Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System w/ 4-Point Sway Control - 10,000 lbs GTW, 1,000 lbs TW

by: KP06/22/2022

Great hitch system. Easy directions to mount and set up for my truck (F150) and Grand Design Imagine travel trailer. Hook up at camp site is much easier compared to my chain and bar system. New set up handles sway and is very stable when trucks and cars pass.1315947

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I rate this product "good" to alert potential users to an issue I face during installation of this Equal-i-zer hitch.

As I purchased this hitch, a 2 and 15/16" ball with a 1.25" shank stud and its nut were included. That nut requires a special 1 and 7/8" thin walled socket that slips down into a cavity where the shank stud protrudes and the nut screws on. The instructions state that socket is available at Equal-i-zer dealers. Such a socket WAS NOT AVAILABLE at any automotive parts store, car dealership, nor agricultural supply hardware I contacted in the small California town I was in. The nearest Equalizer dealer to me was over 100 miles distant, and I had planned to leave the day I began installation of the hitch. The instructions also state that a shim can be used if a 2 and 15/16" ball with a 1" shank stud and nut are used. That is the ball I already had on my truck and I was fortunate to find a properly sized shim at an agricultural supply hardware that I cut to length and used in my installation. I still needed a large socket and extension to tighten the nut because the nut was deeply recessed in the cavity. The box end wrench I normally used on the nut was of no avail; however, an automotive repair shop had such a socket and loaned it to me to complete the installation of the hitch. IF you are going to undertake the installation of this hitch yourself, then be aware of the need for either the special Equal-i-zer specified socket for the ball included, OR a 1.25" to 1" shim and a deep well socket for the smaller 1" shank stud and nut such as I used. Contact customer service at Equal-i-zer if you have questions in this regard BEFORE you purchase.

Having alerted you to the installation issue I faced, I now rate the product itself as EXCELLENT in performing the job it is intended to do when towing. Once I had the hitch installed, the instructions for making adjustments so it will perform as intended are clear. Along with the hitch I purchased a Sherline trailer tongue scale and that is an accessory I highly recommend.

I was towing a 2-axle car trailer loaded with a vehicle for a total tow load of 5500 lbs.
Using the tongue scale I adjusted my load so 10% was on the tongue. I was towing cross-country from California to Michigan with a 2010 Tacoma 4 x 4 rated with a 6500 lb towing capacity. I towed at 55-60 mph and had one incident that required immediate, heavy braking and the truck and trailer stopped perfectly, as if the trailer had no been there. So keep in mind, my rating of GOOD was to draw your attention to the installation issue I faced. The PEFORMANCE of the hitch was EXCELLENT.

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Victoria B.

10/8/2019

The thin walled socket needed to install the hitch ball is available as a Related Item here at etrailer. Equal-i-zer offers such a socket as part # EQ70-00-4800. We have also found that the Powerbuilt 1-78 Inch Thin Walled Socket, part # ALL643216, works well with the Equal-i-zer system.

Helpful Links

Accessories-and-Parts/Equal-i-zer/EQ70-00-4800.html

Tools/Powerbuilt/ALL643216.html

Wilton M.

9/27/2020

My Equal-i-zer hitch continues to perform as I had wanted and described in my review. It has an unstated safety benefit. I tow long distances without a load on my trailer. I keep the Equal-i-zer hitch fully installed but adjusted so there is only mild tension transferred forward. That keeps the receiver ball housing on the tongue of the trailer constantly pressed against the hitch ball. If for any reason the ball coupling lock should fail or have not been set, the trailer would remain coupled to the truck.

I received this hitch a few short days after placing my order and as soon as it arrived I unpackaged it to admire the contents. Everything was intact and ready to assemble, just as expected. I also ordered the special thin walled socket, which I am glad I did since my mechanic friend that did my torquing didn't have a socket that would work for this hitch ball. I know it is expensive but I wanted everything done right.

I installed the hitch and set it up following the directions in the manual, and everything turned out perfectly. I think from start to finish it took the wife and I less than an hour and a half. Easy, and according to my measurements and a visual everything looked perfect. None of this is rocket science, and the installation is truly easy.

Well, time to try it out, and what great timing, we left Saturday morning in a 40 MPH headwind for 20 miles, and then another 25 miles with the wind quartering at us on a busy highway. This hitch worked flawlessly! I was tickled with the whole ordeal, and today coming back with no wind at all it wasn't much different than the day we had the wind. You know what wind means, right? WINDY IN ND. Yep, we get our share. This hitch served us very well, and I am extremely pleased with my purchase and the ease of installation and set up. I would order it again in a heartbeat.

