Hitch when Camping?

frjeff · 08-08-2015, 03:42 PM

I have a 2013 22FB TT and the Equal-i-zer 90-00-1000 (10k) hitch.

My question: when camping for a week or so, do all of you remove the hitch from the truck receiver. Seems like a "must do" or the bars would be protruding out the back of the truck. Pretty heavy to wrestle with on every stop of a long trip though.

Procedure thoughts please?

Jeff

bluie5 · 08-08-2015, 03:47 PM

If we're going to be in the same place for a few days or more I remove it and set it under the TT by the steps. I made a hanger for the bars on the tongue so they hang there once they are removed. If just a one or two night stop I leave it on the truck. I am planning on making some type of wheeled device that I can put the hitch on and wheel it around instead of carrying it back and forth.

frjeff · 08-08-2015, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluie5

If we're going to be in the same place for a few days or more I remove it and set it under the TT by the steps. I made a hanger for the bars on the tongue so they hang there once they are removed. If just a one or two night stop I leave it on the truck. I am planning on making some type of wheeled device that I can put the hitch on and wheel it around instead of carrying it back and forth.

So, the bars can be removed from the hitch.
I received no instructions from the previous owner. Thus my ignorance.

Jeff

tugboat95 · 08-08-2015, 03:54 PM

I remove my hitch with the bars still attached. Kind of heavy and awkward but I grab one side and my son grabs the other. We pull it off and lay it right in front of the tongue Jack with the bars folded In to be paralleled the tongue just as if they are hooked up. I have removed just the bars and left the hitch attached. But then it's where to store the bars without getting dirt in the grease on the end. I've found total removal works best for me, But I do have help.

NVGun40 · 08-08-2015, 03:55 PM

Seen this question or a similar one a few times. Pretty much every where I have gone, and go, unless you are leaving the vehicle connected (which I have only seen people do when staying one night and moving on quickly the next day), everyone disconnects and removes the bars at least. Many leave the hitch in the TV receiver. When staying several days, I have seen people take the hitch out and some people leave it in. It comes down to personal preference.
Myself, I always disconnect (unless it is a one night 'walmart' or 'roadside' enroute stopover just to get some sleep) when I park and level and remove my WD bars and lock them inside a storage compartment. If I am staying several days (3 or more) I remove my hitch and lock it away in the same compartment.
Apologies if I sound like a jerk, but my thoughts are this: Yes they are heavy and a pain in the butt to wrestle with. However, the creature comforts of having the trailer have to have some downsides, like dealing with putting the hitch away. After all, I could be dragging out and setting up tents and stoves etc. or I could be sleeping under the stars or sleeping in the elements.....

frjeff · 08-08-2015, 04:03 PM

Like your rational approach. I am no longer a youngster, so am looking for ways to save my back. But, your procedure makes sound sense!

clubhouse · 08-08-2015, 04:18 PM

Camping next to a guy a couple months ago who simply pulled and rotated the bars so they pointed towards the truck bumper. He said that is how he always did it, drove around that way, and never had a problem.

I pull my bars off, but leave the hitch in the receiver. Bars stay in my pass through storage when they are not being used.

Griswald One · 08-08-2015, 04:36 PM

I found that the answer was completely dependant on the trip and what "Side" trips were in my plans.

If it is just a weekender and you are only moving the Tow vehicle into it's resting position... Swing the bars around to the bumper and leave the whole unit in place. Why do the heavy lifing, both off and on, if there is no need.

If you are travelling from the site you have two options. One - Take off just the bars... My preffered option, refer to previous paragraph about heavy lifting. Two - Take off the whole thing and store appropriately.

