We're close to making a choice on a TT and will need a weight distribution anti-sway bar hitch. The dealer is recommending an Equalizer brand as that's what he carries. I'm finding them available online for 1/3 or more less than his price.My question is based on my complete ignorance on what I'll need.Is there any reason not to buy a hitch with the highest weight rating, even if it ends up being 300-400 pounds higher than the actual tongue and total TT weight?Thanks!

You want bars for 13% to 15% of the TT GVWR, or a bit higher.The heavier bars, above what is needed, will affect the ride. In extreame cases they can bend the TT tongue. Just buy the correct size and be happy.

The dealer is recommending an Equalizer brand as that's what he carries.Why not shop around and find the hitch you want, not the one the dealer sells?

Equalizer hitches are good, atleast for me and my setup.

I purchased a 12000 lb Equal-i-zer brand for the trailer in my sig last December. I installed it according to instructions myself on my previous truck (F150) and then again on my present truck (Silveraldo 2500 HD). I have been very pleased with its performance on both vehicles, especially noticing a large difference after switching hitches on the F150. I would suggest erroring on the heavy side because the hitch can always be adjusted lighter but you cannot increase the stiffness of the bars without changing them to a higher weight. For my trailer, I was on the border between the 10000 and 12000 lb setup and so I opted for the heavier.If you decide to install yourself, you will need to torque some of the bolts very tight including the hitch ball which requires a 1-7/8" thin wall socket. I took my hitch to a local agriculture dealer and they torqued it for me for no charge...pretty nice. Otherwise you might need to purchase tools which you might not have.I hope this has been of some help. Good luck.

jmtandem wrote:The dealer is recommending an Equalizer brand as that's what he carries.Why not shop around and find the hitch you want, not the one the dealer sells? There are better hitches than the Equalizer.i'm very happy with my Equal-i-zer and it's a third of the cost of a Hensley or ProPride.why not post what you think are better WDH's.:@

Equalizer hitch size, how big is too big? | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Ron_Gratz
Explorer
May 19, 2013
beast_3 wrote:
---I deceided on an Equalizer wd hitch in the end. Customer service at Equalizer was very helpful and recommended their 1,000/10,000lb model.---
Did you decide to get the Puma 25RS?

If so, the 1000# bars are a good choice since a tongue weight of 1000# or more is possible with the 25RS.

IMO, it's good that you did not choose Equal-i-zer's highest-rated hitch.

Ron
beast_3
Explorer
May 19, 2013
Many thanks to all, your advice was very helpful.
I deceided on an Equalizer wd hitch in the end. Customer service at Equalizer was very helpful and recommended their 1,000/10,000lb model. I found a dealer selling for half what the original dealer was asking w/free shipping. The dealership is installing for $75 so I'm ahead there a few $$$.
The Hensley looked like a great hitch but was just too expensive. If the Equalizer under-performs I'll consider the Hensley. DW is already considering what our next TT should have & we haven't even picked up the first!:^)
Anyway, thanks again for the help!
Beast
Ron_Gratz
Explorer
May 14, 2013
beast_3 wrote:
Is there any reason not to buy a hitch with the highest weight rating, even if it ends up being 300-400 pounds higher than the actual tongue and total TT weight?
Thanks!
Two reasons come to mind immediately:
1) WD bars which are too stiff can result in a ride which is too rough.
2) WD bars which are too stiff potentially can cause damage to a TT's A-frame.

It's relatively simple to calculate how much load must be applied to a WD bar in order to transfer a desired amount of load to the TV's front axle.
The problem is that no WDH manufacturer actually tells us what is the maximum load that should be applied to a bar.
Some people tend to assume that a 600# tongue weight requires WD bars rated for 600#. Others recommend going using bars the next size up.
Unfortunately, for the Equalizer, the next size up from 600# is 1000#.

