Online source for Equalizer hitch

[Damdifino]

Does anyone have an opinion on the best online source for an Equalizer hitch? Now that I'm towing with a Land Cruiser, my Andersen just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle.

[opnspaces]

As Ron3rd says install the ball and use one of the weight bars to swing the sockets. Make sure that the top of the sockets don't contact the bottom of the ball shank.

Also remember you can put the hitch in sideways with the nut pointing to the side when tightening or loosening. This will allow you to use your body weight to assist in moving the nut.

[Ron3rd]

Damdifino wrote:

Ron3rd wrote:

One suggestion is to download the instructions and look at the procedure for installing the ball. You'll need to line up a big socket to do the task. If I recall, it's something like 1-7/8". I had a buddy with a shop that had one as the socket alone is about 60 bucks and normally 3/4" drive. Torque is about 300 lbs requiring a big torque wrench. Look into this so you don't have any surprises.

Good point. I can't understand why these companies don't offer to install the ball for twenty bucks or so. Free money.

I checked my instructions when I got home from work and it is indeed an 1-7/8" socket to install the ball and torque is 430 ft lbs. One thing to note is you DO NOT need a thin wall socket as the instructions say, a regular socket is fine. You do need to install the bars in the sockets and rotate the sockets outward to give the socket enough clearance to tighten the nut on the ball. Also make sure you get the correct shank length on the ball or you can have socket interference if the shank is too long. I went with the Equalizer brand ball knowing it would be correct, but any good brand with the proper specs will work.

Just wanted to bring these things up because I was delayed a couple of days trying to get the ball installed.

[Damdifino]

Ron3rd wrote:

One suggestion is to download the instructions and look at the procedure for installing the ball. You'll need to line up a big socket to do the task. If I recall, it's something like 1-7/8". I had a buddy with a shop that had one as the socket alone is about 60 bucks and normally 3/4" drive. Torque is about 300 lbs requiring a big torque wrench. Look into this so you don't have any surprises.

Good point. I can't understand why these companies don't offer to install the ball for twenty bucks or so. Free money.

[MackinawMan]

We bought our original Equalizer brand hitch off an Ebay dealer/seller.

I'm not sure how comfortable you are with online shopping, or Ebay, but I found a seller with a very good selling history, lots of great feedback, etc. The price saved me quite a bit over the local dealers (at least $50 IIRC, and honestly I think it was more than that).

There was a problem with shipping, which obviously wasn't the fault of the seller, (packaging had split open and a bracket was missing), but he wanted to make sure I didn't leave negative feedback so he shipped my the replacement bracket immediately with 2 day shipping, all on his dime.

The hitch worked great for us, until we upgraded TT's and needed a bigger Equalizer (which came in the deal for the Jayco Eagle we now have)

FWIW

[Ron3rd]

Damdifino wrote:
Okay, I picked up a 1200/12000 from rvwholesalers for $469.98. I hope to have it installed and tuned in one month, when I leave on an eight week trip to Utah and Colorado. I'll report back on how it works. Thanks everybody.

One suggestion is to download the instructions and look at the procedure for installing the ball. You'll need to line up a big socket to do the task. If I recall, it's something like 1-7/8". I had a buddy with a shop that had one as the socket alone is about 60 bucks and normally 3/4" drive. Torque is about 300 lbs requiring a big torque wrench. Look into this so you don't have any surprises.

[Ron3rd]

Damdifino wrote:
Okay, I picked up a 1200/12000 from rvwholesalers for $469.98. I hope to have it installed and tuned in one month, when I leave on an eight week trip to Utah and Colorado. I'll report back on how it works. Thanks everybody.

That's a good deal if shipping is included.

[Damdifino]

Okay, I picked up a 1200/12000 from rvwholesalers for $469.98. I hope to have it installed and tuned in one month, when I leave on an eight week trip to Utah and Colorado. I'll report back on how it works. Thanks everybody.

[Ron3rd]

Here's the deal I got:

Equalizer 1200 lb

[Ron3rd]

I bought my 12K Equalizer off Amazon. It was just under $400 with free shipping and no tax. Shipping weight is about 80 lbs as I recall. This was about a year ago. I've heard of slightly cheaper deals too.

EDIT: Correction: I paid just under $500 with free shipping.

[Damdifino]

LarryJM wrote:
Something doesn't sound right and you might be looking for a solution to a non issue in reality. Why do you think or say your Anderson just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle. What are all your wts. from the scales for your LC setup ... w/o actual numbers we and you are only WAGGING WILDLY.

Actually, I do have weight tickets. Land Cruiser with driver and full fuel: steer 3140, drive 2180, total 6020 lbs; Arctic Fox empty but wet: tongue 780, axles 5240, total (coincidentally) 6020 lbs. Fox hitched to Cruiser with dead weight on ball: steer 2640, drive 4080, trailer axles 5360 for a GCVW of 12080. With the Anderson hitch set up I get: steer 2880, drive 4020, trailer axles 6900 for a GCVW of 12240 (I assume the difference from earlier GCVW is because it was weighed on different days and the 40 lbs. is a margin of error.) At any rate, I'm well within the Cruiser's GCVWR of 14,500 lbs.

So you can see, the Anderson adds 100 lbs. to the steer, subtracts -140 lbs. from the drive and adds 40 lbs. to the trailer axles. Anderson says to just wrench down on chains until the neoprene cushion looks like a tennis ball, but that removes any dampening effect and gives a very harsh ride.

Now, I've been pulling a fifth wheel for 10 years and decided to down-size. For a year I've towed the Fox with my F-350 and everything worked beautifully with the Andersen, so maybe I'm spoiled. When I acquired the Land Cruiser,however,towing became the proverbial white-knucle experience with the Andersen. The Cruiser has a highly specialized hydraulic suspension called KDSS, which among other things controls roll on normal roads. The coil springs on all four corners are quite soft for the first 2 inches of travel, then get firm. I installed Coilrite airbags on the rear to help mitigate the problem, to little effect. The wheelbase is only 112" so I know that's an issue.

Bottom line, I'm looking for a hitch that's compatible with my combination but I can't spend $2500-3500 for the Hensley, etc.

[bikendan]

RVW! x2

[LarryJM]

Damdifino wrote:
Does anyone have an opinion on the best online source for an Equalizer hitch? Now that I'm towing with a Land Cruiser, my Andersen just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle.

Something doesn't sound right and you might be looking for a solution to a non issue in reality. Why do you think or say your Anderson just can't transfer enough weight to the front axle. What are all your wts. from the scales for your LC setup ... w/o actual numbers we and you are only WAGGING WILDLY.

Larry

[opnspaces]

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[CND_SuperCrew]

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