Load Equalizing Hitches?

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

Wondering if anyone knows of any good web sites on installing load equalizing hitches.

Thanks,

Slim

 

[dieseldoc]

my equalizer hitch slides into my standard 2" receiver hitch,then the load bars are inserted into the equalizer,then the load chains are attached to the trailer,it is rated for 10,000 pounds(a bit of overkill on my 1/2 ton truck).

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

Thanks, Doc. I'm good with that. I've got a Pro Eagle that's going onto a Ford F150 4X4. This is hauling a Kubota B2710, FEL, and hoe (or other implements depending on the job at hand) on an 18 foot car hauler rated at 7,000 lbs.

I was towing without the equalizer without any problems, but didn't feel good about the weight ratings on the old system. My highest total tow weight is about 5560 lbs. and I wanted to beef the system up a bit. Jumped up to a Class IV hitch, 2 5/16 ball rated at 10,000 lbs. and, of course, the equalizer.

I'm having a little trouble getting things leveled out and hoping there's something on the web that will help me get straightened out.

Slim

 

[Bird]

You might find some help at Eaz-Lift. As for getting levelled out. First, park the trailer level on level ground, measure the height of the hitch to the top of the ball; i.e., inside top of the coupler on the trailer. Second, when you put the hitch head into the receiver on the truck, with it also parked level, make sure the top of the ball is the same as you measured on the trailer. If your trailer tongue weight is pretty heavy, you can even have the top of the ball as much as 3/4" higher, but I wouldn't go any higher than that, and probably not even a half inch, but don't have the ball lower than the height you measured on the trailer. Then hook up the trailer and measure the amount of distance that the tongue weight of the trailer lowered the top of the ball (personally, I always measured the distance from a spot on the bumper to the ground and then did the same on the front bumper. Then hook up the lift bars and you may have to experiment to find which chain link will result in lowering the front of the truck and the rear of the truck approximately the same amount.

Of course, I'm assuming you know how to hook up the bars; i.e., hook up the trailer, then with the tongue jack, raise the front of the trailer, and therefore the rear of the truck, to make it easier to hook up the proper chain link on the lift bars.

Now that's the way I did it; maybe someone else has another or better way.

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

That's the whole package right there, Bird. I'm most appreciative.

Thanks,

Slim

 

[Lazy]

Hi
you might want to check out the reese website, they have some good hitches and installation information.

http://www.reese-hitches.com/site_index.htm

charlie

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

What I've done is back my ball under the coupler, lower the trailer until it just makes contact (which usually entails seeing the hitch squat a bit then backing off a turn or two to that point of equilibrium). I then attach the arms and hook the chain on the hooks as tightly as possible manually. I then lock them in place and then raise my jack all the way and head down the road.

I've never measured the front and rear bumper heights but it sounds like that would be a good idea so I can see how my method 'measures up,' so to speak.

I have to say that I have been truly amazed at the 'feel' of towing with the load equalizing hitch as opposed to without it. The heavier the load, the more dramatic the difference. I'm sure you'll be happy you got yours.

 

[Egon]

Perhaps one addition: The equalizing bars should tightened so they are parallel with the trailer frame or so the instructions with my Reese said.

Having air bags on the back can also make towing easier as you can keep the truck level and maintain the proper steering conditions.

My truck is allined with 2000 pounds on the back. To determine the air bag inflation I measure to the inside of the rear fender wells.

Egon

 

[dmftoy1]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here. If you're not getting enough weight transfer ahead of the truck's rear axle then you need to adjust the ball angle. That wasn't clear to me on the first one I setup, but it's something I take for granted now. Your hitch instructions should say that there are a maximum number of links that can hang free or a mininum number of links that must be between the bar and the attachment to the trailer frame. If you aren't getting the bars tight enough to make the front and rear squat equally (on the truck) then you need to increase the angle of the ball so that you can increase the bar tension.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "increase the angle of the ball so that you can increase the bar tension." </font>

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. I know there's an adjustment for the ball angle but my question is which way it should be adjusted and what is the ideal adjustment position and how is it determined?

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I know there's an adjustment for the ball angle but my question is which way it should be adjusted and what is the ideal adjustment position and how is it determined? )</font>

Gary, now that's a question that I don't remember the answer for, but Dave's right. In 1975, I bought a little 18' travel trailer that weighed about 4400# and the dealer installed an Eaz-Lift hitch on my '70 Olds 88 sedan to tow it. Everything looked good, but when I started down the road, there was a very pronounced surging feel, as if the brakes were grabbing and releasing. The RV dealer couldn't figure it out, but sent me to a place in Dallas that specialized in trailer hitches. When I told the guy there what the problem was, he took one look at it and said, "Raise the ball one inch and add one washer to the tilt adjustment." And he was right; that's all it took to pull smoothly.

 

[Egon]

Changing the angle of the ball also changes the angle of the leveling bars as they tie into the same piece as the ball which in turn bolts onto the receiver slide in. Between the receiver slide in and the bar piece there are some washers to change the angle. This allows you to set up with the proper tension and bars parallel to trailer frame.

Egon

 

[Bird]

Everything you said is true, Egon, but neither I nor that RV dealer in '75 thought changing that angle that small amount would make such a difference.

 

[Egon]

Bird:

It could depend a lot on tongue weight and towing vehicle spring rate.

I don't change the angle but I will change the chain length by a link depending on the load and how it is placed.

Remember the add with the Toranado towing a trailer with the rear wheels off the ground?

Egon

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Remember the add with the Toranado towing a trailer with the rear wheels off the ground? )</font>

Actually with the rear wheels completely off the vehicle. And yes, I can understand changing one link on the chain if the weight distribution changes. And I've no doubt that some things were more critical when we towed with ordinary passenger sedans. It's a rare sight to see a sedan with a load distributing hitch platform anymore, but used to be very common.

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

So, I know it's been said before, but TBN really is a wealth of information. Studied all the replies to my query, mounted and adjusted the hitch, and I'm up and running. Really well, I might add. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The only small glitch is a barely noticeable "bobbing" at about 62 mph. Above and below that, she's a pup. And nice and stable to boot.

Discovered that I actually had to have the ball set "back" in order to get it level when I put the bars on. And, as mentioned, a little fiddling with the washers to get the load transferred properly onto the truck frame.

Thanks again. Most appreciated.

Slim

 

[Bird]

Glad to hear you got it, Slim.

 

[dieseldoc]

slim,i forgot to tell you i also installed a set of AIR-LIFT air bags,first hook up your equalizer bars then inflate the air bags until the truck ride is level...even with the equalizer hitch i couldn't get my truck to ride level,my tractor,trailer and 1 or 2 implements was over 7000lbs,those air bags are wonderful..push a button,they inflate,push another they deflate.....

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "The only small glitch is a barely noticeable "bobbing" at about 62 mph." </font>

You might want to experiment with the placement of your load on your trailer. Move it forward a foot and see if that solves this glitch or makes it worse, etc., to get a better placement for hauling.

 

[Joe1]

Slim:

When purchasing the equalizer hitch system, make sure the spring bars are rated for the unsprung weight on the ball. Bars rated too low will not provide the help needed and bars rated too high will give a stiff, rough ride. Bird, as always was 100% on his assessment.