My tow vehicle:

2018 GMC Sierra 1500 with max trailer tow package. 6.2 L with 8 speed transmission.

My travel trailer:

2016 Jayco Octane SL, weighs in loaded at 6100 lbs with a hitch weight of 910 lbs.517401

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Richard P.

6/4/2019

A whole year has gone by, and Im still extremely satisfied with my equalizer hitch. I hear the squeaks when I make my turns, I know people talk about this hitch being slightly noisy, but every time I hear it I smile. I know its back there, doing its thing, and it does it extremely well. I would buy this hitch again in a New York minute. I am very pleased. Did I say Im VERY pleased? Lol. Its that good.

Just received and put together my Equalizer hitch but not set up or used with our new travel trailer yet. The quality of the parts are amazing. I have used other weight equalizing hitches and have 5th wheel hitch systems. This system is heavy duty and a pleasure to put together. Etrailer did a great job on the website describing, illustrating and proving support to make my decision so easy. Thanks Etrailer. Going to pick up new travel trailer today with new hitch system.562089

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Tony

9/6/2019

I am pulling a 34 foot travel trailer that weighs 7,280lbs. I am very comfortable and feel secure while towing with the equalizer hitch system. There is absolutely no sway even when tractor trailer pass by. I have used other sway control products and systems where I encountered sway and white knuckle rides. I highly recommend the Equalizer 4 point sway control system to anybody thinking about a new or replacing a current system.

by: Phil 09/01/2023

This hitch, after professional adjustment, tamed my trailer sway on our 27’ Coachman Freedom Express and leveled out our F150 as designed!
No white knuckle driving, highly recommend this hitch.
Easy mount and dismount of trailer on hitch and friction bars by following appropriate instructions.1659174

Fantastic piece of gear. Super heavy-duty. Made my truck and trailer ride so much smoother, brought the back end of my 3/4 ton truck back up to level, and completely eliminated the the swaying I would get from time to time with my dump trailer. Instruction manual that came with the kit was very detailed and well-written. One minor complaint: it would be nice if the ball came mounted to the hitch assembly because most of us don’t have a torque wrench that goes to 430 feet pounds. Beyond that, an excellent investment. 774916

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My wife and I installed the Equal-i-zer (10,000/1,000) without too much difficulty. The instructions are written in easy to understand steps. Measuring actual weight distribution was a long and iterative process, but was worth the effort to get a well balanced truck/trailer system. We started by loading our truck with the heavy stuff to closely match a typical camping trip. It took us several iterations of adjusting the bracket position and changing shank angle (changed from 6 washers to 4) to get distribution within specs. We also adjusted the hitch head height position on shank to level trailer. Our primary difficulty was loosening the socket bolts so sockets and spring bars could rotate. Instructions did not specify the 15/16" socket size needed to loosen bolts. We purchased the socket and used a 2' breaking bar which loosened bolts enough so bars could move to break the paint. We then tightened them back to specified >60ft-lb torque and greased as specified. It would be an improvement if manufacturer did this prior to shipping.1614297

by: Kevin05/07/2019

A little noisy but it works awesome and makes towing so much more comfortable. I have a custom trailer that is a little too tongue heavy. This hitch helped me get things leveled out and stable. The etrailer people were very helpful with recommendations for ways to mount the brackets on my trailer frame. No regrets here.639280

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I towed my camper over 250 miles with the equalizer hitch. Set up and install was very easy. Very little to no sway at all with passing semi trucks.570215

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Raymond L.

9/30/2019

Purchased last year year best sway control Ive owned. Easy hook up and disconnected from camper. Highly recommend.

Just bought a new Travel Trailer, had been using a Reese Weight distribution set up with traditional sway bar. This system worked well but had the tractor trailers pushing me around and on windy days I had to reduce highway speeds dramatically. So, I chose to upgrade to the Equalizer for the new TT. I had the Professionals install it since it was raining but the videos and information on etrailer make me confident I could have done it with the correct tools. The Equalizer was fantastic on the 75 mile ride home in the rain with heavy Tractor Trailer traffic. Had little to no sway. Very pleased with my decision. This is a heavy duty system and is easy to hook up.

I ordered by calling etrailer because I had a question about shipping and delivery since I needed the new set up for delivery of my new TT. Lisa was more than helpful answering my questions and getting the hitch to me on time.

