Stabilizer bar difficulty

[ljp]

Occasionally, after I've attached the stabilizer bar and hooked the chain link to raise the bar, it is very difficult to raise the bar. Most of the time I hook up the link and push upward without any problem. What am I doing wrong that creates the occasional problem in lifting the stabilizer bar?

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by ljp

Occasionally, after I've attached the stabilizer bar and hooked the chain link to raise the bar, it is very difficult to raise the bar. Most of the time I hook up the link and push upward without any problem. What am I doing wrong that creates the occasional problem in lifting the stabilizer bar?

It's a matter of weight and angles. Adjust one or the other, and things become more difficult or less difficult.

Here's an old trick for you, though.... Drop the coupler on the ball and latch/lock it in place. Then crank the jack up a few turns which will raise the tongue of the trailer and with it, the rear of the TV. Now try lift the bar into place. Easier? If not, give it a couple of more cranks and try again. The higher you raise things, the easier it gets to lift the bar into place.

Some of the really old WD systems did not have the clip-ups and chains. Instead, the weight arms just sat on a bracket or pin hanging off the A-frame. The only way to get the weight arms into place was to crank things up until they slipped into place.

What you're doing is changing the shape of the triangle formed by the the A-frame, chains, and weight bars. When you shorten the chain leg, it becomes easier to lift the clip-up into place. The weight is on the jack and not on your arms and back.

[BigSur]

x2. Even a slight angle can greatly influence your weight distribution. I use an equalizer hitch. My stabilizer bars can be even more difficult. That's why I use an Atwood electric jack and just crank the tongue on up until it looks like I'm about to lift the rear end of my F150 off the ground. Slides right on...don't even need the pull bar

[Bruzer 71]

Make sure the ball is latched onto the hitch and crank the jack so the trailer and back of truck raise this will take all the tension off of the weight distribution bars and make it easy to place the chain link in place. Good luck and be safe.

[djkrs2]

That's exactly how they showed me to hook up my trailer when I bought it. Just make sure you don't have the rear stabalizers down before you lift the tongue and back of TV.

[campingcpl]

Originally Posted by BigSur

x2. Even a slight angle can greatly influence your weight distribution. I use an equalizer hitch. My stabilizer bars can be even more difficult. That's why I use an Atwood electric jack and just crank the tongue on up until it looks like I'm about to lift the rear end of my F150 off the ground. Slides right on...don't even need the pull bar

X3 here!

[chuck&gail]

If you can lift it by hand, you are either superman, or your WDH is not properly adjusted IMHO.

[BigSur]

Not true. Maybe on some models but not the equalizer. Watch the youtube video. He does it by hand. Now on my old Husky hitch, I agree with that statement.

[gepaine]

Regarding why it is easy sometimes and difficult at other times (the OP's original issue), it may be due to varying angles between the TV's centerline and the trailer's centerline. I find that if the centerlines are parallel, then both bars will be equal in difficulty to install. However, if there is a significant angle between the centerlines, then one side will be very difficult and the other side extremely easy to install.

[ljp]

Thanks to all for the feedback.....

[campingcpl]

Originally Posted by chuck&gail

If you can lift it by hand, you are either superman, or your WDH is not properly adjusted IMHO.

Out of all the years I have had the Equal-i-zer brand hitch I have only had to use the helper bar maybe twice. And that was only because of the way the truck was sitting compaired to the trailer. I wasn't able to raise the back of the truck high enough to just slide the bars onto the brackets. My hitch is set up pretty close to perfect if I do say so myself (everything level and weights are about right on the money). This is straight off the web sit.

Easy to Use
The Equal-i-zer® hitch is simple and easy to use. With Integrated Sway Control™ there is no need for add-on sway control devices. Hitching and unhitching are easily done from any angle. Install, adjustment, and hitch up are easy too!

Easy Hitch Up Steps
•Back the hitch ball under the coupler like you always have.
•Couple and lock the trailer.
•Use the tongue jack to raise the trailer tongue and tow vehicle until you can swing the arms into place over the trailer brackets.
•Pin the arms into place, and retract the jack.
It's just that easy!