So, how do we determine how much load a WD bar is actually designed for?
It's probably safe to assume most WD bars in use today received their "ratings" back in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
The typical "tow vehicle" of that period was the family sedan with a typical wheelbase around 120" and a typical rear overhang around 60".
The ball overhang might have been about 70".

Back in those days of "equal squat", the WDH might have been called upon to transfer enough load so the front axle was carrying about 25% of the TW, the rear axle 35%, and the TT axles 40#.
Assuming a 20' TT with a ball to axles distance of 180", each WD bar would have been loaded to about 720#.
So, if we can assume a 1960's WD bar rated for a 600# TW actually is intended to carry a load of about 720#, we can fast-forward to 2013.
Today, a WDH normally is expected to restore to the front axle a load which is equal to the amount removed.

For a 600# TW, the WDH now might be required to transfer 250-300# to the front axle.
This would require a load of about 130-150# to be transferred to the TT's axles.
Assuming today's typical TT has a ball to axles distance of 240", each WD bar would have to be loaded to about 560#.

If this scenario is realistic, it appears that a 600# TW, with today's WDH usage, would generate a bar load which is about 80% of the load generated with the 1960's usage.
Or, another way to look at it is that a 750# TW and today's WDH usage would generate a bar load equal to that produced by a 600# TW with 1960's WDH usage.

Obviously, the foregoing involves many assumptions.
My point in presenting this analysis is to give background for my OPINION that there is no need to jump to a 1000# bar "rating" if you know that you will have a 650# tongue weight. Bars with 600# rating should be sufficient.
I would rather be 10% over a WD bar rating than use a bar which is rated for more than 50% above what I need.

Ron
APT
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Most RVers will add 200-300 pounds over dry tongue weight, so buying a WDH with bars 3-400 pounds over dry TW is a good idea.

The Equal-i-zer 4-pt WDH with 1000 pound bars is designed for 400-1000 pounds of TW. I use a Reese Strait Line with 1200 pound bars on my 500 pound dry TW TT, probably about 800 pounds loaded.
RinconVTR
Explorer
May 13, 2013
beast_3 wrote:
We're close to making a choice on a TT and will need a weight distribution anti-sway bar hitch.
The dealer is recommending an Equalizer brand as that's what he carries. I'm finding them available online for 1/3 or more less than his price.
My question is based on my complete ignorance on what I'll need.
Is there any reason not to buy a hitch with the highest weight rating, even if it ends up being 300-400 pounds higher than the actual tongue and total TT weight?
Thanks!

Yes, you want to scale up the WDH ratings, not try to match weights. The Equalizer web site might put you mind at ease, plug in your known weights and see for yourself.

Also, not only is the E2 highly recommended on here, but its also one of the easiest for rookies to use, connect, and adjust.
jmtandem
Explorer II
May 13, 2013
I understand your comments, but I like others thought your initial comment was more a statement of fact and not your opinion. I agree the HA, Pull-Rite, Pro-Pride are better and they should be for the premium price they command. I happen to own an Equal-i-zer and unlike you I have found it to be a fine system and believe it is on par with all the other offerings like the Reese DC, Blue-ox, Anderson, etc. and for me the simplicity gives it a thumbs up over these other hitches. All WDHs have their own unique limitations like the Reese being picky about how exact it's set up needs to be, the non universal fitment between vehicles for the Pull-rite, how heavy the HA is and all the parts to it, so the fact that the differing WDH bars require different socket size for the Equal-i-zer system is not IMO a "major design flaw" as you described it, but just how the hitch is designed. The one other "quirk" of the older styled Equal-i-zers was the torquing of the brackets to prevent moving. Over torquing would reduce the net "clamping force" and subject the bracket to movement over time.

In the end as you said you have now stated your opinion and what it's based on which is fine just as I have now done.

Larry
steeleshark
Explorer
May 13, 2013
I just purchased the 1200 Equalizer last night. I personally know several people that are very happy with it. Being that it has been around over 50 years should say something about the design. I am upgrading from a basic Curt WDH and dual friction bars.
LarryJM
Explorer II
May 13, 2013
jmtandem wrote:
i'm very happy with my Equal-i-zer and it's a third of the cost of a Hensley or ProPride.
why not post what you think are better WDH's.