I strongly recommend The Equalizer and etrailer for your towing needs.
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Ordered this product for the built in sway control. My last hitch required another device to achieve this, but I didn't care for the additional work when backing up or on wet surfaces.

The order shipped quickly and arrived intact in 2 separate packages. The smaller of the two, contained the hitch shank and main body. It's heavy, so it was expected that the box would have a hole. The other larger package was sealed and intact. All parts were present.

Setup was straightforward, documentation excellent. Particularly the places to annotate measurements. The manual was small but effective. The ball mounting requires a thin walled 1 7/8 socket. I didn't buy this, my RV dealer torqued my setup for nothing.

Very satisfied with this hitch thus far. Will update when I have had a chance to put it through the motion.525174

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The Equalizer Wt Dist W Sway Con And Ball
10k Gtw, 1000 Tw. Was recommended for my application and works great. [Local retailer] in New York did the installation on my New 2017 Starcraft ultra light. The product has a clean look on the trailer. The Equalizer is a great product for tight turns and backing into parking slips. No need to remove sway controls, because its incorporated into the Patented Design. I've used other styles in the past but this is the product for me.
Thanks Etrailer for the on time shipping of the Equalizer.
Did you Equalize your trailer today!! etrailer.com352111

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Product arrived on time and in good condition, I ended up having to purchase another shank with maximum 6" drop. The description I found of the standard shank on your web site stated Maximum drop: 3" from top of hitch receiver opening. I interpreted this to mean the shank at it's lowest setting would allow the top of the ball to be 3-inches from the receiver height. Actually at the lowest adjustment the top of the ball is approximately even with the top of the receiver. Just spent another $116.95 which I was not counting on. The standard shank that comes with the package is non-returnable by itself

Fits: 2" x 2" trailer hitch receivers
Tongue weight: 600 lbs - 1,400 lbs
Overall length: 12"
Maximum rise: 7" from top of hitch receiver opening
Maximum drop: 3" from top of hitch receiver opening
Incremental adjustment: 1-1/4"564621

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I ordered this to pull our camper, it came the very next day. It pulls the camper no problem doing 60mph. You do have to get a special socket for the ball, but asked my local RV dealer if they could tighten it for me and they did. I couldn't be happier with this system! You won't be sorry with this hitch system or the company!434628

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I was quoted it would cost $900 for a local camping shop to put on the weight distribution hitch. I looked into eTrailer and found one much cheaper. It was delivered quickly and with free shipping. Through talking with them via email and watching the instructional video, I easily installed it myself in a couple hours.
The electric jack was also purchased through eTrailer and installed in 20 minutes. 486062

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After studying reviews on weight distribution hitches for months, I chose the Equal-i-zer. This thing is designed and built like a tank! It has made pulling my trailer so much more stress free. The sway is now totally absent, where before, the least bit of wind or uneven road surface put me into a swaying frenzy. It took me a couple of tries to get it set up exactly how I wanted it, but now, I couldn’t be happier with the performance of it. One more thing, forget about sneaking into a campground, these hitches inherently creak and pop quite loudly, and you get some really weird looks at times. I just laugh and smile, knowing it’s doing it’s job back there as designed. If you follow the instructions to a T, you should have no problem setting one up, or have a professional do it for you. You will be very happy with the outcome.1444429

From the first moment I called this was a wonderful experience. William B was the gentleman I got on the phone and he was very helpful and extremely knowledgeable about the product. He helped me order the right size hitch and it arrived in three days. I installed the hitch and while yes it’s noisy as other reviews say it is the best hitch I could’ve purchased. I own a 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 and am pulling a 20’ enclosed V nose trailer. I can do 70 with no problem or any seaway whatsoever. Thanks again Will. 679579

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I towed a 37" Grand Design from Brainerd Mn to Kansas City using my 2008 single cab F-250 without any problems.

Worked great423096

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Anthony

8/21/2018

We still have it and it’s been working great. If I need anything else, I will definitely let you know. I had a very tight timeline and you guys made sure I received it before picking up the new trailer. Thanks again

This is my second Egualizer for a different truck. My original one is over 10 years old and works great on my SUV. Use it on my 28’ Airstream. Wouldn’t tow without it. E trailer is the way to go.1635440

I borrowed a torque wrench to tighten the ball and shank bolts as mine only goes to 250 ft lbs. After tightening the ball onto the hitch, I installed the Equal-i-zer WDS in about an hour by myself. The directions are straight forward and easy to follow.

