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05-26-2017, 01:50 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 45
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Screeching sound when turning
I have an equalizer hitch and whenever I reverse or make sharp turns the hitch screeches!!!! I bought those bracket jackets and It still screeches. Is this normal??? Any advice on how to make it stop??
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05-26-2017, 05:20 AM
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#2
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"On the road again"
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Parker County Texas
Posts: 1,152
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Usmarinecorps05
I have an equalizer hitch and whenever I reverse or make sharp turns the hitch screeches!!!! I bought those bracket jackets and It still screeches. Is this normal??? Any advice on how to make it stop??
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When we had a bumper pull, I remember those screeches and trying everything to get rid of it. With an equalizer hitch, I think it's just part of the journey. But, it's been 12 years since I pulled a bumper pull. Perhaps they've come up with a solution by now.
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Robert & Estha Shiflet
Georgetown XL 378TS
Jeep Gladiator Willys Tow Vehicle
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05-26-2017, 05:31 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cedar Creek Lake, TX
Posts: 3,484
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Equalizer suggests making sure the tension arms are parallel with the trailer frame when deployed. If not they suggest you may need to lower the tension arm brackets one hole and add one washer to the adjustment. If the arms are not parallel the sliding surface of the arm is not spread equally across the bracket, making loud sounds. When properly adjusted it will still make some sound, just not as much. Be sure to tighten the bolts to the proper tensions if you make adjustments.
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
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05-26-2017, 05:43 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 259
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Try using some lube that is made for the hitch
High Performance Lubricant
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2005 Winnebago Adventurer 38R
Workhorse 8.1/Allison Transmission
Old 2005 Forest River Cherokee Lite 28A
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05-26-2017, 05:53 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5,712
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If it's a "Equal-I-zer brand, what you hear is probably friction. That is part of the 4 point sway control. Lube will help quiet that noise...sometimes. Noise a WDH...well...it's kind of the nature of the beast.
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05-26-2017, 05:57 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,051
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Screeching sound when turning
When I had the bumbler pull, I had the same noise you described. The sway bracket jackets did nothing to quiet the noise. Someone on here suggested greasing the ball. Once I did, the noise was gone. (Until pulling on a rainy day, which makes re-greasing necessary.)
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2017 Coachman Chaparral 336TSIK
2015 F350 6.7
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05-26-2017, 06:05 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5,712
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Lol ! Yep ! That will do it to.
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05-26-2017, 06:21 AM
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#8
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Georgia Rally Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,497
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It's the nature of the system to have some noise. Doesn't bother me I just got use to it. Later RJD
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2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing.(sold) (sold) 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
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05-26-2017, 07:23 AM
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#9
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Failure is my business
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Slaughter, LA
Posts: 562
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I've experimented with different lubes on mine. This time I used a dry graphite on all surfaces. Ball and tension arm pivots. The hitch did well until we got to the campground. Then it went into howl mode. I'm going back to Equalizer's recommended grease for the arm pivots.
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Current vehicle list: 17 RAM 3500 4x4 Cummins Aisin 4.10, 24 Cedar Creek 40CBK
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05-26-2017, 08:13 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: eastern NC
Posts: 1,783
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Usmarinecorps05
I have an equalizer hitch and whenever I reverse or make sharp turns the hitch screeches!!!! I bought those bracket jackets and It still screeches. Is this normal??? Any advice on how to make it stop??
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we have experienced the same noise and discovered, in our case, it comes from the anti-sway bar, ..... loosen it to see if it stops, if that proves to be where its coming from, then, no problem at all, ... just a little embarrassing when rolling thru a parking lot, because it does get attention, ......
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05-26-2017, 09:46 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Usmarinecorps05
I have an equalizer hitch and whenever I reverse or make sharp turns the hitch screeches!!!! I bought those bracket jackets and It still screeches. Is this normal??? Any advice on how to make it stop??
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Do you have the old-style L-pins, which have a standard cotter pin to hold them in place? If so, try getting the new-style L-pins, that have the attached, fold-down wire to keep them in place.
The old-style pins leave the top of the upside-down "L" resting on the spring bar. During a turn, when one of the bars pivots out against the L-pin, it can try to ride up the bend, and the 2 pieces can bind. This is why it's sometimes hard to remove 1 of the pins, if you are not in a straight line.
Conversely, the new-style L-pin is designed such that once engaged, the top of that upside-down "L" remains about 1/2" above the spring bar.
My L-pins were starting to seriously wear into my spring bars, which is what led me to believe that was causing most of the noise, even though I had the bracket-jackets. Once I started using these new-style L-pins, that screeching, popping, grinding went away.
You may also want to be sure you are properly lubing the bar-socket area under the head. I got lazy after a few years on that, and found that I had significant wear on the head as well. The guys at Equalizer said the amount of wear I had was not to the point of causing a problem, but that I should do better in my regular maintenance.
__________________
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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05-26-2017, 09:52 AM
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#12
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Georgia Rally Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thebrakeman
Do you have the old-style L-pins, which have a standard cotter pin to hold them in place? If so, try getting the new-style L-pins, that have the attached, fold-down wire to keep them in place.
