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03-18-2015, 02:13 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 70
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reversing with equalizer hitch
Hello!
I am considering upgrading from my current husky weight distribution hitch with two friction sway bars to the equalizer hitch. My question is, do the spring bars need to be removed before backing up or can you leave the spring bars "engaged"?
Thank you!
Richied
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Rich, Steph, Ava, & Micah
2010 Sierra 1500 SLE Z60
2011 Shasta Revere 30 CKBH
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03-18-2015, 02:25 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Metro St. Louis Area
Posts: 1,248
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Nope...you don't need to remove the spring bars to reverse. Thats one of the big benefits of this type of hitch over the the friction sway.
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03-18-2015, 02:47 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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Right!
I recommend rvwholesalers.com. They often have a spring sale, which is when I bought mine.
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thebrakeman ('70), DW ('71), DD ('99), DD ('01), DD ('05)
2004 Surveyor SV261T (UltraLite Bunkhouse Hybrid)
2006 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD Premier
Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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03-18-2015, 02:47 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,556
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Nope, no removal necessary.
You may get some popping and groaning noises but that's normal.
If that bothers you, get their Bracket Jackets.
The Equal-i-zer is superior to your Husky, in every way.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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03-18-2015, 02:49 PM
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#5
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Pulled with a Reese Trunion WHD & dual friction sway bars since 1975 and never loosened the friction sway bars one time to back up. I guess I was just lucky. Yes, they popped, snapped and crackled, but they did that going forward and turning. That's what they're supposed to do. Did it make it harder to go in reverse and turn? Don't know, never tried it with them loosened.
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03-18-2015, 04:58 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Metro St. Louis Area
Posts: 1,248
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thebrakeman
Right!
I recommend rvwholesalers.com. They often have a spring sale, which is when I bought mine.
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That's where I got mine as well. With the ball, some spare pins and l brackets it was just under 450 or so shipped.
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
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03-18-2015, 05:03 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 70
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Thank you everybody! I will check out rvwholessalers.com! On etrailer.com it goes for ~$470.00. I never remove my friction bars but I do loosen them up before reversing. I watched a guy at a campground one time completely remove his equalizer spring bars before backing into his spot. I'm glad to hear that's unnecessary....
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Rich, Steph, Ava, & Micah
2010 Sierra 1500 SLE Z60
2011 Shasta Revere 30 CKBH
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03-18-2015, 05:11 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 246
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You'll love the hitch, I also bought my mine from RVWholesalers, it was at my door in two days.
Good luck!
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2012 Keystone Sprinter
Still sticking around for the good people and advice.
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03-19-2015, 08:06 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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Regarding the Equalizer at the campsite:
The tight turns backing into some spots makes a lot of noise. If arriving in the evening, that can be a bit embarassing, although not unexpected. I have heard that some people remove the spring bars while they are filling the freshwater tank at the fill station, since they have 5-10 minutes of dead time anyway. I tried that once, but found that I didn't have enough clearance at the site to get my red support cone under the jack post. Had to put the bars back on anyway to get unhitched, then remove them again. So I don't do that anymore. Not worth it. Some popping is just part of the game.
Regarding backing up with a friction sway controller:
We towed a 3000 lbs popup camper for 7 seasons behind Chrysler minivans. Used a Reese Single Bar 400 WDH and friction sway control for a very stable rig. The instructions are clear in that you do not have to remove the SC to back up, as long as you do not jackknife far enough to bottom out the 2 pieces together. If you do that, you end up with a solid bar that can't slide within itself any longer. Any further turning will either break 1 of the little SC balls, or bend something on the hitch or trailer frame. So they say if you are not sure, better to remove. But I never removed mine, because I knew exactly how far I could go before bottoming out (or over-extending for that matter).
__________________
thebrakeman ('70), DW ('71), DD ('99), DD ('01), DD ('05)
2004 Surveyor SV261T (UltraLite Bunkhouse Hybrid)
2006 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD Premier
Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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03-19-2015, 01:33 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Missouri
Posts: 441
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Equalizer Hitch
We use Equalizer lubricant to minimize the noise, but can be messy when removing or installing the bars. You'll need gloves. Some have posted that the grease increases swaying of the trailer, but we haven't noticed that. It's still fairly easy to back or make the turns.
