cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Equalizer fine tuning...Opinions...

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
Recently had local dealer install my E4 equalizer. Truck is a 2007 GMC 2500HD Classic Crew cab long bed 2wd. Travel trailer is a 2014 Keystone Hideout 27dbs. Per my farmer buddy scale down the street loaded weight is 7,000 pounds and tounge weight with propane tanks full 1,100 pounds.
Dealer installed the Equalizer and today when stopped while on the road I measured my four wheel wells to check heights. Front driver side loaded measured 37.5" and passenger side 38". Rear driver side measured 37" and passenger side measured 37.5"..Seems they are fine as numbers look very close within each other. Also, front of trailer is slightly nose down and the dealer put the hitch "tilted down" slightly per specs as they said.
Well when towing my first 4 hour trip today it was WINDY. I didn't have sway but just seemed wind was pushing us around on highway. Anyway to eliminate this? Not to fun towing in the wind...
13 REPLIES 13

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
thanks or all the help! I will get weighed on sunday, and start a new forum posting my weights to verify

Need-A-Vacation
Explorer
Explorer
GeoBoy,

A third trip across the scales is needed to figure all weights. One with the trailer in tow, wd bars NOT engaged as mentioned in a previous post.

Easiest way is to weigh the whole rig as you pull in from the road, and IF the weigh-master is ok with it and no line behind you, dis-engage the wd bars for a second weighing. Pull of the scales and drop the trailer for a third weigh with the truck only!

Jbres, as GeoBoy mentioned, if possible, weigh with a full tank of gas to verify all weights.

Maybe start a new thread when you have the weights.
Bubba J- '13 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT CCSB 4x4 6.0

'16 Jay Flight 32 BHDS ELITE 32 BHDS Mods Reese DC HP

WDH Set Up. How a WDH Works. CAT Scale How To.

GeoBoy
Explorer
Explorer
Weigh your truck with a full tank of fuel and the passengers that will ride with you when towing, but without the trailer. Then hook up to the trailer, engage the WD, have the trailer loaded for an average trip and weigh the complete setup. You should get the front axle, rear axle and the trailer axle weights which will also give you the total weight of your rig.

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
k thanks. Ill get weighed on my way home and hopefully someone can help me check over my numbers to verify my tounge weight is perfect

Need-A-Vacation
Explorer
Explorer
Also weigh a third time with the truck only but leave the hitch in and the bars in the bed of the truck.
Bubba J- '13 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT CCSB 4x4 6.0

'16 Jay Flight 32 BHDS ELITE 32 BHDS Mods Reese DC HP

WDH Set Up. How a WDH Works. CAT Scale How To.

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
huntindog- I will check this out as I will stop at a CAT scale on the way home from this trip at the end of the week. How do I correctly get weighed on CAT scale?
I would assume I pull on with bars attached and put my truck front axle on one part of the scale, rear truck axle on another, and trailer on its own scale. And do this again with bars off...?

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
You may have too much weight on the front wheels.
The GM HDs are different. They have a jounce stop that the lower A arm rests on as part of the suspension. So having the exact measurement loaded and unloaded COULD mean that there is too much weight on it... Two ways to tell for sure. Go to the scales or work it up slowly a washer at a time, measuring as you go.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
Need-a-vsacation-
How do I know I have enough tounge weight with it the way it is? I would guess you know that because my wheel well measurements.??

I am just looking for the smoothest best towing I can get

Need-A-Vacation
Explorer
Explorer
Sound like your in the ballpark measurement wise! Weighing can't hurt to confirm!

Not sure you need any more tw as you have about 15.7% per your posted weights! May even be able to lighten it some, though you should have plenty of truck to not worry about to high of tw!
Bubba J- '13 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT CCSB 4x4 6.0

'16 Jay Flight 32 BHDS ELITE 32 BHDS Mods Reese DC HP

WDH Set Up. How a WDH Works. CAT Scale How To.

jbres
Explorer
Explorer
Need-A-Vacation- I just went out and measured my wheel wells UNHITCHED, front drivers side was 37.5" and passenger side was 38". So hitched and unhitched, front wheels are returned to EXACT heights!
Anything else I need to do? Or does this basically mean its hitched up exactly correct or do I need to get my tounge weight weighed with the Equalizer or to make sure I am still get 10-15% of my overall 7000 pound trailer weight

kknowlton
Explorer II
Explorer II
Wind is going to push anything around, even a truck without a camper, if strong enough. Also, it took us a while to realize that what we were feeling was not sway but "wind wag". You do get used to it, and you also learn your tolerance for driving in wind. We generally don't travel far if sustained winds are over 35 mph, and stay in camp (or home) for sure if they're 40 mph & up.
2020 Toyota Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V8 w/ tow pkg, Equal-i-zer
2020 Lance 2375

Need-A-Vacation
Explorer
Explorer
Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do about the wind pushing you around, except maybe stay home/ at the campground. Otherwise maybe slow down a little???

As for the wheel well measurements, you need the measurements unhooked as well to be able to compare them. It is recommended to return the front end hitched height back to the unhitched height, but not any lower. If front wheel well is 38" unhitched, hitched height shouldn't be any lower.

If you have access to a free scale, measure each truck axle separately unhitched, then reweigh with the trailer hooked up, wd bars unhooked, then weigh again with the wd bars hooked up.
Bubba J- '13 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT CCSB 4x4 6.0

'16 Jay Flight 32 BHDS ELITE 32 BHDS Mods Reese DC HP

WDH Set Up. How a WDH Works. CAT Scale How To.

lbrjet
Explorer
Explorer
My first windy day (2nd day pulling the trailer) was not fun at all. Now after 12000 miles it doesn't bother me a bit. You will get used to a little push here and there.
2010 F250 4X4 5.4L 3.73 LS
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equalizer E4 1200/12000