|
|
06-04-2019, 01:38 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 9
|
They can hear me before they see me
I have a 2019 Flagstaff E-Pro 19FBS and I pull it with a 2018 Honda Ridgeline. It has been set up with the sway bars on either side of the hitch. Every time I barely turn, the squeeking and creeking noises are embarrassingly loud. I tried white lithium grease on the ball and hitch with no success. Then I tried greasing along the sway bar where it attaches near the hitch and that didn't make a bit of difference either. The rep at the dealer where I bought the trailer told me to never grease the sway bar where it sits on the trailer. So now I'm out of ideas. I don't feel like I hear the other trailers making all kinds of racket as the come and go out of the campground, so what else can I do to reduce the squeek (and not have it be so LOUD)?
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 01:43 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
|
Which hitch do you have?
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 01:46 PM
|
#3
|
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Tipp City, OH
Posts: 7,154
|
Some sway and load distribution hitches are inherently louder than others. I'm guessing you have a friction bar for sway control and not a 4 point sway control hitch. You can release pressure on the sway control as you enter the campground, this may reduce noise. Also, the more tension you have on your load bars, the louder they will be. I wouldn't worry about it too much. It always sounds louder to the owner at first than those around you.
__________________
2016 Georgetown 364TS
2017 Jeep Rubicon Recon toad
Nights Camped 2019 - 17
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 01:52 PM
|
#4
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 9
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007matman
Which hitch do you have?
|
I'm not sure. I'll have to take a picture and post it but I'm not in a position to do that until I get home later today. It's big and heavy and was set up by the RV dealership.
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 02:08 PM
|
#5
|
Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by HollySpringsDan
I'm not sure. I'll have to take a picture and post it but I'm not in a position to do that until I get home later today. It's big and heavy and was set up by the RV dealership.
|
I see you have just a few posts. Welcome to the forum!
As mentioned, many loosen the sway bar at the campground entrance to avoid a bunch of squeaking as it really isn't needed at slow speeds entering your campsite. I've even seen some drop the tension on the weight bars too.
One thing you'll likely want to do with your hitch and other important components of owning a travel trailer and that is, familiarize yourself with what it is that you have and how it works... and what different adjustments can/can't do for your towing experience. It is all part of learning.
I only say that because of your statement of you're not sure what you have other than "It's big and heavy and was set up by the RV dealership."
Enjoy!
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=86
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 02:09 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: x
Posts: 12,423
|
X2 if you have the friction style sway control take a little tension off the friction arm. They only need be tight enough to prevent sway. I remove mine when in campgrounds and tight maneuvering like backing in.
__________________
Retired Navy
Jake my sidekick (yellow Lab) 10/04 - 05/20
2017 RAM 2500 CC 4X4 Cummins Diesel
2016 Flagstaff 26 FKWS
AF&AM & El Korah Shrine of Idaho
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 02:10 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,371
|
Hitch
If it is an Equal-I-zer, they have nylon pad you can put on the bar hangers that minimize this They have no effect on any of the WDH features. Same w/ Fastway. It does wear in, but mine sounded like I was crushing rocks when turning slow corners in the camp grounds. This was even after cleaning and polishing all the wear areas on the Equal-I-Zer.
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 02:14 PM
|
#8
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 9
|
Thank you all for the excellent feedback and suggestions
Thank you all for the excellent feedback and suggestions
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 05:30 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 1,162
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by HollySpringsDan
I'm not sure. I'll have to take a picture and post it but I'm not in a position to do that until I get home later today. It's big and heavy and was set up by the RV dealership.
|
Always a good idea to know what you have and read the manual that comes with it. If the dealer didn't provide one (which they should have) you could ask them or download one.
__________________
2007 Rockwood 2701SS
2017 Ram 2500 Granite Crystal SAP Laramie 6.7L
2014 Triumph Bonneville. NH Togas, tuned
1953 GMC 9314
1982 GoldWing Interstate
|
|
|
06-04-2019, 07:19 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 259
|
Check out the store for the Equalizer Hitch, Here is a link to the accessories page:
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/store/hitch-accessories
On here you will see some grease that they recommend that you use for the hitch. On this page also is the wear pads that work great.
