mattelk
Cloudcroft, NM
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Joined: 04/07/2007
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We just bought an Equalizer hitch and used it for the first time this last week. Noticed when I unhitched yesterday that the two slots where the bars go into the hitch head are not tight like they were originally. It is my understanding that the friction from them being tight in there is what helps with sway control. with the bars out I can easily move both with just my fingers back and forth. When I set it up I had to put my gorilla suit on just to get the bars to move over to set them on the trailer tongue area. It just does not seem normal. Maybe they are supposed to get loose like this but I just don't know and wanted to hear from other with an Equalizer set up. Thanks!
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beamsville bunch
Beamsville, ON Canada
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Joined: 08/13/2007
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Check torque rating in instructions and snug up, however generally when the bars aren't on the L-brackets there's little pressure and they do move fairly easily.
2007 Jeep Liberty 3.7L
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labman1014
hattiesburg, ms
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Joined: 04/19/2008
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the friction of the bars on the "L" brackets is the sway control. if they are loose when connected there, then you do have a problem. but just simply moving them side to side when not on the "L" brackets is ok, but i would check the torque to be safe!!!
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ScottG
Bothell Wa.
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Joined: 02/25/2005
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I had the same problem and had a heck of a time figuring it out. I finally took off the head and laid it out upside-down on the bench. What I found is that the one time I bottomed out the hitch on a curb, it broke some welds which caused the tube section to rotate slightly. A quick trip to the welder made it better than new.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4 Cummins (lightly bombed),
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dodge guy
Chicago, western subs.
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I would tighten up the pivot points in the hitch head, I believe that is what you are talking about? but this will not do anything to help with sway control, that comes from the metal to metal friction at the L brackets!
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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dodge guy wrote:I would tighten up the pivot points in the hitch head, I believe that is what you are talking about? but this will not do anything to help with sway control, that comes from the metal to metal friction at the L brackets!
This information is not quite correct. The interface between the bar sockets and the hitch head is the main sway control point on the Equal-i-zer hitch - especially the upper surface of the socket with the hitch head when the bars are under tension. That is one reason for checking the torque on the pinch bolts quite frequently.
The friction from the bars on the L brackets is a secondary sway control. Here is a quote from the Equal-i-zer website that explains it. When they talk about the "rotational friction sway control", they are talking about the bar socket/hitch head interface. Note especially the last sentence.
Barney
"Innovative rigid trailer attachments serve two purposes. First, they work in conjunction with the rotational friction sway controls to reduce trailer sway. Second, the forward and back friction of the hitch arm on the bracket serves as a secondary sway control system."
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dodge guy
Chicago, western subs.
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BarneyS wrote:This information is not quite correct. The interface between the bar sockets and the hitch head is the main sway control point on the Equal-i-zer hitch - especially the upper surface of the socket with the hitch head when the bars are under tension. That is one reason for checking the torque on the pinch bolts quite frequently.
The friction from the bars on the L brackets is a secondary sway control. Here is a quote from the Equal-i-zer website that explains it. When they talk about the "rotational friction sway control", they are talking about the bar socket/hitch head interface. Note especially the last sentence.
Barney
Yes I know what there website says, and how they state the sway control works, but common sense and knowledge in physics states otherwise!
There is no way that the hitch head sockets are the main point in sway control.
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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dodge guy wrote:
Yes I know what there website says, and how they state the sway control works, but common sense and knowledge in physics states otherwise!
There is no way that the hitch head sockets are the main point in sway control.
When you lift up on those WD bars, there is a terrific amount of pressure between the steel on steel contact points of the bar sockets and the lower surface of the upper hitch head. My common sense and knowledge in physics states that a great deal of sway control comes from that point.
Barney
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dodge guy
Chicago, western subs.
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Yes true, but those 2 points won`t pivot enough in a sway situation to dampen sway! just take a TV setup with an EQ and turn it a few degrees off center you`ll notice those 2 points will not move much, if at all!
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