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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Equal-i-zer Hitch Pros and Cons

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Mike013
1st Mate

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USA
64 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/29/2007 : 12:23:14

What is the forum's experience with this hitch. It seems to be the only one compatable with surge brakes on my 250WK Trail Rite trailer.

Mike
"Ariel"
2006 C250 WK #859
Central California

Edited by - Mike013 on 03/29/2007 14:21:51

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/29/2007 : 13:52:40

We used one to tow 2,000 miles last fall. It works well but it required the use of special extender (pole extender?) because the hitch on our trailers is on a straigh piece of steel frame (pole) not an A-frame. Tighten as I might, that darn extender wanted to move, crawl forward actually. I ended up tightening it so much the bracket bent. Before trailering again I am going to have the extender welded in place. Other than that the hitch did a good job. We towed with a GMC Yukon and it was at it limit. Be careful.

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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732 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 09:44:38

I used it with my 250WK and a Dodge Durango 5.9L with tow package. I have not had the probem that Nautiduck had with the adapter sliding, but I did have to have a shim made that goes between the adapter and the trailer to get get the holes to line up. Just a 1/4" thick bit of sheet metal bent in a U to help it stay on the tongue. I can send you pictures if you like.

I found the trailer steady as rock back there with my tow vehicle. My 5.9L engine is probably not enough for pulling through the mountains, but between Portland (Oregon) and Seattle, it works fine...

Only "con" is jacking the trailer up high enough (with the vehicle attached) to get the equalizer arms attached. That will tire a guy out, or at least me. But I had no problem doing it...

Edited by - on

Mike013
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 09:57:02

Equal-i-zer customer service sent me some data showing two ways of attaching the hitch. One with the adapter and the other without. I would like to see your pictures.

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 10:17:11

Mike, I am rushing right now, but if you search the site messages (probably archived by now) you will find a long thread about the hitch, which includes links to my pictures. If you don't find it, I will get it to you the next time I am on the site, probably later today...

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 10:48:30

I would like to see a photo of how to use the hitch <b>WITHOUT</b> the adapters. I don't see how they would do it.

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kevinmac
Admiral

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732 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 17:10:34

I agree Randy. I think the pole tongue adapter is required. I used it.

Here is a link to my pictures. When these pictures were taken, I was still using the temporary shims that I rigged up when I picked up my boat. You can seen them on top of, and on the side of, the tongue. Later, I fabricated a u shaped shim of the same thickness that just sits on top of the tongue.

http://www.catapult.biz/sail/hitch/equalizer.htm

Kevin

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 19:24:56

I was able to use the equal-i-zer hitch without the adapter on my Trailrite wk 250. I did have to move the wheel stand back a few inches and added about a 1/4 inch plate on each side of the pole to move the bars outward a drop (to clear the larger lower square tube (for the pull out tongue)). Works pretty good, but you need some real low end horsepower to pull this 12 foot tall rig up any grades. I wound up in 2nd gear too often and averaged 8 to 9 mpg on the drive from NJ to FL.. I'll be upgrading my 5.3 Avalanche to a diesel Super or Heavy duty later this year - for both this trailer and a large enclosed car hauler.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 21:25:04

Kevin, another reason your adapter may be more stable is that it is pressed right up against the riser beam that hold the bow. My riser is about 6" in front of the adapter location. Your adapter can't move forward. Maybe I need to weld something in the way or use a U bolt to be a stopper. The forces on the adapter are quite strong and the bolting arrangement just doesn't seem sufficient for me.

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kevinmac
Admiral

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732 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2007 : 22:36:49

Interesting Capn Ron, I thought about moving the trailer stand, but was worried if I moved it back, I would make it harder to jack up the trailer. Glad to hear that works. Maybe you can post some pictures, so that folks can see both methods. If you need me to put them on my site for you, I would be glad to.

Randy, have you had trouble with it sliding on the tongue? FYI, I had planned to have my spare tire carrier welded to the trailer, but I got reactions of pure horror both from folks on this site and from the machine shop that was going to do the work. Apparently welding to a galvanized trailer gives an entry for corrossion, or something, I dunno...

Maybe a couple extra U bolts, with the bolts reefed down pretty good...?

Edited by - on

welshoff
Captain

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USA
253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2007 : 12:31:13

Kevin,
Can't you swing the bars in place prior to lowering the trailer on the ball? Why lower the trailer first just to crank it back up to swing the bars in place?

That is how I did it when on a travel trailer i used to have, although it was the older "chain" equalizer hitch.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2007 : 12:53:16

Mike sent me a photo and description of how to use the Equalizer without the adapter. It looks like a much better solution. I will try it the next time we tow!

