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06-24-2018, 04:05 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 38
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Equalizer Tongue Weight Rating
I have a Rockwood 2702ws with a dry tongue weight of supposedly 900lbs. I had it at the catscales the other day and it was 1220 without water in the unit. The dealership used their little scale because they didn't believe I did it right and they got 1110 or something close.
Before knowing my tongue weight at the scales and 4 trips later, I've been using a 1000/10,000 4pt Equalizer setup. Am I fine to continue using this or should I go to the 1400lb tongue weight unit? I've asked Equalizer and they of course site safety and recommend going up. I asked the dealer if they'd swap and they told me to take a hike and that I should be just fine with the existing unit.
What do you guys think?
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06-24-2018, 04:24 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 133
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You should be using the 1400/14,000 equalizer. Keep in mind, you're also supposed to include any weight you pack behind the axle the tow vehicle as part of your tongue weight calculation.
__________________
Steve, Barb, and 5 daughters who love to camp
2017 Shamrock 23IKSS, Weight sticker: 5314 lbs, Equil-i-zer 4pt. 1,000/10,000
2006 Fleetwood (Coleman) Niagara: Sold
2004 Suburban 2500 8.1 liter, 4.10, tow rating 12,000, GCWR 19,000, Doorjamb payload: 2108
2003 Suburban 1500 Z71, 5.3/3.73, airbags, LT tires, Big Brake Upgrade, Prodigy P2
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06-24-2018, 05:00 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lecasmer
What do you guys think?
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1. That dealer wouldn't get another dime of my money.
2. Go ahead and at least get the 1200 bars when you get the chance. Then you'll have your 1000 lb. bars as back-ups.
On a side note. I had something similar with my old Work & Play. When I bought it, the FR website stated the tongue weight was around 1200 lbs. so that's the bars we were sold with the unit. After buying another truck with lesser rear suspension, I had to put in the max. eight washers to get the hitch working properly. But it worked great and sway was virtually non-existent. Eight washers creates a LOT of tension on the system but its within the specs from Equalizer.
Well, I bought a Sherline scale before we went shopping for a new toy hauler and I decided to weigh the W&P before I sold it. 1500 lbs. on the tongue!! I had been using those 1200 lb. bars for a year and a half and 8000 miles. But they did fine, even at their maximum setting.
Later on, FR changed their website specs to around 1500 lbs.. Go figure.
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06-24-2018, 05:14 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
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If you're going to continue to run with your existing system make sure to lube the pins well. I would think if you're slightly over you're probably ok... I know the place where mine is wearing the most is where the pins for the bars go into the hitch head.
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06-24-2018, 05:40 PM
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#5
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Sham183
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 626
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If it was me I would go to the 1400# bars. I would also listen to what equalizer said. If they are saying go up then I would. They know what the numbers mean more than we do.
Tim
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06-25-2018, 01:20 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Deerfield, WI
Posts: 114
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I would go for a larger hitch for sure. As you approach the max weight rating, you may experience lots of porpoising. In general it is best to have a bit of headroom between your hitch capacity and your actual tongue weight. Unfortunately, Equalizer 4 way hitches all use different heads for each capacity hitch. I don't believe you will be able to just upgrade the bars, but will have to upgrade the entire hitch.
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06-25-2018, 01:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Where the stars at night are big and bright
Posts: 970
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I would check the receiver rating as well. You may need to replace that and go to a higher rating than what you currently have.
__________________
2015 Palomino SolAire 20RBS
2022 Silverado 2500HD LT Duramax 4WD
2015: 18 days; 2016: 21 days; 2017: 19 days; 2018: 26 days; 2019: 8 days; 2020: 0; 2021: 10 days.
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06-25-2018, 02:20 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 316
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If the setup tows well there is no reason to change anything. Contrary to popular Internet wisdom more isn't always better when it comes to WDH. There are many factors that determine how much weight redistribution is needed. E.g. a long wheelbase 1 ton diesel requires less weight redistribution than a typical crew cab short bed half-ton gas truck.
OP, what is the tow vehicle ?
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06-25-2018, 05:49 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGerman
If the setup tows well there is no reason to change anything. Contrary to popular Internet wisdom more isn't always better when it comes to WDH. There are many factors that determine how much weight redistribution is needed. E.g. a long wheelbase 1 ton diesel requires less weight redistribution than a typical crew cab short bed half-ton gas truck.
OP, what is the tow vehicle ?
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So, I was towing it with an F150 short bed crew cab. I recently switched to an F350 ccsb. So huge difference in truck.
My current config I can pull the bars off the brackets more easily than I could in past configs. Would make me think there isn't much tension going on to them, but there could be a lot of factors at play. If I measure the front wheel well with nothing, then fully on the tongue and then with the bars engaged it is mostly returning to the starting spot with nothing. So they must be doing something. But also, the 350 front end doesn't nearly go up like the 150 did.
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06-25-2018, 06:28 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 210
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I’m going to agree with the others that say if it’s working well don’t change it. Do frequent inspections for signs of wear and keep on camping. The less WD you can get away with the better off you are.
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06-26-2018, 12:23 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lecasmer
So, I was towing it with an F150 short bed crew cab. I recently switched to an F350 ccsb. So huge difference in truck.
My current config I can pull the bars off the brackets more easily than I could in past configs. Would make me think there isn't much tension going on to them, but there could be a lot of factors at play. If I measure the front wheel well with nothing, then fully on the tongue and then with the bars engaged it is mostly returning to the starting spot with nothing. So they must be doing something. But also, the 350 front end doesn't nearly go up like the 150 did.
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Well you already noticed the F-350 doesn't need as much forward weight distribution. With the F-150 it might have been needed to increase the spring bar rate, with the current truck I wouldn't change anything.
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