Tuned in my Equalizer

[Rustycamperpant]

I have noticed that my Expy has been squating more than it used to, so I decided to make an adjustment today.

The stinger has some wear on the top of it we’re it contacts the top inside of the receiver. This play was enough to take some of the spring/friction bar tension off requiring a tweak from me.

Equalizer recommends seven washers as maximum and this is what I had before and my bars are already parallel with the tounge so I did not want to move them. I added an eight washer to tilt the head more and presto, weight transfer is all good now.

That little thickness of one washer makes a BIG difference in the height of the bars at the end three feet out from the ball! Measured fender wells, test drive and all is great again. Can’t wait to tow early in October. Yay!

[demiles]

I’ve put a micrometer on the original washers on my Equalizer and they’re 0.100 +/- a few thousandths. They should provide at least one washer half the thickness with every hitch for fine adjustments. I now use 4 1/2 washers on my Equalizer.

[Huntindog]

Washers can be had in different thicknesses as well. Maybe not at the hardware store, but in my asst. garage hardware they are. I have always used grade 8 or equivalent, though it may not matter.

[hawkeye-08]

I need to go through the adjustments again. My wife and I are traveling lighter nowadays and we both noticed the tow experience is not as nice as it was (still great, just not as good as we both know it can be).

[Blazing_Zippers]

After towing with two of these hitches, we just (today) pulled the trailer with the pads placed on the L brackets. Zinges!! It's quiet. I can't believe the difference going through the neighborhood.
They will slightly change the angle on the bars, but just a smidge.

[Rustycamperpant]

This is really a quick adjustment. Originally I thought the seven washer limit was due to possibly running out of sloted hole space on the top bolt, but eight still fit (and two of the eight are wider than the normal .083")

I am within 1/8" of normal front fenderwell measurement and 1 1/8" of normal back fenderwell measurement. On my test run I didnt even air up the tires like I usually do. I will air up for my next trip and I am expecting a dream tow...

[Hannibal]

No chains on the Equalizer 4 point. I set mine up for ease of hitching and unhitching. With the ball coupled, I raise the tongue with the jack until it just starts to lift the rear of the truck. At that point I can push the bars onto their L brackets by hand if on level ground. Raise the jack and it settles with the front of the truck right around half of the 3/8" rise without the bars.

[ScottG]

Ron3rd wrote:
Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna try that. My setup has been slightly off for a couple years but never enough to get around to re-adjusting everything. I need to put a little more weight on the front end and this might be the ticket. I'm running 7 washers now.

Try tightening it up 1 link on each side. That's the equiv. of half a washer.

[Ron3rd]

Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna try that. My setup has been slightly off for a couple years but never enough to get around to re-adjusting everything. I need to put a little more weight on the front end and this might be the ticket. I'm running 7 washers now.

[ScottG]

In the past it has amazed me how one small adjustment can be the difference between a totally squirely pull and a stable one!
BTW, one washer is worth 2 links.