Equalizer brand Hitch problems

[Whitehawkmn]

When I first purchased our TT the dealer set up our WD hitch, the nose of the camper was obviously lower than the rear. It towed like a dream, even in severe wind. The hitch did moan a little when we would do slow turns. Then I started reading too much and read that the TT should be as level as possible. So I adjusted the hitch height on my WD so that the TT is level and now the camper is really squirly even on a calm day,which makes it really difficult to tow. Should I go back to nose down or try something else? I'm at wits end, ANY help is MUCH appreciated.

[Ron3rd]

Whitehawkmn wrote:
Thank you all for your ideas. And yes I did follow the instructions on setting up the hitch from scratch. But when I do, that's when I get more sway. In the spring I'm going to try a few different things. I may look at going back to what I had and taking out 1 washer to help with the grinding and popping.

Did you take before and after measurements of your wheel wells? This will tell 90% of the story if the hitch is adjusted correctly.

[Ron3rd]

Whitehawkmn wrote:
Thank you all for your ideas. And yes I did follow the instructions on setting up the hitch from scratch. But when I do, that's when I get more sway. In the spring I'm going to try a few different things. I may look at going back to what I had and taking out 1 washer to help with the grinding and popping.

Be aware that if you take out a washer you will reduce tilt in the head and remove weight from the front end. Usually not good. The popping and grinding is normal as the EQ is probably the noisiest hitch on the market.

[wmoses]

Whitehawkmn wrote:
I forgot to put that info, sorry. It's a Jayco Whitehawk and I've tried keeping all the heavy things in the front of the TT.

I did not see anywhere in this thread where you mentioned the scale (weighed) weight of the trailer - that is the starting point. Yes, I know that it appeared to tow fine when the nose was down but that does not mean that the weight distribution was correct. Many of us tow with the trailler level and it also tows properly. Get the trailer weighed and assure that there is 12% or slightly more on the tongue then worry about hitch height.

Also, changing the attitude of the trailer does not impact the unsprung tongue load imparted by the trailer on the truck - the trailer weight is what it is and tipping it nose down or up changes nbothing in that regard. That said, once the spring bars are brought into the picture and the trailer is fully hooked up and the spring bars are under tension, there could be a difference in the weight distribution to the truck and trailer axles, between the two scenarios. Your following the instructions from the beginning was a good thing.

As for the noise of the Equal-i-zer - that is a "feature" which can be mitigated by putting a little bit of lithium grease at the 2 head friction surfaces, i.e. where the spring bar sockets contact the hitch head. Yes it does theoretically reduce the friction effect but the change on a properly adjusted setup, with a trailer having the 12% hitch weight, is imperceptible and the performance is essentially unchanged. This I know from direct experience as that is what I do. AAMOF, the user manual suggests this approach to reduce the noise.

[beemerphile1]

Whitehawkmn wrote:
Thank you all for your ideas. And yes I did follow the instructions on setting up the hitch from scratch. But when I do, that's when I get more sway.

Then you must have not done it right.

Read this;
Weight Distribution (WD) Hitch --- How it Works

Do this;
Travel Trailer Hitch Set-up Procedure

Whitehawkmn wrote:
In the spring I'm going to try a few different things. I may look at going back to what I had and taking out 1 washer to help with the grinding and popping.

Popping and grinding is proof that it is working, that is a good thing.

[opnspaces]

I'm assuming from your post that the trailer is parked until spring. If I was in your shoes the first thing I would do come spring would be to weigh everything. From there you will hopefully have an idea which way to go.

I can't help but wonder if you are just tongue light. If this is true you'll never be able to adjust the sway out of the hitch. A trip to the scales will answer that question.

As far as the popping and groaning, that it the hitch doing it's job. Removing a washer to quiet it down will most likely also remove whatever little bit of sway control you currently have.

[Whitehawkmn]

Thank you all for your ideas. And yes I did follow the instructions on setting up the hitch from scratch. But when I do, that's when I get more sway. In the spring I'm going to try a few different things. I may look at going back to what I had and taking out 1 washer to help with the grinding and popping.

[Ron3rd]

Jay Flight 33RLDS wrote:
I have an Equal-i-zer®'s 4-Point Sway Control system. My dealer did not install mine correctly. They too set the front of my trailer too low causing the Sway control brackets to pivot forward while bending the pins even though the trailer towed decent. I moved everything up one whole, Sway control brackets and the tow Shank. I also use a pair of Sway Bracket Jackets available from their site. The popping and cracking is gone, the Sway control brackets don’t pivot and my pins don’t bend any more. The trailer feels much more stable and not as heavy, dramatic improvement. I used the installation instructions, also on their site, as my guide so I didn’t get about of their specs.

Good advice. For best sway control, you want the bars to sit flat on the L-Brackets, meaning they are parallel to the flat surface on the L-Brackets, and not angling up or down relative to this surface.

[Jay_Flight_33RL]

I have an Equal-i-zer®'s 4-Point Sway Control system. My dealer did not install mine correctly. They too set the front of my trailer too low causing the Sway control brackets to pivot forward while bending the pins even though the trailer towed decent. I moved everything up one whole, Sway control brackets and the tow Shank. I also use a pair of Sway Bracket Jackets available from their site. The popping and cracking is gone, the Sway control brackets don’t pivot and my pins don’t bend any more. The trailer feels much more stable and not as heavy, dramatic improvement. I used the installation instructions, also on their site, as my guide so I didn’t get about of their specs.

[Ron3rd]

Slightly nose-down is fine (to a degree). Sounds like when you readjusted, you did not change the tilt on the head meaning you took pressure (friction sway control) off the bars at the L-Brackets on the frame. Read the manual and get your settings right and you'll be fine. My guess is you need more tilt, or just put it back where it was.

[GaryWT]

I believe the trailer should be slightly nose down so you might want to go back, why mess with what works. Everything I have read says that. If you want to be level, as others said, check tongue weight and see if washer changes are needed as well as the L brackets might need to be adjusted.

[opnspaces]

As Rexlion stated you need to make multiple changes when you change the ride height. I'll bet that you need to add another washer to tilt the hitch head back a bit further.

But really you should download the instructions and start from scratch, it really doesn't take that long.

[coolmom42]

Put it back the way it was.

[rexlion]

The Equal-i-zer comes with detailed instructions, and following them should yield a level (or very nearly level) rig. You need to go back to square one on those instructions, do your measurements on level ground, and reassemble. Simply changing one factor causes changes in other factors.

[K_Charles]

After you level the TT you need to adj the hitch. The bars need to transfer weight off the hitch to the front of the TT or back to the trailer. Read how to adj the hitch, there is a sticky on here some place.