What do I need ?

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Any help would be appreciated.Here is the setup:2010 Starcraft 336 RESA.  35.5 feet long with an unloaded TW of about 1k lbs according to the Sherline.  GVW of the trailer is 9950 lbs.TV is a 2005 F350 diesel.  Recently replaced the stock receiver with a Curt 2400 lb.Currently I am using an 14/14 Equalizer and have had some issues with bending and breaking of parts.  I figure that loaded and ready to travel the TW is about 13-1400 lbs.  My feeling is that I'm pushing the limits of this hitch.  It performed very well on lighter weight trailers but it does not seem to be able to handle this trailer. Any recommendations would be welcomed.

kzspree320 · Answer

My experience with an Equalizer was good. It sounds like you have the proper hitch/bar combination. I can't venture a guess without more info. So what parts have been bending or breaking??

pnj442 · Answer

Today, after a 3 hr, 180 mile tow one of the adjustable link plates broke and let the spring bar dangle from the hitch head. Thank God I was less that 5 miles from home. If I could figure out how to post a picture .......
Previously the hitch head started to separate (weld broke) from the U-shaped piece that attaches to the shank. I had a shop re-weld it.

jerem0621 · Answer

I prefer the round bar hitches with the tapered bars for this exact reason.... A combination of your stiff suspension plus the extremely ridged straight square tube "spring bar" of the Equal-I-zer can lead to this. I imagine that if you went with a Curt 1400 lb round bar WD hitch and two sway control friction bars you would have a nicer riding hitch (bars that can actually bend being tapered) set up and the sway control with two bars would be about equal with the Equal-I-zer.

Here are the parts I would recommend

Curt 1400 lb round bar WD hitch

Two curt Friction sway controls

Curt 30,000 lb ball (why not?)

Thanks!

Jeremiah

kzspree320 · Answer

Wow! These are not typical like replacing your J pins. My trailer was about 9K lbs with a 10K hitch and 1K bars and did great. I can not imagine why this would have happened unless you have adjusted too much weight on the spring bars.

Here are instructions for adjusting and troubleshooting
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/pdf/EQOwnersManual.pdf
According to the troubleshooting on page 25, the brackets may have been too far back from the ball.

If the brackets are too far, there would be excessive leverage and pressure. I hope this may help. Problems are often in the subtle details of the set up. Good luck.

pnj442 · Answer

Brackets are at 32" as per the instructions and the rest of the setup is as per the instructions.  I'm at a loss.  I will investigate the Curt hitch.  Thanx jerem0621.

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