Setting up Equalizer

[nwbearcat1998]

I finally got a chance to the take the new TT to the CAT scales in town this afternoon and I'm hoping someone can help me understand the equalizer hitch setup.

I've just purchased a 2004 Keystone Cougar 29RLS TT that I found out today has weight of 6620# identified by the local CAT scale. My tow vehicle is a 2013 F-150 EcoBoost with the 3.73 rear axle / 7650# GVWR (see below image for the door tag).

WITHOUT the trailer attached, the CAT scale indicated Steer: 3600# / Drive: 2600# axle weight.

WITH the trailer attached, it indicated Steer: 3300# / Drive: 3840#

Does this mean my hitch weight is 1200#????!!!!!!!!! YIKES!!!

It really doesn't seem like the equalizer bars did anything....

See below for images of my equalizer I received from the previous owner....I don't think he really had any idea on how these work...

He basically told me that when you attach the bars, put the clip on the third chain link down and try to eyeball the bars to see if they are somewhat parallel to the trailer frame.

Could someone please offer advice on how to get this setup and indicate what the steer/drive axle weights should be????

[opnspaces]

I wonder if your spring bars are too light. Maybe it's a 600lb WD hitch and no amount of adjustment is going to work.

I don't have a chain type WD hitch, but I can figure out that if you shorten the chain between the bar and the snap up then you should be transferring more weight to the front of the truck. Can you take a picture of the hitch when it's all connected to the trailer? Maybe that will help someone on here come up with a solution that works.

[nwbearcat1998]

ANY thoughts on this?? What am I doing wrong??

nwbearcat1998 wrote:
I finally got around to take the TV and TT to level ground to work on getting my WD hitch setup correctly.

I set the ball height of the hitch to be about 1/2" higher than the top of the ball cup on the TT as I've read in different manuals. I had to flip the square shank to be up facing instead of down, that seems to be okay as I've read.

HOWEVER, even after adding a few washers to cause the tilt of the hitch back towards to the TT, I can't get the back end to not drop less than 2.5 inches. The front is raising about 1/2" still as well.

I ran out of links, even trying seven but I know that it's not correct because it causes the WD bars to be not level with the TT tongue.

What am I missing? Do I need to raise the ball height on the shank more? Do I need to go purchase more washers to increase the tilt?

Thanks again in advance for the forum members assistance.

[nwbearcat1998]

Here's a few pics of the angle I have currently:

image by gary.nwbearcat1998, on Flickr

image by gary.nwbearcat1998, on Flickr

image by gary.nwbearcat1998, on Flickr

[nwbearcat1998]

I finally got around to take the TV and TT to level ground to work on getting my WD hitch setup correctly.

I set the ball height of the hitch to be about 1/2" higher than the top of the ball cup on the TT as I've read in different manuals. I had to flip the square shank to be up facing instead of down, that seems to be okay as I've read.

HOWEVER, even after adding a few washers to cause the tilt of the hitch back towards to the TT, I can't get the back end to not drop less than 2.5 inches. The front is raising about 1/2" still as well.

I ran out of links, even trying seven but I know that it's not correct because it causes the WD bars to be not level with the TT tongue.

What am I missing? Do I need to raise the ball height on the shank more? Do I need to go purchase more washers to increase the tilt?

Thanks again in advance for the forum members assistance.

[ziffell]

You are correct. That demo by the Reese folks was only done to demonstrate the " ability" of the Reese Dual Cam to stop sway before it starts. I don't think anyone who read the post would have considered driving that way. Take care..Arnie

[APT]

Equal-i-zer is not adjusted quite the same as a standard WDH or a Reese dual cam system for example. That's why using "Kleenex" in this case is poor and can be mis-leading and not helpful in advising the OP how to adjust his WDH.

While that infamous FWD vehicle with no rear wheels is possible, it is not safe to actually drive that way and has no value for today's RVers.