Hope this helps.
__________________
2005 Winnebago Adventurer 38R
Workhorse 8.1/Allison Transmission
Old 2005 Forest River Cherokee Lite 28A
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 07:42 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
|
Folks..
I'm not seeing where the OP has responded with the brand/make/model of hitch yet..
Let's see what he has first before making recommendations.
OP- a photo would probably suffice too.
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 10:17 AM
|
#12
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 9
|
Update from the newbie:
Thank you all for your suggestion to start learning what I really have. Turns out I have a Fastway E2 Trunnion Style hitch with a max tongue weight of 600 lbs. I spoke with a representative there and he confirmed that I could lubricate the stabilizer bars where they attach near the ball but do not use the Equilizer brand "jacket brackets" as it is the only friction point (they're only designed for the Equilizer brand). I'm also considering getting a Capacity Tongue Weight scale so as to double-check the loading job before we head out on our camping trips.
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 11:33 AM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
|
I have the E2 and use the bracket jackets. It works well and really quieted the hitch down.
Lube the pins and the ball as well.
Do not put lube on the L-bracket or load bar surface.
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 11:43 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Jonesborough
Posts: 923
|
I have been told that Honda says NOT to run a WDH or Sway bars on the older Ridgelines as they are a unibody construction, don't know if the new one are unibody, may be that is part of the issue
__________________
2017 Micro Lite 21FBRS (sold)
2019 GMC Sierra 2500 HD extra cab Z71
looking for the perfect 5er over the winter
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 12:00 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
|
Plenty of vehicles out there that are unibody and use a WDH. Not going to argue with Honda. However, I wonder what the logic is.
I used to tow with a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 12:15 PM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Jonesborough
Posts: 923
|
I don't know, have a friend that tows with an older Ridgeline and he tells me his Honda dealer told him not to use a WDH fortunately he has a small Jayco and can get by with out one
__________________
2017 Micro Lite 21FBRS (sold)
2019 GMC Sierra 2500 HD extra cab Z71
looking for the perfect 5er over the winter
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 12:19 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: MN
Posts: 1,311
|
FWIW, we have an E2 hitch, and yes, it's pretty loud. I can also say that I've been very happy with the hitch; once it was dialed in, the TT tows great. I should also mention that our dealer set the hitch up fine for the empty trailer, but I've adjusted it twice now that the TT is loaded.
Have fun,
__________________
Mitch in MN
2018 Patriot (Grey Wolf) 23MK travel trailer
2011 Durango 5.7L and OEM tow package
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 12:59 PM
|
#18
|
New Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 4
|
We have a Husky Centerline, dealer installed - with the same loud noise issue. we read the manual and re-measured the setup and found that the dealer had set the brackets too high and too far forward on the frame causing much higher tension on spring bars. BUT, the fix was to put lithium grease on the two receivers that the spring bars fit into on the hitch itself. Removed nuts, greased, reinstalled and Re-torqued them as described in the manual. Now we have a "stealth" hitch that can quietly sneak into any campground.
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 01:32 PM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Posts: 347
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007matman
I have the E2 and use the bracket jackets. It works well and really quieted the hitch down.
Lube the pins and the ball as well.
Do not put lube on the L-bracket or load bar surface.
|
Same here, E2 and I use the bracket jackets. Not completely quiet but less noise than before. I don't notice anymore sway with or without.
__________________
2016 Rockwood 2702WS
2016 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 4x4 High Country
|
|
|
06-05-2019, 01:49 PM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 477
|
You greased your sway bar (tension bar)?
Be sure to clean all the grease off because, as your dealer says, never grease it.
The reason you don't grease it is you elmate the friction and then it doesn't work as designed.
__________________
McCormickJim
2017 GT 31L5
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|