E2 Hitch won't stay tight & level on frame

[hotfishtacos]

My Equalizer hitch brackets used to move forward or backward sometimes on my 19' although the bolts were torqued evenly and correctly. This bothered me so I investigated the problem, found the root cause, corrected the issue, and haven't had any subsequent bracket movement. I found that the trailer frame height was shorter than the clearance between the top and bottom clamping bolts. I don't remember exactly what it measured but I felt the gap was significant. With those bolts just snugged I could rock the bracket back and forth quite a bit. To correct the problem I cut a section of thick-walled aluminum tubing and sanded a flat lengthwise on the outside. This tubing section then filled the gap when slipped over the top clamping bolt. Eliminating the clearance gap between the top and bottom bolts in the bracket removed the possibility for the bracket to rock back and forth. I then found that the bolts could be correctly torqued without bowing the structure, like it had previously, providing a really solid attachment. This proved to be a really simple and effective fix and I've seen no bracket movement since..

[Dave Walter]

This is the conventional WD hitch that ETI supplied and setup for us. Has operated flawlessly since it was installed over 3-1/2 yrs ago. I think that sometimes, the old tried and true setups are often best.

[Greg A]

That's the one we have, Dave and it has been flawless so far.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

This is the conventional WD hitch that ETI supplied and setup for us. Has operated flawlessly since it was installed over 3-1/2 yrs ago. I think that sometimes, the old tried and true setups are often best.

Couldn't agree more. Sometimes I see so much overthinking about items like this

I wonder sometimes if part of the negative experience some folks have had with their WDH is based on them not realizing that it they crank the tongue up it's almost no effort to raise the chain holding hooks. I don't even bother with the bar anymore, I just use my fingers.

I've seen folks putting the chains on without raising the tongue. They struggle sometimes with a few oaths, curses and crashes. No doubt they make negative comments about WDH's also.

Ron

[Losangeles]

As I'll sometimes tow completely on my own, I want the luxury of being able to back up, and turn a bunch while backing up, without having to remove the WDH arms, so i'm going for the e2, along with the back up camera.

Removing the arms on our Casita's Kurt WDH before backing up was a big pain in the butt. I'm very happy to not have to deal with this ever again.

It is great to have these choices. I'm very grateful.

and... earlier today I spoke with Fastway about the e2, and they said yes, if there are gaps around the brackets then yes shims should be used (wood or metal) to make sure the brackets dont slide around, and to get enough torque, and keep the brackets flat.

and they also said that the "sleeves" they make for the L Bracket on the other equalizer hitch they make would fit on e2..... some people use them, but they dont recommend if you need a lot of sway control, as there are only 2 points of contact on the e2.....with the sleeves it reduces the friction, so it would not have as much sway control as the steel on steel friction.

but I am ok to experiment a bit to see what works best for me.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

As I'll sometimes tow completely on my own, I want the luxury of being able to back up, and turn a bunch while backing up, without having to remove the WDH arms, so i'm going for the e2, along with the back up camera. .

I have never, in eight years, removed the Pro Series WDH arms to back up or for any other purpose other than to disconnect the trailer.
A sharp turn will make noise, but I can cope with a little noise.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I have never, in eight years, removed the Pro Series WDH arms to back up or for any other purpose other than to disconnect the trailer.

I was wondering about that. On a recent camping trip, someone drove through the main (and only) road, stopped, and proceeded to take about ten minutes to remove the WDH stuff in order to back into the space. Another car/trailer was waiting behind. I thought I'd read here that it was unnecessary.

Then he proceeded to take forever to back into the space to the point I almost went over to offer to back it in for him. Now that part I can understand and I did empathize with him.

The WDH thing? Not so much.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I have never, in eight years, removed the Pro Series WDH arms to back up or for any other purpose other than to disconnect the trailer.
A sharp turn will make noise, but I can cope with a little noise.

