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So far, 2,000 miles with the new setup......
Today was another day of high cross winds, and I am more convinced than ever that I made the right choice with this hitch. I would have been into the truck's "slow down anti sway activated" warning nanny just about every other mile today (from Las Vegas to Williams, AZ on highway 40) with my old truck and hitch. Not even once with the new setup. A couple of times a very strong side gust caught us, and the hitch did one little "whoops" and then immediately straightened out with no steering input from me. Simply AMAZING compared to how we used to tow!!!!
This is some good input. We are planning a 1200 mile trip this summer and our current hitch is a Husky with the L shaped round bars and no anti-sway. It hasn't ever been an issue but we have only been on the highway a couple times.
This is some good input. We are planning a 1200 mile trip this summer and our current hitch is a Husky with the L shaped round bars and no anti-sway. It hasn't ever been an issue but we have only been on the highway a couple times.
How long and how heavy is your TT? Anything over 20 feet, and I would seriously consider getting an anti sway setup.
Under 24 feet, Equalizer recommends their "2" hitch, with two points of contact for the antisway. Anything over that and they recommend the E4 with four points of contact.
How long and how heavy is your TT? Anything over 20 feet, and I would seriously consider getting an anti sway setup.
Under 24 feet, Equalizer recommends their "2" hitch, with two points of contact for the antisway. Anything over that and they recommend the E4 with four points of contact.
29ft, just over 6,000lb loaded. Called the local 'dealer' and of course, they don't actually carry them but can get them. They do carry the Centerline however it seems there are a few reports of parts failing on those and the Equalizer seems to be a more simple design.
29ft, just over 6,000lb loaded. Called the local 'dealer' and of course, they don't actually carry them but can get them. They do carry the Centerline however it seems there are a few reports of parts failing on those and the Equalizer seems to be a more simple design.
Hard for me to believe that you've been towing that TT without any sway control.
As for the E4, I don't see how there is any part of it that could fail. You are right, it is a very simple design. Just make sure whoever installs it and sets it up knows their stuff. The number of washers inside the hitch head is a critical part of the design, and is completely responsible for the weight distribution being done correctly.
If your dealer does not sell, and is not familiar with the E4, I might hesitate to have them install it.....
This doesn't go for the equalizer but for all wdh. How do you tell if you need to add or subtract washers. I currently have the pro series wdh with the chain up bars and a friction bar. It works decent I guess but when going above 55mph it does feel a little squirley sometimes
This doesn't go for the equalizer but for all wdh. How do you tell if you need to add or subtract washers. I currently have the pro series wdh with the chain up bars and a friction bar. It works decent I guess but when going above 55mph it does feel a little squirley sometimes
When properly setup, the truck, the trailer and the equalizer bars should all be level, or as close as you can make them.
If the bed of your truck is below level, there is not enough weight being transferred to the front. There should however be enough weight put down (10 to 15% of the trailer total weight) to bring the natural unloaded rake of the truck down to the level mentioned above.
It is pretty interesting on the E4, when you put the ball assembly into the truck, it sags down noticeably at the rear before hooking up and bringing it back to level with the bars.
What you are feeling with your hitch (if the WDH part is working as designed) is probably the lack of enough sway control, not the weight transfer being setup short of where it needs to be. The friction bar just isn't enough to control thousands of pounds and the sail area of your TT in windy conditions.
This doesn't go for the equalizer but for all wdh. How do you tell if you need to add or subtract washers. I currently have the pro series wdh with the chain up bars and a friction bar. It works decent I guess but when going above 55mph it does feel a little squirley sometimes
Equal-I-Zer and other WDH manufacturers do a pretty good job describing how to set their hitch in the manual. And I think Ford does too.
There are really two considerations. You want the truck level so your headlights are properly aimed, and you want to return 50-100% of the weight lifted off the front axle by the trailer.
To return weight to the front axle you usually measure the height of the front wheel wells from the ground with no trailer, then with the trailer hitched but without the WD bars tightened up. You then tighten up the WD bars enough to reduce that height difference by 50-100%. Equal-I-Zer has a pictures showing what I mean. (it's always a good idea to check how this adjustment is working at the scales afterwards.)
After setting up the WDH like above, check how level the truck is. If it still sags too much in the rear, you can re-adjust the wdh to a max of 100% weight reduction, and/or add some sort of suspension aid like air bags or timbrens or overload spring bump stops ...
I have the Equal-I-zer also. I pull a 30' 9400# travel trailer with my F150 Ecoboost. The hitch is excellent. I did add E-range tires and Coil-over rear shocks to control the rear. Pulls great!
Is there any venders on here that sell them? I need a wdh with a 6" drop and I think preferably sway control. I just got a 27' TT and with a loaded weight rating of 8200. My truck has max tow factory but also a 6" lift that's why I need a drop wdh. Here it is pulling from the camper place 20 miles to camp with just a normal drop hitch you can see why I need a wdh, my bed and cab had approximately 300 to 400 pounds of extra stuff that normally would be in the camper as I unloaded most of my stuff the night before so I could make the transfer quicker.
Got mine at http://www.dyersonline.com
You will want an idea of your hitch weight first, to get the right size.
And you may need a special long drop shank.
The Equal-i-zer web site http://www.equalizerhitch.com/
can help with both hitch size and shank size.
05-19-2015, 07:50 PM
