Online source for Equalizer hitch
Does anyone have an opinion on the best online source for an Equalizer hitch? Now that I'm towing with a Land Cruiser, my Andersen just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle.
Forum Discussion
LarryJM wrote:
Something doesn't sound right and you might be looking for a solution to a non issue in reality. Why do you think or say your Anderson just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle. What are all your wts. from the scales for your LC setup ... w/o actual numbers we and you are only WAGGING WILDLY.
Actually, I do have weight tickets. Land Cruiser with driver and full fuel: steer 3140, drive 2180, total 6020 lbs; Arctic Fox empty but wet: tongue 780, axles 5240, total (coincidentally) 6020 lbs. Fox hitched to Cruiser with dead weight on ball: steer 2640, drive 4080, trailer axles 5360 for a GCVW of 12080. With the Anderson hitch set up I get: steer 2880, drive 4020, trailer axles 6900 for a GCVW of 12240 (I assume the difference from earlier GCVW is because it was weighed on different days and the 40 lbs. is a margin of error.) At any rate, I'm well within the Cruiser's GCVWR of 14,500 lbs.
So you can see, the Anderson adds 100 lbs. to the steer, subtracts -140 lbs. from the drive and adds 40 lbs. to the trailer axles. Anderson says to just wrench down on chains until the neoprene cushion looks like a tennis ball, but that removes any dampening effect and gives a very harsh ride.
Now, I've been pulling a fifth wheel for 10 years and decided to down-size. For a year I've towed the Fox with my F-350 and everything worked beautifully with the Andersen, so maybe I'm spoiled. When I acquired the Land Cruiser,however,towing became the proverbial white-knucle experience with the Andersen. The Cruiser has a highly specialized hydraulic suspension called KDSS, which among other things controls roll on normal roads. The coil springs on all four corners are quite soft for the first 2 inches of travel, then get firm. I installed Coilrite airbags on the rear to help mitigate the problem, to little effect. The wheelbase is only 112" so I know that's an issue.
Bottom line, I'm looking for a hitch that's compatible with my combination but I can't spend $2500-3500 for the Hensley, etc.
