Equalizer brand hitch

jenoble99 · 10-03-2015, 10:17 PM

Hi all. We have an Equalizer brand hitch that has an issue that I have been fighting since we got it in late 2012. The link plates are constantly sliding around on the frame. I check the torque frequently on the bolts. The link plates are mounted in the correct orientation. I did notice the inside link plate was bowed and had a gap in the middle. I emailed Equalizer about the bow and was told that it is normal. I ended up flipping that link plate to put the bow toward the frame. Nothing seems to help and the link plates are doing a number on the frame rails; they are getting rather chewed up. I am considering just tack welding the link plates to the frame to prevent them from moving. I was also considering just running a couple of grade 8 bolts through the whole mess to help stabilize the link plates, but that would be a lot of drilling. Has anyone else seen this issue and were you able to solve it? I am almost to the point that I am considering ditching the equalizer and trying a different brand, but thought I would reach out for some advice before laying out the money for a new setup.

havnfun · 10-03-2015, 10:43 PM

Jenoble99- Haven't seen that before but did you document this with the original dealer too? Do you have documentation that you got that reply from Equalizer?
Those are important. IMHO, I would pressure Equalizer and the dealer to replace the one you have, free of charge. They are a great hitch company and stand by their product. When I got mine I complained to Equalizer that it had apparently been used and repainted. My persistence finally got me $150 off the price I paid and the hitch is fine. Keep on them and I bet they will make it good for you....even if they do it to shut you up. Hehehe.
Happy RVing,
Jeff

**JFlightRisk** · 10-04-2015, 06:21 AM

Haven't had any problems with the tongue brackets moving, just an over-torqued bolt on the bar socket. Not normal to have to put your back on the garage wall, and push the bar with both feet! Called Equalizer to inquire about torque specs. Really nice people. Someone's impact wrench was cranked up WAY too much. Re-torqued to spec, and re-check when they get too easy to push. Have had our hitch for 3 years, and love it.

Northern Wis. · 10-04-2015, 07:43 AM

I had an Equalizer on my former TT for about 5 years. When I first got the hitch set up I had the same problem as you are experiencing. After contacting the company I was told I was over tightning the brackets on the trailer frame. Upon removing them from the frame I found them to be bowed which allowed them to contact the frame on the top and bottom edges. On my style of frame brackets I was able to turn them over so they bowed the other way. I also made spacers out of pipe that were the same width as the trailer frame and run the bracket bolts through them, re tighten the assemblies to the proper torque and never had a problem again in 20+K miles of towing.

jenoble99 · 10-04-2015, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Wis.

I had an Equalizer on my former TT for about 5 years. When I first got the hitch set up I had the same problem as you are experiencing. After contacting the company I was told I was over tightning the brackets on the trailer frame. Upon removing them from the frame I found them to be bowed which allowed them to contact the frame on the top and bottom edges. On my style of frame brackets I was able to turn them over so they bowed the other way. I also made spacers out of pipe that were the same width as the trailer frame and run the bracket bolts through them, re tighten the assemblies to the proper torque and never had a problem again in 20+K miles of towing.

I also turned the inner link plate around so the bow was into the frame. Torqued to the stated spec in the manual and still no good. I was told by Equalizer that the bow is normal and not to worry about it via email, maybe a call to them is on order.
I have documented with Equalizer but not with our dealer. Planning to pick up a couple of things in a few days from the dealer and was going to talk about it then.

JayRay · 10-04-2015, 10:46 AM

I had mine tack welded due to them moving down the frame rail. Cost was less than $50. I emailed Equalizer about it but got no response.

Jon 2011 · 10-08-2015, 10:17 PM

Mine have done the very same thing since I got it. I am replacing it with a blue ox, because of the issues I've had with it

TWP723 · 10-09-2015, 05:56 AM

My dealer ran a bolt through the frame on my TT

Jagiven · 10-09-2015, 06:22 AM

I had a couple spot welds added. Since then absolutely no issues.

goducks · 10-09-2015, 08:47 AM

I'm a welder and did the same thing with tack welds. When I sold the TT I simply ground down the tack welds. Repainted the tongue. Good as new.

Iraqvet05 · 10-09-2015, 08:55 AM

Mine do the same thing. I've been tempted to get them tack welded but I usually beat them back in place with the hitch bar. As Norther Wis. said, do not over tighten the bracket nuts...and replace the nylock nuts if they are backing off.

goducks · 10-09-2015, 09:32 AM

To keep from overtightening just get some 1/2" conduit cut to the same width as the tongue material. Use them as a spacer between the brackets. You can then tighten the brackets down pretty snug and they won't bow. Then either tack weld or bolt them. They will be nice and straight and will never move.

