Equal-i-zer Hitch Thread.

[Pedecanada]

So I bought my 2009 panamerica trailer used and it has the equalizer parts on hitch but did not come with receiver or bars. My question is what do I need to buy for bars I am thinking 600 pound since truck is heavy duty 3500 dodge diesel and do not want to rip trailer apart even though it has 1200 pound hitch weight but will get lighter with bikes loaded. My other concern is hitch height since truck has stock height but 285 tires on it. With slight drop receiver on truck now trailer is level with truck when hooked up. I have towed trailer 200km with just regular hitch and seemed good to me but it sounds like equalizer hitch is the way to go. Thanks for any help.

[Gene]

Ped',

I think in your first sentence you may mean hitch head and not receiver. You may mean the sockets on the hitch head which could be called receivers I suppose. The hitch receiver is on the truck. I believe you can buy individual parts for the Equalizer.

Some will tell you to go with a ProPride or a Hensley (PP is cheaper and more advanced) for a heavy trailer. Not having towed anything that heavy, I can't help you with most of this. Equalizer will tell you you only use what you need regardless of the bar rating. Most of the bars only fit specific sockets on the hitch head.

Gene

[pappy19]

I have installed a set of Firestone air bags and use it to relieve pressure on the bars also. Most of the time the electric jack up-down does the trick. I have used a number of different hitches, but the Equalizer is a mighty fine setup for our 30' Classic S/O.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pappy19

I have installed a set of Firestone air bags and use it to relieve pressure on the bars also. Most of the time the electric jack up-down does the trick. I have used a number of different hitches, but the Equalizer is a mighty fine setup for our 30' Classic S/O.

To use those bags is the very BEST WAY to destroy the purpose of any load equalizing hitch.

Air bags or air shocks inflated beyond their MINIMUM pressure will cause a loss of control accident.

That was proven time and time again by the old insurance division of Airstream, back in 1970, yes, over 40 years ago.

Physics do not change.

Go to a truck scale and see the problems that those bags cause.

Get the weights with minimum air, and then with what ever you think they should be.

Then sit back and watch how much weight you added to the rear end of your tow vehicle and how much you removed from the front of the tow vehicle.

If you have a hitch problem, the use of air bags will severely cause more problems.

Andy

[mistermcfrug]

Airtandem wrote in Post #70 of this thread: I really don't want to hijack this thread ; but has anyone seen the American Family Insurance Ad? There is a single axel Airstream that needs a hitch. The back of the trailer is way lower than the front.


Hahaha! I looked at the ad, American Family Insurance Commercial Features Airstream « George M Sutton RV Blog | RV Sales, RV Service, RV Parts, RV Accessories in Eugene, Oregon

Looks to me like the maker of the ad just rented some truck with a typical hitch like you'd use for a utility trailer and attached a new Airstream without anyone associated with ad knowing anything about tow vehicle and travel trailers should look. Very observant, Mr. Airtandem!

[SSquared]

I'm considering what WD hitch to get for my new trailer. I have never seen an Equalizer and have some questions.

• What is the total weight of the WD hitch, including the parts left attached to the tongue?
• What is the weight of the drawbar/ball mount assembly?
• Will there be any interference with the battery box, front storage door, or propane tanks & lines?
• Can it be hitched up and unhitched easily (including the bars) when the TT and TV are not in a straight line?
• What weight bars would work best with my rig? The trailer will be a 2013 flying cloud FB (837 hitch weight empty, 5503 base weight, 7300 max weight). The TV will be a 2010 GMC Yukon Denali (short wheelbase).

[tkowalyk]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

To use those bags is the very BEST WAY to destroy the purpose of any load equalizing hitch.

Air bags or air shocks inflated beyond their MINIMUM pressure will cause a loss of control accident.

That was proven time and time again by the old insurance division of Airstream, back in 1970, yes, over 40 years ago.

Physics do not change.

Go to a truck scale and see the problems that those bags cause.

Get the weights with minimum air, and then with what ever you think they should be.

Then sit back and watch how much weight you added to the rear end of your tow vehicle and how much you removed from the front of the tow vehicle.

If you have a hitch problem, the use of air bags will severely cause more problems.

