Equal-I-Zer Recommendation for Car Hauler Towing Trailer that Weighs 12k

Updated 07/25/2018 | Published 07/24/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System w/ 4-Point Sway Control - 14,000 lbs GTW, 1,400 lbs TW

(933)

$925.00

Curt Weight Distribution Shank 13" Long - 9" or 10" Drop - 1,500 lbs TW

(128)

$128.35

Curt Weight Distribution Shank - 12" Long - 15-3/4" or 16-1/4" Drop - 1,500 lbs TW

(47)

$173.20

Question:

I’m planning on purchasing a Weight Distribution hitch system, specifically the Equal-I-Zer 12K or 14K system. My main concern is legality RAM requires a WD system above a trailer weight of 5,000, and sway control at higher speeds. I tow a Flatbed Equipment trailer, GVWR 12,000. Empty, it weighs about 3,500 with a Tongue Weight of 450. Loaded at max, I try to keep the TW about 1,500 for better handing. Presently I am NOT utilizing any WD or Sway Control. Also, being a lowboy, this trailer is LOW to the ground. The distance from coupler to axles centerline is about 200”. Loaded, the tongue ground clearance at around 9.5”. So I don’t think the round bar WD hitches will give enough ground clearance. I tow this trailer with a RAM 2500 HD pickup, with the trailer tow package, and I have added the Sumo 54 Yellow spring assists with a spacer. Presently, the empty flatbed trailer s the bumper less than 1/2”, and loaded TW about 1500 less than 1”. The truck bed is always empty when towing this trailer. Note: the pictures shows another truck, and the coupler height is at mid-range for this other truck, but will adjust up another 4 inches. Now for Question 1… Due to the great weight differences, loaded vs. empty, how do I adjust the WD hitch settings? A I could buy the 4,000 spring bars, but to match the hitch head I would need to fab a spacer much like those spacers that allow a 2” shank to fit a 2.5” receiver. Or…B I could reduce the spring bar loading, by lowering the L-brackets on the trailer frame. Or… C just set the WD for loaded weight, and forget about it. Question 2… The longest Equalizer shank for a 2.5 receiver s the hitch 6 inches. This requires me to raise my adjustable trailer coupler so that the distance from the coupler inside top, to the bottom of the tongue, is 11.5 inches. I don’t have the specs on the Equalizer hitches, but by scaling numerous photos, I believe that the spring bars will be ABOVE the bottom of the tongue. With the hangers spaced from the trailer tongue, this will NOT cause any interference with the spring bars during turns. So, do you think this would be OK? Otherwise, Equalizer makes a 2-inch shank with a 9-inch . But I would need to use the 2.5 to 2-inch adapter, which I have heard lowers the towing weight but I haven’t found this in writing. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thanks!

asked by: Robert S

Helpful Expert Reply:

To answer your first question you'll be best served to go with a weight distribution rated for the loaded weight of your trailer with a car on it and set up the spring bar tension for that weight. And then when unloaded disconnect the spring bars all together so that the system isn't active. Reason being you have much too large of a weight difference loaded and unloaded and the spring bar tension has to be very specific to the weight of the trailer so it's best to go that route.

Now for a shank with more drop the good news is that all brand shanks are interchangeable so you can use a Curt shank like the part # C17124 or # C17125.

You will need to not run as much tongue weight though as the part # EQ37140ET is only rated for up to 1,400 lbs tongue weight.

expert reply by: Jameson C