# How Do You Deal W/ Heavy Hitches



## Mike2 (Jul 14, 2006)

Hello,

I was wondering how people are handling the weight of the hitch when setting up for towing and/or arriving at the campgrounds. We have a 1200 Equalizer hitch and that thing weights a ton. On every trip, I figure we are going to have to move it at least 3 times between the trailer and the back of the truck after we drop the trailer in storage. Unless I can come up with a better way to deal with this monster, I may have to prepare myself for another hernia repair.

Any tips?

Mike


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mike2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was wondering how people are handling the weight of the hitch when setting up for towing and/or arriving at the campgrounds. We have a 1200 Equalizer hitch and that thing weights a ton. On every trip, I figure we are going to have to move it at least 3 times between the trailer and the back of the truck after we drop the trailer in storage. Unless I can come up with a better way to deal with this monster, I may have to prepare myself for another hernia repair.
> 
> ...


1) Back up as close as possible to the location you want to store it
2) While camping, just back the TV up to a location that will prevent others from walking behind the TV. Then leave the hitch attached.
3) Really really really really really tight underwear?


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Or you could just leave it on and just cover the hitch with something so no one walks into it

Don


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## outback21 (Jun 17, 2006)

More excercise, including weightlifting??


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

I know nothing of the equalizer set up and I have the dual cam. I welded on the bottom of the hitch a piece of steel to create a loop. At the campground I remove the hitch and put it on a milk crate ( keeps it cleaner and higher off the ground for picking up) Then I use a cable bicycle lock thru the loop and around the frame of the trailer to lock up. This will not work at a storage lot ,I know.

John


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## Highlander96 (Mar 1, 2005)

Compression Shorts and 12 oz. curls..........









I usually leave mine on and cover it or throw it in the bed.

If you think the 1200 lb. bars are heavy....Try installing a new Putnam by yourself









Happy Outbacking!

Tim


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

I usually deal with it with a couple of Motrin and an ice pack in the lower back!


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

It's only about 75 pounds or so. I just take mine out and put it in the front storage compartment. It might not be a good idea to leave such an expensive and NEEDED piece in the stareg compartment at a storage facility. It would really be the pitts to get there and find it missing just as you were getting ready for a trip.


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## biga (Apr 17, 2006)

Your supposed to take them off?
















I put one of the locking pins in the hitch when not towing and leave it on the truck. You'll only bang your shins a few times before you learn to walk wide around the truck.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

biga said:


> Your supposed to take them off?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Its the people who walk around your truck especially in the dark that get hurt. I have hit my legs on a hitch (in someone elses truck ) while walking around my vehicle in a shopping center in the dark.


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

tdvffjohn said:


> Your supposed to take them off?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Its the people who walk around your truck especially in the dark that get hurt. I have hit my legs on a hitch (in someone elses truck ) while walking around my vehicle in a shopping center in the dark.








[/quote]
Yeah, and back into another car in a parking lot with that sucker on and you'll be paying through the nose for the damage you do.


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## willie226 (Apr 4, 2006)

Mike2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was wondering how people are handling the weight of the hitch when setting up for towing and/or arriving at the campgrounds. We have a 1200 Equalizer hitch and that thing weights a ton. On every trip, I figure we are going to have to move it at least 3 times between the trailer and the back of the truck after we drop the trailer in storage. Unless I can come up with a better way to deal with this monster, I may have to prepare myself for another hernia repair.
> 
> ...


 Mike
I store mine next in the slot where the second battery goes,(I only have 1 battery) under the propane cover 
it's fit there very nice there and is out of site hope this helps 
Good Luck
Willie


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

I take mine off (depending upon where we are camping) and put it in the "garage" in the front of the TT.

Mark


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

I keep my camper in the back yard at the house and it is parked right next to the shed so it is a very short carry for me. At the campsite I will put it in the front storage compartment or if we aren't planning on leaving the campground just back the truck up so I don't walk into it.

The only idea I would have for you is when you park the camper at the storage site, you could put a large plastic bag on the floor of the camper and place the hitch inside of the unit. It would be protected from the weather and theft. And you wouldn't have to worry about storing it at the house or forgetting to bring it when you go for the camper.

Gary


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

Some keep them attached with a receiver/pin lock. I don't like leaving it on while camping. It's the other people that forget it's there. I'd hate for the wrong guy to hit his shin if we're parked out in town. I remove my hitch and place it the back of the SUV with the w/d bars. I know this doesn't answer the weight problem but its what I do. Perhaps a 5th wheel set up would serve you better.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

The WD bars arent really that heavy, and I drop them in a 5 gal bucket at the front of the camper. I just put a vinyl ball cover on the hitch head and leave it locked in the receiver.

When unloading at home I take the bars/bucket in the garage first (kinda heavy, but not hernia material), then the hitch head.


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## MaeJae (May 12, 2005)

When home one of our sons will remove the hitch and put it 
away in the garage.