Andy

Andy,

We followed your advice and moved from the equalizer hitch to the Reese Dual Cam with 800 bars for our 2006 25 Safari SS. The change in ride was immediate, and the contents of the trailer stayed put (sink covers, hangers, etc).

I have a couple of questions.

We have purchased a new trailer - a 2013 27 Classic. We plan on using our 2007 Durango for another 5 years or so. It is rated at 8950 lbs towing capacity and 900 lb hitch weight with a WD hitch. The 2007 is the last of the Durangos on a truck frame. The Durango weighs in at 4619 lbs and has a GVW OF 6399 lbs. And a max payload of 1780 lbs.

Questions - I was planning on changing my rear shocks (regular maintenance - 6 years and 60,000 miles) with Monroe HD shocks that are designed for the Durango, and are rated at 1200 lbs. Are these shocks too heavy? Should I go with the stock Mopar shocks? The Monroe Sensa Trac shocks look to be a superior product, but I don't want to make a hard ride. What do you think?

The other question is on wheel balancers. I have 16" wheels with Michelin LT tires. Do the centramatic wheel balancers make a big difference?

Thanks,

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by mcgintyrch

My AS came with an Equalizer system. I'm having trouble getting one of the sway bars attached. I can't seem to get it high enough to slide onto the coupler. Any advice or tips?
Thanks!
Susanne

If you are running out of range on the upper limit of camper jack, try adding some wooden blocking under the shaft to get the lift a bit higher in order to more easily get the EQ load bars onto the L-brackets.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by mefly2

If you are running out of range on the upper limit of camper jack, try adding some wooden blocking under the shaft to get the lift a bit higher in order to more easily get the EQ load bars onto the L-brackets.

Hi, using wooden blocks is a good idea. I have never needed to do this, but I have lifted the rear wheels of my Lincoln off of the ground a few times with my tongue jack.

[pappy19]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

To use those bags is the very BEST WAY to destroy the purpose of any load equalizing hitch.

Air bags or air shocks inflated beyond their MINIMUM pressure will cause a loss of control accident.

That was proven time and time again by the old insurance division of Airstream, back in 1970, yes, over 40 years ago.

Physics do not change.

Go to a truck scale and see the problems that those bags cause.

Get the weights with minimum air, and then with what ever you think they should be.

Then sit back and watch how much weight you added to the rear end of your tow vehicle and how much you removed from the front of the tow vehicle.

If you have a hitch problem, the use of air bags will severely cause more problems.

Andy

Sorry Andy, but you are living in the 1970's not in today's technology. With the modern suspension systems we have today, the air bags are nothing more than adding s leaf spring. Obviously if one went nuts and ran the air bag pressures way up there could be a problem. Just to level the TV with the trailer certainly can't be an issue and would add to one's safety not visa-versa. I run with a huge group of pipeline construction workers that all have trailers or 5th wheels and most all of them have added a set of air bags. I did run into one fellow that didn't have a set-

[dznf0g]

The danger with air shocks and air suspensions is the "masking" of rear axle overloading, IMO. A level rig is not indicative of a properly distributed load. IMO, any air system should be disconnected with an empty TV (after leveled with the system), then the truck and trailer should be loaded and hitched up. The WD, by the proper method for the particular hitch, should be applied and verified by weighing the rig at the CAT scales. After the rig is leveled by the hitch WD, I believe it is OK to reinstall the air system fuse and go on your way. By this method, the WD is proper and the air system is operating from a "neutral" stance.

EDITED for scale comment addition.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pappy19

Sorry Andy, but you are living in the 1970's not in today's technology. With the modern suspension systems we have today, the air bags are nothing more than adding s leaf spring. Obviously if one went nuts and ran the air bag pressures way up there could be a problem. Just to level the TV with the trailer certainly can't be an issue and would add to one's safety not visa-versa. I run with a huge group of pipeline construction workers that all have trailers or 5th wheels and most all of them have added a set of air bags. I did run into one fellow that didn't have a set-

It doesn't matter what one person or another may say.

But, what does matter is a scale.

Obtain the weights and then decide for yourself.

Andy

[dznf0g]

It doesn't matter what decade Andy is living in....until mankind comes up with an anti-gravity machine, the principles of weights and levers applies. Physics is still physics regardless of suspension advances. (BTW, the 1957 Buick had a 4 corner air suspension....they're nothing new....although, I hope a lot more dependable now!)

