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The Equal-i-zer has a reputation as strong as its American-made steel. We love this hitch's solid build quality and that it helps to proactively stop trailer sway instead of just dampening it after it starts. Ball and shank included.
Features:
Specs:
| Included w/ System | Required - Sold Separately | Optional Add-Ons |
|---|---|---|
90-00-1200 Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution Hitch
| n/a |
|
Pro Tip: Before you invest in a weight distribution hitch, make sure your cargo is evenly loaded in your trailer to keep the weight balanced. If you still have a hard time even after balancing your tongue weight, a weight distribution hitch should help.
Does it seem like no matter where you go, you meet someone who owns - and has vouched for - the Equal-i-zer weight distribution system? There's one really good reason for this: the Equal-i-zer's build quality is second to none. Many companies have tried to imitate it, and they just can't. Sure, they might preempt trailer sway just as the Equal-i-zer does. But for over 75 years, using American-made steel, the Equal-i-zer's unique design has kept haulers from white knuckling the steering wheel.
Let's talk about how it does that. Essentially, this system is built to hold your trailer in place both at the connection point and along the trailer's frame. Inside the system head, the trunnions are tightly pinched in place to create resistance. Because the trunnions are held in so tightly in the head, with the help of some torqued socket bolts, once the spring bars are installed, they won't be able to move side to side without a ton of resistance. At the other end of the bars, frame-mounted L-brackets provide a rigid surface that also helps prevent any unwanted movement. Just like the tension in the head, these brackets help hold your trailer in place. All of this tension throughout the system helps to create a rigid steel-on-steel setup that keeps your trailer in line and your ride level.
If a particularly strong wind gust crosses your path and your trailer starts to get off track despite the Equal-i-zer's firm hold, the steel-on-steel friction of the bars on their brackets will stop the bars from moving, and ultimately dampen any remaining trailer sway. Between the 2 friction points inside the system head and the 2 that you get at the L-brackets, the Equal-i-zer creates up to 3 times more side-to-side resistance than other weight distribution systems, or the equivalent of adding 8 friction sway bars. And because you won't need any of those add-on sway bars, you'll actually be able to use this system when towing in the rain or over gravel roads, and you can back up without having to disconnect a thing!
Because the steel-on-steel friction between the bars and brackets is noisy, don't be alarmed if you hear a lot of banging, creaking, and grinding. It's just the system working to correct sway in much the same way that locomotives keep multi-ton railcars from swaying. If the noise becomes too much of an issue for you, there are a few things you can do to address it. You could get some of Equal-i-zer's replaceable nylon sway bracket jackets (EQ95-01-5150). Or you could lubricate any friction points with their high-performance lubricant (EQ91-00-4250). But keep in mind that cutting down on noise isn't the only thing this will do. These quick fixes will limit the system's ability to prevent sway, too.
If you're determined to have a rock-solid towing setup without making any compromises, and you have to have an an American-made weight distribution hitch, and noise is kind of a deal-breaker for you, you may want to spring for the B&W Continuum or the Blue Ox SwayPro instead.
Once you've got the hitch ball torqued down, you'll have to adjust the tilt of the head to ensure proper leverage. To do this, simply slide washers onto the spacer rivet and insert it into the head assembly. Once the spacer is in place, tighten the shank bolts to secure the head to the shank. To check if your truck and trailer are level, you'll need to hook up and release your tongue jack. If you find that the rear of your truck is still sagging, add washers to increase leverage. If it looks like too much weight has been taken off your truck's rear axle and is sitting on your front axle, try removing a few washers.
While the washer-stacking method allows you to fine-tune the setup at the time of installation, it's going to require some patience. It can be time consuming because, if you don't get everything right the first time (which, you probably won't), you'll have to take the head unit apart to adjust the washers. You might have to raise or lower the L-brackets too to get the tension just right, and that's a bit of a pain also. Not to mention that you might have to repeat this process if your tongue weight changes or if you swap out your tow vehicle.
Pro Tip: For a step-by-step guide on how to fully install the Equal-i-zer, check out our videos at the top of this page. Our installers even have some advice to offer on measuring your vehicle's squat.
