equal-i-zer

bob213 wrote:
Not to start any arguments,but....From their website:
ATTENTION: Utilizing lubrication on the Equal-i-zer L-Bracket, in the form of the Sway Bracket Jacket or any grease type lubricant, may lessen or decrease your sway control by a small degree. Steel on steel is the highest level of friction, steel on lubricated steel second, and steel on plastic third (but also the cleanest). The hitch head can be lubricated, as per the instructions, with no detriment to sway control.

Agreed, but you need to know the equal-i-zer to understand that post. The L brackets are on the trailer tongue where we snap up the weight distribution bars. Part 4 Yes they are usually run without lube although as stated in the documentation you can lube them to reduce noise but it will decrease your sway control by a small degree


The part we are talking about greasing is where the bars are connected to the hitch head. On most systems this is the bent part of the weight bar that is lubed and inserted into a hole in the bottom of the hitch head. On the equal-i-zer there is a square socket (square tube) that is semi-permanently (bolted) attached to the head. Part 5 This socket needs to be greased top and bottom. The weight bars are inserted into these sockets and pinned in place so the hitch end of the weight bar which captured inside the tubes does not move and should not need any lube.

The majority of the sway control is from the hitch head. I don't lube the L bracket surface, but even if I did it wouldn't 't make much difference in the performance of the hitch. Hence the term 'small degree'.

Not to start any arguments,but....From their website:
ATTENTION: Utilizing lubrication on the Equal-i-zer L-Bracket, in the form of the Sway Bracket Jacket or any grease type lubricant, may lessen or decrease your sway control by a small degree. Steel on steel is the highest level of friction, steel on lubricated steel second, and steel on plastic third (but also the cleanest). The hitch head can be lubricated, as per the instructions, with no detriment to sway control.

Highway 4x4 wrote:
If the hitch relies on the friction for sway control, how is lubing it all up going to effect its ability to control sway?

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Not friction- it's torque on the two bars....

I can't tell you the technical answer to how it works when greased. All I know is that the manufacturer says to keep it lubed so I keep it lubed.

If the hitch relies on the friction for sway control, how is lubing it all up going to effect its ability to control sway?

I have 9,000 miles on my EQ, clean and lube the hitch head surfaces every 500 miles and it makes no noise at all. It did at the beginning but I wasn't cleaning and lubing as much as I am now. Keeping the hitch head surfaces lubed makes all the difference. Says to do that in the owners manual as well.

Loosen the socket bolts and swing the sockets side to side wiping down socket and head surfaces. Apply Reese ball lube liberally on same surfaces. Swing sockets side to side to distribute lube. Torque socket bolts to 60 lbs. Takes about 5 minutes and works wonders.

thanks for all of the responses

they are noisy but work great. we pull a 37 foot TT and have never had a problem even is higher wind conditions. as stated a little grease and silicone will help. good luck

I use a lithium grease spray on all fiction surfaces and that quiets things down a lot. No loss of WD or anti-sway but it does attract dirt so periodic cleaning is good.