Equalizer hitch sway bar is loose - normal?

[blakei]

Hi all,

Getting the trailer prepped for a new season and hitched it up. I have the 1400/14K equalizer 4 point hitch. The left (driver) sway bar seems loose, and is looser than the right bar. I have torqued both to the recommended ft lbs, 70 if I recall correctly. Both had some grease applied per manual.

Have I bent the left hand side somehow? Anyone else see this?


(animated gif attachment didn't work, it's at this link: https://im5.ezgif.com/tmp/ezgif-5-76416f2320.gif)


Thanks!
Blake

[craigav]

The ability for the bar to move back and forth as in the gif file is required and you should be able to do the same on both bars. If the right side bar is unable to move back and forth then that would be a problem. As long as both bars move as in the gif file, even if one bar requires a little more effort then there is not an issue. These bars have to be able move in the pivot while turning which is why you need to grease them time to time.

What would be an issue is if the bar(s) had significant up and down movement or slack (or forward and backward movement in relation to the truck) which would indicate that the bars have wear in the pivot hole (or the bolt shaft has wear), but even then, there would have to have a lot of wear before that would become an issue. ~CA

[blakei]

Thanks! Since the hitch is "4 points of sway reduction" I would think that pivot should be pretty tight, not loose. That's why I thought maybe I bent it somehow.


I will check for any up and down movement (great idea!) the next time I'm at the trailer.

[Jagiven]

I would break both pivot points loose and torque both to spec. The tight bar, might be over torqued.

I have found when my bars are loose I do not have as much sway control.

[craigav]

I was thinking to add another comment here for clarity, the ability to move the L bar at its pivot is required and is also why you need to grease the area that the socket is fixed into (hitch head) once in a while. I wouldn't necessarily say that the ability for the bar to rotate in its pivot is the same as being loose though as it should be a snug fit but not so snug you can't move the bar towards and away from the trailer when connecting it. The friction on the bar becomes even more snug when you attach the bars to the trailer frame. I would follow Jagiven's advice and I would add the step of greasing the area where the bar socket pivots while you are there if it isn't already well greased (your manual should have more details, just wheel bearing grease is what I used in the years past). ~CA

[blakei]

Thanks all. I do use red tacky grease on the pivot points. I imagine with weight applied friction will increase.


I contacted Equalizer, and they got back to me (great company!). They suggested retorqueing the bolts up to 100 ft lbs to see if that tightens them up. I don't think I'll go that high, and as Jagiven mentioned, perhaps the other side is too torqued.

[JFlightRisk]

I keep ours torqued to 70 to 75 ft lbs., checking them a few times a season. I wipe the friction areas off and re-apply a little grease before putting the bars in and hitching up. It's been working well for 10 years now. The Equalizer manual shows where to lube it under Regular Maintenance.

https://www.equalizerhitch.com/manua...-owners-manual

[SkyBound]

I torqued both my bars to spec (75 ft lbs I think) and even with the torques equal I find that one bar is stiffer to move than the other. Never any issues towing but maybe this year I will try to even them out by feel.

[grampacc]

After replacing one of the sockets when it cracked because the dealer installed a none equalizer ball, one bar is looser than the other. This has not affected the sway control. I lube both sockets and check for correct torque.

[grampacc]

After replacing a cracked socket because the dealer installed a non equalizer ball, one bar is looser than the other. This has not affected the sway control. I regularly lube the sockets and check for correct torque. This a great hitch, other than being heavy.