# Equalizer Hitch



## quicksam (Jul 3, 2007)

Hey Everyone,

We are the proud new owners of a 2007 28rsds and I have a few questions about the hitch. I am pulling it with a 2007 quadcab Dodge with the 5.7 hemi.

I have to put quiet a bit of weight on the wd bars and they seem to be bowed a little. Is it normal for the bars to bow?

My other question is the equalizer hitch makes a lot of noise when turning, and I am wondering if this is also normal? It does a lot of groaning and popping. I know there is a lot of tension on this things.

The truck pulls the trailer fine and stops fine. It just takes a lot of tension on the bars to keep the rear from sagging with the 1500.

By the way it is nice to meet everyone. I have been reading everyone's post for a few weeks now. This is a great site.

Thanks,

Lester


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## FlashG (Jun 23, 2007)

Sounds to me like you are going to need heavier bars. Ok for the bars to bend a little. Should make a little noise. (Mine is old and broken in. Hitch that is!)


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Hi quicksam
















to Outbackers! 

What size bars do you have now?

If you have at least the 1,000 lb bars you should be fine, but if you can upgrade to the 1,200 lb bars, it would probably be even better. It is normal for them to bow when under load, and the sound you hear is the Equalizer at work (unnerving, but the nature of the beast).

Ours gets super noisy too if we don't keep it greased...To lessen the noise, you can grease the L-Brackets (where the bars load onto the frame), and also add grease up inside and under the pivot points (the parts that you place the bars into on the hitch) Basically you want to add grease any place that metal is rubbing on metal. We try to remember to do it before every tow, but just take a tube along if it starts acting up.

You can also get more information at Equalizer's website

Hope this helps!
Enjoy your new 28rsds


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## mellonhead (Jul 20, 2007)

I'm pulling a OB 28KRS with the same 2007 Quadcab Hemi SLT. Havent actually seen the bars on the hitch bowed but the hitch does pop and make noise when turning etc. unless greased. Bought some replacement L pins for the hitch as some sorry Bast*** stole mine and Equalizer sent me some lube along with the pins. I also was pleased with the way the Hemi pulled the unit but added a Roadmaster Active suspension kit to the truck as I had one on a previous truck and liked how it helped with larger loads.

Put my Yamaha Roadstar in the front and I'm ready to run from any hurricane that heads our way.

Mellonhead


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## quicksam (Jul 3, 2007)

Thanks for all the help.

My bars are 1000lb weight. I believe from some of the research I have done, that I need to lower the L bracket and then add washers to the hitch head. The reason I say this is because my bars are not parallel to the ground and from what I have read they should be.

Also if I add the suspension help or maybe airbags I will not have to add as much tension to the bars.

Is everyone buying the special lubricant or are you using some other lubricant or grease that you can buy locally?

Thanks


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

The noise is normal. But you can cut it down quite a bit by greasing all the "metal-to-metal" surfaces on the hitch head and at the L-brackets (bottom and inside surfaces). I use the Bracket Jackets, also, and they quiet the hitch down, as well. But I'm not sure if they are offered any more, because I don't find them on Equalizer's web site any longer. I ordered a bottle of Equalizer's lube when I ordered the hitch, bracket jackets, and spare pin package, but any good grease should work fine.

As far as tweaking your hitch is concerned - adding one spacer in the hitch head is to equal moving the L-brackets up one hole. When you are unhitched, your bars should be angled down, away from the hitch head. When hitched up, the bars will only be as parallel to the ground as the L-bracket height allows.

I have six spacers in the hitch head, the L-brackets are in the 4th hole from the top, and I have the 1200# bars. After you are hitched up, is your trailer frame parallel to the ground? It should be as close as possible to parallel. This adjustment is made by raising/lowering the head on the shank. If, like me, you cannot get the trailer perfectly parallel to the ground (mine is 1/2" high in one hole and 1/2" low in the next), then settle on being a bit "tongue low." My bars are not bowed too much at all.

But adding to the rear suspension of your TV does not distribute weight to the front axles of your TV and a bit to the trailer axles, which is what the Equalizer should do. As in the instructions, measure the distance from the ground to the top of your wheel wells (front and rear) before hitching, and then after. Ideally, both should squat equally, but up to 1" difference in squat is acceptable.

If, after tweaking, you still cannot get things adjusted properly, you may consider going to the 1200# bars. You trailer is approximately the same weight as mine, but your (dry) tongue weight is about 50# heavier than mine, so the 1000# bars may not be able to do the job. Just follow the installation instructions to the letter, and you should be able to either correct your problem or discover that you need the heavier bars.

BTW - I must lift my trailer tongue and the rear of my TV WAY up to get the bars on and off, which is normal (so I've been told). The Atwood 3500 electric tongue jack works great for this task and I'm sure glad I don't have to do all that cranking each time. (That's why we moved up from a pop-up - to get away from all that cranking up and down!)

Hope this provides some insight. Just realize that everyone's TV and trailer combination is different, so what works for me may not necessarily be your solution. But the general principles are the same.

Mike


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## quicksam (Jul 3, 2007)

Scoutr2 said:


> The noise is normal. But you can cut it down quite a bit by greasing all the "metal-to-metal" surfaces on the hitch head and at the L-brackets (bottom and inside surfaces). I use the Bracket Jackets, also, and they quiet the hitch down, as well. But I'm not sure if they are offered any more, because I don't find them on Equalizer's web site any longer. I ordered a bottle of Equalizer's lube when I ordered the hitch, bracket jackets, and spare pin package, but any good grease should work fine.
> 
> As far as tweaking your hitch is concerned - adding one spacer in the hitch head is to equal moving the L-brackets up one hole. When you are unhitched, your bars should be angled down, away from the hitch head. When hitched up, the bars will only be as parallel to the ground as the L-bracket height allows.
> 
> ...


Thanks


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