mfoster711 wrote:
Thanks again for the replies. Since the responses still seemed varied, I decided to email Equalizer and ask their opinion.
Here is my email:
I currently have an equalizer hitch and my friend is considering a purchase. Both of our trucks and campers are almost the exact same size and we both have the same questions regarding exactly which size hitch to get. We used the form on your website and it typically recommends the 10k hitch but depending on how much tongue weight or cargo weight we estimate then it sometimes starts to recommend the 12k hitch. When I bought my hitch I just went with the idea that it is better to get the larger hitch and not worry about it so I bought a 12k hitch. My friend is having doubts if this is the best logic to use and if he should get the 10k to make sure it properly fits his camper.
I started an RV.net forum topic on this subject to get opinions and the answers I am getting inconsistent.
In my opinion, how the hitch is set up is what determines the amount of weight being transferred from the trailer to the tow vehicle and you could buy the 14k hitch to tow a pop-up and it would be fine as long as it is setup properly. Others seem to them that this would cause a horrible ride or possibly cause damage to the trailer because too much weight is being distributed.
What is Equalizer's professional opinion on this?
And their response
I’m glad you contacted us as there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about this topic! First let me go ahead and dispel the biggest myth about getting a larger size hitch: a bigger sized hitch will NOT damage or bend your trailer tongue. I’m not sure how this rumor was started, but these frames are constructed to carry these humongous trailers and it will take much more than a hundred pound hitch to damage one. Especially since the Equalizer attaches to brackets that are attached to the frame and not the frame itself. So that is not an issue at all.
As far as getting a bigger hitch, if there is any possibility of going over the GVWR or tongue weight ratings of a certain hitch, I would get the next size up. It is much better to have a bigger hitch than be caught down the line towing more than the hitch can handle. The only negative report I’ve heard about going bigger is a stiffer ride, and even this is when the “proper sized” hitch is a 6K and they go with the 14K. That being said, all Equalizers will be a bit stiff when they are new. This is due to the new steel-on-steel friction surfaces and the sockets being torqued a bit higher than usual. However, as you start to tow with the hitch will begin to wear together and break in and any stiffness will vanish after a couple of trips.
Anyway, long story short, you and your friend should have no issue going with the 12K as long as it is set up correctly. I would try to have your tongue weight ~10% of the trailer weight for the best ride, but even that can be compensated for with hitch adjustments. I hope this helps shed some light on the situation, but feel free to ask any questions you might still have.
:
It seems to me that the EQ Rep's first paragraph was not responding to your scenario about using a "14k hitch to tow a pop-up". I do not believe the EQ Rep was endorsing that scenario. I'm guessing the EQ Rep's comment about "humongous trailers" was not referring to your pop-up.
I think it's more likely the EQ Rep's first paragraph was referring to your first-paragraph scenario of whether it would be okay to use a 12k hitch when the combination of tongue load plus TV rear cargo might exceed 1000#.
If that's the case, I agree that using the 12k hitch with your combination should not cause any damage.
I don't know if 12k versus 10k would affect the TV's ride because that depends on many things other than bar stiffness.
There is an interesting thread on Airforums.com which discusses
600 vs 800 vs 1200 lb trunnion bars.
Going back to your original post -- is it correct that your use of the "Correct Hitch Size" calculator is what precipitated this thread?
As I've stated in a previous post, I see no reason to size the hitch to compensate for bed load -- because if you do use it to compensate for bed load, you'll be violating Equal-i-zer's instructions for proper WDH adjustment.
As regards "stiff ride" --
The EQ Rep claims, "The only negative report I’ve heard about going bigger is a stiffer ride, and even this is when the “proper sized” hitch is a 6K and they go with the 14K."
In this thread alone, one person reported "3700lb trailer, dealer sold me and installed 10k bars (1,000 tongue, 10k total weight) 600/6,000 bars were MUCH better in my experience.", and there are more of such reports in the Airforums thread previously linked and also in Open Roads Forum if you want to search.
Just because the EQ Rep hasn't heard of something -- doesn't mean it can't happen.
As regards "bar stiffness" --
The EQ Rep is talking about the friction forces which give the EQ hitch its ability to resist sway. That is not "bar stiffness".
The stiffness of a WD bar is determined by its effective length, cross-sectional shape and dimensions, and modulus of elasticity.
There is no break-in period and the bar stiffness does not vanish after a couple of trips.
As regards the belief that we always get "EXPERT advice" from manufacturers' representatives --
Consider the statement, "I would try to have your tongue weight ~10% of the trailer weight for the best ride,---".
I assume the EQ Rep used the tilde symbol to denote "approximately".
IMO, better advice, given the OP's trailer, would be to have a TW% of 12-15%.
I note that the EQ Owner's Manual typically refers to "at least 10%", but values of 10-11% are not very good choices for the vast majority of TTs.
Finally -- For a tongue weight of 1000#, a pair of WD bars should be capable of transferring a load of approximately 400# to the TT's axles in order to achieve the antiquated goal of "equal squat".
The corresponding Front Axle Load Restoration would be about 160%.
For the OP's 2015 F-150, Ford implies a FALR of 50%.
If the OP uses WD bars matched to the loaded TW and follows Ford's WDH-adjustment specs, his WD bars would be loaded to approximately 50/160 = 31% of their rated capacity.
If he opts to load to 100% FALR, the bars would be loaded to approximately 62% of rated capacity.
Ron