Edited by - on

welshoff
Captain

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253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2007 : 10:37:10

Randy,
Can you post the picture?

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2007 : 14:00:43

OK, here is the photo. Trust me, this is way simpler than using the adapter plus it saves $100+.

The only trick is that the bolt heads and the nuts have to be thinner than usual. I will need to go to a specialty fastener supplier to get them. You cannot see the bolts and nuts in question (well, actually you do see the threaded portion of the upper bolt) in the photo. They are used to attach the brackets to the trailer and are hidden behind the metal pieces that the bars sit on.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 04/03/2007 14:06:52

welshoff
Captain

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253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2007 : 09:49:58

Thanks for the photo.

Randy, do you have the tongue extender below the hitch? I am not sure if it would interfere with this installation?

I am in process of getting an equalizer hitch. Just trying to get the install worked out. Thanks.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2007 : 13:26:15

I do not have a tongue extender. I strap launch. I had a tongue extender on my C22 and eventually had it removed. It was 12' long and I have sometimes used 50' of strap. Once you get the process down the strap launch is easy. I will be launching the 250 in about a week and will post photos. I have come up with some new tricks.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 04/04/2007 13:29:17

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2007 : 17:54:22

Wil,

First, I have the tongue extender on my trailer, so the square tube the holds that would interfere with the "adapterless" method shown in the picture.

As for swinging the bars in place, the instructions for the equal-i-zer are pretty specific about proper use. The hitch angles the bars downward towards the ground at a shallow (say 15 degree) angle. So in order to swing the bars in, you have to jack the car high enough (with the trailer attached) to get the bars level, so you can swing them in. Then, when you lower the car, the weight of the car is partially on the trailer wheels, which is one of the things that makes it all so stable. The weight of the boat and trailer is actually levering the car to put more weight on the front wheels of the car (or SUV I guess I should say, not car).

Hope all that makes some sense.

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2007 : 23:56:33

Kevin -

The wk boat is on a 4 post lift in back of the house and the Trailrite trailer is in a storage yard a few miles away. I can take a picture of the pole mounted equalizer when I assemble the rig next month for the trip north. It looks similar to the other picture above, but mine has a 10 foot pull out pole mounted under the hitch. Because the pull out box tube is bigger than the hitch box tube, I had to cut out two 1/4 inch plates as spacers for the sides. I also remember buying 1/2 inch longer bolts and nuts with thinner heads to avoid clearance problems with the two brackets. I moved the trailer stand aft by just enough to clear the bars.

Edited by - on

welshoff
Captain

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USA
253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2007 : 16:06:17

Anybody have a [url="http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=49580"]1000 TW Draw-tite[/url] weight distribution hitch? They also make a lower tounge weight hitch [url="http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=49578&Category_Code="] 750 TW Draw-tite[/url] Just looking at options.

Which model would be more suitable to our tounge weights?

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2007 : 14:10:15

Wil -

You're going to have about 650 pounds of tongue weight on the receiver with a wing keel not including the hitch itself (probably around 50 pounds), and depending on the boats position on the trailer and what's onboard when you're pulling it. I measured mine at around 650 5 months ago before we drove 1200 miles down to Florida. I bought the 1,000 pound version of the Equal-i-zer hitch. I figured 750 was too close to the actual weight. Tech support at Equal-i-zer told me not to go heavier (say 1500 pounds).

Wing keels are a bear to tow on any highway with a half ton gasoline powered pickup, especially with any sort of grade involved. My half ton Avalanche was also at it limits, and I wound up in 3rd and 2nd gears when I had to climb anything at all. Truck is rated at 8200 pounds, load was maybe 6500, but's it's way up into the airflow. It felt like I was pulling a 3 1/2 ton parachute.

Edited by - on

welshoff
Captain

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USA
253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2007 : 14:32:12

Thanks Ron. I had a 3/4 ton suburban that I used to pull the boat with. I downsized my truck to a 1/2 ton. I don't pull the boat very much or very far, just wanted to give the 1/2 ton a little help when I do pull the boat.

I know the boat is a big load to tow.

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2007 : 08:43:28

I just re-read part of the thread and I'd like to add something. Not totally sure, but I believe that some chain based weight equalizing hitches will work with surge brakes too. The 2 chains run vertically between the load bars and frame, and depending on how many links are exposed, it will allow fore and aft movement for the surge action to occur. The built in sway control friction in the equal-i-zer is probably similar in total resistance. BUT - if the chain based hitch also has sway control, that bar(s) will defeat it. The Equal-i-zer set up is probably the only hitch that has both on a surge brake system.

I've got one of these chain based hitches (for 2 heavy electric brake trailers) and I may try it one day with the Trailrite.

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