 footer. You might be able to go down a dip without a problem. Returning from the opposite direction... you might be plowing to plant corn on a farm. You change directions on the same DIP... the angles change. You get hung up... you cannot back up or go forward without damaging your Airstream.

Why would I even mention this? Because, I like yourself, have to learn the hard way... once. Soft dirt... is a blessing when dry. Whew.

Repeat it... and YOU are not a Neanderthal. A coo coo bird, maybe.

If you are dragging your hitch... you need to Flip it, if possible.

If you have a 3 inch lift and 16 inch tires on the trailer... that makes a BIG Difference in what you can... get away with. But even then... have someone stand out alongside the trailer and WATCH.

Dragging Rear End Airstream Queens are quiet... as they will not admit their behavior. Airstream Princess's will not admit dragging their Airstream. But... now YOU know what to look for.

Do it once. You learned a lesson if no damage. Do it again... have a shovel handy... you may need it, and some lumber and some place to bend your rear bumper back to fit.

Have a nice day and remember... you heard it from a Neanderthal.

Oh... I like the *****. It is sooooo Human Bean.

[JEggers]

This is, in fact, a smudge of grease. There is no indentation or permanent mark on the metal.

[JEggers]

See above - they are all posted