[lbrjet]

The WDH distributes weight to the front end, but not tongue weight. It is the same weight that was removed from the front end after dropping the trailer on the back. So yes, zero tongue weight is distributed to the front if the WDH is set up correctly.

[ziffell]

I used the word "equalizer" in it's "generic" form as you might use the word "aspirin" I could have said 'weight distributing hitch" or "load leveling hitch" but the results are the same. When I started doing this kind work, back in the 70's we hooked a 22 foot trailer to the back of a front wheel drive Olds Toronado and after pulling up the bars were able to remove the rear tires and drive the car with the use of a sway control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkewkvU8Ot8 This link to a You Tube video will give very good set up instructions. The mechanical geometry is still the same and it doesn't matter who the product manufacturer is. Anytime you add any appreciable amount of weight to a vehicle it has to be transferred to both front and rear axles. Adding only to the rear is unsafe. Adding only to the rear causes the front axle to become lighter and decreases steering control. UNSAFE Have fun Arnie

[APT]

ziffell wrote:
The term "Equalizer" is just what it means. It is supposed to divide the hitch weight between three axles. If you had a hitch weight of 500 lbs. it would transfer 150 lbs. to the rear axle of the tow vehicle, 100 lbs. to the front axle and 250 lbs. to the trailer axles.

No. Equal-i-zer is a brand of a specific weight distributing hitch. Many people call all WDHs euqalizers or euqalizing hitches. At an RV forum if someone needs specific help, the differences on how to adjust become important. Promote the correct industry terms.

And with 500 pounds of TW, 0 goes to the front, 400 to the rear axle and 100 to the TT. Or if you think of how much weight the WDH distributes with 500 TW, about 200 pounds is taken off the rear axle, 100 pounds added to the front axle and 100 pounds added to the TT axles.

[ziffell]

The term "Equalizer" is just what it means. It is supposed to divide the hitch weight between three axles. If you had a hitch weight of 500 lbs. it would transfer 150 lbs. to the rear axle of the tow vehicle, 100 lbs. to the front axle and 250 lbs. to the trailer axles. You may have more or less hitch weight, but these #'s give you a working formula. These settings are achieved by adjusting chain hook up length and ball height. Also bars come in different "weights". Heavy or lighter depending on the hitch weight. Have fun. Arnie

[nwbearcat1998]

Thanks so much for everyone's help in helping me what I have here.

I will use the thread shared by Barney:THREAD

AND THIS MANUAL Below to get my hitch setup appropriately and reweigh:

EazLift_Manual

[Ron3rd]

Barney is correct, it's the EazLift type hitch, which is the original WD hitch design from over 40 years ago, and still the most common WD hitch seen on the road today. Works fine if set up properly and should work fine on your size trailer. Check the link posted and you'll be on your way.

[BarneyS]

Looks to me like you have an older EazLift hitch. There is nothing wrong with that and you should be able to use it with your trailer as long as the spring bars are of the correct size to be able to handle the tongue weight.

Take a look at this thread for instructions on setting up your hitch. It will tell you, in detail, exactly how to go about it. Your hitch is not set up correctly as you lost 300lbs off the front axle which was moved to the rear axle. So that weight of 3840# includes the 300 moved from the front axle. You need to adjust your WD (take up more chain links) to move that 300lbs back to the front again. This also means that your tongue weight is probably in the 900lb range.

If this link works correctly, it will lead you to my dropbox folder to get the installation manual for a round bar hitch. It is not an EazLift but the instructions are about the same no matter what the brand.
Round bar installation instructions.
Barney

[APT]

You have something that Drawtite no longer makes exactly. It looks a lot like the Eaz Lift WDH. This is the closest Drawtite but the bars have notches at the ends.

Adjusting should be similar as you can find owners manuals for both as well as Youtube videos to assist. Fewer links under tension and/or hitch head titled farther away from the truck and towards the TT is what it seems you need. Do you have a pipe/cheater bar to snap up the chains?