Equalizer Hitch: SLOP of Shank into Receiver

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by No. 13

I like jimfa440's suggestion of tapping a hole and using a bolt

******
The hitch ball washer assembly uses a threaded bolt to tighten it to the shank. This is high grade steel to drill, thread and it is thick enough for the threads to actually have some metal to hold. Also a large surface area in contact with the shank and two large bolts to secure everything, as well.

The grade of the bolt hardness is also something to consider if applied to the receiver. The thread count comes to mind, as well.

Then... you get to wonder if the threads of this bolt into the thin lower quality of metal of the receiver is enough. A 5/8" headed nut may be what the shank uses, as discussed above, is thicker and threaded through high grade steel. There is not that much metal on the hitch receiver to thread a nut securely to get this to work. The pressure of the shank and hitch, would hammer the threads and you would be unable to remove the bolt and may even distort the few threads possible.

l am being the Devil's Advocate here, as I have already tinkered with this while awake and asleep to find a solution that is 100% effective. There is always a caveat after each idea.

I will know tomorrow after checking out the fit of the 2.5" shank option. That dime's worth of slop will potentially cost me $185, or so. From looking at my hitch pin used on our Tundra for a couple years towing the 25 footer... it looks like there is a lot of movement grinding away on it.

This is all new to me. Someone already knows why the receiver has the slop built into the system.

Sometimes doing nothing is best. Obviously the provider of the hitch and the trucks that use them are not concerned. Although my 2006 Tundra with the 2" receiver and 2" shank were a snug fit... What happened since then?

[wildwoodrver]

Would the sloppy fit cause trailer sway? Other than worry about wear, why is the slop a concern? Just curious. I'm trying to inderstand my new sway issue the past 600 miles. I've got a lot of slop with my Tow Beast with insert.
How about it...are you experiencing sway?
Thanks.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by wildwoodrver

Would the sloppy fit cause trailer sway?
Thanks.

I can't answer that, every setup is unique. But my view is that we spent all of this money on the trailer, TV, hitch etc. and the very last connection is loose and sloppy. Seems like all of that effort is not tied to the TV effectively.

I shimmed several years ago and that first tow IIRC was almost hands off steering, everything seemed more relaxed.

If I lost my shims on a trip, when I get home, the very next weekend I'd make a new set, no question in my mind except maybe trying to cover all 4 sides.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by djarrett

The issue can easily be corrected with one of these -

http://www.hitchrider.com/nowobble.htm

D

What a 'dumb' looking idea!! It looks like a clamp bolted to a receiver, with nothing supporting/holding the shank.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Adiredneck

Mel,

Correction: 17.75" from rear lip of the 2.5" receiver to the center-line of the ball. 12" of this is just the length of the AirSafe hitch, and the remainder is the Equalizer hitch. I've read all of the info about "closer is better", but would have to give up either the WD/sway control of the Equalizer or the shock suppression/suspension independence of the AirSafe. We've done three 3,000 mile RT trips from Mississippi to northern New York State with this combo and it has performed flawlessly so far. The Ram 3500 doesn't seem to know it is towing anything and not a drawer opened or pillow out of place on the AS (and that includes some pretty crappy stretches of interstate!).

I can't think of any better way of getting the benefits of these two hitches other than how I've done it, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of guidance or chatter about AirSafe/Equalizer combos on the Airforum or interwebs that suggest anything different. Anyone have experience with these?

BTW, my last CAT numbers were:

Truck only:

Steer Axle: 5300
Drive Axle: 4520
GVW: 9820

Truck & Trailer (with WD)

Steer Axle: 5100
Drive Axle: 5920
Trailer: 6560
GCVW: 17580

Any thoughts or insight?

Tim

I don't know what an "Airsafe" is; I have just used my shanks drilled as close to the receiver as I could get, and it seemed to give me a better 'ride'.
I have use it for a number of years on my Hi-Lo, and lately, a 25' FC, that was replaced by a 30'FC. Works for me.!

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

My center of ball to end of receiver is 10.5". FYI if anyone was curious.

Problem Solved... well, sort of.

Have been experimenting with the 2" sleeve that fits into a 2.5" receiver on my new Ford F350. The 2" sleeve has slop, about the thickness of a 10 cent coin between the 2.5" receiver opening and 2" sleeve insert.

The 2" sleeve has about the thickness of a 25 cent piece of slop, between the shank and the 2" receiver. (Before reacting, read the above carefully, again.)