I am glad you are happy with your hitch. As to those that I view as a better hitch--virtually any other hitch on the market and you did list two of the three best. PullRite would be the other top hitch in my estimation. But there are many hitches in a mid price range that are better including the Reese Dual Cam. As an aside I have used the 1200/12000 Equalizer and purchased it after drinking the 'cool aid' glowing reports on this forum. I have not found the hitch to live up to the reports in several areas including constant loosening of the L brackets, the inability of the hitch head to share differing weight bars (a major design flaw) for those that might like to tow two or more trailers with differing spring bar needs, and the Airstream folks have cited potential issues with the Equalizer hitch for tongue and body to frame damage. Husky makes a model that works similar to the Equalizer that I think is an improvement.

At the end of the day all the Equalizer hitch does for sway mitigation is based purely on friction; friction against sway and friction to straighten a sway episode back to straight. Even the Dual Cam Reese actually helps the trailer to return to straight; a feature lacking in the Equalizer. In my experience the Equalizer does little or nothing for sway mitigation and those like you that use it and like the hitch probably have a tow vehicle and trailer that is loaded correctly and most likely would not sway. All three premium hitches control sway not just mitigate it. They are not based on friction like the Equalizer. If the OP is going to purchase a hitch and the dealer not willing to throw it in to the deal for free (not that it would really be free) then I suggest the OP at least look at hitches beyond the Equalizer. The hitch is important and there is a lot of money tied up in the truck and trailer so why not get a quality hitch and not let money be such a limiting factor. So what if a hitch costs three times as much as an Equalizer, what does that have to do with safety? Especially when it controls sway and not just mitigates it. The OP can purchase an inexpensive hitch now and later spend more on a better hitch. That just adds to the overall cost of getting to the place where the OP has the final hitch. Been there done that! A premium hitch is really inexpensive when purchased initially and not as a progressive purchase of hitches to finally get to the hitch really wanted. My comments were directed to help the OP get to the hitch wanted initially and not 'enjoy' several hitch upgrade iterations with a few hitches now unused laying around in a corner of the garage all adding to the final cost of that best hitch for the OP's situation.

If you don't agree with my comments that is fine; I have said nothing about your satisfaction with your use of the Equalizer only my experience.

I understand your comments, but I like others thought your initial comment was more a statement of fact and not your opinion. I agree the HA, Pull-Rite, Pro-Pride are better and they should be for the premium price they command. I happen to own an Equal-i-zer and unlike you I have found it to be a fine system and believe it is on par with all the other offerings like the Reese DC, Blue-ox, Anderson, etc. and for me the simplicity gives it a thumbs up over these other hitches. All WDHs have their own unique limitations like the Reese being picky about how exact it's set up needs to be, the non universal fitment between vehicles for the Pull-rite, how heavy the HA is and all the parts to it, so the fact that the differing WDH bars require different socket size for the Equal-i-zer system is not IMO a "major design flaw" as you described it, but just how the hitch is designed. The one other "quirk" of the older styled Equal-i-zers was the torquing of the brackets to prevent moving. Over torquing would reduce the net "clamping force" and subject the bracket to movement over time.

In the end as you said you have now stated your opinion and what it's based on which is fine just as I have now done.

Larry
jmtandem
Explorer II
May 13, 2013
i'm very happy with my Equal-i-zer and it's a third of the cost of a Hensley or ProPride.
why not post what you think are better WDH's.
bikendan
Explorer
May 13, 2013
jmtandem wrote:
The dealer is recommending an Equalizer brand as that's what he carries.

Why not shop around and find the hitch you want, not the one the dealer sells? There are better hitches than the Equalizer.

i'm very happy with my Equal-i-zer and it's a third of the cost of a Hensley or ProPride.
why not post what you think are better WDH's.:@