Cheesed Off with Equal-i-zer

[Groover]

Hi! I have a used Equal-i-zer E4 and I am finding that the tension bar sockets keep coming loose during trips.

I torque the bolts to 80 ft-lb on one side and 100 ft-lb on the other side. This makes both bars possible to move by hand with some effort but with the same amount of resistance, so there is friction for the anti-sway. Not sure why the torques ended up different but I figured as long as the resistance was the same then it was OK.

Took the trailer on a trip to get new tires and back and I found the bars could easily be moved, pushed with a single finger, no friction at all.

Then I replaced the split washers with new ones and replaced the regular nuts with lock nuts. Re-torqued.

After a six hour drive the bars can again be moved with a single finger.

What am I misunderstanding or doing wrong? My next step is to try thread locker....

I didn't have this problem with my Husky Centerline TS (which I still have but has undersized bars for this trailer).

Thanks!

[Pap and Mimi]

Sounds like there might be excess wear in the sockets. Do they have gouges/ wear marks inside the sockets and on the blocks? If they are not kept greased, they can really wear down.
I service mine each spring and they are still tight at the end of camping season.

Clean everything good and mic the parts, call equalizer customer service with the numbers and ask if the wear is in the sockets or boxes. If the wear is in the boxes they can be easily replaced.

[huntindog]

Hi! I have a used Equal-i-zer E4 and I am finding that the tension bar sockets keep coming loose during trips.

I torque the bolts to 80 ft-lb on one side and 100 ft-lb on the other side. This makes both bars possible to move by hand with some effort but with the same amount of resistance, so there is friction for the anti-sway. Not sure why the torques ended up different but I figured as long as the resistance was the same then it was OK.

Took the trailer on a trip to get new tires and back and I found the bars could easily be moved, pushed with a single finger, no friction at all.

Then I replaced the split washers with new ones and replaced the regular nuts with lock nuts. Re-torqued.

After a six hour drive the bars can again be moved with a single finger.

What am I misunderstanding or doing wrong? My next step is to try thread locker....

I didn't have this problem with my Husky Centerline TS (which I still have but has undersized bars for this trailer).

Thanks!

Normal. When you tension the bars. there is plenty of friction.... As for tightening the sockets...Read your manual....I don't remember the procedure exactly, but what you are doing is NOT what it states.

[Redapple63]

I would check the fasteners. I have had my Equalizer now going on 3 years with no issue. Your situation does not sound normal. I verified the torque of the fasteners when I first got it and once every 6 months, has not budged.

[Groover]

Normal. When you tension the bars. there is plenty of friction.... As for tightening the sockets...Read your manual....I don't remember the procedure exactly, but what you are doing is NOT what it states.

So what you are saying is that when the bars are under tension the top of the sockets are pressed against the head and that creates the friction at that point? Therefore it is irrelevant if the sockets are loose when there is no tension on the bars?

Thanks.

[huntindog]

So what you are saying is that when the bars are under tension the top of the sockets are pressed against the head and that creates the friction at that point? Therefore it is irrelevant if the sockets are loose when there is no tension on the bars?

Thanks.

Correct. Except the bottom is also pressed against the head. All you need to do is torque the bolts to spec. I am a little concerned as at 80-100 LBS you are way over what I remember as the spec. You may have over torqued the bolts which will stretch and weaken/ruin them. I think it was 55-65. I have owned 3 different sized EQUALIZER hitches for 3 different TTs over 30 years and well over 100,000 miles of use. I probably checked the torque 5-6 times in that time, and only once did they need to be tightened

[Groover]

Correct. Except the bottom is also pressed against the head. All you need to do is torque the bolts to spec. I am a little concerned as at 80-100 LBS you are way over what I remember as the spec. You may have over torqued the bolts which will stretch and weaken/ruin them. I think it was 55-65. I have owned 3 different sized EQUALIZER hitches for 3 different TTs over 30 years and well over 100,000 miles of use. I probably checked the torque 5-6 times in that time, and only once did they need to be tightened

From the 6K-14K manual on the Equal-i-zer website:



Thanks for confirming that it's under tension that is important - makes sense!

[huntindog]

From the 6K-14K manual on the Equal-i-zer website:



Thanks for confirming that it's under tension that is important - makes sense!

That manual has been revised since I bought my last one in 2010. It did not give a range for the Torque back then,, Just a spec. But it is good to know that the bolts should be fine at 100LBS