I replaced my Equal-i-zer 12" shank with a 14" shank for tailgate clearance. I wanted to see what difference it made in the weight transfer. I measured both setups and the results are below. My F150 has the HD payload package with 2,592# yellow sticker. My tongue weight is measured at 1,050# on my 8,000# scale weight loaded for camping. This test was done on an empty truck and trailer.I would appear that the longer shank actually transferred a little more weight to the front and less load at the rear.

Make sense since there's more leverage.

Subscribed... and thanks for posting. I'm considering having a shank made that would add 5 inches, so I could turn sharper. Did you notice the axle weights with one shank versus another?Keep us posted after you take out for a drive.Thanks

Makes perfect sense. The longer shank has more leverage which would cause more squat in the rear before applying the WD bars, and more weight transfer to the front after applying the WD bars.You should have a little more weight on the truck front axle, a little less on the rear axle, and a little more on the trailer axles with the slightly longer shank.A 5" longer shank will scale somewhat exponentially.

It also puts the ball farther back from the axle, which could cause problems with tracking.

Bob/Olallawa wrote:It also puts the ball farther back from the axle, which could cause problems with tracking.So you're saying that if I had bought a truck with a long bed that moves the ball considerably further back from the axle that it would be poor tracking? Hmmm...

Changed shank length | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

TomG2
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
Forget it.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
TomG2 wrote:
greenrvgreen wrote:
NO I'M NOT. I'm trying to explain how a lever works. .....snip...........

Save your breath. Some of the folks on here would rather rely on anecdotal information than engineering facts. The old "It never bothered me" opinions will out weight the laws of physics if they are repeated often enough.
One must first understand the laws of physics before the argue about their effect.
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
greenrvgreen wrote:
NO I'M NOT. I'm trying to explain how a lever works.

The OP says that the WD leverage changed when he bought a 2" longer shank. IF the WD leverage changed, the sway control leverage did also--it HAS to.
No it doesn't.
The hitch ball is in the same place relative to the sway control function. Just the WD function changes a little as the longer shank has the effect of making the bars longer. A longer bar is a longer lever.

Put another way. The WD bars attempt to rotate the TV around the axis of it's rear axle. It cannot really move much, so weight is transferred instead. the longer shank is just an extension of the WD bars... Much like putting a cheater bar on a wrench.
The sway control function attempts to limit the speed that the TT coupler rotates around the axis of the hitch ball. This relationship has not changed with the use of a longer shank. Two axises at work here. One horizontal, and one vertical. They do not directly interact together.
TomG2
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
greenrvgreen wrote:
NO I'M NOT. I'm trying to explain how a lever works. .....snip...........

Save your breath. Some of the folks on here would rather rely on anecdotal information than engineering facts. The old "It never bothered me" opinions will out weight the laws of physics if they are repeated often enough.
greenrvgreen
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
NO I'M NOT. I'm trying to explain how a lever works.

The OP says that the WD leverage changed when he bought a 2" longer shank. IF the WD leverage changed, the sway control leverage did also--it HAS to.
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
greenrvgreen wrote:
WD and sway control both work by levering the mass of the TV against the TT. By moving the fulcrum back 2 inches the OP verified that it made a difference in WD effect. If there's a difference with WD there must also be a diffence with sway control, which was my point when saying "tracking issues".

For reference, note that sway control is not recommended when driving on icy surfaces. The risk is of the tail (the TT) wagging the dog (TV).

FWIW!
First off, the OP has an EQUALIZER hitch. There is no way to disable the sway control part of it. And there is no need to.
You are thinking of a standard friction control way system.... The issue with them is NOT so much the tail wagging the dog as it is the TTs tires sliding on ice as they are unable to overcome the braking action of the sway control in a turn. Those are reccomended by some manufacturers to be disabled... Having used those myself... I did not find it necessary. If it is that slippery, I chain the TT/TV tires and leave the sway control alone.

Secondly, installing a longer shank doesn't directly affect the sway control, as that moves backwards with the hitch head.
It could indirectly have an effect as it does move the hitch rearward which in theory should make it slightly worse. But having done this myself, I did not find it to be a problem at all. And I have never read of it being a problem for anyone else as well.
greenrvgreen
Explorer
Oct 01, 2016
WD and sway control both work by levering the mass of the TV against the TT. By moving the fulcrum back 2 inches the OP verified that it made a difference in WD effect. If there's a difference with WD there must also be a diffence with sway control, which was my point when saying "tracking issues".

For reference, note that sway control is not recommended when driving on icy surfaces. The risk is of the tail (the TT) wagging the dog (TV).

FWIW!
iagary
Explorer
Sep 30, 2016
I didn't know what was meant by tracking differences, but since I could detect no differences of any kind (except being able to get into my cooler in the back of my pickup without a step stool), I assumed it didn't change either.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Sep 30, 2016
iagary wrote:
There are several threads on this issue. I went from a 10" shank to a 14" shank a few months ago. First trip with the new set up was over 1000 miles. I could detect absolutely no difference in towing or tracking. I didn't scale the axles, but using the measurement method, I required no changes to my WDH setup. Several posts advising of all the problems I would have before I did it. None of these posters said anything after I reported my results. It sure is nice to be able to lower my tailgate. Side note, there were many posts telling me why I didn't need to be able to lower my tailgate.
Same here, I put a 3 inch longer shank on mine and have zero problems. The tracking thing - what is that supposed to mean? The trailer wheels take a slightly different path when going around a corner? Whoop-de-do!
iagary
Explorer
Sep 30, 2016
There are several threads on this issue. I went from a 10" shank to a 14" shank a few months ago. First trip with the new set up was over 1000 miles. I could detect absolutely no difference in towing or tracking. I didn't scale the axles, but using the measurement method, I required no changes to my WDH setup. Several posts advising of all the problems I would have before I did it. None of these posters said anything after I reported my results. It sure is nice to be able to lower my tailgate. Side note, there were many posts telling me why I didn't need to be able to lower my tailgate.