So a total of 25 cents plus 10 cents= 35 cents of SLOP total. (OK, pull out a dime and a quarter to follow this reasoning. And... afterwards I am going to have a few IPA beers and mow the lawn.)

IF you shim the shank to fit tight into the 2" sleeve, it is difficult to pull the shank out of the sleeve when you want to pull the hitch out. You must leave the 2" sleeve attached to the shank if you want to save yourself some extra effort.

If you want to shim the gap between the 2" sleeve AND the 2.5" receiver, also, you will need more than a crow bar to get that apart. The combination can be firmed up to a point I do not know how you would remove the shank and 2" sleeve from the 2.5" receiver. (This is going to drive me to drinking, and I do not own a Hot Rod Lincoln.)

IF you are aligning the holes for the pin to be inserted to hold the hitch to the receiver, it can become tricker with the tight fit of the 2" sleeve to the 2" shank.

(I had a half width shim on the right side, fitted below the pin hole, and saw that was going to get myself into more trouble than worth discussing.)

You may now have a tighter 2" sleeve to 2" shank, but now there is a gap of of a 10 cent piece between the 2.5" hitch and the 2" sleeve insert... creating, again... slop.

I might find that getting an Equalizer 2.5" shank will remove the excess slop from the 2" sleeve to 2.5" receiver.

If you find this a PIA to understand... be in my position of figuring out that you fix one problem and create two MORE. Need I say any more? I hope not.

Sometimes you have to sit on a five gallon plastic bucket, understand that no matter what... the 2" sleeve was intentionally made LOOSE, as all of Ford's engineers had no better solution and said... 'stuff it'.

Tomorrow I will take my Ford, my Hitch, my 2" sleeve adapter to 2.5" receiver in my truck to an Equalizer dealership in Littleton, Colorado. IF I can eliminate the 25 cent slop created by using the 2" sleeve and reduce the slop to 10 cent slop, less the addition of the 25 cent plus 10 cent slop creating 35 cents of slop... for only 10 cents of slop, I am ready to pay the $185 for the 2.5" shank.

I am going to take the easy way out of this entire debate.

See my 'thread' above:
My shims do give a rather snug fit, and sometimes I have to bang it with a brass hammer to install it. After towing, it slides right out easy-peasy,
Of course, I lube the shank/shims/receiver with (in this case) WD-40 lithium
spray.)
To line up the hole, I have a 5/8" bolt ground down to form an aligning pin, (what some people call an 'icepick', and the English call a ' podger'.) when the holes line up, the bolt goes in.
(I use an NAS 21250-10 bolt, a DSC-97 nut, and two MS-20002-10 washers for the 'pin'.)
WHY? 'Cause I'm a retired A.M.E., what you guy call an A&P, AI aircraft mechanic, and I have this stuff to use.

[Ag&Au]

I have owned three different travel trailers from 16 to 31 feet over a period of 24 years. There were three different tow vehicles involved. They ranged from a Nissan Pathfinder to a 3/4 ton Dodge diesel 4x4. I towed the 16 ft bare ball, a 20 ft with an Equal-I-Zer, and the 31 used a ProPride. I always had some sloppiness before loading the hitch. I never thought anything of it and never had a problem from it. I have no problem with someone else doing whatever is necessary to feel comfortable, but personally I see no need to be concerned unless the slop is extreme.

Ken

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

I have owned three different travel trailers from 16 to 31 feet over a period of 24 years. There were three different tow vehicles involved. They ranged from a Nissan Pathfinder to a 3/4 ton Dodge diesel 4x4. I towed the 16 ft bare ball, a 20 ft with an Equal-I-Zer, and the 31 used a ProPride. I always had some sloppiness before loading the hitch. I never thought anything of it and never had a problem from it. I have no problem with someone else doing whatever is necessary to feel comfortable, but personally I see no need to be concerned unless the slop is extreme.

Ken

P.S. With the ProPride, the loose fit was a benefit. It allowed me to determine when the hitch was unloaded and the PP stinger was ready to be withdrawn from the hitch head.

[Adiredneck]

Mel,

Here is my "AirSafe": http://airsafehitch.com/category/air...vers/class-vi/

It has an airbag inside that allows the TV and TT's suspensions to function independently of each other. Road shocks do not get passed from one to the other. Much kinder to the AS when using a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup as the TV. My Equalizer WD hitch is then bolted onto the rear plate of the Airsafe via a mounting bracket, ergo the 17.75" receiver-to-ball distance.