Your tongue weight is the first thing you need to know when figuring out which weight distribution system you need. Most people think that if they get the highest-rated system possible, it'll be smooth sailing. But actually, this will create a rigid ride and a bouncing trailer. On the other hand, if the system isn't strong enough, it won't be able to distribute the weight properly, making it virtually useless.
Once you know your trailer's tongue weight, add it to the weight of the cargo behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle. Then just choose a weight distribution system rated for that combined tongue weight.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (776 Customer Reviews)
The Equal-i-zer has a reputation as strong as its American-made steel. We love this hitch's solid build quality and that it helps to proactively stop trailer sway instead of just dampening it after it starts. Ball and shank included.
I have been using this EQ hitch towing my Bullet crossfire travel trailer with my F-150 for over a year now and it handles great. Tows smooth and without jerking or a rough ride. It took a few times to properly balance it and adjust it properly but what a major improvement from towing without it. I recommend this EQ hitch very much!!
Contacted Kate at for assistance with getting an weight distribution hitch. She was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
Ordered the Equal-I-zer weight dist hitch as a reaplacement for original W/D anti-sway hitch trailer dealer sold me (was getting quite a bit of sway). Relatively easy to install, instructions were very easy to follow, getting a torque wrench (430 ft-lbs) for the ball had been my only concern. Weight distribution was right the first time, truck and trailer sit nice and level. The trailer tracked very well and there was no sway when being passed by large tractor-trailers. Less noise than I expected after reading reviews when researching hitches. Very happy with the hitch and the GREAT service from etrailer. Highly recommend.
Was needing a weight distribution system for towing my 16' toy hauler and with Kats help from etrailer I couldn't be happier with this product. Trailer has a dry hitch weight of 950lb and 1100lb loaded. Set up took me an hour or so, but now I feel comfortable hooking and unhooking. Took it on a 100 mile trip a few weeks back in heavy rain with strong wind gust and handled great! Without it I didn't feel safe going 60mph on calm sunny day.
I purchased this hitch for a 9000lbs travel trailer with a 1001lbs tongue weight.
If your debating between a less expensive round bar and this setup, spend the money. This hitch is by far a better, easier, and safer setup.
I purchased this hitch to replace a Pro-series round bar with a friction sway control bar. The Equal-i-zer's 4 point sway control is big step up from a single point sway control system. The 1st drive felt secure and safe.
Install was easy, but time consuming for a 1st time installer. But worth it in the end.
Here's some pointers. 1. get the right tools, rent or barrow a the torque wrench to do the hitch ball 430ft/lbs, and shank bolts 320ft/lbs. The piece of mind that it's correct is worth it. 2. Plan for the afternoon, not a couple of hours. 1st setup is going to be close but your going to have to adjust it so plan on taking something apart. but setup is relatively easy, esp with the right tools. I had the trailer level the 1st go around to 2.5". So I had to move the head up one hole in the shank and then it was within 1". Distribution setup was still with in a proper setup, so I didn't have to make any further adjustments.
As far as the coupling and uncoupling the hitch. Using the tongue jack to release the tension is easy to do and quick. Esp. with an electric jack. I never liked the round bar with chain setup on my previous hitch.
High quality, easy install and setup, and seems to have great sway control.
I'm completely new to towing and the RV world. I searched high and low for a hitch that would make towing my 29 ft RV the least stressful as possible. I found this one but was still a little nervous about the whole experience.
Once it arrived in so many pieces I did get overwhelmed, but the videos and booklet provided truly helped a complete amateur put it together without issue.
And then once I drove with it, WOW!
I honestly forgot I was towing a 29ft RV at times. I had no issues turning and no issues handling. The weight distribution really did work. I even drove it in torrential downpour and had no issues with sway at all.
I am so impressed with this product and am so happy I found it. A true life saver for a beginner!!
Hitch works perfect. I first used it to pull my 24 ft car hauler with my Yukon XL and it worked flawlessly. I upgraded trucks to a 2500 Duramax and reset the hitch for it and all is perfect still.
Great quiet hitch!
I installed this hitch on my 2007 Toyota Tundra. I use to have the chain style. Big difference when getting next to rigs. This hitch is a much tighter tow. Glad I upgraded.
