Replacement Bars for an Equalizer Hitch, 14,000 to 10,000 Solution

Question:

Two years ago I posted this question: I have a 2015 F150 Super Crew, and Im towing a 27 foot travel trailer that dry weighs 4700 lbs, I figure total weight loaded for a trip including passengers is 6500ish. In my haste to get camping, I bought the only Equalizer hitch my dealer had in stock, which is rated at 12,000 lbs. Ever since day 1, the trailer has always felt a little... off. Cant say its fighting me any which way, but at times its feels like its pulling me around a little. Ive set and reset the hitch heights, everything there seems well in line. My thought is - if the hitch is expecting double the weight, am I not getting the full advantage of what it can do? And received this response: You are using an Equalizer kit that is rated way to high for your trailer. Its not going to function properly and would be why your towing experience feels off. The lower rated 1,000 lb max bars part # EQ90-01-1099 would be better. It has a tongue weight range of 600 to 1,000 lbs which would be closer to what your trailer has when loaded since its 4,700 lbs dry. These bars will replace what you have and will be all you need to lower the rating of your system. I believe Jameson C was correct, in that I have too much sway control for my rig, and Im not getting into the benefit of the system. Unfortunately when I ordered those bars, they were 1/8inch too small to fit into the sockets of the head that I own 14,000 lb sockets are 1-1/2inch wide, while the 10,000 lb sockets are 1-3/8inch wide, so I ended up returning them and sticking with the over-sized setup. This weekend we drove in winds that had me white-knuckled the whole way, it was easy to see when we were driving by looking at my fitbit heart rate monitor and seeing the high levels, it was that bad. At the same time, my cousin was driving a similar truck, with 3000lbs and 4foot more of trailer, and not having any issues. That experience brought this back into focus for me and I need to find a resolution. Is there a way to make up that 1/8inch gap in the sockets? I see there is an option to purchase only the replacement sockets for the head I have? Essentially putting PN# EQ90-03-1000 into head PN# EQ90-02-1400? Or would I need to purchase the bars PN# EQ90-01-1099 along with the 10,000 lb head PN# EQ90-02-1000 and swap all other parts over, leaving me with an extra head and set of bars? And if I did that, would i also need new retaining clips? Thank you -

asked by: Michael D

Expert Reply:

At one point Equal-i-zer bars could be swapped easily to convert a kit to a higher/lower tongue weight range, but we now know that you have to replace the head of the unit with the bars. So with the bars part # EQ90-01-1099 that you need you will need to swap the head # EQ90-02-1000 in as well.

Also if you are getting persistent sway try moving more weight of the trailer up to the front to increase the tongue weight as that typically is the easiest fix for sway.

expert reply by: Jameson C