Bolts Failing on Equalizer Hitch

SoundGuy wrote:
those darned shank bolts had to be loosened, removed, and retorqued each time

mike-s wrote:
No, they don't. You set it up statically. No need to fully torque each time while adjusting, just enough that things aren't loose. And it can't move much - it's pretty much trapped with the stud/washers on the top and the bolt on the bottom. Once you get it setup, then you torque it so you can drive down the road safely. And, you can drive somewhere (with no trailer) to get it torqued properly if need be.

SoundGuy wrote:
Yes, they do, for as you said yourself those shank bolts have to be correctly torqued before heading down the road to test set up. BTDT myself more times than I'd ever care to repeat. :R

mike-s wrote:
Whoosh. You don't have to "head down the road to test setup", you can do the entire setup on any level spot. The instructions even come right out and say it: "The shank bolts will be fully tightened at the end of the set up and adjustment process."

Disagree completely, the only way to know for a fact that your Equal-i-zer is properly set up for both the TV and trailer is to take the combination for a tow, over a variety of road surfaces, both wet and dry, and at varying speeds to see how it behaves ... and it will behave differently, the recourse being to take it apart yet again and reset those head washers until you get the system functioning as you believe it should, and that does mean re-torquing those head bolts each time. BTDT many times, it does make a difference.