Equal-i-zer hitch issues

[RAMwoodworks]

My new to me hybrid TT (F19 Cub by Thor) came with an Equal-I-zer hitch. The previous owner didn't know much about it except it was heavy.

First thing is one of the sockets where the spring arms go into the hitch head is cracked which I will have to get welded since no parts are available. The company even tack welded the washers in place to prevent disassembly. I have no worries about a weld holding up since a proper weld will be as strong or stronger than the original metal.

Second thing is from reading the manual it seems that the spring arms should not be easy to lift over the brackets on the trailer with the full tongue weight on the TV. The couple of times I have hitched and unhitched I can push the bars in place with full weight on the ball. Is that correct?

The Camper is light and barely lowers the rear of SWMBO's Acadia when I drop it on the ball. I'd appreciate any tips on how to get this properly setup. If it matters the hitch is a model 90-00-0600.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/pdf/EQOwnersManual.pdf

[RAMwoodworks]

Again I'll say the customer service at Progress Manufacturing for the Equal-i-zer hitch is fantastic! They sent me two new sockets for the hitch at no cost. I replaced the broken one and followed the instructions to get the adjustments right for my setup.

I now have it set so the front of the TV is at the same height as it is with no trailer and the rear is slightly lower. The adjustment was simple and the ride is much better. Very little bouncing now towing around the neighborhood. As posted by others you should definitely not be able to just slide the spring arms onto the brackets with the full weight of trailer on the ball. I can get them on using either the lifting tool or by using the tongue jack.

Great product!

[bikendan]

RAMwoodworks wrote:
Wow! Progress Manufacturing is awesome!

I sent them a few pictures of my hitch so they could make sure it wasn't abused or improperly installed. They are going to send me replacement parts even though I'm not the original purchaser.

They are now at the top of my list as a company that stands behind their product.

Yep, great customer support and service!
that's one big reason i bought a 4pt. Equal-i-zer.

[RAMwoodworks]

Wow! Progress Manufacturing is awesome!

I sent them a few pictures of my hitch so they could make sure it wasn't abused or improperly installed. They are going to send me replacement parts even though I'm not the original purchaser.

They are now at the top of my list as a company that stands behind their product.

[rexlion]

No way should you be able to set the bars onto the L brackets without help (jacking up the tongue or using the lifting lever). This tells me your hitch head is not set at the correct height and/or angled with the correct number of washers. Best to disassemble, repair or replace parts that need it, and follow instructions for getting proper measurements before reassembling. The previous owner may have had it set right for his tug, but it is not set right for yours.

Without the right amount of pressure between the bars and L brackets, you have little to none anti-sway and weight distribution... might as well leave it off and tow with a plain ball.

[RAMwoodworks]

Just called progress and they asked me to email them some pictures. Thanks for the tip on calling them. It is sadly a rare company nowadays that even has a person answering the phone. Progress gets a plus just for having a person answer the phone. I didn't even get transferred.

[camp-n-family]

I had one of my sleeves crack too. I looked at getting a piece made or having it welded too. I couldn't find square stock with the correct wall thickness and nobody would weld it. Too much liability and it wasn't steel but some sort of cast metal.

I called the manufacturer and they asked for a picture. They then sent me a free replacement and asked me to send the cracked peice back for inspection.

[AZDesertRat]

Follow the installation guides here:
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/Equal-i-zer%20Support/index.php

They are very easy to understand and will get your weight distribution where it needs to be.

Their warranty is lifetime to the original owner but I would think if there are major problems they would do something for you even as a second owner.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/Equal-i-zer%20Support/warranty.php

[Fordy1]

Just discovered that the welds the on upper side of both the sockets on my EAZ-LIFT (pre CAMCO)are broken, not just cracked. The base metal is in tact but the welds have failed (lack of penetration) and the tubes are now out of perpendicularity by an 1/8 of an inch. If you had one weld fail chances are all your welds are suspect and the base metal my now be fatigued. Replace the head, don't fool around with your safety.

[Iraqvet05]

Contact Progressive customer service. They warranty those heads (10 years for the imported E2 hitch and lifetime for the Equalizer, I believe). You will have to send them a picture of of the head and the date code info. They replaced my E2 head after one of the pawls broke off and even paid for return shipping.

[jmtandem]

First thing is one of the sockets where the spring arms go into the hitch head is cracked which I will have to get welded since no parts are available..

This doesn't sound right. Contact Progressive Manufacturing. They have been good about helping customers.

[cbwallace]

For an Equal-I-zer hitch to have proper weight distribution and sway control there needs to be sufficient pressure between the arms and L brackets they rest on. My arms are several inches below my L brackets when my hitch is lowered onto the ball. With my setup, the 900 lbs of tongue weight barely squats my 2500 so I would say you should follow the instructions and videos on Progress Mfg's web site to ensure it is properly adjusted. If you need to add or reduce the number of washers you may need to purchase a new spacer rivet also available on Progress Mfg's web site. As for the cracked socket, some Equal-I-Zer hitches are improperly installed with a ball shank that is too long and on sharp turns will cause the socket to hit the end of the shank. I would try welding as well is other option appear to be purchasing a complete new head.