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

lbrjet
Explorer
Dec 16, 2016
"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?
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Dec 16, 2016
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
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 16, 2016
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.
OhioRVers
Explorer
Dec 16, 2016
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.
WNYBob
Explorer
Dec 16, 2016
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).

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Which Equalizer Hitch

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