Apr-23-2019 07:15 PM
Apr-27-2019 03:48 AM
librty02 wrote:Huntindog wrote:librty02 wrote:I am now on my 3rd EQUALIZER. I have had a 10K, 12K and now a 14K. The first two were without the bracket jackets, as it wasn't around then.SoundGuy wrote:Hondavalk wrote:
Looks like a Bingo to me. From the manual:
"In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise. Lubricating this joint is not recommended."
L bracket sway jackets are the company's response to excessive noise, particularly during low speed turns, and as such acts as a "lubricant". The point is rather moot anyway as the company itself says on it's own website -
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
In other words lubricating the L brackets will have little effect on reducing sway control. I myself for years used a dry film spray lubricant on my own Equal-i-zer, sockets and L brackets, with great results - significant reduction noise, no noticeable reduction of sway control because most of it occurs at the head sockets. :B
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
My take and what the company is telling us is yes most of the hitch head reduces sway but not all...the other is taken up by the L brackets...That jacket is not lubricant...That jacket does reduce the amount of friction sway control as stated above. They also state they do not recommend to lubricate the joint.
So the hitch is noisy to do its job. People complained about the noise. The company then creates this jacket to quiet it down to keep sales up admitting it does lessen the control of sway.
I as an owner will never use the jacket nor lubricate the L brackets as per manufacturers recommendation as that is not the initial way it was engineered in its entirety to control sway...
My present one has them. It IS an improvement. There is no noticeable reduction in sway control.
Many things we take for granted are now different than they were originally designed.
It is called progress. Without it, we would still be driving model Ts
Today's vehicles cost a lot more than that model T because of years of progression in engineering.
Apr-27-2019 03:36 AM
aftermath wrote:All good points.
I am an Equalizer fan and have had two over the last 16 years or so. I lube mine up and use white lithium grease on the head AND on the L brackets. I only put a "small" amount of grease on the head and even less on the L brackets.
As previously pointed out, the main anti sway resistance comes from the head and yet Equalizer says it is OK to grease these surfaces! They say that applying grease to the L brackets "is not recommended." If this was a bad idea, why wouldn't they say "Do NOT grease the L brackets"? I figure adding the pads is not a lot different from putting a skim coat of grease on them.
I am speaking from my experience. My hitch is pretty quiet and has been all of the years I have used it. It always confuses me when people post that they got rid of their Equalizer because they couldn't stand all the noise. You don't have to put up with the noise if you don't want to.
Apr-26-2019 09:39 PM
Apr-26-2019 10:27 AM
Hannibal wrote:
... I’d bet very few people ever check or even know what their socket bolts are torqued to.
Apr-26-2019 09:54 AM
Hannibal wrote:
I’d bet very few people ever check or even know what their socket bolts are torqued to.
Apr-26-2019 05:00 AM
Apr-26-2019 03:13 AM
Huntindog wrote:librty02 wrote:I am now on my 3rd EQUALIZER. I have had a 10K, 12K and now a 14K. The first two were without the bracket jackets, as it wasn't around then.SoundGuy wrote:Hondavalk wrote:
Looks like a Bingo to me. From the manual:
"In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise. Lubricating this joint is not recommended."
L bracket sway jackets are the company's response to excessive noise, particularly during low speed turns, and as such acts as a "lubricant". The point is rather moot anyway as the company itself says on it's own website -
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
In other words lubricating the L brackets will have little effect on reducing sway control. I myself for years used a dry film spray lubricant on my own Equal-i-zer, sockets and L brackets, with great results - significant reduction noise, no noticeable reduction of sway control because most of it occurs at the head sockets. :B
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
My take and what the company is telling us is yes most of the hitch head reduces sway but not all...the other is taken up by the L brackets...That jacket is not lubricant...That jacket does reduce the amount of friction sway control as stated above. They also state they do not recommend to lubricate the joint.
So the hitch is noisy to do its job. People complained about the noise. The company then creates this jacket to quiet it down to keep sales up admitting it does lessen the control of sway.
I as an owner will never use the jacket nor lubricate the L brackets as per manufacturers recommendation as that is not the initial way it was engineered in its entirety to control sway...
My present one has them. It IS an improvement. There is no noticeable reduction in sway control.
Many things we take for granted are now different than they were originally designed.
It is called progress. Without it, we would still be driving model Ts
Apr-26-2019 02:47 AM
SoundGuy wrote:librty02 wrote:
I as an owner will never use the jacket nor lubricate the L brackets as per manufacturers recommendation as that is not the initial way it was engineered in its entirety to control sway...
You're entirely entitled to use your Equal-i-zer as you see fit ... and so is everyone else. 😉 I always chose to use a dry spray lubricant on the L brackets to minimize groaning while not noticeably reducing sway control. :B
Apr-25-2019 04:21 PM
librty02 wrote:
I as an owner will never use the jacket nor lubricate the L brackets as per manufacturers recommendation as that is not the initial way it was engineered in its entirety to control sway...
Apr-25-2019 12:37 PM
librty02 wrote:I am now on my 3rd EQUALIZER. I have had a 10K, 12K and now a 14K. The first two were without the bracket jackets, as it wasn't around then.SoundGuy wrote:Hondavalk wrote:
Looks like a Bingo to me. From the manual:
"In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise. Lubricating this joint is not recommended."
L bracket sway jackets are the company's response to excessive noise, particularly during low speed turns, and as such acts as a "lubricant". The point is rather moot anyway as the company itself says on it's own website -
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
In other words lubricating the L brackets will have little effect on reducing sway control. I myself for years used a dry film spray lubricant on my own Equal-i-zer, sockets and L brackets, with great results - significant reduction noise, no noticeable reduction of sway control because most of it occurs at the head sockets. :B
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
My take and what the company is telling us is yes most of the hitch head reduces sway but not all...the other is taken up by the L brackets...That jacket is not lubricant...That jacket does reduce the amount of friction sway control as stated above. They also state they do not recommend to lubricate the joint.
So the hitch is noisy to do its job. People complained about the noise. The company then creates this jacket to quiet it down to keep sales up admitting it does lessen the control of sway.
I as an owner will never use the jacket nor lubricate the L brackets as per manufacturers recommendation as that is not the initial way it was engineered in its entirety to control sway...
Apr-25-2019 09:10 AM
SoundGuy wrote:Hondavalk wrote:
Looks like a Bingo to me. From the manual:
"In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise. Lubricating this joint is not recommended."
L bracket sway jackets are the company's response to excessive noise, particularly during low speed turns, and as such acts as a "lubricant". The point is rather moot anyway as the company itself says on it's own website -
"Use of the Sway Bracket Jackets does slightly reduce the amount of friction sway control provided by the L-bracket assemblies. However, this reduction is minimal, and in most applications barely noticeable because the majority of the Original Equalizer Hitch’s integrated sway control comes from the rotational friction surfaces of the spring arm sockets in the hitch head. This sway control is not affected at all by the use of the Sway Bracket Jackets. The L-brackets will still provide a certain measure of sway dampening friction."
In other words lubricating the L brackets will have little effect on reducing sway control. I myself for years used a dry film spray lubricant on my own Equal-i-zer, sockets and L brackets, with great results - significant reduction noise, no noticeable reduction of sway control because most of it occurs at the head sockets. :B
Apr-25-2019 08:35 AM
Apr-25-2019 08:11 AM
Hondavalk wrote:
Looks like a Bingo to me. From the manual:
"In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise. Lubricating this joint is not recommended."
Apr-24-2019 06:14 PM