Dagwood · 10-09-2015, 10:54 AM

You guys maybe using the wrong Link plates. When you order the Equalizer, you need to order the link plates specific to the Jayco BAL frame.

See this post I made a while back >> http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...tml#post284677

I want to mention that I'm still using the 4" plates on my HTT with a piece of hardwood as a spacer to fill the gap, and that hasn't moved in 2 years of towing all around the Country. If the plates wiggle even a bit, your done and they will move. BTW, the spacer is mentioned in the setup documentation, albeit you need to look for it.

Hope this helps.

jenoble99 · 10-16-2015, 10:11 PM

We returned from Gatlinburg this afternoon, about 340 miles one way. We stopped in London KY to gas up and I noticed during my normal walk-around that the link plates-l bracket combo had shifted considerably in the 160 or so miles that we had traveled. There was roughly 1.5 to 2" difference between the top and bottom of the bracket. I found a parking lot and fixed the bracket before proceeding on the trip home. I told my wife during this first leg that something just didn't feel right, and I am guessing that was the cause. The combo felt much tighter after fixing that bracket. I recall seeing a post someplace in which a shim was used with a groove cut into it for the link plate bolts to sit in. This is something that I plan to look onto to see if it will tighten things up enough to prevent the link plates from rocking. There isn't much open space(<1/8") there but figure anything that can be done to tighten things up can't hurt at this point. If that still doesn't help them the plates will be tack welded or the hitch replaced. I checked the torque on the bolts before we left TN. The bolts on this particular bracket were surprisingly loose when I went to fix it. Think I will replace the lock washers as well to see if it will help prevent them from loosening up so much. I can understand some routine maintenance type things needing to be done like greasing occasionally, but the need to disassemble and correct so often is getting ridiculous.

Dagwood · 10-17-2015, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenoble99

There isn't much open space(<1/8") there

Should be 3/8". Do worry about cutting notches, I just used a piece of hardwood cut to match the width of the frame so that when I tighten down the brackets, they get good and snug without bending the brackets.

As mentioned, I have the proper brackets, but the wood spacer hasn't moved in two seasons and there is no evidence of them shifting even a bit.

It's a good habit to constantly check on things. I do a walk around every time I stop.

jenoble99 · 10-17-2015, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dagwood

Should be 3/8". Do worry about cutting notches, I just used a piece of hardwood cut to match the width of the frame so that when I tighten down the brackets, they get good and snug without bending the brackets.

As mentioned, I have the proper brackets, but the wood spacer hasn't moved in two seasons and there is no evidence of them shifting even a bit.

It's a good habit to constantly check on things. I do a walk around every time I stop.

I took a look at it today as I was waiting on the WH to drain. There isn't much of a gap at all, roughly 1/8" or just a bit over. It definitely isn't 3/8" though. Enough of a gap to allow movement, that's for sure.

jenoble99 · 10-18-2015, 12:55 PM

I just returned from the hardware store where I purchased half inch bolts to run through the frame as well as new lock washers for the link plate bolts. Now I just have to get brave enough to drill a half inch hole through the A-frame. It's funny that when I helped my BIL install the hitch on their camper I had no issues with drilling the holes for the ball mount plate for the friction bar sway control. Different when it's your own stuff.

jenoble99 · 10-25-2015, 07:13 PM

I think I have this issue resolved. I had removed the link plate assembly that kept moving. The bolt on the bottom I had never fully taken apart as I usually just took the top bolt out and slid the bracket down for repainting and such. I found when I removed the nut on the bottom bolt it seemed to be bound up. Even after being loosened from the bracket and removed from the a frame it still took a bit of effort with a breaker bar to get this nut removed. The threads on the bolt were damaged so I used a die to repair. When I tried to put the nut on again it was still difficult to put on. There was a burr on the threads of the nut that I suspect was causing the torque spec to be reached before it was snug to the link plate. I replaced the bolt, nut, and lock washer. Towing to and from our weekend destination the combo was way better than it ever has been. No wiggles, barely affected by passing trucks, and the gusty winds on the trip home were hardly noticeable. The bracket barely moved after we returned home. It moved ever so slightly, but I suspect it was just adjusting to the slight angle of the bar. I'm thinking issue resolved for a couple of bucks.

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