Hitches made by Equalizer

[Cathi]

Hi, there,
Does anyone know of a hitch made by Equalizer that has chains? When I look up hitches called Equalizer (looking at the company, not the generic term), I see no chains. Someone is telling me, however, that our hitch with chains is an Equalizer, which they are also referring to as an EQ hitch. Is that perhaps another company from Equalizer that makes hitches with no chains? I have seen what I thought was the whole line from Equalizer and none has chains.

[rabbit]

The folks who hyphenate Equal-i-zer lever the bars on to a right-angle bracket suspended from the tongue each side. However, I believe there is reason to believe that equalizer hitch is a commonly used synonym for weight distributon hitch thus the confusion.

jack

[Francesca Knowles]

I agree with Jack- some folks mistakenly use the term "equalizer" interchangeably with the term "weight distributing"- I s'pose because all w/d hitches are designed to "equalize" the load across the axles. Most such hitches use chain attachments behind the trailer coupler and don't provide sway control.

Equalizer as a brand of w/d hitch differs in that it doesn't use chains- its design especially including rigid attachment points purportedly adds sway control to the hitch.

Francesca

[Cathi]

Someone said they sold an "Equalizer" with a capital "E.". I asked what company provided their hitches and told them that hitches sold by the Equalizer company (I should have written Equal-i-zer, I guess, but was copying what they write) do not have chains but do have sway control (which theirs does not.) They wrote back that the hitches they sell are Equalizers and yes, they do have chains. They provided a photo of the typical hitch with chains.

Unless there is another company called Equalizer instead of Equal-i-zer, they have not told me yet what company they are getting hitches from, at least as far as I know.

[Randy Hagen]

I have an Equal-i-zer hitch with bars and have never seen nor heard of this brand hitch coming with chains. I could be wrong but I think they are different companies. It would be easy to find out by going to the Equal-i-zer website or giving them a call.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Cathy

Someone said they sold an "Equalizer" with a capital "E.". I asked what company provided their hitches and told them that hitches sold by the Equalizer company (I should have written Equal-i-zer, I guess, but was copying what they write) do not have chains but do have sway control (which theirs does not.) They wrote back that the hitches they sell are Equalizers and yes, they do have chains. They provided a photo of the typical hitch with chains.

Unless there is another company called Equalizer instead of Equal-i-zer, they have not told me yet what company they are getting hitches from, at least as far as I know.

You're still struggling with semantics, Cathy.

A regular weight distributing hitch "equalizes" the load among the axles, so in that respect the company is probably telling you the Gospel Truth.

Frankly, I'm having trouble discerning exactly what the problem/question is here...are you involved in some kind of a dispute with someone over the performance of a specific product, or what???

Francesca

[Mike Magee]

Take a look at the Anderson No-Sway Hitch. It uses chains instead of bars to provide sway control and weight distribution (equalization).

[Cathi]

Randy, I am thinking that if you don't know of this brand having chains, they are not telling me what company makes their hitch and just have not paid attention to the question. This photo is of a hitch like the one they are saying is an Equalizer. I know it looks nothing like yours. We might like the one you have. Have you used ones with chains and can you tell the difference with the sway control?

[Glenn Baglo]

You've yet to say who "they" are, but that looks like the equalizer ( WDH ) that I have and it was supplied and installed by Escape. Somewhere on it it says who made it ( Pro something? ). So, it would appear that your interpretation of equalizer is different than most and is a matter of spelling and a capital E ( Equal-i-zer ), and the design, of course.
I don't know what you are using as a tow, but my buddy tows a 19, with that WDH on a Hyundai Santa Fe and hasn't any sway issues with his set up.
Are you having an issue with sway? Have you measured your tongue weight ?

[rabbit]

Progressive Industries produces both the Equal-i-zer and E-2 lines, both the same design: bar tension in both cases producing friction between the bar and the surface of the bracket it rides on and allegedly preventing or, more properly, resisting sway.

Add-on sway bars for WHDs are available and certainly nothing new. I don't understand how the bar suspension chains which connect bars to tension brackets on the more common design of WDH could resist trailer oscillation from side to side. I'd guess that the salesman/seller made representations that the type he is selling is of the chain and lever bracket type AND has anti-sway capability by virtue of an add-on friction device rather than attributing an anti-sway function to the chain hangers.

jack

[Night Sailor]

Originally Posted by Cathy

Randy, I am thinking that if you don't know of this brand having chains, they are not telling me what company makes their hitch and just have not paid attention to the question. This photo is of a hitch like the one they are saying is an Equalizer. I know it looks nothing like yours. We might like the one you have. Have you used ones with chains and can you tell the difference with the sway control?

That's I'd what I have used. I highly recommend load equalizing hitches. If I had a small trailer and towed a lot I'd get a lighter weight versio, if there is such a thing. They really are nice to use. I'd like to try a Hensley Hitch on a bigger trailer at some point, and I'd like to try towing with a four wheel steering Suburban too.