The only time I really saw a need to take off the whole thing was when we would be going places with big commercial parking lots... The extra 12" out the back can do a lot of damage when backing into a tight parking spot, wether it is punching through someones grill or bouncing off a curb... It also saves the DW shins when she is Outlet shopping and filling the truck bed with new clothes.

tnmcouple · 08-08-2015, 05:52 PM

I remove the bars and store them in pass through. Then when I'm parked in the CG I usually put a plastic grocery bag over the ball which makes it more visible for me or someone else cracking their leg on it. It also serves the purpose of keeping the grease off of my pants or families pants when taking stuff out of the back of the van.

jsallman1 · 08-08-2015, 10:32 PM

Only been out a few times, the dealer warned us not to store them in the storage on the trailer but store them in the truck, so thats what we have been doing. He said the keys are the same on many units for the storage compartments so people could easily take it. I would like to think that wouldn't be a problem however in an RV park but you never know.

I have been leaving the draw bar in the receiver but have a locking pin for it, distribution bars are locked in the bed of the truck although anyone with a knife would be thru my soft cover in no time. Truck bed is also more convenient when pulling it off as its right there.

SilverEscape · 08-09-2015, 12:07 AM

Our hitch comes off right after we've unhitched and levelled. I dislike leaving it on the truck for both aesthetic and practical reasons. It's kept in the truck bed, we have a cover. Ours is the Andersen though, so no bars to worry about and it's way lighter than 100 pounds.

SouthCo · 08-09-2015, 12:40 PM

Blue Ox hitch stays in the receiver no matter how long we are camping. The bars come off as soon as I unhitch the camper from the hitch.

xtruckerbob · 08-09-2015, 12:56 PM

If I unhook I take the receiver off partly because it affects the park assist on the truck but mainly to keep from walking in to it. I made a bracket on the tongue to old the bars.

WhiteHawk · 08-09-2015, 01:01 PM

I always remove the WD bars and leave the tongue in the receiver. I've not thought about leaving the bars inserted and using the TV for local runs. I would think someone might be tempted to kipe them from me. Another problem is swinging the bars towards the TV bumper is the position for release on my system. Take them off and save yourself some trouble.

t2daniel · 08-09-2015, 01:35 PM

Dirt roads? Hitch comes off as the dust and dirt get into the areas that need to be lubed. Paved roads....well depends on the length of stay. Bars go in the trailer storage, hitch goes into the back of the bed which has a cover. These hitches aren't cheap and people can snatch them if you don't have a locking pin.

thomasmnile · 08-09-2015, 02:16 PM

I remove the hitch from the receiver as soon as the trailer's set up and put in the basement. It feels oh so bad when you walk into it!

Also, with a long wheelbase truck and that thing protruding out so far, I worry about someone getting the front end of their vehicle 'gored' by it in a parking lot..........

spoon059 · 08-09-2015, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frjeff

I received no instructions from the previous owner. Thus my ignorance.

Jeff

Jeff... a Google search could save you lots of embarrassment. The manufacturer most likely has a website.

I have a decent locking hitch pin. When we camp, the drawbar stays on my truck. If I plan to leave the campground, I usually take the WD bars off and put them in the storage compartment. I recommend NOT leaving expensive bars or locking pins out in the open. On one of my first trips, one of my neighbors walked away with my locking pins. Made for a "fun" trip home. Ever since then, I lock things up if I plan to leave my site.

Subaru297 · 08-12-2015, 02:00 PM

Always remove the hitch and bars and store them in the front pass through unless it is an overnighter. Too many grease stains to bother leaving it attached to the truck.

dmward · 08-12-2015, 02:51 PM

I take off hitch and bars, everything goes into the truck bed which "locks".

Jagiven · 08-12-2015, 04:54 PM

It depends on the trip. If we out for the weekend and not planning to go anywhere, I just swing the bars to the truck. Sometimes I will pull the pins on my equalizer E4 bars and place the on the tt tongue behind the propane tanks. Rarely do I remove the hitch head.

I grease the ball so it is a bit messy, so I place a solo cup over it. I think it's a 12th cup that fits perfectly and will stay on at highway speeds

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