Equalizer brand hitch

12ptdroptine · 09-07-2017, 07:27 PM

My dealer set my hitch up and istalled it . I didnt get any paperwork. Looed.it ip onli e. Its for 6 to 14 k. The.instructios say that the trailer brackets should be set 32" from the center of the coupler and in some inatances if need be 27' minimum but 32" for optimal. I changed them to spec. However.it seems.that I have to raise it unusually high ro install and remove.the.tosdion bars. AND when sitting in the drive the tosion bars are flexed . A level on the camper says its just a hair low bubble is still plenty within the marks maybe.1/4 of a bubble. My question is. Should I be able to see the torsion bars flexed? Or should they be straight. While setti g there hooked up. Beginning to doubt my dealer Instalation ....
Thank You
Russell

Scott_Trailer_Newbe · 09-07-2017, 08:02 PM

Spell checker needed, but I like some flex, espically if the roads are not smooth.

ALJO · 09-07-2017, 08:18 PM

There is always flex in the torsion bars otherwise it would bend the A-Frame.
Installed the Torsion Bars should be parallel with the A-Frame. The chain brackets should be inline with the hookup (within a 1" either way). You just have to fine tune for the ideal weight distribution. You might have to tilt the hitch head slightly forward (or backward) to get adjustment right. Be sure TV and TT are level or TT slightly nose down.
Proper loading of the TT is also a factor.

theoat · 09-07-2017, 09:02 PM

I'm not going to be helpful with setting it up, but I don't think my bars flex visually or that I have noticed.
You can always use this calculator if you think you have a wrong hitch size
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/find-your-hitch-size
The bars should have a sticker on them that show a model # and should show the rating of them.
If you find your hitch too noisy you can buy their lubricant and teflon jackets....mine is waaay quieter now than it was just metal-to-metal originally.

I believe I went up to 7 washers in the head adjustment.

wanderlust · 09-08-2017, 04:18 AM

Straight from the horses mouth (as they say).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZvMUMh39XI

12ptdroptine · 09-08-2017, 04:39 AM

Actually I should have used the word "bowed" when describing the bars. No where near parallel to the A frame. Going to take it to a level lot this late afternoon and unhook and measure things and check it out. I weigh 235 lbs and can get on the hitch and bounce up and down and get plenty enough travel. And nope it isnt loaded. I am so new to this I dont have anything to take yet.
Thank You
Russell

bearcat77 · 09-08-2017, 05:07 AM

I'll be hooking mine up this afternoon, so I'll pay extra attention. I don't think mine are bowed at all. You do have to raise the truck up pretty high to get the bars on, especially if you are turned at all or on a slope. If you use their tool to pry the bars on, you don't need to jack it up as high, but I always just go way up on the jack, and then the bars just slip on. Like others said, bars should be parallel with the frame.

You said your hitch is rated 6-14k. That doesn't seem right. Is that the shank maybe? I think the bars go in 2000lb / 2k increments. Make sure your bars are the appropriate size, and then head to the CAT scale for your definitive answer.

Also, if your dealer setup your hitch, they probably did it based on dry weight, which is meaningless, so make sure you are fully loaded before you try to dial everything in just right.

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12ptdroptine · 09-08-2017, 11:09 AM

I called the company this morning. They advised me to lower the L brackets first. Gonna do it after work. No cat scales within 25 miles. Going to dropthe L bracket an inch at a time ...enough to get the bars runnng parallel with the A frame. Then measure before and after from the ground to the fender lip. Hooked up and unhooked on a level parking lot
Thank You
Russell

12ptdroptine · 09-08-2017, 05:10 PM

Well I flipped the reciever and measured it. To high on its lowest adjustment. Turned ot back over. Hitch ball is 1/2' lower than the TT at level. Flipped the torsion bar brackets and lowered them 1". There is 1/2" difference in the level of the torsion bars from front to rear. Gained 1 &1/2" of squat in the rear and no change in the front. Trial run tomorrow
Russell

Scott_Trailer_Newbe · 09-08-2017, 06:00 PM

I have a Tundra Crewmax with a tow rating of 10,400 and a ball weight rating just shy of 1,400. I tow a Whitehawk 24 RKS, dry 5400, full 6400. I have the 10K Eqalizer hitch. I set up mine, leaning a little bit on the aggressive side being a TT Rockie. My bars have a little upward bow and the chains are tight. I don't like the caddy-wampus that occurs on a wavy stretch of road, and this tighter set up keeps that under control. I've done a chain link less which makes the ride a little less harsh, but I get the caddy-wampus I don't like. So far, Truck is level and it feels the most stable for me. The only thing I've seen is the upper end of the ball has some gouges, but my dealer says it's ok. Anyone with more experance want to critique my set up, I'm interested.

12ptdroptine · 09-09-2017, 12:06 PM

Hard to tell today. 6 mph cross wind with 12mph gusts. Stopped and reset the torsio bars back where they were. Actually seems to handle.a little better. But sure is a lot of preload . Headed.to my dealer now for their opinion. . Going to return them back to where I started for the day on the trip home. About 60 miles. Better to make a couple trips like this than head out on a 200 mile trip. This cross wind.js a WHOLE new experience for me....Hang on mother here we go...lol
Russell

RufusBC · 09-09-2017, 12:08 PM

Get your dealer take for a ride. That's what we did, being first timers.

ALJO · 09-09-2017, 01:21 PM

You'll get it fine tuned! Travelling with a TT behind is always a new experience special if you never have traveled with one. For many it will give some discomfort at first. Above 24 ft. you will definitely feel cross winds. Once you are used to it so will the comfort level.
I pulled TT for over 50 years in al kind of conditions.

2nOZ · 09-09-2017, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12ptdroptine

Hard to tell today. 6 mph cross wind with 12mph gusts. Stopped and reset the torsio bars back where they were. Actually seems to handle.a little better. But sure is a lot of preload . Headed.to my dealer now for their opinion. . Going to return them back to where I started for the day on the trip home. About 60 miles. Better to make a couple trips like this than head out on a 200 mile trip. This cross wind.js a WHOLE new experience for me....Hang on mother here we go...lol
Russell

Towing in crosswinds definitely was a new experience for us since we were new to TT this past November. After gaining experience and confidence (which we had to do or we would never travel. Living in KS the crosswinds are typically 20-30 mph daily during spring and summer). It gets easier especially if the TV and TT and matched nicely and the WDH is set up correctly. It was trial and error at first but got a whole lot better.

SkyBound · 09-10-2017, 07:44 PM

Hey all, just going to throw this out there - there aren't any torsion bars on the Equalizer. Torsion means a twisting force, or a torque applied, such as on the front end of some trucks. Suspension compresses, bar twists, provides resistance. They are load distributing bars.

Now that that's cleared up, you can get pretty darn close to a properly dialed in hitch by using fender measurements. Definitely stop by a CAT scale when you can, but just get your front fender height back to the unloaded height and you will be close. Don't trust your dealership to do it right - they dicked it up multiple times for me before I decided to learn all this for myself and do it my way, the right way.

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