Bolts Failing on Equalizer Hitch
I have an Equalizer Hitch with 1400 lb bars. Today I replaced the third pair of bolts and nuts that attach the head to the shank They are grade 8, 3/4" in diameter and 5" long. The threads failed on t...
Forum Discussion
SoundGuy wrote:
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.
mike-s wrote:
Well then, you just need to buy the proper tools.
Easy to say when you're not paying the bill. :R As I mentioned previously I got lucky because a friend happened to own a 600 ft/lb rated torque wrench which I was able to borrow. :B However, most prospective Equal-i-zer owners would not have this advantage and the alternative of buying one of this size is quite expensive ... as an example, here in Canada a 600 ft/lb torque wrench would easily cost $300+ to well over $1000 Cdn, which is obviously a ridiculous investment for a tool that's only going to be used a few times. It stands to reason therefore that WD systems that require a much less costly torque wrench rated to just 250 ft/lbs makes for a much more sensible investment. Having owned an Equal-i-zer myself for several years and having been through this process multiple times this is the one major Achilles Heel of the older Equal-i-zer design - works well once properly set up, but that's difficult when one doesn't have an appropriately rated torque wrench readily available ... and most don't. :(