[Cathi]

Glenn, as I said the photo is "like" what they sent, not what they sent, but the kind of hitch is the same as what they are saying is an Equalizer. Equal-i-zer is a brand name that they seem to be attaching to a hitch that is not that brand. I have seen "Pro" and as I recall, it is possibly a model name, not necessarily a manufacturer's name. No, we do not have sway issues and we have a Sherline scale which has shown us at 10-12% several times. We might like an anti-sway mechanism before there is a sway problem rather than after.

Jack, I did not know that Progressive Industries makes the Equal-i-zer. We have their EMS and it seems good. I have also seen that sway bars can be added but I am under the impression that they might not do nearly what an integrated anti-sway set-up does. Don't know.

Mike, I had come across the Anderson and will have to look into that one.

[cpaharley2008]

Cathy,
A weight distribution system may not prevent sway, it is not a preventative measure but a correction measure that eliminates improper weight distribution. Sway control and proper tongue weight will prevent sway. Some tow vehicles have built in sway control that will activate the brakes. Your brake controller has a bypass you can use to activate the trailer brakes for sway. Proper measure of tongue weight using a Sherline scale will ensure you are properly set up. You can not eliminate the occasional wind shift or road issue that may cause a moment of sway but be prepared to handle it when it happens.
If you are experiencing constant sway and your tongue weight is proper then there are after market bolt on sway controls that are friction that supposed to keep sway to a minimum. Google "sway control" and you should see these. I hope this helps with explaining what issues may be involved while towing.

[Cathi]

Jim, yes, the brake controller is also so critical and when you say "bypass" I assume you mean using the manual on the brake controller. We practiced when we first bought the trailer. It seems it would be a good idea to practice using the manual brake controller when first starting out on any trip. Of course, the immediate usual reaction that a person would likely have for sway would be to hit the brakes which is a real no-no. So I think we need to be ready to hit the manual instead.

Yes, I know what you are saying that the normal WDH does not have sway control. A couple of the brands do have it. The points being made for the WDHs with chains are that you can back up without disconnecting and you can make tight turns. I take it that that is not the case with some WDHs.

[cpaharley2008]

Great, we are on the same page...

[Brian B-P]

A problem with being sloppy about terminology is that it confuses people. For instance, there is no towing device properly called a "sway bar", but there are

• bar-style friction sway control devices, and
• weight distribution systems (with spring bars)

Calling both of them "sway bars" leads to this:

Originally Posted by Cathy

The points being made for the WDHs with chains are that you can back up without disconnecting and you can make tight turns. I take it that that is not the case with some WDHs.

No, tight turns is not a problem with any WDH (weight distribution hitch) to my knowledge, regardless of whether or not the spring bars are connected to the frame with chains. It is a potential problem (most likely experienced in reverse, in which tighter tug/trailer angles can be reached than in forward motion) for bar-style friction sway controls. Perhaps some of the sway-control add-ons to WDHs (such as the Reese Dual Cam) restrict tight turns, but that would not be related to the chains or the weight distribution function.

[rabbit]

The spring bars of the Equal-i-zer WHD are represented as providing resistance to sway by means of frictional contact with their respective retention brackets. Their primary function is to rigidify the tongue/tow vehicle connection in the vertical plane. A telescoping anti-sway "device" attached to side of tongue and a small ball on the head casting of the WHD is another animal altogether.

jack

[Glenn Baglo]

This thread is now bringing me to tears.
I think I need a box of Kleenex. *Reg.

[Francesca Knowles]

Good one, Glenn!

Here's a tip:

If you're on a (Windows) laptop with a numeric keypad:

ALT/0153 will yield: ™
And
ALT/0174 will yield: ®

Francesca

[Mike Magee]

The Equal-i-zer is made by Progress Mfg, not "Progressive Industries." Close, though! I have one, and used it in the past with a 23' Rockwood. The bars are forced up onto L shaped brackets attached to the trailer's frame. The friction between the bars and brackets, plus the friction in the head sockets the bars fit into at the front end, dampen sway and keep it from turning into uncontrolled oscillation.

The photo you showed us, Cathy, looks to me like a run of the mill, budget priced weight distribution hitch. It does not provide a significant amount of sway control. A friction bar or two could be added to the setup for sway control, but they aren't IMO as effective as the Equal-i-zer brand, the Reese Dual Cam, or the Anderson.

The Anderson No-Sway is quite new. Hasn't been out more than a year or so. Their website shows how it works much better than I could describe it. If there is a weakness to their system, it might be the way the chains when tightened draw the trailer coupler forward against the ball; a couple of people have observed damage to their coupler pawl after a while, and they spoke of plans to replace their coupler with another brand (like Bulldog) that grips the ball differently.

Cathy, if your rv dealer is telling you that this hitch is 'just like an Equal-i-zer" or "just as good" as one, remember the old adage on how to tell if a salesman is lying to you: are his lips moving?