Hi all. We just purchased a 2017 Lance 1685 TT and I am setting up the Equalizer Hitch and need some help. The trailer Gross weight is 5,500. I have not weighed it yet but we should be well below that. The Hitch weight measures 600 pounds with the trailer loaded with our stuff, with full water tank and empty waste tanks. This should be worst case because the fresh water tank is in front of the axles and the waste water tanks are behind the axles. It has a 45 gallon FW tank so I will never tow with that much water. Probably 10 gallons of so. I currently have a 90-00-0600 Equalizer Hitch which is a 600/6000 pound hitch.So with nothing in the bed of the truck, I am maxed out on tongue weight and ok on Gross weight. I figure worst case for truck bed weight behind the axle would be 100 pounds for generator, gas, etc. putting me at 700 pounds on a 600 pound hitch. I believe typical tongue weight and bed weight would be right at the 600 pound limit of the Hitch. Equalizer says I need to upgrade Hitch to 1,000/10,000 model. My concern is at more realistic towing loads The lightly loaded larger hitch will give a stiff ride. Equalizer admits the ride would be stiffer but says most people don't notice it. I am towing with a 2016 Silverado 1500. What do you guys recommend I do? Use the hitch as is or upgrade? Thanks in advance.

Putting stuff in the truck bed does not increase the tongue weight! It does increase the payload.What is the payload for your truck (look on the door jam for this).

Payload of truck is way over what I am carrying. . My research indicates that when sizing a WD hitch you need to add the tongue weight and the weight behind the axle in the truck to size the Hitch properly. Equalizers web site confirms this.

Back when we purchased our current Freedom Express I calculated it's gross tongue weight would land somewhere around 600 lbs once loaded and ready to camp ... measuring later with my Sherline tongue weight scale confirmed it's typically running in the 600 to 625 lb range. Since I'd used a 1,000 / 10,000 lb Equal-i-zer with our previous KZ Spree which typically ran ~ 750 lbs gross tongue weight I emailed Progress to ask if running a bit over 600 lbs with the 600 / 6,000 lb version would be OK. The answer was "no problem" but I shouldn't exceed 10% over rating, or ~ 660 lbs. As it turned out I was gifted a Reese trunnion bar system with 800 lb bars so I never did buy an Equal-i-zer but had I purchased anything I'd have instead gone with a Blue Ox Sway Pro with 750 lb spring bars ... FAR easier to set up, has a fixed head angle so there's no head washers to fool with, is silent in operation, and best of all if one ever changes to a trailer in a different weight rating the only item that needs to be changed are the spring bars - with an Equal-i-zer you gotta change the whole thing. Considering this, in your case I'd try it out first with what you already have.

I'd much rather have too much hitch spring than not enough. My TT has a hitch weight of about 950-1000 pounds depending on how I'm loaded, and I went with 1500 pound spring bars on my Blue Ox. It rides nice and solid for us, with no noticeable ride problems.Jim

"Equalizers web site confirms this."This concept wasn't on their website 7 years ago when I bought my hitch and I totally disagree with it. Back then it was load up your truck as you would for camping and set up your hitch. That is what I did 25,000 miles ago. There is no need to transfer bed weight behind the axle. A pickup is designed to function just fine with weight in the bed. 100 lbs of bed weight is negligible anyway IMO. All that said I would go with the 1K if I had the choice.How did you measure your tongue weight?

Which Equalizer Hitch | Good Sam Community

35 Replies

ifd22
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
OhioRVers wrote:
Hi all. We just purchased a 2017 Lance 1685 TT and I am setting up the Equalizer Hitch and need some help. The trailer Gross weight is 5,500. I have not weighed it yet but we should be well below that. The Hitch weight measures 600 pounds with the trailer loaded with our stuff, with full water tank and empty waste tanks. This should be worst case because the fresh water tank is in front of the axles and the waste water tanks are behind the axles. It has a 45 gallon FW tank so I will never tow with that much water. Probably 10 gallons of so. I currently have a 90-00-0600 Equalizer Hitch which is a 600/6000 pound hitch.

So with nothing in the bed of the truck, I am maxed out on tongue weight and ok on Gross weight. I figure worst case for truck bed weight behind the axle would be 100 pounds for generator, gas, etc. putting me at 700 pounds on a 600 pound hitch. I believe typical tongue weight and bed weight would be right at the 600 pound limit of the Hitch.

Equalizer says I need to upgrade Hitch to 1,000/10,000 model. My concern is at more realistic towing loads The lightly loaded larger hitch will give a stiff ride. Equalizer admits the ride would be stiffer but says most people don't notice it.