For the purpose of this thread, I found that the sloppiness of the fit between the shank/reducer sleeve/receiver was greatly exaggerated by the length of this: I could literally move it left-to-right almost 2" and up-and-down 1.5" at the ball. Welding and clamp have apparently solved (or greatly improved) the issue.

Tim

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by No. 13

Attachment 265752

This is exactly the one I have.
Taking the slop away does make the towing experience better.
Less wiggling, bucking, bumping-
Taking the slop away makes the weight distribution and sway control more efficient.
The force applied is constant- not changing with the hitch moving around-
Towing is a quieter experience.
Less clunking and thumping of the hitch shank moving-
Before I got the anti-rattle device, the pin hole on my receiver had become elongated due to the hitch shank moving around.
No more movement = no more elongated/distorted pin hole.
The elongated hitch receiver hole makes the slop/play/movement even worse.
If it goes on unchecked, a failure of the hitch pin could eventually result and you could lose your trailer.

[KJRitchie]

Would this be a better design?

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Acces...x/BX88225.html

[Ray Eklund]

Equalizer and Trailer Servicing companies:

EVERYONE is aware of the slop of the shank into the receiver.
EVERYONE is not concerned, so... should we?

There seems to be a number of companies that are aware of this slop built into the system and sell 'solutions' to reduce or eliminate the inherent slop in the receivers.

Apparently nobody in the business has a solution, cure nor worry about the loose fit.

Someday, somewhere... I will ask another trailer owner about what they might have found to be a satisfactory solution to this slop. ALL hitch assemblies must have this slop. It is the goal to minimize this excess slop and tighten the fit. Some possible solutions have been added to this thread. The shimming of the gap may be a good temporary solution. Maybe one solution might be a simple and adequate answer. Maybe...

Thank you for all of the input and ideas. There are options to consider.

I want to see current solutions being used and will continue to apply a simple shimming of the gap with a thin sheet of steel inserted into the sleeve.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Adiredneck

Mel,

Here is my "AirSafe": http://airsafehitch.com/category/air...vers/class-vi/

It has an airbag inside that allows the TV and TT's suspensions to function independently of each other. Road shocks do not get passed from one to the other. Much kinder to the AS when using a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup as the TV. My Equalizer WD hitch is then bolted onto the rear plate of the Airsafe via a mounting bracket, ergo the 17.75" receiver-to-ball distance.

For the purpose of this thread, I found that the sloppiness of the fit between the shank/reducer sleeve/receiver was greatly exaggerated by the length of this: I could literally move it left-to-right almost 2" and up-and-down 1.5" at the ball. Welding and clamp have apparently solved (or greatly improved) the issue.

Tim

Well, ain't THAT a "Hoop-de-do"!

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Equalizer and Trailer Servicing companies:

EVERYONE is aware of the slop of the shank into the receiver.
EVERYONE is not concerned, so... should we?

There seems to be a number of companies that are aware of this slop built into the system and sell 'solutions' to reduce or eliminate the inherent slop in the receivers.

Apparently nobody in the business has a solution, cure nor worry about the loose fit.

Someday, somewhere... I will ask another trailer owner about what they might have found to be a satisfactory solution to this slop. ALL hitch assemblies must have this slop. It is the goal to minimize this excess slop and tighten the fit. Some possible solutions have been added to this thread. The shimming of the gap may be a good temporary solution. Maybe one solution might be a simple and adequate answer. Maybe...

Thank you for all of the input and ideas. There are options to consider.

I want to see current solutions being used and will continue to apply a simple shimming of the gap with a thin sheet of steel inserted into the sleeve.

Ray, I must be missing something, It appears to me that you asked a lot of other trailer owners by posting this thread.

Some, including me, have not found it a problem yet.
Others presented various different solutions to the problem.
I don't think you are going to find anything new by someday, somewhere, asking another trailer owner.

If it bothers you, that is what is important. I sense that you would like all the components manufactured to close tolerances. I believe you also know that there's not much chance of that ever happening. So pick a solution that you can live with and go with it. It appears you have done that with shimming.

I know you venture off the beaten track frequently. Off road mechanized camping is becoming more and more popular. There are several off road travel trailer options available today. If I were in your position, I would go to one of the forums dedicated to off road camping and ask how they feel about and what they do about the slop.

In any case, I hope you achieve satisfaction.

Ken

PS: Living in Boulder County for 23 years mellowed me.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Would this be a better design?

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Acces...x/BX88225.html

NOPE! K.I.S.S. and stay with the shims.