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

It doesn't matter what decade Andy is living in....until mankind comes up with an anti-gravity machine, the principles of weights and levers applies. Physics is still physics regardless of suspension advances. (BTW, the 1957 Buick had a 4 corner air suspension....they're nothing new....although, I hope a lot more dependable now!)

So did the 58 Buick.

I had one.

They replaced 29 air bags in warranty.

Then, they figured out what the problem was with their design, and fixed it one more time, by changing it to the regular spring type suspension.

The air compressor, I was told, because of it's design, caused the other air lines to blow, which mad the car settle to one side or another, which pinched the bags.

Never knew which way the car would be leaning, each morning.

But, when it worked, it was as soft a ride you could possibly ask for.

Oh well, sometimes things just don't work out as planned.

And then there's Airstream.

Andy

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, without getting into too much detail, my Lincoln has rear air suspension, and my owners manual tells you how to set up a WD hitch with this system. [Lincoln has factory tow package] Ford also had air suspension in 1958. I have towed my trailer in all kinds of weather, in 13 Western States, 3 Canadian Provinces, for over eight years, for many thousands of miles, [over 10,000 miles in my Alaska trip alone] and it works just fine.

[MattB]

I do have a related question on the equalizer hitch. I have had one for about 5 years, and towed about 50K miles with it. Once I learned to use it properly, it made all the difference. However, due to the harsh conditions of the road around this country, particularly with road salt, there is quite a bit of surface rust on the hitch and the bars. I am planning on sand blasting and repainting, but I am wondering if the orientation of the bars with the arrow stickers right side up is vital, or is irrelevent to the performance of the bars. Obviously only one end can go forward, but is there a definitive right side up?

Thanks.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, without getting into too much detail, my Lincoln has rear air suspension, and my owners manual tells you how to set up a WD hitch with this system. [Lincoln has factory tow package] Ford also had air suspension in 1958. I have towed my trailer in all kinds of weather, in 13 Western States, 3 Canadian Provinces, for over eight years, for many thousands of miles, [over 10,000 miles in my Alaska trip alone] and it works just fine.

Hi Robert,

What is Lincoln's Owner Manual recommendation. I don't disagree with GM's recommendation....I just think it is incomplete and it would be very easy to inadvertently get your WD all out of whack if you need to "key on" at any time during your TV or AS loading process...or before the hitching and WD application. Once you get the "neutral" point set and WD is right for the particular trip(s), providing no significant load change, you are good to go.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by MattB

I do have a related question on the equalizer hitch. I have had one for about 5 years, and towed about 50K miles with it. Once I learned to use it properly, it made all the difference. However, due to the harsh conditions of the road around this country, particularly with road salt, there is quite a bit of surface rust on the hitch and the bars. I am planning on sand blasting and repainting, but I am wondering if the orientation of the bars with the arrow stickers right side up is vital, or is irrelevent to the performance of the bars. Obviously only one end can go forward, but is there a definitive right side up?

Thanks.

I don't think so.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Hi Robert,

What is Lincoln's Owner Manual recommendation. I don't disagree with GM's recommendation....I just think it is incomplete and it would be very easy to inadvertently get your WD all out of whack if you need to "key on" at any time during your TV or AS loading process...or before the hitching and WD application. Once you get the "neutral" point set and WD is right for the particular trip(s), providing no significant load change, you are good to go.

Using air shocks or air bags, requires considerable caution.

Back in 1970, we demonstrated and proved that any inflation over and above the minimum, will progressively defeat the purpose of a load equalizing hitch.

Leveling a tow vehicle that way, really takes that additional weight away from the bars, and redistribution.

Actually, the more weight impressed on the bars, at least to a point, the better the overall handling becomes.

Several owners here on this Forums, have already confirmed that fact.

Andy

[dznf0g]

What Andy says is true, and the thrust of my comments. However, the auto leveling systems are a little different caution than manual air shocks. If you find the "neutral" position after loaded and hitched with WD, the auto suspension will not affect the rear axle load in any significant way UNLESS you change the load of the AS or TV relatively significantly. The caution about DISABLING the system permently (while on a towing trip) is that these systems are calculated into the algorythms of several other systems, like sway control, stability control, and ABS (to a lesser extent IMO), and active suspensions systems.