I did a short 40 mile pull on a fairly windy day afterwards and I am very satisfied with the anti sway ability of this system. Substantially better than the entry level hitch I bought years ago with my first camper. We are now on our fourth camper and having sold our fifth wheel we bought our third pull behind!!! I tried using my old entry level WDS with chains and a friction brake for anti sway and was nervous the entire 8 hour trip because of sway.

The Equal-I-zer WDS has settled my nerves and loosened my grip on the steering wheel! You can find cheaper WDS out there but you will get what you pay for. If you are experiencing a lot of sway with your current set up, it’s time to upgrade to Equal-I-ler!1332378

by: Jim03/29/2023

Easy to install and use. Goof-proof. Significantly better sway control than the previous hitch I had. . . .but nearby big trucks are still noticeable. Glad I bought it.1545913

by: Toni07/10/2022

Took the sway away for the most part. Would be better if you could order it without the drop ball hitch (part that slips into receiver) since I had to get a longer one anyway for my setup.1323936

After many hours of reading reviews and research on this weight distributing hitch I am very impressed with the quality of this hitch and the fact that is American made in the USA. I have a new 34' 2016 Tracer travel trailer which I will be using this hitch with. I have been using a easylift spring bar hitch with the brake pad type sway control. Never was that satisified with it. This equalizer is a very impressive hitch. The staff a e-trailer was very helpful in suggesting and recommending this hitch. I talked to a different sales person on 3 different calls and they all gave me great information. E-trailer has one of the most informative advertising and videos on the internet.They met a price match of another offer with no beating around the bush. I would highly recommend them and plan to use them in the future.Order was shipped on Friday and I received it the following Wednesday.Thank you E-trailer and staff...235462

Ray S.

1/15/2017

I am very pleased with the hitch and its operation. I dont miss the old chain style hook up.This is so much easier to connect to more important is its performance while towing. I highly recommend this hitch.

by: Pegavas01/04/2017

The hitch works great. Distributes load and no sway. I have a Dodge Diesel pretty good weight to balance against 7500# trailer so trailer isn't going to push around anyway. I like ability to back in to spaces not having to drop load from hitch. I use the plastic inserts (which should be included not extra, MHO) and hitch does not make noise. It takes serious focus on instructions to setup hitch. I had to reduce amount of load pushed to front of truck because it caused loss of traction. The torque on fasteners was beyond my tooling capabilities so set hitch, tighten as much as possible then took to Les Schwab who accomplished the finish torques. I would buy it again.329832

Pegavas

1/5/2018

Hitch has functioned flawlessly over the last year. No sway on hiway. Im about to move hitch to new tow vehicle and readjust. The new truck is much lighter than original tow vehicle. The hitch will hopefully provide the stability between lighter tow vehicle and same trailer. We shall see

I have a new 2012 F150 Ford XLT which does NOT pull my trailer as well as my old truck. I was not comfortable with the amount of sway and could not go over 50mph. On Sunday night after returning I purchased the Equal-i-zer. On Thursday it arrived and we literally had to look at the instruction book once. After 30 minutes the installation was completed and no extra parts...

I merged onto the highway to test the equipment. I reached a cruising speed of 70mph and had absolutely NO SWAY. The fact that I now have a piece of mind knowing that the Equal-i-zer is less than that of a life when you are towing without the proper equipment.

Other products may be available but research was extensive before I purchased the Equal-i-zer. The shear strength is visible and the product is very well made. The fasteners are heavy, the hitch is heavy, and the stabilizer bars are heavy. This is a 5 star product and every trailer owner should own the Equal-i-zer.

The best thing about all of this is it was a product that was sold without a gimick and does the job well.

Hat's off to you!!

Scott S.47603

Mark B.

11/24/2013

I have bought a F150 2013. having simular issues do you know the weight of your trailer I have apx. 5500 lb trailer tongue weight about 550 to 600 lbs

Patrick B.

11/27/2013

The 550-600 tongue weight falls into an in-between area with Equal-i-zer weight distribution systems. The 6K system is built for 400-600 pounds tongue weight, and you are at the end of that range so it may not be a good choice particularly if you have any gear in the tow vehicle rear of the axle. Remember any weight behind the axle counts towards your tongue weight. The next step up is the 10K system featured on this page with a recommended tongue weight range of 400-1000 pounds. Now this would work, but it may be a bit overkill. The extra tension of these bars when paired with a 600 pound tongue weight may ride a bit stiff. If you are not particular to the Equal-i-zer systems, you may want to check out the Fastway 8K system, part FA92-00-0800. It may be a bit closer of a match to your trailer.