I am towing with a 2016 Silverado 1500.

What do you guys recommend I do? Use the hitch as is or upgrade? Thanks in advance.

I live in Northern Kentucky. I just bought a Andersen hitch, and have a 1000/10,000 Equilizer sitting in the garage your welcome to try out. I want to put some miles on the Andersen before I let the equalizer go, but your welcome to try it before you spend the money on one.
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
TucsonJim wrote:
This thread is reminding me of the Chevy vs. Dodge argument...

Except we all know Ford is better. ;-)
The best brand of truck is mostly subjective.
Whether the bars bend or not is definitive. They either do or they don't.

I really wish soundguy, the self proclaimed expert on the subject would answer my questions, so I could fully understand why he believes what he does.
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Dec 19, 2016
This thread is reminding me of the Chevy vs. Dodge argument...

Except we all know Ford is better. ;-)
Hannibal
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
I'm guessing Equalizer calls them "spring arms" for some reason?
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
SoundGuy wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
BTW.... I have used the EQUALIZER for about 15 years... Am now on my third one, due to needing different sizes.

As have I towed many tens of thousands of miles with an Equal-i-zer. ;) By definition, in order for anything to flex it needs to bend and those Equal-i-zer spring bars which are made of solid square steel stock, 1" in the case of a 1000 / 10,000 lb version, have very little ability to bend. No bend = no flex. :W

Had you chosen a Blue Ox Sway Pro instead you'd have that flex you seem so desperate to achieve as those spring bars are designed to flex AND when you changed from one trailer to another you wouldn't have had to buy an entirely new system as you have with the Equal-i-zer. :R

Enjoy your Equal-i-zer - as effective but outdated design as it may now be. :p
Rather than talking like a politician.... Why don't you just answer the question.

When traversing a dip, if the bars don't bend.... What gives?

Another side question. If the EQUALIZER bars do not bend.... Why do they have different sizes?
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
Huntindog wrote:
BTW.... I have used the EQUALIZER for about 15 years... Am now on my third one, due to needing different sizes.

As have I towed many tens of thousands of miles with an Equal-i-zer. ;) By definition, in order for anything to flex it needs to bend and those Equal-i-zer spring bars which are made of solid square steel stock, 1" in the case of a 1000 / 10,000 lb version, have very little ability to bend. No bend = no flex. :W

Had you chosen a Blue Ox Sway Pro instead you'd have that flex you seem so desperate to achieve as those spring bars are designed to flex AND when you changed from one trailer to another you wouldn't have had to buy an entirely new system as you have with the Equal-i-zer. :R

Enjoy your Equal-i-zer - as effective but outdated design as it may now be. :p
Westcoasting
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
OhioRVers wrote:
I can borrow a 300# torque wrench so I can get close to the spec and give it an additional nudge with the breaker bar.

I went to two Hitch dealers who said they don't have a big torque wrench for Hitch balls. They just put an impact wrench on it and mash the washer. Luckily I found a guy who works on construction equipment who has a 600# torque wrench who said he would torque the ball nut for me. Probably do it for the price of a couple of beers.

I bought a Sherline scale. Nice tool.

I've towed the trailer for 300 miles. It tows ok but not great. It porpoises coming off bridges, etc. That's why I started looking into all this. After my research and everyone's help, It looks like the guy that set up the hitch has the ball too high. I'm actually looking forward to working on it. The instructions are intimidating but if you read them while looking at the actual hitch it doesn't seem too bad.

Thanks again everyone.

Any mechanic shop that deals with large trucks will have the torque wrench you need. Ask and they will do it for you, i have never been charged for this service.
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
SoundGuy wrote:
THIS is spring bar flex ...

Equal-i-zer square spring bars are solid steel that have very little ability to bend in any direction ...

You are continuing to to make your argument showing how they are in a "static" situation.

If they do not bend in a "dynamic" situation such as when traversing a dip.... What gives?.

BTW.... I have used the EQUALIZER for about 15 years... Am now on my third one, due to needing different sizes.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 18, 2016
THIS is spring bar flex ...

Equal-i-zer square spring bars are solid steel that have very little ability to bend in any direction ...
Lynnmor
Explorer
Dec 18, 2016
Huntindog wrote:
They call them SPRING bars. What do springs do? They bend or flex. So yes, the bars do indeed flex. They HAVE to.

And this is why size matters. The right size is the right size. You need enough bar to transfer the necessary weight, and no more.

Well said, size does matter but in this case you want the correct size.

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