Community Forums

cmcguire48 · 02-02-2016, 12:55 PM

If I am making a sharp turn into my driveway and need to take off equalizer bars how high do i raise the tongue, ie halfway, completely off ball etc. You need to take some weight off so i was just wondering whats a good estimate, dont want to hold up other neighbors trying to get into their driveways. Silly question but I am retired and just wanted to ask a question. thanks

1bigmess · 02-02-2016, 12:59 PM

You leave the truck hooked up for this. read your owners's manual, or download one from the manufacturers website to learn how to properly use the hitch. If you are proposing what I think you are, you could create a situation where the trailer will be able to roll away out of control.

I do not need to remove equalizer bars to back up my trailer, and have not encountered a situation yet where I felt I needed to.

cmcguire48 · 02-02-2016, 01:15 PM

Appreciate your advice but the main reason for asking the question is my wife was trying to learn to back into a parking space and she jackknifed a couple of times and it broke the large bolt that goes thru the end of the bar. Our dealer said she broke it by turning so sharp.

1bigmess · 02-02-2016, 01:24 PM

When I install or remove the equalizer bars, I do so with the hitch closed on the ball and lift the truck along with the trailer. To do otherwise could create a situation where the trailer rolls on it's own, out of control.

sprayman · 02-02-2016, 01:25 PM

Replace bolt and don't jacknife

twinboat · 02-02-2016, 03:02 PM

Yes, leave the coupler latched and lift the tongue and hitch a few inchs with the jack.

That takes the load off the bars so you can drop them.

Maybe you can drop the bars before you get right to the driveway, so your not blocking the neighbors.

Then again, maybe the want to watch

RVcircus · 02-10-2016, 11:04 AM

Like the others said, leave the trailer hooked to the ball and just remove the bars. If you need to take weight off the bars to get them off use the tongue jack to lift it with the truck attached.

I have a video of us backing into our driveway with me removing the load bars before hand if you'd like to see.

https://youtu.be/Syyw791aS_I