Equalizer hitch installed on Pacific trailer

[SEA3PO]

At the San Diego gathering I saw Swannys 25' rig...with a equalizing hitch...I diden't even know that could be done.... I once had a travel trailer with one of those hitches and it really made towing so much easier...and safer.

Today I went to our local trailer dealer and they said they will install the adaptor, (it requires a weld) and hook up the spring bars... all for about $200, Such a deal ! My towing will be so much easier with the load equalized...I have a standard 1/2 ton pickup and it always sags when I put the trailer on it, even though it has heavy duty towing package with overloads... my toungue weight is about 350 pounds.

They also are going to install side boards to make loading much easier...

Joel
SEA3PO

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi Joel,
Is your trailer a single or tandem? I have seen the equalizers and have heard that they work well and that sound like a good deal.

I also have a half-ton with a tandem trailer and I had to get a tall hitch to get the trailer level for even weight on the front a rear tires.

Let us know how it works.
Steve

 

[journey on]

Swanny has the same problem everyone does with a 1/2 ton or SUV, the load needs an equalizer hitch. I measured the tongue weight of my 25 and it was 740 lbs, which is a lot for a '63 1/2 ton, even without the camper, trailer spare, and other stuff in the back of the truck.

There are two moral solutions:

1. There is an equalizer hitch that works with surge brakes. It's more expensive than the standard one, but cheaper than method 2.

2. Use a standard equalizer hitch and get electric/hydraulic brakes. For my truck that was the answer. I already had the equalizer hitch, the driveway is at least 8% uphill, and the truck (disk) brakes can use any help they get. The brakes are wonderful, but more expensive then 1. above.

The immoral solution:

Use any equalizer hitch you want. It'll help the towing so much that you will not worry. I did it before they told me it was wrong. Worked well.

Boris

 

[SEA3PO]

My trailer is a Pacific tandem axle trailer....and the equlizer hitch is designed to work with the existing surge brakes.... it kinda looks like a triangle frame that moves with the surge action... the adaptor costs about $150 and it has to be welded to slide portion of the hitch... I had the proper ball mount from my travel trailer...so all I had to buy was the adaptor and the spring bars...

Joel
SEA3PO

 

[Dora~Jean]

Joel,

You'll love the equalizer hitch with the increased stability and eaze of manueverability, also not blinding oncoming traffic is a big plus (and illegal if you do -- don't ask how I know...). Pacific Trailers put the equalizer assembly on when they built the trailer per my request. The one thing they had to change was the surge brake/hitch assembly, it had to be a certain "sliding" type, not the up/down kind.

My tongue weight has crept skyward since bringing home the boat 3 years ago, started out around (I'm guessing) about 650 lbs. Latest measurement it was hitting the high 800's. Caused by raft up front, 30 feet of anchor chain, 320 ft of 1/2" line, windlass, etc, etc. The brakes were beginning to bind. So last month I bit the bullet and dug into the project of moving the tandem axle assy forward, ended up with a 17" forward change, now the tongue weight is 450 lbs w/raft and full fuel tank (as fuel emptys it increases the tongue weight), no water (again, adding water adds tongue weight). So I have a minimum tongue weight of about 6% of total trailering weight (7400 lbs wet). The trip to San Diego proved my rig (Expedition, 4x4) is about right now, brakes smooth as silk, took it to 65 mph downhill, only a slight amount of feedback on forcing a move side to side, but damped out quickly on its own. Every vehicle/trailer combination is different, so can't use my numbers for other rigs unfortunately.

Let us know how it works for you, bet you're gonna love it!

Swanny