Advice Please

[ThePressureIsOn]

I just bought a 2013 Silverado 2500HD and the hitch height is 4 inches higher than my previous truck. Can I just drop the head 4 inches and be good to go or do I have to reconfigure my 10K Equal-i-zer completely?

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by ThePressureIsOn

I just bought a 2013 Silverado 2500HD and the hitch height is 4 inches higher than my previous truck. Can I just drop the head 4 inches and be good to go or do I have to reconfigure my 10K Equal-i-zer completely?

If your shank has 4" of downward adjustment, you're pretty much all set. You may have to fine tune a bit to maintain the sway control and weight distribution that you are used to, but it should be close.

If your shank does not allow the 4" of drop that you need, you can purchase shanks in various lengths and drops. No need to replace any other component of your hitch system. I have short drop and long drop shanks for my Reese WD system.

[fla-gypsy]

Originally Posted by SteveC7010

If your shank has 4" of downward adjustment, you're pretty much all set. You may have to fine tune a bit to maintain the sway control and weight distribution that you are used to, but it should be close.

If your shank does not allow the 4" of drop that you need, you can purchase shanks in various lengths and drops. No need to replace any other component of your hitch system. I have short drop and long drop shanks for my Reese WD system.

X2, this is your answer

[ThePressureIsOn]

Thank you for your expert advice. I can turn the shank upside down, if needed. I really didn't want to go through that whole process again. I will take measurements before and after in case I have to tweak the settings.

Thanks again!

[jaydeb]

I too, made the same trade up. Had a 2006 Z71 with 5.3 and 3.42 gears. I bought a 2013 2500HD Z71 with 3.73 and a 6.0L. When I traded it in, they were parked side by side so I measured the trailer hitch on old truck and dropped hitch down to two bottom holes. Have only pulled twice a short distance, but it seems I have it set up pretty close. Hope you love your new truck as much as I do.

[ThePressureIsOn]

I hear you jaydeb, the 5.3 and 3.42 weren't doing the job for towing. Now for mpg they worked great! Our TT is about 5K empty and max 6.5K loaded. The 1500 just couldn't do it. It would downshift severely going up small hills on the interstate.

I was hoping that just dropping the head 4 inches would would work. I spent about three hours setting the Equal-i-zer up the first time and really didn't want to go through that again. Did you have to flip your shank upside down?

It looks like we purchased about the same truck. It seems like a monster compared to the 1500. Very powerful but a stiffer ride.

I'm kind of embarrassed to say it, but I bought a white 2500HD, with a little coaching from the DW, to match the TT.

[campingcpl]

When we switched to our 2500 from our 1500, I didn't move the hitch head right away. I put the hitch head into the 2500 with the same settings I had on the 1500 and then hooked the trailer to it to see how much the truck would squat and then moved the head down the amount I needed to get the trailer about level (slightly nose down). I then added the bars and readjusted the L-brackets to bring the truck and trailer back into the specs I was looking for. I found that on my change because of the 2500 having heavier suspension the truck didn't squat as much as the 1500 so I didn't have to lower the head that much from where it was. If I would of dropped the head as much as the hight difference in the trucks I would of been to low on the new truck. To do the change over for me only took about a 1/2 hour total.
Hope this helps and good luck with the new truck.

[ThePressureIsOn]

Thank you campingcpl, I will try your way first.