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03-20-2015, 07:09 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Haslet Texas
Posts: 774
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We have the Equalizer as well and bought the plastic pad inserts for the L brackets and that makes it a lot better as far as sound goes.
Sway Bracket Jacket (pair) : Equal-i-zer Hitch Store
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03-20-2015, 07:19 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 70
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The noise isn't my main concern, my current friction sway bar configuration cracks and pops so, I am used to that. It used to be embarrassing but I got over that lol. I've never had a neighbor camper come over and tell me my rig is too noisy. I do, however, always try to arrive as early as check in allows. My main concern was damaging the spring bars or brackets while backing due to the seemingly rigidity of the unit.
__________________
Rich, Steph, Ava, & Micah
2010 Sierra 1500 SLE Z60
2011 Shasta Revere 30 CKBH
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03-20-2015, 09:04 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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I use the sway-bracket jackets, too. IMHO, much better solution than more messy grease.
__________________
thebrakeman ('70), DW ('71), DD ('99), DD ('01), DD ('05)
2004 Surveyor SV261T (UltraLite Bunkhouse Hybrid)
2006 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD Premier
Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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03-20-2015, 09:32 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 189
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Equalizer hitch is a great moderate price WdH system. I put a very light film of grease on the friction points and it tows silently with no sway. I pull a 8500 lb 34.5 ft trailer with this hitch.....problem free and very stable......yes, you can back it up without having to remove anything. I would strongly advise, however, you take the proper steps in setting it up. Take your time or have a knowledgable tech person help you. Good luck:
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03-20-2015, 09:46 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Morgantown, WV
Posts: 104
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Equalizer jackets
I just purchased the Equalizer sway jackets that are supposed to eliminate the noise. They slip over the arms that support the torsion bars and look like they are made of rubber or plastic and cost about $20 on Amazon.
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03-20-2015, 09:51 AM
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#16
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,229
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I only removed the bars when backing into my upward sloped driveway because they were nearly impossible to remove when I got it backed in. Always left them on otherwise.
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2023 Rockwood Signature 8262RBS
2016 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCrew, 6.2L, 4x4, 6'9" bed
2019 Rockwood Signature 8290BS (2019 - 2022)
2011 Rockwood Signature 8293SS (2015 - 2018)
2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS (2012 - 2014)
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03-20-2015, 12:56 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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Yeah. If your truck is still on flat ground while the trailer is backed up a driveway, then the bars will be highly-loaded. Conversely, anyone that has unhitched at a campground, and happen to have the truck's front tires in a low spot, the bars might slide off by hand without jacking up at all. It's all about the WD head-angle, relative to the trailer.
__________________
thebrakeman ('70), DW ('71), DD ('99), DD ('01), DD ('05)
2004 Surveyor SV261T (UltraLite Bunkhouse Hybrid)
2006 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD Premier
Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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03-22-2015, 09:55 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Posts: 19
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Buy the Andersen WDH, this is what I use, and the system allows for turning both forward and backward without bars that lock it. It uses a chain system which locks in to a moving plate which moves as the TV turns. Zero noise forward and backward.
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03-23-2015, 10:15 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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From what I have gathered from Anderson owners, if you are running a large trailer, close to the limits of the TV for tongue weight, the geometry of the Anderson is not able to transfer all lost weight back to the front wheels where it belongs.
The Shasta Revere 30BH on current site is 7045/620 dry. Loaded, it's likely 8000 lbs, and at least 900 lbs TW. That's a lot for a Chevy 1500. I don't think the Anderson would perform well enough, compared to a traditional WDH setup. For sure, it would be quiet, and much lighter.
__________________
thebrakeman ('70), DW ('71), DD ('99), DD ('01), DD ('05)
2004 Surveyor SV261T (UltraLite Bunkhouse Hybrid)
2006 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD Premier
Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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03-23-2015, 12:09 PM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Posts: 19
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The Andersen is rated at 14,000 lbs. Higher than most bar WDH's.
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