[Ray Eklund]

"Expert Reply:
The reducer sleeve does need to be a bit smaller than the interior dimension of the receiver or it could become stuck. Typically a bit of 'slop' between the shank and the receiver or in this case, the reducer and shank isn't much of a concern with a weight distribution system because the spring bars of the system are applying a good deal of upward leverage against the receiver. This is almost always enough leverage to prevent the shank from rattling around. Not in your case, however."

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

My center of ball to end of receiver is 10.5". FYI if anyone was curious.

Problem Solved... well, sort of.

Have been experimenting with the 2" sleeve that fits into a 2.5" receiver on my new Ford F350. The 2" sleeve has slop, about the thickness of a 10 cent coin between the 2.5" receiver opening and 2" sleeve insert.

The 2" sleeve has about the thickness of a 25 cent piece of slop, between the shank and the 2" receiver. (Before reacting, read the above carefully, again.)

So a total of 25 cents plus 10 cents= 35 cents of SLOP total. (OK, pull out a dime and a quarter to follow this reasoning. And... afterwards I am going to have a few IPA beers and mow the lawn.)

IF you shim the shank to fit tight into the 2" sleeve, it is difficult to pull the shank out of the sleeve when you want to pull the hitch out. You must leave the 2" sleeve attached to the shank if you want to save yourself some extra effort.

If you want to shim the gap between the 2" sleeve AND the 2.5" receiver, also, you will need more than a crow bar to get that apart. The combination can be firmed up to a point I do not know how you would remove the shank and 2" sleeve from the 2.5" receiver. (This is going to drive me to drinking, and I do not own a Hot Rod Lincoln.)

IF you are aligning the holes for the pin to be inserted to hold the hitch to the receiver, it can become tricker with the tight fit of the 2" sleeve to the 2" shank.

(I had a half width shim on the right side, fitted below the pin hole, and saw that was going to get myself into more trouble than worth discussing.)

You may now have a tighter 2" sleeve to 2" shank, but now there is a gap of of a 10 cent piece between the 2.5" hitch and the 2" sleeve insert... creating, again... slop.

I might find that getting an Equalizer 2.5" shank will remove the excess slop from the 2" sleeve to 2.5" receiver.

If you find this a PIA to understand... be in my position of figuring out that you fix one problem and create two MORE. Need I say any more? I hope not.

Sometimes you have to sit on a five gallon plastic bucket, understand that no matter what... the 2" sleeve was intentionally made LOOSE, as all of Ford's engineers had no better solution and said... 'stuff it'.

Tomorrow I will take my Ford, my Hitch, my 2" sleeve adapter to 2.5" receiver in my truck to an Equalizer dealership in Littleton, Colorado. IF I can eliminate the 25 cent slop created by using the 2" sleeve and reduce the slop to 10 cent slop, less the addition of the 25 cent plus 10 cent slop creating 35 cents of slop... for only 10 cents of slop, I am ready to pay the $185 for the 2.5" shank.

I am going to take the easy way out of this entire debate.

RAY:

I got mine for $139 in four days from E-Trailer. As I posted previously works great. So far would be worth far more than Equalizer's price of $185.

Bud

[ROBERT CROSS]

.......TowBeast Class 5- 2.65" welded insert, 2.10"
Hensley stinger 2.03"
Boat stinger 2.04"

With the AS tongue weight of 1100-1200lb, never any noise or other indication of 'slop'.

With the boat TW of 275lb very noticeable banging over bumps & turning, hence the StowAway hitch tightener.

At the Chevy Store I had quite a few commercial customers,(who never removed their stinger), who were glad they had 'slop', after going thru several WNY Winters.
Even with the 'slop' I recall many rusted to the point of permanence.

Bob

[xrvr]

Salt from the coast can also rust ball mounts permanently to the receiver.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

.......TowBeast Class 5- 2.65" welded insert, 2.10"
Hensley stinger 2.03"
Boat stinger 2.04"

With the AS tongue weight of 1100-1200lb, never any noise or other indication of 'slop'.

With the boat TW of 275lb very noticeable banging over bumps & turning, hence the StowAway hitch tightener.

At the Chevy Store I had quite a few commercial customers,(who never removed their stinger), who were glad they had 'slop', after going thru several WNY Winters.
Even with the 'slop' I recall many rusted to the point of permanence.

Bob

Bob,

Having been around boats since early childhood, I can guarantee that you found the wrong solution for the rattle. The proper and only correct solution is to buy a much bigger and heavier boat.

Ken