This hitch setup is worth every penny. Install was not painful and instructions were clear. After setup was finished I took her for a spin and I was amazed at the difference. The ride was smooth and no sway!!!! No more friction sway control for me!! I would recommend this to anyone who is in the market for a WD hitch.
The Staff at etrailer made the purchase simple and very helpful in picking the right tow package product. Installation instructions were sent when the product arrived. Great product n company!
Thank you so much Connie!
I have been hesitant to review this product as I have had several issues with it....not necessarily the product itself, but my use and application. To start out, I should have used a different drop down hitch. The one that came with the unit does not allow the ball to sit low enough for the trailer to sit level once everything is set. Get the right amount of weight transfer and the nose of the trailer sits high which has a negative impact on towing. Less weight transfer for a level trailer means to more truck nose lift, dangerous sway, dangerous driving. The worst part is that if I had been aware and asked to change the hitch, it might have only cost me 10-20 dollars. Now I need to purchase a new hitch with a bigger drop, which will cost me around 150 bucks. I do believe that this will make a big difference. As I have gotten the setup closer to correct, it does seem to work well. I do however feel that the teflon plastic slide pads for the L brackets would be a worthwhile investment as it is noisy when making slow speed turns, which can be dis-concerting
Donny
2/1/2014
You realize that the friction where the spring bar slides in the L bracket is responsible for the sway control right? Reducing the friction would reduce the sway control of the unit... I am interested to try this product. I think what you are saying about getting the right set up for your individual rig is the most important thing.
We made a trip to the Pacific Northwest from Arkansas and I have to say, the hitch performed perfectly. Even in a high wind, which is common in Wyoming and the plain states there was no problem keeping a straight line going down the road. One time, when I wasn't paying attention and ran off onto the shoulder of the road, the trailer didn't sway at all but kept straight and allowed me to return to the road without incident. I would recommend this hitch to anyone pulling a trailer of any significant weight behind them. I have a 33 foot RV and pulling it with a 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500.
Ronald
2/11/2019
Its been over a year since I purchased my Equalizer hitch system and I am completely satisfied with it. Occasionally I have to spray some lubricant on the pivot points on the receiver end to keep the noise down but other than that It works as advertised and I would again rate it 5 stars.
The Equalizer Weight Distribution System w/4 point sway control is as good as advertised. The installation took me approx 2.5 hrs and it was not difficult, just took a little time to make fine tuning adjustments to get the performance from the system that I wanted. The Equalizer System has removed an estimated 95% of the sway issue that I was having while pulling a 29 ft travel trailer with a mid-size Chevrolet Colorado pickup. Looking forward to getting out on the road and giving it a thorough testing, but so far it meets my expectations.
Jim H.
7/6/2018
This hitch was a great investment!! It has made a huge difference in how my trailer handles in the Texas winds. I used to get white knuckled every time that I set out on a trip with my previous chain hitch and seldom ever felt comfortable in pulling the trailer at speeds in excess of 45 mile per hour. Now I can move along at normal Dallas freeway speeds in comfort. This hitch was a welcomed addition to my RV experience.
This has been the second hitch I’ve ordered that didn’t come with the hitch ball when it says it does. Not sure if the description is inaccurate or if something has happened in transit both times (both times the box came damaged with a hole in it) , but I was able to order the ball separately and I love the hitch which is why I give the product 5 stars. I just hope the company sees this and figures out a way to prevent this from happening in the future.
I love the stability of the Equal-i-zer 4-point sway control system. 15,000 miles and my tow vehicle and travel trailer have an "excellent relationship".
All good with this hitch! We have pulled in high cross wind without much noticeable sway. Our truck and the trailer are level. After I learned the trick of raising the tongue a little above horizontal, I can install and remove the arms without using the cheater bar. I had to adjust the hitch after I traded trucks but it was a simple thing and took very little time. We've had people stop to look at it because they were tired of using the hitches with chain adjustment. Couldn't be happier. The support from etrailer staff is great.
Heavy duty hitch, very good quality, easy set up. Did a lot of research, and I'm glad I chose this hitch. Thanks etrailer.com
Joe
1/25/2020
After using this hitch for a year now, Im still glad I chose it. Its a heavy duty hitch, and heavy to handle, but worth every penny. It makes towing our travel trailer a breeze.
