RE: " Equal-i-zer" WDH/sway control

[topcat7736]

 
Has anyone used one of these? (Click [link=http://www.equalizerhitch.com/home.html]HERE[/link] for the web site).
 
 I would like to know a couple of things about it:
 
 1) Is it easy to couple the tow vehicle to the trailer once it s attached to the tongue? When I get to a campground, I want to use the van & not leave it attached to the trailer. I need something that s easy to put on & off.
 
 2) Since the sway control is integral to this wdh, are you able to backup into a campsite without removing it as you would need to do with a regular sway bar?
 
 3) Does it stay attached to the tongue all the time? I leave the trailer in a storage area & don t want to be spending a lot of time un-doing and doing it every trip.
 
 Thanks in advance.

[Mahaffey-Family]

 topcat7736
Reese makes this.  It is also a lot cheaper.  I posted their web site on the general board under Jayco/windstar WDH  or something like this.

[topcat7736]

 topcat7736
Thanks Barbara, I read your post.
 
 The Reese & others are different to this one. With others, you must also purchase a sway bar which attaches to the tongue and hitch area. In the " Equal-i-zer" , there is no bar to attach (it provides sway control differently) and also doesn t require any chains.
 
 While I don t require one for the Taos, I m looking toward a " darkside"  future & wanted to be prepared. Someone who has one, with the same tow vehicle we have and the same trailer we are looking to purchase, said it was easy to use & provided both the WDH and sway control with no problems.

[mike4947]

 topcat7736
Topper, it s the same as a Reese Mini350 WDH. The sway control is built in. here s Reese s website: http://www.reeseprod.com./

[Y-Guy]

 topcat7736
0) If you are getting the Equalizer for use with your Taos its overkill big time.  However if you are using it with a Hybrid/TT then its a great setup.  For just about any popup I think it would be to much.  The weight of the Equalizer alone is something to consider.  
 
 1) Easy, yes considering its an excellent WDH.  Install the receiver head, install the two bars.  Hook up the trailer, raise the hitch and swing the bars into place.  If you don t want to raise the hitch as much you can use the lift bar they include. Then install the L pins to hold the bars in place.
 
 2) I never remove the setup when backing its no problem.
 
 3) The only items that stay on the tongue are the mounted L brackets, everything else can be removed.  I often leave the head unit on my truck, just removing the bars.
 
 Hope it helps.

[topcat7736]

 topcat7736
Thanks all. The Mini 350 can only have a tongue weight of 350# and a trailer weight of 3500#. The Equal-i-zer, (small one), handles 600# tongue and 6000# trailers.
 
 Y-Guy,
 
 I could say we wanted our Taos to feel safer (tongue in cheek) but I won t. We re looking at a 21ft trailer, sob, to replace the popup. I didn t want to carry around a jack or whatever to get the thing on & off. As long as I can easily remove & replace it and back into places without removing it, I m happy. Thanks.

[Y-Guy]

 topcat7736
Al I got your email, looks like a nice setup.  One suggestion I would recommend and one that I would like as well.  Get a power tongue jack to raise and lower the tongue, this will make getting it on and off with the Equal-i-zer a breeze.  The only down side to the Equal-i-zer is the squeak it makes at slow speeds around corners.  Some grease take care of it for the most part.  I did grin when I was camping last and saw a TT pull through squeaking and sure enough he had an Equal-i-zer too.