Picked up a new 32', 5970lb yellow sticker weight, TT this evening and had the 4 point hitch installed. Our driveway is at an incline, and the tongue is probably 1.5- 2' lower than the rear of the camper. When I got it positioned correctly in the driveway, I could not get one of the bars to release. It took a neighbor, on their back, under the tongue, pushing the bar with their legs, while I pulled as hard as I could, to get it to release (there is a very, very slight lean to that side). Is there a break in period? Is there a trick to get it to release easier? This really sucked, and there is no way I was getting it off by myself.

You use the tongue jack to raise the TT and TV together, until you can easily side bars on or off. That's why most folks get electric tongue jacks. I threw snap bar away years ago. No trouble in well over 100,000 miles.

I have an electric tongue jack, and I was raising the back of truck a few inches. Maybe I just didn't raise it high enough, but I don't think that 3500 lb jack is going to lift the wheels of my truck off the ground.

Just jack the tongue up as much as you can (you should not have to lift the truck off the ground. That should at least make the draw bars easily manageable. Reverse the process when hooking up. I have the Barker 3500 electric tongue jack and it lifts my dodge ram dually and my trailer tongue sufficiently to easily remove the spring bars. Stay with it, you will figure out your correct method by trial and error eventually if you don't know a knowledgeable person to assist you. You will likely discover many other things that a little learning curve to make life easier and more enjoyable. Good luck and keep us posted as to your progress, and what actually solved your problem. Thanks, Rob

I see you are from VA if you are Tidewater Local send me a PM and I will see if I can help ya.

Since you are parking on an incline, make sure the wheels a chock very well!! Tow vehicle included, as the rear axle gets light, the tires will slide!!

Does Equalizer break in? | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

rode2nowhere
Explorer
Jun 14, 2013
been there and done that, crow bar to get off, jack high enough to get on with supplied tool
mrp116
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
When parked on a flat surface, at the dealership during the PDI, I had no problems removing the bars from either side. They weren't easy to remove, but I had no problems. Once we were in the driveway, with an incline, and a very slight lean for directed water run off, that was a different story. The side I was not leaning towards, I had no problems with. The side that was angled was the problem.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jun 13, 2013
There is no break in period on a Equilizer. The "grease" thing is for reducing noise, which the EQ hitch makes and is well known for. My advice would be to download and read the EQ manual and make sure the hitch was set up correctly in the first place. Most are not as it takes time, measurements, more time, more adjustment, ect, to dial it in correctly. Your bars should not be difficult to remove. If they are, something's not set up correctly.
BarneyS
Nomad
Jun 13, 2013
You should put grease, any kind will do, on the surfaces where the bar sockets meet with the hitch head surface. You should also put some on the ball. If you wish to lessen the noise, you can put some on the bars where they rest on the L brackets. This however will lessen the sway control a little bit and also make the bars quite messy to handle.
In other words, grease is necessary wherever you have metal on metal contact.
Barney
mrp116
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
My bars are not difficult to get off the L brackets. When the hitch was new the bars were very stiff to swing in and out, but a with a little lube and a couple of trips the loosened up.

Should I lube the bars? Where, and with what?
SGardiner
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
My bars are not difficult to get off the L brackets. When the hitch was new the bars were very stiff to swing in and out, but a with a little lube and a couple of trips the loosened up.
rode2nowhere
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
I have used a crow bar at times to help....
goducks10
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
mrp116 wrote:
I have an electric tongue jack, and I was raising the back of truck a few inches. Maybe I just didn't raise it high enough, but I don't think that 3500 lb jack is going to lift the wheels of my truck off the ground.

I have accidently lifted the wheels off the ground with my 3500. It will do it. Just keep raising the tongue up till the bars are loose or till the wheels are close to coming off the ground.
mrp116
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
Since you are parking on an incline, make sure the wheels a chock very well!! Tow vehicle included, as the rear axle gets light, the tires will slide!!

Hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the tip.
eHoefler
Explorer II
Jun 12, 2013
Since you are parking on an incline, make sure the wheels a chock very well!! Tow vehicle included, as the rear axle gets light, the tires will slide!!