Added weight of Equal-i-zer Hitch

[georgesass]

I have a 15-ft Parkliner that I've verified to weigh 2850 lbs. with a tongue weight of 320 lbs. My tow vehicle is a 2020 Subaru Outback XT with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs and a tongue weight capacity of 350 lbs.( My previous tow vehicle was a Honda Ridgeline, which did a perfect job.) Attaching the trailer to the Subaru, the hitch height on the vehicle from the ground is reduced by 1 1/2", and the front end goes up about a half inch. My dealer recommended installing the Equal-i-zer Hitch to level off the vehicle, which it does. However, the added weight of the larger hitch alone is another 45 lbs, and the spring arms weigh another 35 lbs. I'm just wondering if I'm creating more of a problem with all this added weight, especially with the larger hitch. Without the Equal-i-zer the Subaru seems to do an OK job, and the trailer has very little sway, even in windy conditions or with passing 18-wheelers. I'm also careful to keep my vehicle's cargo weight (which I believe includes the tongue weight) below the recommended limit. Any suggestions before I head out for a 3000 mile trip?

[Jon in AZ]

Part of the added weight of the WDH will be transferred to the trailer. In any case, once you hook up WDH, you ignore the tongue weight and focus on axle weights of all three axles, along with GVW and GCW.

If you have time, load it up and take it to a CAT scale. Get axle-by-axle weights both with and without WDH. Compare to the ratings and decide.

Does the owner’s manual have anything to say?

[Travellers]

I’m just actually surprised that Subaru is allowing the use of a WDH now. They didn’t used to. Did you check your manual? A WDH puts a fair amount of stress on the frame.

Safe travels. Hope it works out for you.

[Radar1]

Subaru still doesn't advise using a weight distribution hitch because of the stresses that the hitch can put on the unibody construction, in fact the manual says do not use them. I would just adjust the tongue weight closer to the 10% value since 1/2" lift in the front is not considered excessive.

[Jon in AZ]

Since the 2020 redesign, Outback rides on a shortened version of the Ascent chassis. It is definitely more robust than the old version.

Many unibody crossovers do not recommend WDH, but the warning often stops short of an outright prohibition. My Pilot says “use of a weight distributing hitch is not recommended because improper adjustment can adversely affect steering, braking, and handling.” I suspect it has more to do with sensitive electronic traction, braking, and stability systems on modern AWD vehicles. Quite a few Pilot, Ridgeline, and Passport owners have used a properly adjusted, light duty WDH successfully. Same for tow-rated Toyota crossovers, but I honestly haven't heard a report from Subaru owner.

Besides improved handling, it may prevent abnormal tire wear caused by excessive and prolonged squat on an independent rear suspension.

I am curious what the Outback manual says.

[georgesass]

I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my question. I'm a bit embarrassed to say I never read the Subaru's manual for this particular issue, but I will as soon as my wife returns from a road trip. (The manual is hundreds of pages long!) This all makes a lot of sense. I just wish my RV dealer knew more before recommending the unit to me. It was an expensive mistake. But in the end, it's my responsibility for not knowing. Again, thanks for all the quick and knowledgeable responses. This forum is priceless!

[Travellers]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Since the 2020 redesign, Outback rides on a shortened version of the Ascent chassis.

Many unibody crossovers do not recommend WDH, but the warning often stops short of an outright prohibition. My Pilot says “use of a weight distributing hitch is not recommended because improper adjustment can adversely affect steering, braking, and handling.” Nevertheless, quite a few Pilot, Ridgeline, and Passport owners have used a properly adjusted, light duty WDH successfully. Besides improved handling, it may prevent abnormal tire wear caused by excessive and prolonged squat on an independent rear suspension.

I am curious what the Outback manual says.

This is true. Although Tesla doesn’t recommend it they don’t prohibit it. And I know some Tesla owners use them. We don’t.

If I was the OP I would consider trying it without first. Who knows. Might be fine, and less trouble to hook up.

[georgesass]

Originally Posted by Travellers

This is true. Although Tesla doesn’t recommend it they don’t prohibit it. And I know some Tesla owners use them. We don’t.

If I was the OP I would consider trying it without first. Who knows. Might be fine, and less trouble to hook up.

Yes, I did a 3,500 mile trip without it, and it seemed fine. But I mentioned my concern about the 2" "squat" at the backend of my Subaru to my RV dealer, who then recommended it. To confuse matters, however, I discovered serious uneven wire wear after I returned (without using the WDH) and had to replace my tires after just 30,000 miles. This is like being between a rock and a hard place.

[Jon in AZ]

You can google and download a PDF version of the owner’s manual online for free. Only time I open the paper manual is when I need an answer in the field without my computer handy.

