Who needs the Equalizer Tool to lift bars

[Cecilt]

I raised my L brackets one hole today to apply more weight to my steer axle. I was on level ground. I needed to use the tool to lift the bars onto the L Brackets. I could have gone higher with the jack but i dont want to overstress the electric jack to where it breaks. How many of you need to use the tool and not because you find it easier but out of necessity. My bars were level once on the L brackets and I feel the hitch is dialed in. Just to clarify I don't need the tool due to health or strength issues. Tks

[tomkaren13]

owenssailor wrote:
I put blocking under the foot of the jack to ensure lots of travel if needed. We have never used the tool. The electric jack does the job. The back end of the truck has to come up quite a long way before the bars go on the brackets.

X2. Jack does the work! Extra blocks take the worry out of over extending the jack.

[Drippin]

Cecilt wrote:
Thanks for the replies. Makes me feel better that others crank the jack and continue to lift the truck past its level position and slide the bars on. I just felt uneasy using the jack to raise the tongue and back of truck past its level position.

In order for me to get the amount of weight transfer to the front wheels on the truck I end up with having to lift the rear of the truck quite high to get the tension off of the bars to put them on and off. Take the time to make sure you are putting enough tension on the bars and transferring the weight forward per the Equalizer instructions.

In my case my tongue weight is high, over 1K lbs, so it takes a bit of lift to get the bars off. My Barker 3500 does not complain.

[mileshuff]

I always used my trailers hand crank jack until the bars slipped on. Reverse the process to take them off. Much easier than using the tool. Never much effort.

[Cecilt]

Thanks for the replies. Makes me feel better that others crank the jack and continue to lift the truck past its level position and slide the bars on. I just felt uneasy using the jack to raise the tongue and back of truck past its level postion.

[zenbuck]

I have to use it on one side only when parked at home... I also utilize the electric jack... Use it if you got it! 🙂

[rgolding]

owenssailor wrote:
I put blocking under the foot of the jack to ensure lots of travel if needed. We have never used the tool. The electric jack does the job. The back end of the truck has to come up quite a long way before the bars go on the brackets.

Ditto, use the electric jack and save your back. Super simple and very safe.

[NanciL]

Some times I use the cheater bar, and sometimes I don't.
I jack up the trailer and if it is not high enough, I just use the cheater bar.
Why screw around with jacking it some more when a little persuasion works and saves time!

Jack L

[LarryJM]

camperdave wrote:

wrvond wrote:
The tools are not intended to be used under pressure. They are simply a safety item to keep your hands out of harm's way. If you are having to exert effort to lift the WD/AS bars or chain hooks into position or release them, then you either have too much tension on the bars, or the hitch head is too low.
Remember, too much tension on the WD bars is just as bad (or worse) than not enough. If your bars are rated too high for the job, they will result in a much harsher ride.

Are you saying that with the trailer hitched up and the tongue jack up, that the bars should just slip onto the L brackets? that makes no sense at all. If it required no pressure to lift the bars on, then they would not be doing anything once up there.

I agree and think wrvond is "all wet" so to speak and have no idea where that idea about them not being intended to use under pressure came from:h

Use you electric jack to raise the system enough to slip the bars on by hand.

Larry

[owenssailor]

I put blocking under the foot of the jack to ensure lots of travel if needed. We have never used the tool. The electric jack does the job. The back end of the truck has to come up quite a long way before the bars go on the brackets.

[kknowlton]

We have to use ours at times, especially in the spot we park it at home, since the truck sits unlevel there compared to the camper. Otherwise, almost never need to use it at all.

[camperdave]

wrvond wrote:
The tools are not intended to be used under pressure. They are simply a safety item to keep your hands out of harm's way. If you are having to exert effort to lift the WD/AS bars or chain hooks into position or release them, then you either have too much tension on the bars, or the hitch head is too low.
Remember, too much tension on the WD bars is just as bad (or worse) than not enough. If your bars are rated too high for the job, they will result in a much harsher ride.

Are you saying that with the trailer hitched up and the tongue jack up, that the bars should just slip onto the L brackets? that makes no sense at all. If it required no pressure to lift the bars on, then they would not be doing anything once up there.

[wrvond]

The tools are not intended to be used under pressure. They are simply a safety item to keep your hands out of harm's way. If you are having to exert effort to lift the WD/AS bars or chain hooks into position or release them, then you either have too much tension on the bars, or the hitch head is too low.
Remember, too much tension on the WD bars is just as bad (or worse) than not enough. If your bars are rated too high for the job, they will result in a much harsher ride.

[camperdave]

My electric jack died a few years ago and I never replaced it (just put the original manual cranker back on). I use the Equal-i-zer lift tool every time so I don't have to crank so much. I really should buy a new electric jack I guess.

[Farm_Camp]

The service guy that installed and set up mine showed me how I can use it if needed.

That was the last time it was ever out of the storage bay.

As the others have said I just keep jacking it up till the bars slip on easy. Use a couple of blocks under the foot if you want to cut down some on how much you need to run/crank the jack.