When camping we just leave it locked on. I put a plastic grocery bag
on it and tie it. (BestBuy yellow bags work great, or any yellow bag)
People see that. I have been stopped at the store
with people telling me I have a grocery bag stuck to my truck.








Iâ€™m not as worried about someone running into the
hitch as I am about them getting grease all over!!!








I take the bars off and put them in the front storage compartment
while camping.

I have back-up censors on my TV so every time I put it in 
reverse the â€œbuzzerâ€ goes off. So I really canâ€™t forget it is 
on there.

MaeJae


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

We leave ours on while camping, no injuries yet... When home, we store it in the garage. My Equalizer will not fit in the pass through storage of our TT...


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## gkaasmith (Aug 2, 2005)

We've had ours locked on for a year now. Never take it off unless we use Dad's truck for pulling the OB. Never had any problems so far. KOW.


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## NobleEagle (Jul 8, 2006)

I added a mod to the mod section that may help you. I also have it on one of my personal sites with other mods...you can see them HERE

Or check out the Ball Hitch Carrying System HERE


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Mine's locked with a pin key, and I kinda like it being on there, myself. I guarantee you.......people that decide to ride your butt on the highway?? They back off when they see that thing!!








Darlene


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

This is too funny! All this time I thought I looked like an idiot by tying a bag around my greasy hitch


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## Mike2 (Jul 14, 2006)

Thanks everyone.

It looks like tight underwear might do the trick.

I thought of leaving the equalizer attached but this thing is huge and the friction arms aren't that easy to swing around yet. This is not a tiny hitch. It weights over 100 lbs. http://www.equalizerhitch.com/productinfo/

I am going to experiment a bit more next time to see if I can swing the arms around and leave it attached to the TV.

Mike


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## kbrazielTx (Apr 29, 2004)

It is heavy and someday I will have to upgrade to a 5er so I wont have to carry a hitch at all.







For now when not camping I stow it in the garage close to the rear of the Burb. When camping I move the hitch to the receiver I have welded on the rear of the Outback. This works well but I do have to carry the hitch about 30'.









Soon my 14 year old son will have the duty. Problem is kids are an expensive mod.


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## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

Just a note to those that never remove them from their truck.
I have seen those things rust in place to the point that we were unable to pull it out with a tractor.
Even if you don't remove it, pull the pin and slide it back and forth once in a while. Just to make sure it doesn't freeze up in the receiver.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mine stays in while camping and I take it out at home (garage won't close with the hitch on)


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

Insomniak said:


> This is too funny! All this time I thought I looked like an idiot by tying a bag around my greasy hitch


I tried putting an old bag on mine but I couldn't stand the screaming (in German) from my mother-in-law as I drove down the highway.


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

DH puts ours on and takes it off. Saves wear aon tear on me.


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

Moosegut said:


> This is too funny! All this time I thought I looked like an idiot by tying a bag around my greasy hitch


I tried putting an old bag on mine but I couldn't stand the screaming (in German) from my mother-in-law as I drove down the highway.








[/quote]

That's very funny. I can picture it now.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Moosegut said:


> This is too funny! All this time I thought I looked like an idiot by tying a bag around my greasy hitch


I tried putting an old bag on mine but I couldn't stand the screaming (in German) from my mother-in-law as I drove down the highway.








[/quote]
LMAO Moosegut!


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Katrina said:


> Just a note to those that never remove them from their truck.
> I have seen those things rust in place to the point that we were unable to pull it out with a tractor.
> Even if you don't remove it, pull the pun and slide it back and forth once in a while. Just to make sure it doesn't freeze up in the receiver.


Thanks for the advice, Jim!
My dad used to keep his in a shotgun shell wooden box. Just the right size, and the wood was strong enough to hold it, and didn't matter if it got greasy! I just put a ball cover over mine and keep it on. I keep it lubed, though.
Darlene


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I keep mine on all the time. A locking pin, and a couple of paper towels to wipe the grease off and I'm good to go. As far as walking into it, I have found that most people only do that once, and after that it is a non issue.

A side benefit I have found, is that after being rearended by an underage driver when the truck was a month old (no hitch yet), leaving it in place now provides an added incentive for the cars behind me to keep there distance. I only wish it had been in place when the little twit hit me!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## MaeJae (May 12, 2005)

Moosegut said:


> tried putting an old bag on mine but I couldn't stand the screaming (in German) from my mother-in-law as I drove down the highway.


I haven't tried that yet!







...See ... Outbackers always come up with the best solutions
for any situation!!!

MaeJae


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Katrina said:


> Just a note to those that never remove them from their truck.
> I have seen those things rust in place to the point that we were unable to pull it out with a tractor.
> Even if you don't remove it, pull the pun and slide it back and forth once in a while. Just to make sure it doesn't freeze up in the receiver.


Very good point there Jim

Don


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