Holder for Storing Weight Distribution Bars

[DocBrown]

I'm not concerned about them getting stolen to be resold. In fact I've never had anything stolen at a CG before. And I'm not talking about teens looking for beer. Just kids fooling around, well, being kids. Putting the bars away is one less thing for them to mess with.

When you were a kid, didn't you ever pick up some hunk of metal or a big stick and whack trees and such with it? Maybe not, but I was one of those kids who did a lot of stupid stuff like that. So I tend to think about what kids might be tempted to do.

[nbhybrid]

I guess I just never worry about that stuff. Would be quite a kid to swing around my Equalizer bars. I wouldn't want to mess with him.

[DocBrown]

Yea, ever drop one on your foot? Not fun I can tell you. My wife could hear me yelling from in the house.

[spoon059]

First year I had my camper I didn't lock up my bars and L clips. My bars leaned against my a-frame, the L clips went through the holes in the L bracket and were clipped in.

Someone stole one of my L clips off the trailer. Luckily I had a spare in my cargo area. Since then, I lock everything up. I can only imagine that someone lost one of theirs and saw mine unattended and took it.

[owenssailor]

Originally Posted by nbhybrid

yes..L brackets and the head

I don't grease the L brackets on my E4 since that reduces the friction that provides the anti-sway. I do grease the head and the ball.

[nbhybrid]

Originally Posted by owenssailor

I don't grease the L brackets on my E4 since that reduces the friction that provides the anti-sway. I do grease the head and the ball.

I do as stated on page 26 of the manual. Works great. The main sway control of the Equalizer is not by any friction from the L brackets

[Bikester]

I put the greasy ends of the WD bars in a plastic bag and slide into the pass through storage area.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by nbhybrid

I do as stated on page 26 of the manual. Works great. The main sway control of the Equalizer is not by any friction from the L brackets

Is your Equal-i-zer not a 4-point sway WDH? If it is, two of your friction sway control points are on the L brackets, the other 2 are on the hitch head.

Referencing the instructions, it seems odd to me that in the same couple of paragraphs, they state that the L brackets provide friction sway control, then list lubricant as "optional".

In the instructions for my Fastway E2, it specifically says NOT to lubricate the friction points. I used Vaseline on mine for a while, but I wiped it off a couple tows ago, and the noise has remained diminished. Perhaps it's because these are the only 2 friction points in that application....

[nbhybrid]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

In the instructions for my Fastway E2, it specifically says NOT to lubricate the friction points. I used Vaseline on mine for a while, but I wiped it off a couple tows ago, and the noise has remained diminished. Perhaps it's because these are the only 2 friction points in that application....

That is why the E4 is a far superior hitch. My dealer had originally ordered the E2 and I said no way.

Yes the L brackets provide some "friction" sway but the important control is in the head.
2 pieces of painted enameled steel are not going to provide any friction IMO. I prefer not having the irritating squeak. YMMV

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by nbhybrid

That is why the E4 is a far superior hitch. My dealer had originally ordered the E2 and I said no way.

Yes the L brackets provide some "friction" sway but the important control is in the head.
2 pieces of painted enameled steel are not going to provide any friction IMO. I prefer not having the irritating squeak. YMMV

Yeah, the E2 is a stop-gap for now. It works pretty well actually, sway control and weight distribution, but I'm going to sell it to my brother to use with his enclosed utility trailer. Then I'm getting the Equal-i-zer 1200/12000. With the 4 point sway. With the increased capacity over my current 1000/10000 setup, I should be MUCH better off. Shoulda written it into my original purchase, but it wasn't offered as an option, and I didn't know.

What lubricant do you use on your L brackets? I know Equal-i-zer brand sells some specifically for use with their hitches, but curious what you use.

[nbhybrid]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

What lubricant do you use on your L brackets? I know Equal-i-zer brand sells some specifically for use with their hitches, but curious what you use.

what ever is in the gun. usually bearing grease.I don't put a lot on. just a speck then spread it out as a thin film.

