Equal-i-zer hitch choices

You don't have an Equal-i-zer, you have a Fastway E2.

This this message:
http://forums.motorhomemagazine.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28155732/gotomsg/28207703.cfm#28207703

geneowens1 wrote:
I checked my bars and they are genuine Equal I zer 4 point sway control hitch. this is the title on the DVD that came with the hitch. I have pics of the 800 and 1000 pound round bars but I can't find a way to post the pics here?

Per the owners manual, you can't get an Equal-i-zer with 800# bars.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/pdf/eqownersmanual_0111.pdf

Also, per the owners manual, each head has a different part number. So you can't just swap bars.

There's another hitch, Fastway E2 which is often misidentified as Equal-i-zer. That hitch does have 800# bars available.
Per it's manual, there's a single hitch head part# so you can just swap the bars.
http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/e2_trunnion_instructions_0212.pdf
http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/e2_roundbar_instructions_0710_small.pdf


Both Equal-i-zer and Fastway are brands of Progress Manufacturing; the hitches look the same. But the Equal-i-zer is made in USA and has 4 points of sway control. The E2 is made is China and has only two points of sway control.

It's easy to tell the difference, if you have round bars you have a Fastway E2. If trunnion, then if you can swing the bars without resistance, you have an E2 Fastway. If the bars swing with difficulty then you have an Equal-i-zer. Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-P5y5dYgN4

Note that even in the video, he mis-identifies the hitches; calling them Equal-i-zer E4 and Equal-i-zer E2.

geneowens1 wrote:
No one mentioned 800 pound bars - I bought a smaller TT and bought 800 pound bars for the Equalizer Hitch they fit just like the 1000 pound bars I had been using. The dealer for the new smaller/lighter TT said I should buy the 800s and he sold a pair for $100. They slip in and out just like the 1000s. Am I missing something?

Purchase the hitch that closely matches your trailer spec's. If you purchase a hitch that has too stiff a bar you will get a harsh ride and possibly damage the A-frame on the trailer. Buying a hitch rated for 14,000/1400 lb. and using it on a lightweight trailer, because you may get a larger trailer someday is foolish.

CALL Equal-i-zer. When I had their hitch on a former larger trailer, they were very helpful and knowledgable. I know the person I talked to said, when in doubt, go to the bigger bar.

And, yes, to whoever is talking about round bars--that ain't an Equal-i-zer. All their bars are square and they all fit in the same hitch.

Using a much heavier Equalizer hitch than is required can do some damage to some trailers. Airstreams are a good example. When the hitch is too rigid the shock can be transmitted back to the trailer and since an Airstream uses its shell as part of the structure of the trailer, it can actually crack some aluminum panels.

My trailer has a GVWR of 7200 so the 6K bars were out. With the 10K bars I am in the right area. I wouldn't want to step this up to the next level.

The advice to call the company is the best you will get. They know what they are talking about and will steer you in the right direction.

The genuine Equal-i-zer hitch does not use any round bars that I am aware of.:h Send the pics to me at barney15s@netscape.net and I will post them for you. I am quite anxious to see them.

As far as posting pictures on the forum, it is very easy. See this thread.
Barney

I checked my bars and they are genuine Equal I zer 4 point sway control hitch. this is the title on the DVD that came with the hitch. I have pics of the 800 and 1000 pound round bars but I can't find a way to post the pics here?

JSDaly wrote:

geotex1 wrote:
The real question is how close us your trailer to the 6000#? If you are within a few hundred pounds, move up to the 10000#. Why? Because it'll handle your current trailer and then be there for you when you upgrade to your next, certainly larger, trailer. A lot of folks not familiar with the way the Equal-i-zer actually works always throw out a concern over having too heavy of bars but I can assure you there's greater margin than a traditional WDH setup. Yes, I do run the Equal-i-zer and know a little something about the mechanics of its operation. That said, if you only have a 4000# camper, certainly 10000# or larger will be too much.

Yes, I believe this is the correct question. Thanks. I'll get the 6k hitch. I was trying to save a couple bucks.

For the record, my trailer is near the 600/6000 hitch capacities, and Equal-i-zer recommended I purchase the 1000/10000 unit over the 600/6000. They stated the larger capacity hitch could be adjusted to appropriately handle my lighter trailer.

geneowens1 wrote:
No one mentioned 800 pound bars - I bought a smaller TT and bought 800 pound bars for the Equalizer Hitch they fit just like the 1000 pound bars I had been using. The dealer for the new smaller/lighter TT said I should buy the 800s and he sold a pair for $100. They slip in and out just like the 1000s. Am I missing something?

If you are talking about a genuine Equal-i-zer hitch then, unless they have changed something recently, any time you needed larger or smaller bars you needed to purchase a whole new hitch head and not just the bars because the different bars had would not fit the other hitch head sockets. That may not be the case now though as I have not checked their website or specifications for a while.

On the other hand, if you are talking about a normal WD hitch, which many people call an equalizer, then what you experienced is normal. Most bars will fit just about any hitch head in that type of hitch.
This thread is about the genuine article. :)
Barney

No one mentioned 800 pound bars - I bought a smaller TT and bought 800 pound bars for the Equalizer Hitch they fit just like the 1000 pound bars I had been using. The dealer for the new smaller/lighter TT said I should buy the 800s and he sold a pair for $100. They slip in and out just like the 1000s. Am I missing something?