The length has become almost absurd- mine runs over 600 pages- but much if it is devoted to operating the unnecessarily complicated infotainment system- which my base model doesn’t have- and to endless warnings about not drinking the engine coolant, etc.

Towing and transmission sections are the most important to study before towing a trailer.

The uneven tire wear alone would be reason to use a WDH, unless the owner’s manual prohibits it. Increasing tire pressure for towing also makes sense. I’d go 5psi above the factory recommendation, as long as it doesn’t exceed the sidewall maximum.

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Since the 2020 redesign, Outback rides on a shortened version of the Ascent chassis. It is definitely more robust than the old version.

I am curious what the Outback manual says.

The Outback manual is more in the way of prohibition vs non-recommendation. It just says "do not use".
This may be due to how the hitch is mounted. Our old Outback, the hitch was simply bolted on from below, and a WDH would have stressed the bolt penetrations, especially if you entered a severe dip that placed maximum stress on the bars.
Our Durango is also unibody, but the hitch is a beefy one that actually slides into a factory reinforced welded steel receiver box on both sides which is welded the entire length, and Dodge allows WDH on ours.
Another area that could reduce the sag and lower the front end is readjusting the tongue weight to the Subaru recommendation; "Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from 8% to 11% of the total trailer weight and does not exceed the maximum value."
With the 320 lb tongue weight, you are just slightly above the maximum recommendation, but once you add the extra 80 lbs for the WDH, that puts you at 400 lbs, which is above the 350 maximum tongue weight, and at 14%, is also above the Subaru upper limit of 11%.
Make sure you rotate the tires regularly, since towing puts extra loads on the rear tires and you want to keep all your AWD tires close to the same tread depth.
We had to keep our tongue wight at the 8% value with our Outback when they had the 200 lb tongue weight limit since our camper weighed 2500 lbs. Regularly rotated tires and never noticed unusual wear.

[Alex Adams]

On my Crosstrek, I got accelerated wear of the standard radial tires when towing. I replaced them with Michelin Light Truck tires. Voila! Problem solved! I suspect the LT tires have a stiffer sidewall which helps with towing but makes the ride a little harsher.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Radar1

The Outback manual is more in the way of prohibition vs non-recommendation. It just says "do not use".
This may be due to how the hitch is mounted. Our old Outback, the hitch was simply bolted on from below, and a WDH would have stressed the bolt penetrations, especially if you entered a severe dip that placed maximum stress on the bars.
Our Durango is also unibody, but the hitch is a beefy one that actually slides into a factory reinforced welded steel receiver box on both sides which is welded the entire length, and Dodge allows WDH on ours.
Another area that could reduce the sag and lower the front end is readjusting the tongue weight to the Subaru recommendation; "Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from 8% to 11% of the total trailer weight and does not exceed the maximum value."
With the 320 lb tongue weight, you are just slightly above the maximum recommendation, but once you add the extra 80 lbs for the WDH, that puts you at 400 lbs, which is above the 350 maximum tongue weight, and at 14%, is also above the Subaru upper limit of 11%.
Make sure you rotate the tires regularly, since towing puts extra loads on the rear tires and you want to keep all your AWD tires close to the same tread depth.
We had to keep our tongue wight at the 8% value with our Outback when they had the 200 lb tongue weight limit since our camper weighed 2500 lbs. Regularly rotated tires and never noticed unusual wear.

That’s pretty directive, so I’d say that rules out WDH. I checked, and it is the same for current models.

I will caution that their tongue weight range does not distinguish according to trailer type. Boat trailers commonly run with lower tongue weights than box trailers. Reducing tongue weight on a hard-side travel trailer below 10% increases the likelihood of dangerous sway. At the very least you will have to reduce towing speeds.

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

That’s pretty directive, so I’d say that rules out WDH. I checked, and it is the same for current models.

I will caution that their tongue weight range does not distinguish according to trailer type. Boat trailers commonly run with lower tongue weights than box trailers. Reducing tongue weight on a hard-side travel trailer below 10% increases the likelihood of dangerous sway. At the very least you will have to reduce towing speeds.

The lower percentages seen on foreign makes might be due to most foreign countries having lower allowable towing speeds. Seems we only apply trailer speed limits in California.
Even Toyota specifies 9-12% in their late model Tacomas that can tow up to 6,800 lbs.

On most US vehicles, the manufacturer usually limits the allowable tongue weight to just 10% of the trailer weight allowance, i.e., 3500/350, 5000/500 etc.
Some feel a higher tongue weight is "good" but that also can make the steering less capable and lead to more pitching on a single axle trailer. I usually aim for 10%.

