Equalizer hitch

SEA3PO · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject: Equalizer hitch

I just got my trailer back from the trailer repair yard....I had side boards installed and a Eualizer hitch.... I had watched Swanny tow back from San Diego with his 25' using a equalizer hitch and he did great...
When they hooked up the hitch to my truck it lifted the back of the truck about 2"...moving the load much closer to the front end.... making the trailer parrel to the truck....and I really notice that on the road.....it tows flat, and handles much better.... it handled fine before, but this is nicer...
It was kinda expensive....roughly about $600 including the receiver and the spring bars.... but I tow lots so it will be worthwhile. (I think)

Joel

flapbreaker · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:52 pm Post subject:

What does this do to the tongue weight. I know it can be dangerous to have too light of a tongue weight.

Minnow · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:54 pm Post subject:

I would assume that you have surge brakes. Do you notice any difference in the brake action? Are yours the type of spring arms hung from chains, or shackels?

SEA3PO · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:57 pm Post subject:

I don't know for sure, but I think that does away with worrying about tongue weight.....since all the weight is equalized between the front wheels and the rear wheels of the truck.... it kinda makes the trailer part of the truck....it no longer sags between the trailer and truck....but is level...and stays level....trust me it is really nice towing.

After seeing how it is done, I am sure I could have done it myself much cheeper.

Joel

Adeline · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject:

SEA3PO · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject:

Yes I will try to post a picture.....and yes I have surge brakes...the brakes are Atwood (that came with my Pacific trailer) the spring arms have chains... the only difference that I see from my old camping trailer days is that the chains are longer....maybe 11 or 12 links...(that would allow more brake actuatior travel)
I haven't towed far enough to notice any braking difference.... hopefully it won't affect it.... it shows the exact set-up in the draw-tite catalog... Equalizer also has a set-up for boats.

Joel

Dora~Jean · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject:

I posted a couple of pictures of my equalizer hitch assy under the Tech Library section here http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=TrailersandTowing&id=EqualizerAssy_Front&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

I borrowed the equalizer bars from my camping trailer, 750 lbs rated. Work great. The brake actuator MUST BE a sliding type, not up/down. I believe Pacific Trailers put on an Atwood brand.

Yes, proper tongue weight is still important and essential even with an equalizer hitch. The weight/balance on the trailer is still necessary to prevent swaying and control problems, the equalizer simply shifts weight forward on the tow vehicle for better handling (much better) and NO headlight shift.

I once read about the inventor of the device, he rigged an Oldmobile Toronado (front wheel drive) with it and an 18 ft camping trailer (I think that was the length), then REMOVED the rear wheels completely and towed the rig across country stopping in all major cities of course for advertisement! People's jars would drop when they saw this car towing a trailer and no rear wheels! Would have loved to see it first hand. There are pictures on the web somewhere of this rig.

Steve

Adeline · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the pictures!

Patrout · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:14 pm Post subject:

Maybe you can give me some advice about my set-up. I have a single axle trailer to tow the 22 footer. The tongue weight doesn't seem to make the end of the 1/2 ton pickup sag much, but when I tow over bumpy roads (and that's about all we have up here,) the back end of the truck bobs up and down a lot.

I've towed travel trailers with equalizers and two axle trailers with tractors on them before and not noticed this kind of bobbing.

Could it just be that the boat is sitting too far forward on this rig?
Do you think I need to bite the bullet and maybe get an equalizer put on our rig?
The trailer has no brakes.
Thanks,
Pat

lloyds · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject:

Doesn't sound like you have the necessary 10% to 15% tongue weight. Either the boat is too far back, or the axle needs to be adjusted a bit. Or if that is alright, then maybe you need some airbags on the rear end.

SEA3PO · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:19 pm Post subject:

I added pictures just after Steve's Dora~Jean pictures in the Tech section..."Trailers and Brakes"
I think I like his hitch (Pacific) better than mine... mine is a Draw-Tite brand...and will work with the Atwood hitch (swings up) ....probably about the same amount of $$$....Equal-i-zer is another brand (looks like mine) but I like the looks of Steves.... I like that roller so the whole unit moves back and forth....mine uses the length of chain to compensate for movement.... but seems to work fine.

flapbreaker · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:43 pm Post subject:

It quite possibly is a tongue weight issue. If you have towed heavier trailers without bouncing then I doubt the c-dory is putting much load on the leafsprings. However if it is due to a soft suspension you might seriously consider looking into these http://www.activesuspension.com/ I put them on my truck due to soft suspension and the bouncing (even thought the tounge weight was 550lbs) and there is virtually no bouncing. The other benefit is they don't adversly effect the ride of the truck when not towing like airbags can. In fact the ride without the boat was also improved, especially when cornering (no body roll). Anyway it might be an option. Plus they only cost around 200 clams.

SEA3PO · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject:

If his trailer is anything like mine...the wheels were installed in the wrong place..... what happened was the boat was delivered to the trailer place (Pacific) without any fuel/water/engines or equipment....so when they installed the wheels on the trailer they were fine as is...but once the dealer added two engines and I got a full tank of fuel it now was way too heavy in the stern and I did not have any tongue weight..... I had to relocate the wheels back to balance the load and adjust the tongue weight....I think it ended up being something like 350 pounds.....and the trailer towed just fine... now that I added the equalizer hitch it now tows really flat and much more weight is transferred to the front wheels of the truck....ideal !

Joel

Patrout · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject:

Lloyds, Flapbreaker and SEA3PO
OK, now I have some things to go on.
First: it could be that the wheels were put in the wrong place. The boat was one of a number of classics sold in Juneau in the early 80's. There isn't a whole lot of road to travel in the Juneau area. The previous owners may have never pulled the boat far enough to either experience the bobbing up and down or they weren't worried because the haul was so short. In the 80's the engines were the smaller and lighter 2-strokes, now, with the four stroke main and kicker, there is quite a bit more weight back there.
Second: if the tongue weight is too heavy and moving the wheels won't help, I can try the helper springs that Flapbreaker mentioned. I checked them out. Thanks... they look like good units.

By the way, SEA3PO, my first wife and I honeymooned in the Chester area in the mid-60's. We visited Bumpass Hell, Lake Almanor and even drove up a goat track to a little wet spot called Juniper Lake. Did they ever pave the trail up there? I recall that is was really pretty even though it had a lot of cabins around it.
Pat

Dora~Jean · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:56 am Post subject:

Pat,

Like Joel says, check your tongue weight first, should be about 350 lbs give or take. That MUST be right before anything else. You can weigh it with a 4-5 ft beam and a bathroom scale and some simple calculations if you don't want to drive to a recycle center or other place that has a large scale. You can adjust by either moving the bow roller assy fore/aft to move the boat in relation to the trailer, or the tougher job of moving the axle. I'd weigh it worse case -- full fuel tanks, full water (if aft of axle position), and anything else that adds stern weight. Then if you later add your cruising gear for a weekend and an ice chest, all forward in the boat, your tongue weight will increase and improve handling.

The bobbing after a bump is also accentuated by the single axle trailer, a double axle is much more stable. Maybe not only look into beefer spring suspension adders, but high performance shocks at least on the rear, both should help. Equalizer hitch will also improve this motion immensely.

Good luck and good question,
Steve