[newbold1]

My hitch has grease gun fittings / nubs to attach the gun for lubricating. So for mine it's end very evident the intent was for them to be kept lubricated.

I tried bagging the bars and storing them in a bin. Pretty much I still managed to get grease on stuff. Hopefully, this fix will work better for me.

I don't leave mine outside because I don't want to take the chance of someone stealing them just to cause me a problem not because they have any real value. People do some strange things and I've seen that some people will steal just about anything if the opportunity is there.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by newbold1

I don't leave mine outside because I don't want to take the chance of someone stealing them just to cause me a problem not because they have any real value. People do some strange things and I've seen that some people will steal just about anything if the opportunity is there.

I kind of feel the same way, so I store mine in the front pass-thru. You never know when some dunce cap will take them down to the steel mill's recycling facility and try to sell them for a couple bucks scrap value...

[nbhybrid]

I can't imagine that happening in any campground I have ever been in

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by nbhybrid

I can't imagine that happening in any campground I have ever been in

But you never know what desperate people are capable of. We have plenty of meth heads around who would steal them just for the couple bucks they could get selling them for scrap.

Granted, I don't worry so much in most of the campgrounds I frequent, but you still never know...

[newbold1]

And... Replacing them wouldn't be a huge deal but still what a pain and annoyance it would be to get ready to leave just to find that now they are missing.

I agree that it's not a likely thing to occur but I just don't want to invite it to occur.

I guess I changed my mindset when someone once broke into my vehicle and stole the stereo and anything else that was loose inside. You kind of think it won't happen to you until it does. I lived in an area where there was little crime but that didn't matter on that one occasion.

So now I tend to keep things out of sight and as secure as I can when I can.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by newbold1

And... Replacing them wouldn't be a huge deal but still what a pain and annoyance it would be to get ready to leave just to find that now they are missing.

I agree that it's not a likely thing to occur but I just don't want to invite it to occur.

I guess I changed my mindset when someone once broke into my vehicle and stole the stereo and anything else that was loose inside. You kind of think it won't happen to you until it does. I lived in an area where there was little crime but that didn't matter on that one occasion.

So now I tend to keep things out of sight and as secure as I can when I can.

Precisely. I had some fool cut the window of my Jeep (soft top with 1/2 doors) to get a cheap stereo that didn't even work. First, he could have just unbuttoned the door-skin and reached in and unlocked the door. Second, it cost SIGNIFICANTLY more to replace the door-skin than the stereo was worth. I was in college and didn't have the money to replace it, so it was duct taped until I sold it years later.

Edit: I also never locked the doors again!

Since then, I pretty much secure anything that ain't bolted down, and some things that are.

[Old Blue]

I just lock them to my safety chains but that said. locks are for honest people if somebody wants to steal it bad enough they will find a way.

[newbold1]

Originally Posted by Old Blue

I just lock them to my safety chains but that said. locks are for honest people if somebody wants to steal it bad enough they will find a way.

True. But at least it might deter them if the opportunity isn't an easy one. Putting them away gets them out of sight and out of mind. Of course, when it comes down to it someone might just force open a storage door. But it wouldn't be easy to not have people notice and it would take more time. Anything just laying on the ground unsecured is going to be the more likely target of a theft if a theft is going to occur.

Anyway, I guess we are way off topic now. Basically, I installed a tube to hold my bars, it was easy, and it works for my needs. I feel better about having them put away. Partly for potential theft reasons and partly because I just like to keep my site very neat and tidy. Also, I tend to misplace or forget things when they don't have a dedicated spot. Probably would never forget these bars of course... But I am so used to trying to keep things orderly that it's just second nature now no matter what it might be.

[Ustabslim]

I use a 4x6x12 cedar block as a rest for my tongue jack..I lay my bars on it and lock the adjuster chains to the breakaway chains. I've never greased my bars..in 40 years...
Never had a problem.
Maybe dumb luck...