Equalizer 4 point stabilizer and anti sway?

[Homeby5]

I'm on the road and my Stabilizer bar spring pin broke. I don't feel like Jerry rigging it for another 12500 miles. Going to Kansa City to buy the Equalizer 4 point 10000lb system. Anyone want to chime in on the quality of this?
I am pulling a 26ft Imagine that weighs 8800 lbs loaded and pulling with a F350.
Thanks

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

I'm on the road and my Stabilizer bar spring pin broke. I don't feel like Jerry rigging it for another 12500 miles. Going to Kansa City to buy the Equalizer 4 point 10000lb system. Anyone want to chime in on the quality of this?
I am pulling a 26ft Imagine that weighs 8800 lbs loaded and pulling with a F350.
Thanks

Too small IMHO. Your tongue weight at 8800 loaded will be in the 1200 lb range.

Here is a link to the Equal-i-Zer configuration tool. Pop in your weights, odds are they recommend the 14K model.

What Equal-i-Zer hitch?

For what it's worth, I bumped up to a 14K on my 8300 lb loaded trailer with about 1200 lbs of TW and it tows great.

[jleonard]

I have a 2600 RB and the GVWR is 7850 so you are 1000 lb overweight if your 8800 is accurate.
That said I have that Equalizer 10000 lb hitch nd it works fine for me but my rig weighs under 7000 lb. and tongue weight is just under 1000 lb.

I would opt for the 12000 lb model if I had to do it again.

[Homeby5]

I've decided nit to go with any weight distribution system. My 1 ton truck handles it fine just on the ball. I can't tell any difference.
I read an article and it said that a rule of thumb is that if the GVWR is twice as much as the trailer weight then it's probably not needed. I've pulled 500 miles now without any stabilization and again...its fine.
Thanks guys

[CamperLifer]

With a larger truck like a 1 ton, the hitch is for sway control more than weight distribution.

[Homeby5]

Originally Posted by CamperLifer

With a larger truck like a 1 ton, the hitch is for sway control more than weight distribution.

I think my sway is OK. Im out in Neb and SD. I just rode about 800 miles through wind gusts up to 80mph (according to the news) and I didn't experience any sway. Wind was hitting me both from the side and head on.
Thanks

[move on]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

I've decided nit to go with any weight distribution system. My 1 ton truck handles it fine just on the ball. I can't tell any difference.
I read an article and it said that a rule of thumb is that if the GVWR is twice as much as the trailer weight then it's probably not needed. I've pulled 500 miles now without any stabilization and again...its fine.
Thanks guys

If your truck is twice the trailer weight then you definitely don't want a WD or sway control hitch. In fact you can go as low as 1:1 and still be OK.

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

I've decided nit to go with any weight distribution system. My 1 ton truck handles it fine just on the ball. I can't tell any difference.
I read an article and it said that a rule of thumb is that if the GVWR is twice as much as the trailer weight then it's probably not needed. I've pulled 500 miles now without any stabilization and again...its fine.
Thanks guys

I think that may be a mistake....or apply to a really really small trailer. You would need an awfully big truck to meet that criteria as you said you are pulling an 8800 lb trailer.

An F450s GVWR at 14K wouldn't even cut it.

[Homeby5]

Originally Posted by mistercee

I think that may be a mistake....or apply to a really really small trailer. You would need an awfully big truck to meet that criteria as you said you are pulling an 8800 lb trailer.

An F450s GVWR at 14K wouldn't even cut it.

I downloaded my 2022 specs and it says my truck has a distribution weight of 20k lbs. Am I not understanding correctly?

[move on]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

I downloaded my 2022 specs and it says my truck has a distribution weight of 20k lbs. Am I not understanding correctly?

What the spec sheet is saying is that if you use a weight distributing hitch then you're good to tow 20,000 lbs. It also says that if you use a ball hitch (weight carrying hitch) then you're also good to tow 20,000 lbs. In other words, it's telling you you don't need a WD hitch for your 8800 lb trailer.

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

I downloaded my 2022 specs and it says my truck has a distribution weight of 20k lbs. Am I not understanding correctly?

OK, that's the confusion. That 20K is your tow capacity, not your GVWR. GVWR - gross vehicle weight rating - is the max that the vehicle is rated to weigh - not tow.

I'm in a similar situation as you - about 8500 lbs or so with an F350. I use a WDH since I've got it, and feel it certainly can't hurt. Just a little more piece of mind, especially on cross country trips.

[Cumminsfan]

The GVWR of your truck is around 11,000-12,600lbs depending. Those aren't exact weights but thats the ball park GVWR that Ford gives the F350 SRW.

[move on]

Note that a weight distribution hitch is not a safety device. It will actually tend to make your rig less stable so you should not be using one unless you need it to keep from overloading your rear axle or from having your headlights pointing at the sky.

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by move on

Note that a weight distribution hitch is not a safety device. It will actually tend to make your rig less stable so you should not be using one unless you need it to keep from overloading your rear axle or from having your headlights pointing at the sky.

I know this is sometimes a contested topic.

With this truck, I primarily use it (Equal-i-Zer 4 pt) for it's anti-sway properties.

However, I see eTrailer recommends one in any application where the trailer weighs more than 1/2 the weight of the two vehicles. Perhaps this is what OP was referring to in his initial post. I believe both of us would fall into this (WDH recommended) category.

I am pulling a 33' wind sail behind me. I can't see how using a good quality hitch such as the Equal-i-Zer could be detrimental.