Biggest Pros:
- Easy to install initially (though I did have to buy a special socket, 1 7/8, to hook up the ball, so this could be a con too. A wrench won't work)
- It really does do a great job of stabilizing the trailer going do the road)
Biggest Cons:
- Weights around 100 lbs and has actually threw my back out trying to hook it up.
- Hard to connect stabilizing bars, as well
That said would not buy again or recommend, am currently looking for a better solution. The Doctor bills alone could cover a much more expensive unit. Not to mention the pain!!! Together these reasons are enough for me to NOT recommend!
NOTE: I am a 38 year old man that exercises and lifts weights at least 5 days a week, usually 7; my life revolves around the gym. I say this only so you believe me - This thing is heavy and awkward.
SAVE YOUR BACK - GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE
Great product except for one thing. If you are going to sell this hitch either sell it with ball already attached or include the 1 7/8 thin wall socket with it. Could not find socket anywhere locally and finally had to dismantle Equilizer bar sockets which is no easy task , and then use regular socket that I already had, what a pain. Other than that great service and ultra fast shipping. I think I ordered it Tuesday night and had it Friday night. Great job.
Will repost once all is installed and try it out.
Jeff P.
7/23/2017
Best hitch on the market for anti sway and load equizling. Quick hook up, love it!
Ordered Equalizer hitch assembly on line. Best price and free shipping. Weighed over 100lbs! Got to my house as stated in 3 days! I use them all time!
12000 lbs. hitch was a great improvement over my previous bent bar hitch with chains. Trailer sway has decreased a lot. MY 35 foot trailer pulls straight except when it is windy. I am no longer bothered by passing vehicles. Was noisy until I added the nylon pads from equalizer. Much quite now.
Mike L.
3/6/2019
Keep in mind that the jackets or pads will decrease the effectiveness of the sway control to a degree because they limit some of the metal-on-metal friction which provides the sway control.
Hadn't had a chance to use on road yet, but look like a very high quality product. Installation was very easy! Only took a couple hours to get installed and adjustments made. Watching video on etrailer.com will help, but included instructions are also pretty easy to follow. Shipping was extremely fast! Ordered on a Wednesday and it was at my door in south Georgia by 1:00 pm on Friday.
Don H.
4/24/2018
Very pleased with this hitch system after 1 yr of use. Did have to make one change to it, but that was not due to product defect. Originally ordered it with a 2 shank and later purchased a truck with 2.5 receiver. Tried using an adapter sleeve, but did not like the excess play with the sleeve. Felt more sway when towing. Was also a hassle to get 3 sets of holes to line up for hitch pin! Purchased a new 2.5 shank and all is good again!!!
I received this hitch about a month ago and couldn't install right at first due to some issues I was having but I have finally got it installed and set up right. This is great! I will go on my maiden voyage Memorial weekend but I'm sure it is going to perform as expected. Excellent price that no one can touch. Instructions are easy to follow and detailed the way it should be. Time, was about as expected, so don't rush because you don't want to miss any steps.
Herman S.
11/7/2017
Well I have owned this hitch for a year and it has worked flawlessly. In July we took our camper on a 2000 mile trip and we had no issues with the hitch at all. We were in all types of traffic through large and small cities, we didnt have any sway issues because the hitch, now broken in, works much better than I knew it would. I had installed the pads under the slide bars and use the grease to quieten it down when in all the turns I made during this trip. I dont believe there is a better hitch out there that can tame my 38 ft 9000lb Jayco than this Equalizer. Best money spent here. 11/7/17
Works great. We live in the mountain area of East Tennessee. I hit mountains no matter which way we travel. Been to Western New York to Central Florida. No problems.
I cannot rave enough about this set up. I tow about a 10K trailer (RV when fully loaded) with a Ford F150 (yes an F150... but it was built for towing heavy and in fact, is actually rated better than my F250 Super Duty to tow heavy).
But it is working hard, no doubt and with this hitch I really cannot tell the trailer is there. In my humble opinion, best on the market, even tows better than my goose neck did.
I have put the same set up on my 4 horse trailer and will do so for my car hauler soon.
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Markg
1/24/2020
Excellent! I have towed over 5000 miles in 2 years with this hitch now and it is still like new. What a great purchase.