The old-style pins leave the top of the upside-down "L" resting on the spring bar. During a turn, when one of the bars pivots out against the L-pin, it can try to ride up the bend, and the 2 pieces can bind. This is why it's sometimes hard to remove 1 of the pins, if you are not in a straight line.
Conversely, the new-style L-pin is designed such that once engaged, the top of that upside-down "L" remains about 1/2" above the spring bar.
My L-pins were starting to seriously wear into my spring bars, which is what led me to believe that was causing most of the noise, even though I had the bracket-jackets. Once I started using these new-style L-pins, that screeching, popping, grinding went away.
You may also want to be sure you are properly lubing the bar-socket area under the head. I got lazy after a few years on that, and found that I had significant wear on the head as well. The guys at Equalizer said the amount of wear I had was not to the point of causing a problem, but that I should do better in my regular maintenance.
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I have the newer pins no different. Still nose plus my bars are 1400# little bigger takes up the slack and almost hits the L-pins. One good thing about the noise it does gets folks attention so they don't get in your way Later RJD
__________________
2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing.(sold) (sold) 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
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05-26-2017, 10:01 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Franklin County, MO
Posts: 2,652
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Get a pair of these pads (called "Bracket Jackets) from Amazon and put them on your Equalizer hitch. Almost all of the noise you are talking about will disappear. We used these on our hitch on two different trailers for about 4 years, and they lasted the entire time, without having to be replaced.
https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-9...qualizer+hitch
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Mike and Yvonne
and Sophie, the little white dog
2017 Columbus 320RSC
2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD DRW 4X4 Duramax
“It's not how old you are, it's how you are old.” ― Jules Renard
"It's not the years...it's the mileage." - Indiana Jones
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05-26-2017, 10:03 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Franklin County, MO
Posts: 2,652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aceinspp
I have the newer pins no different. Still nose plus my bars are 1400# little bigger takes up the slack and almost hits the L-pins. One good thing about the noise it does gets folks attention so they don't get in your way Later RJD
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The newer style pins are much easier to use with an Equalizer hitch, but do nothing to minimize the noise while turning.
__________________
Mike and Yvonne
and Sophie, the little white dog
2017 Columbus 320RSC
2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD DRW 4X4 Duramax
“It's not how old you are, it's how you are old.” ― Jules Renard
"It's not the years...it's the mileage." - Indiana Jones
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05-26-2017, 12:57 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Napa Valley, CA
Posts: 513
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My 4 way Equal-i-zer noise came from the anti sway brackets rubbing against the hitch. When new it made some eerie groaning and snapping sounds, which as said above is normal. I then decided to lube the hitch ball and the area which rubs between the anti-sway brackets and the hitch, and the sounds went away. I also installed the bar pads, which did not seem to make any difference in noise. I don't think the type of L pin makes any difference.
Some say that lubing the anti sway brackets to decrease noise also decreases their effectiveness, but I have not found this to be the case, since I now get no noise and no sway - towing with my F-250 and making sure that I have enough weight on the front of the trailer.
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2015 Rockwood A128S
2010 Rockwood 2604
2014 Ford F-250 CC SB 2WD
2008 Toyota Sequoia 2WD
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05-26-2017, 01:17 PM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,855
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fella10
we have experienced the same noise and discovered, in our case, it comes from the anti-sway bar, ..... loosen it to see if it stops, if that proves to be where its coming from, then, no problem at all, ... just a little embarrassing when rolling thru a parking lot, because it does get attention, ......
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The OP has a 4pt Equal-i-zer, not an old technology chains and friction bar WDH.
There isn't a anti sway bar you loosen.
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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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05-26-2017, 01:20 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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt. Mike
The newer style pins are much easier to use with an Equalizer hitch, but do nothing to minimize the noise while turning.
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Well, maybe in your experience they do nothing to help with noise. But in my experience, I added the sway bracket jackets, and some noise went away, but the noise from the contact between the bars and L-pins still remained. After going to the new-style L-pins, that noise went away, too.
__________________
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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05-26-2017, 01:38 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NY Capital District
Posts: 429
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If it is a high pitch squeal. There could be sand or tiny gravel on the hitch head between head and where bars connect into. Clean that area and then re-lubricate.
I had that happen on one camping trip. Not sure where I picked up the tiny gravel particles. I was lucky it didn't gouge the metal.
It wasn't the L Brackets causing it.
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2017 Forest River Surveyor 251rks
2022 Chevy 3500HD High Country
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05-26-2017, 03:02 PM
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#19
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Life-Long Camper/Boater
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: South Jordan, Utah
Posts: 23
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Same horrible noise from my 5th wheel hitch
I experience the same noise which sounds like demons from hell trying to escape my 5th wheel hitch. I wonder what the neighbors think as it is worse as I pull out of my RV pad onto the street. It's then that I always remember that one-of-these days I'm going to apply some grease before hooking up the good'ol 325RES Crusader (Touring Pkg).
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