Broccoli1
Los Angeles
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Joined: 02/28/2007
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Wait till you guys lift the Tongue and then snap up the Chains- easy peasy. You can do it with one hand.
06 F250 V10 SB 4x4 Gulp Gulp
WW FSC2800
Rhino 660- 1980 Cobalt 18DV
Power Wheels 750
"Shoot, I'm the world's best backwards driver!"
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Peg Leg
Anderson, IN
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Joined: 06/20/2004
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Good Sam RV Club
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I raise mine and then you don't need a pipe for leverage. One bare hand to snap it up.
A word of caution, if your going to undo the hitch bare handed like this, make sure the chain is slack (no pressure) after lifting.
KA9ATV
K2500 7.4 3.73
Michelin 245/70R19.5 XDS2 on Vision Type 81's
31' Dutchmen
Yamaha EF3000iSE
retired gadgetman
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taxbreak
Storage park
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Joined: 03/02/2009
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Well it sounds like I have been doing it right to me. I do have a lift on my truck so when I did it the other way(drop trailer on ball completely then just bolt on chains.) by the time I arrived to my destination the weight of the trailer would move the hitch down. So now I do it the other way and pump up my air bags to about 50-60 lbs and cruise!!!!
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time_to_go_now
La Mirada, CA
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Joined: 03/10/2004
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And, on a related subject, hitch set up.
9 out of 10 trailers I see going down the road have a very poor hitch set up. The trailer frame is supposed to be the same distance from the ground when measured both in the front and back. In other words, level. The tow vehicle is also supposed to be level. I see too many rigs with the front of the trailer nose down and the front of the tow vehicle nose up! Now many people just think they can grab an extra link or two of chain on the WD hitch. It is not just that easy. The WD bars should be hanging parallel to the frame, not pointed up towards the sky. And under no circumstances should the ends of the WD bars be able to touch the frame of the trailer.
There are three adjustments. One is the height of the trailer ball on the tow vehicle. If you level out the trailer while not connected to a vehicle, you can measure from the ground up to ball socket of the trailer. Let us say that measurement is 19". You then adjust the ball on the tow vehicle to be 1/2" to 2" higher depending on how stiff the rear suspension of the tow vehicle is. When you add the trailer, the tow vehicle will settle to a little below level. Then installing the WD bars will bring both back to level again.
The next adjustment is the angle of the head. This is adjusted by removing the two large bolts and adding or removing washers that go on a pin that adjust the head angle. There is usually a jam nut that takes up the slop and then you can tighten the two large bolts. You need to adjust the head angle so that when the WD bars are installed, the WD bars a parallel to the ground and also the frame of the trailer as it is also parallel to the ground. All of this should be done with you standard load in the trailer.
The final adjustment is how many links to "drop". You really only want to drop two or maybe three links. If you are dropping more than you are using, then you probably should adjust the head of the hitch and add washers to the pin. I actually like to set it up so that my WD bars are actually pointing down a little in the back so that I can grab one more link if needed for a really heavy load. The WD bars will still be parallel.
Sorry about the rant. Improper hitch set up is a pet peeve of mine. I look at every trailer that goes by me or is going the opposite direction of me. Many are VERY unsafe!
Good luck!
Jim and Deanna
Tiffin Allegro 35QBA
2007 Carson Trailer 22' Titan TH
Trailer Toad
Me, Wife, Boy/12, Boy/9, Girl/7
1985 Toyota 4Runner
FIVE quads, THREE kids, TWO motorcycles, ONE wife, ONE dog, ONE cat!
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rcpd34
MD
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Joined: 08/07/2006
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swebber wrote:V10 man wrote:The way I do it is, once the hitch is on the ball, I flip the latch then raise the tongue(and back of the truck) up 3-4" or until my whimpy electric jack stalls out. Then I hook up the bars and then lower the jack. This places the preload on the bars.
Thats the way I do it !!!
Ditto!
Brian
2005 Weekend Warrior FSC2800
2008 Chevy Silverado 2500HD CC/SB 4X4 Duramax LMM/LTZ/Z71
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taxbreak
Storage park
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time_to_go_now wrote:And, on a related subject, hitch set up.
9 out of 10 trailers I see going down the road have a very poor hitch set up. The trailer frame is supposed to be the same distance from the ground when measured both in the front and back. In other words, level. The tow vehicle is also supposed to be level. I see too many rigs with the front of the trailer nose down and the front of the tow vehicle nose up! Now many people just think they can grab an extra link or two of chain on the WD hitch. It is not just that easy. The WD bars should be hanging parallel to the frame, not pointed up towards the sky. And under no circumstances should the ends of the WD bars be able to touch the frame of the trailer.
There are three adjustments. One is the height of the trailer ball on the tow vehicle. If you level out the trailer while not connected to a vehicle, you can measure from the ground up to ball socket of the trailer. Let us say that measurement is 19". You then adjust the ball on the tow vehicle to be 1/2" to 2" higher depending on how stiff the rear suspension of the tow vehicle is. When you add the trailer, the tow vehicle will settle to a little below level. Then installing the WD bars will bring both back to level again.
The next adjustment is the angle of the head. This is adjusted by removing the two large bolts and adding or removing washers that go on a pin that adjust the head angle. There is usually a jam nut that takes up the slop and then you can tighten the two large bolts. You need to adjust the head angle so that when the WD bars are installed, the WD bars a parallel to the ground and also the frame of the trailer as it is also parallel to the ground. All of this should be done with you standard load in the trailer.
The final adjustment is how many links to "drop". You really only want to drop two or maybe three links. If you are dropping more than you are using, then you probably should adjust the head of the hitch and add washers to the pin. I actually like to set it up so that my WD bars are actually pointing down a little in the back so that I can grab one more link if needed for a really heavy load. The WD bars will still be parallel.
Sorry about the rant. Improper hitch set up is a pet peeve of mine. I look at every trailer that goes by me or is going the opposite direction of me. Many are VERY unsafe!
Good luck! Man that was alot of great info! I live in Downey I see your in La Mirada, Next time I hitch up i am driving to your house for a final inspection!!! Thanks for passing on the knowledge
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Bad Brad
Utah
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Joined: 10/15/2003
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Equalizer has a short video that shows you the proper hookup. After reviewing then adjusting my dealers setup, my trailer tows much better.
Equalizer Hitch Setup
Hope this is beneficial to you.
Brad
2008 Ford F350 6.4, Bushwackers, 6" Lift, 37" Toyos, Eagle Alloy 114s, 5000# Firestone Ride Rites
2008 Keystone Raptor 3110TT
2009 Polaris RZR S
2006 Honda TRX450 w/HRC
2007 Honda EX250
2003 Honda EX250
2 boys 12 & 9 yrs
A Great Wife
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