Glad it has been working so well for you. That is great.

Reading the manual for the ProSeries WDH here

http://www.carid.com/images/pro-seri...structions.pdf

It says "On some installations, damage to the sway control may occur during extremely sharp turning maneuvers. This can be checked by slowly
backing vehicle into a jackknife position while someone is watching.

Do not allow slide bar to contract completely (bottom out) or
bumper to contact sway control.

If it looks as though contact will be made or the sway control will bottom out then the sway control
must be removed before backing trailer."

I dont ever want to worry about it.... and yes I do sometimes need to make "extremely sharp turning maneuver" while backing up, by myself.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

As I'll sometimes tow completely on my own, I want the luxury of being able to back up, and turn a bunch while backing up, without having to remove the WDH arms, so i'm going for the e2, along with the back up camera.

Removing the arms on our Casita's Kurt WDH before backing up was a big pain in the butt. I'm very happy to not have to deal with this ever again.

No WDH should require unhooking to allow backing up, although there might be a problem with a very poorly designed or improperly installed system. The installation risk includes the E2: if you put the brackets too far back on the trailer frame (or they work their way back by themselves), the spring bar on the outside of the turn could pull right off of the bracket.

The really cheap and junky device which often does need to be removed is a bar-shaped friction-type sway control device - many of them will pull apart, or "bottom out" and bind, or otherwise jam or self-destruct, if turned too sharply. The direction of motion of the rig doesn't matter, but you can turn more sharply (or "jackknife") in reverse so that's when there's a risk. Was the problem with the Curt setup the weight-distribution system or a separate sway control device?

[gbaglo]

I have no anti-sway arms and no need for them.
Just the standard Pro Series WDH.
I do sometimes have to do sharp backing manoeuvers and do so with no issues.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I have no anti-sway arms and no need for them.
Just the standard Pro Series WDH.
I do sometimes have to do sharp backing manoeuvers and do so with no issues.

This is what I would expect with a typical two-bar&chain WDH, properly installed. Some people may have problems with them in tight turns if their brackets are too close to the ball, or too far from the ball, or if the length of chain between bracket and bar is too short. With any of these issues, in a tight turn the chain could be unable to reach the bar end in an extreme turn.

[Greg A]

Agree totally with Glenn. We have no issues backing up with the pro series in place.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

No WDH should require unhooking to allow backing up, although there might be a problem with a very poorly designed or improperly installed system. The installation risk includes the E2: if you put the brackets too far back on the trailer frame (or they work their way back by themselves), the spring bar on the outside of the turn could pull right off of the bracket.

The really cheap and junky device which often does need to be removed is a bar-shaped friction-type sway control device - many of them will pull apart, or "bottom out" and bind, or otherwise jam or self-destruct, if turned too sharply. The direction of motion of the rig doesn't matter, but you can turn more sharply (or "jackknife") in reverse so that's when there's a risk. Was the problem with the Curt setup the weight-distribution system or a separate sway control device?

woops... my bad... I need more coffee.

On our Casita, we had Casita install the Kurt WDH plus a separate Kurt friction sway bar.

It was the separate Kurt friction sway bar that was supposed to be removed before sharp turn backing up.

not the WDH arms.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

Glad it has been working so well for you. That is great.

Reading the manual for the ProSeries WDH here

http://www.carid.com/images/pro-seri...structions.pdf

It says [I]"On some installations, damage to the sway control may occur during extremely sharp turning maneuvers...

That's the potential problem with the sway control device that I mentioned. It isn't an issue with the WDH, but the WDH and sway control device are sold as a package... which is why I was asking if the reason for disconnecting to back up with the Curt system was this same issue with the sway control.

[Fox hunt]

i never remove it when backing- only one time it came off when i first got it and got into some trouble backing in a really tight turn. I also do not raise the tongue when putting on the chains i just use the pipe- it seems easy to me.

[Fox hunt]

i also have the pro series