Another WDH question
Do weight distribution hitches (a Equalizer in my case) ever wear out? I have had about 10 yrs use on mine. Still seems OK !!??
Forum Discussion
They do in time, wear out. The amount of time "depends".
If you lube them where they are supposed to be lubed, and keep rust out of where it is not supposed to be, they will last a good long time and miles.
The pivot joints of the WD bars in the hitch head is one of the most susceptible places for wear. There is heavy contact pressure in the trunnion or WD bar joints on your Equal-I-zer and the Reese systems and other brands that allow grease in the WD bar pivot joints.
If they are run dry when they are supposed to be lubed, they will wear in orders of magnitude faster.
Age by itself is not really as large a factor if the hitch is kept out of a rusting environment and lubed as it should. Miles of use is a higher factor. The more miles the more flexing and turning the hitch does. That said, in your case assuming you camp often each year, 10 years is an amount of towing that can manifest a problem for sure if it its there. Some may tow 30,000 miles in 10 years, others 15,000 and yet others 60,000 or more. They are different use rates per year.
Annually a very close check of the hitch head and other parts of the hitch should be done looking for cracks. Your looking for any type of hair line of larger crack that is starting or already well established. Welds are often places which can crack however they can happen anywhere on the hitch head especially.
This spring I found one of my Reese 3 piece welded hitch heads just starting to crack in the welds. This heads was new in 2007. As soon as I saw that, off it came and a new one installed I had as a spare. (I have several WD hitches for multiple trailers.) This head was running a 1,600# loaded TW and has close to 40,000 miles on it. You really have to look close with a lot of light but you can see them if you go looking. While I have the weld cracks, the wear is very little as lube the trunnion joints and tow ball all the time as needed. I have seen hitches from those who have not greased them and they can be worn heavily in only a few years. They never realized until someone pointed it out to them.
Hope this helps
John
If you lube them where they are supposed to be lubed, and keep rust out of where it is not supposed to be, they will last a good long time and miles.
The pivot joints of the WD bars in the hitch head is one of the most susceptible places for wear. There is heavy contact pressure in the trunnion or WD bar joints on your Equal-I-zer and the Reese systems and other brands that allow grease in the WD bar pivot joints.
If they are run dry when they are supposed to be lubed, they will wear in orders of magnitude faster.
Age by itself is not really as large a factor if the hitch is kept out of a rusting environment and lubed as it should. Miles of use is a higher factor. The more miles the more flexing and turning the hitch does. That said, in your case assuming you camp often each year, 10 years is an amount of towing that can manifest a problem for sure if it its there. Some may tow 30,000 miles in 10 years, others 15,000 and yet others 60,000 or more. They are different use rates per year.
Annually a very close check of the hitch head and other parts of the hitch should be done looking for cracks. Your looking for any type of hair line of larger crack that is starting or already well established. Welds are often places which can crack however they can happen anywhere on the hitch head especially.
This spring I found one of my Reese 3 piece welded hitch heads just starting to crack in the welds. This heads was new in 2007. As soon as I saw that, off it came and a new one installed I had as a spare. (I have several WD hitches for multiple trailers.) This head was running a 1,600# loaded TW and has close to 40,000 miles on it. You really have to look close with a lot of light but you can see them if you go looking. While I have the weld cracks, the wear is very little as lube the trunnion joints and tow ball all the time as needed. I have seen hitches from those who have not greased them and they can be worn heavily in only a few years. They never realized until someone pointed it out to them.
Hope this helps
John
