Load leveling equalizer hitches and dump trailers

[Shawnco999]

Load leveling equalizer hitches and dump trailers - anybody use these hitch solutions for your dump trailer? If so, do you adjust/tune the equalizer hitch each time you put a load in your dump trailer since the weight changes?

 

[George2615]

I have a 16' dump trailer. I do use a WDH mainly because I can't control the loader operator and how he dumps the load in the trailer. Sometimes he puts the load too far forward putting a lot of tongue weight on the truck. I've always used it and never tried to haul without it. My 3/4T truck doesn't squat much but can't say how much it would without the WDH. Better to be safe than not. I do not change the hitch setting and usually just set it for 5 or 6 links on the chains.

 

[Shawnco999]

Thanks George2615. I'm curious what WDH you have (Make/Model)? My new X-On trailer has a 6 inch high by 4 inch wide I-beam frame, with the pump/battery box in the "way" blocking any spring bar starting at 28 inches and rearward, so I need to find a WDH that possibly doesn't require 35 inch spring bars but something shorter (I'm seeing Speedway makes one).

 

[George2615]

I have two hitches. One is a round bar. I think its a Reese hitch (I've had it so long I forgot) The other is a dual cam flat bar (possibly Equalizer brand). Both are rated for 12000lb / 1200lb tongue weight. Similar to the pics here. I use the round bar on the camper and the flat bar dual cam on the dump trlr. It's only 12,000 rated and my dump trlr is 14K but it works for me.

 

[nisaacs]

I bought the Kurt 17333 "short bar" hitch. I worked fine on my Big Tex, the bars are 28" 15K rated.

 

[Shawnco999]

Cool thanks

 

[Morning Wood]

The way the tongue is on my dump trailer (adjustable height channel) wd bars would not work. I put on a hitch rated for 2k tongue weight weight carrying and air bags. Don’t have any issues that way unless the trailer is loaded with the load all flat and totally filling the bed. Much better mounded over the axles. I can get 11k lbs of fill no problem.

 

[tmcj]

I have the Equalizer. I used to take the bars off when running empty and reinstall them before loading, but it got to be more of a pain than what it was worth. The trailer does seem to be a little more bouncy but not enough to worry about.

My biggest thing is remembering to adjust the trailer brake gain between loads.

 

[bdog]

I don’t doubt their effectiveness but I have owned and pulled a ton of trailers over the past 25 years and have never used an equalizer hitch. Heaviest load I have pulled behind a pickup on a tag trailer was around 19,000 lb. A triple axle deck over Pintle hitch trailer behind a GMC dually. Hauled a ton of 10-12k loads denied 3/4 tons.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

I don’t doubt their effectiveness but I have owned and pulled a ton of trailers over the past 25 years and have never used an equalizer hitch. Heaviest load I have pulled behind a pickup on a tag trailer was around 19,000 lb. A triple axle deck over Pintle hitch trailer behind a GMC dually. Hauled a ton of 10-12k loads denied 3/4 tons.

Never used an equalizer until last year. I bought it with the idea of maximizing my GMC 1/2 ton payload. I had been hauling six big bales and upped it to eight with the equalizer. My brother who is blind and rides with me on the hay hauls thought I'd cut two bales instead of adding two, it rode that much better. Got rid of the half ton and now have an f250, but I still plan on using that hitch for hay hauls. The bales were about 800# on a 9990# trailer, so about 8500# total trailer weight.