[georgesass]

Again, thanks to all who have provided such excellent advice. After reading the Subaru manual and considering everything that's been posted here, I am in the process of removing the WDH hardware from my Park Liner's tongue as well as replacing the steel LPG tanks with composite ones. This should reduce the trailer's tongue weight to 300, or just a hair over 10%. I've also just replaced my Subaru's OEM tires with Michelin's new Cross Climates and will be sure to rotate the tires more often than the recommended schedule.

I have a relatively short trip planned soon and am confident these changes will be an improvement. And frankly, hitching up without the WDH is a lot easier. If anyone knows someone looking for one, send me a PM. It's only been used once!

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Radar1

The lower percentages seen on foreign makes might be due to most foreign countries having lower allowable towing speeds. Seems we only apply trailer speed limits in California.
Even Toyota specifies 9-12% in their late model Tacomas that can tow up to 6,800 lbs.

On most US vehicles, the manufacturer usually limits the allowable tongue weight to just 10% of the trailer weight allowance, i.e., 3500/350, 5000/500 etc.
Some feel a higher tongue weight is "good" but that also can make the steering less capable and lead to more pitching on a single axle trailer. I usually aim for 10%.

Tongue weight ratings at 10% of trailer weight are a result of the J2807 tow testing standards. Subaru got on board with the standards starting 2020. Like any standard, it is somewhat arbitrary. No doubt they settled on 10% because it is the recommended safe minimum by many manufacturers of cargo and recreational trailers in North America. The logic is if you rate a vehicle to tow 3500#, it should be able to carry at least 350# tongue weight, which covers a widely accepted safe minimum for all trailer types in the North American market.

Besides increasing the tongue weight rating to 10%, Subaru also improved drivetrain cooling to meet the standard’s hill-climbing test. The manual no longer contains the 50% trailer weight reduction when climbing grades in hot weather (though it does still contain a warning about possible overheating in real world conditions that exceed testing parameters).

One less known specification in the J2807 standards is frontal area, which increases as trailer weight increases. In the 3500# class, the spec is 30 square feet. A Parkliner exceeds that by around 25-30%. The actual effect of frontal area increases with speed, so another reason to slow down when towing.

[georgesass]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Tongue weight ratings at 10% of trailer weight are a result of the J2807 tow testing standards. Subaru got on board with the standards starting 2020. Like any standard, it is somewhat arbitrary. No doubt they settled on 10% because it is the recommended safe minimum by many manufacturers of cargo and recreational trailers in North America.

Besides increasing the tongue weight rating to 10%, Subaru also improved drivetrain cooling to meet the standard’s hill-climbing test. The manual no longer contains the 50% trailer weight reduction when climbing grades in hot weather (though it does still contain a warning about possible overheating in real world conditions that exceed testing parameters).

One less known specification in the J2807 standards is frontal area, which increases as trailer weight increases. In the 3500# class, the spec is 30 square feet. A Parkliner exceeds that by around 25-30%. The actual effect of frontal area increases with speed, so another reason to slow down when towing.

More valuable info! Thank you. Much appreciated. I rarely exceed 60mph, preferring to stay around 55mph. When I finish fine tuning things I should have the tongue weight at exactly 10%. After all this, I am missing my good old Honda Ridgeline. We towed our ParkLiner more than 10,000 miles without a problem.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by georgesass

More valuable info! Thank you. Much appreciated. I rarely exceed 60mph, preferring to stay around 55mph. When I finish fine tuning things I should have the tongue weight at exactly 10%. After all this, I am missing my good old Honda Ridgeline. We towed our ParkLiner more than 10,000 miles without a problem.

Yes, it’s definitely marginal, while the Ridgeline was more than enough. On the other hand, everyday gas mileage in those older Ridgelines was not that great, which could be painful at today’s prices.

Since you’re not going to use WDH, consider a friction sway control device. At least they’re inexpensive compared to WDH and composite LP tanks!

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Since you’re not going to use WDH, consider a friction sway control device. At least they’re inexpensive compared to WDH and composite LP tanks!

I agree!
We kept our 16' Scamp down to 2500 lbs when we towed it with our Outback. Had to take one of the dual propane tanks off to get the tongue weight down to the 200 lb maximum back then, but that put the tongue weight at 8%. For added safety and security I added a friction sway bar although luckily I never had any sway issues (also kept my towing speed at 60 MPH or less).

[Mike_L]

In my opinion, if the weight of the WDH makes a significant difference to the towing capacity of your tug, maybe you need a stronger tug?

[CharlesinGA]

While I am not a fan of anything Andersen, the recommendation of an Equalizer hitch is absurd. They are very heavy and you just don't need it. I you were to decide on a weight distributing hitch, the Andersen is lightweight and is probably a good choice on light weight trailers.

Otherwise just put an friction type anti sway bar on it and be done with it.

Charles