|
09-14-2014, 04:52 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Central KY
Posts: 79
|
Handling the trailer hitch head
I have an Equalizer trailer hitch and I find that it is a pain to get it in an out of the outside storage bin and get it mounted to the receiver. It's heavy and awkward to lift without getting greasy. So I came up with a solution that works for me. I took a milk crate that you can pick up at Walmart and cut a relief in it for the square shank. I then placed a piece of plywood in the bottom with a 2x4 block screwed to it to hold the head in position. With the head placed in the crate I can pick it up by the crate handles. And, since the shank extends beyond the crate I can carry it to the receiver and place the first few inches into the hitch without handling the dirty head. When removing it I reverse the process. For me, this makes it much easier to handle and I thought others might find it useful too.
Dennis
|
|
|
09-14-2014, 04:58 PM
|
#2
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,235
|
That is very nice!
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
|
|
|
09-14-2014, 05:41 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Central VA
Posts: 146
|
Good tip! Thanks!
|
|
|
09-15-2014, 04:08 AM
|
#4
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boston
Posts: 29
|
I like that !
|
|
|
09-15-2014, 04:28 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 3,153
|
Looks good. Mine is currently on the ground as when we got home yesterday I pulled it out and just dropped it trying not to get to dirty. Will have to look into that.
__________________
2013 Premier 31BHPR
2014 F350 6.2L
Soon to be just DW and I
|
|
|
09-15-2014, 02:29 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Okanagan, BC
Posts: 916
|
I just took a short length of rope, put it through a short piece of garden hose and tied it to the top hole of my shank. I just grab the garden hose and carry it that way.
Sorry, no pictures
__________________
2010 Cougar 30RKS
2015 GMC Sierra Max Trailer
"Drinks for 6, Dinner for 4, Sleeps 2"
|
|
|
09-15-2014, 02:56 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 127
|
Garden hoses, milk crates any other creative ideas? I like it, and will have to buy me a milk crate!
__________________
4-Bear's (Britt-Marie, Emma, Amanda, Richard)
2010 Ram 1500 Big Horn, 5.7L HEMI
2014 Keystone Laredo 320TG
|
|
|
09-15-2014, 05:19 PM
|
#8
|
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Central KY
Posts: 79
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMcKenzie
I just took a short length of rope, put it through a short piece of garden hose and tied it to the top hole of my shank. I just grab the garden hose and carry it that way.
Sorry, no pictures
|
I like that idea too.
|
|
|
09-16-2014, 02:59 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 110
|
I keep an old pair of work gloves in the bin where the hitch is stored
When hitching or unhitching, I just slip on the gloves, do my thing and
Put the gloves back into the bin for next time
In my case, the milk crate would make it harder to remove my Equalizer hitch
From the storage bin
plus it would take up too much space
Just depends on each person's situation
QUOTE=Richard6959;144166]Garden hoses, milk crates any other creative ideas? I like it, and will have to buy me a milk crate!
[/QUOTE]
__________________
DW of 48 + yrs
Buddy, very spoiled dog
2-bikes
2- guitars
Fishing stuff
|
|
|
09-16-2014, 05:47 PM
|
#10
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NY
Posts: 6
|
I like the idea for storing it. For moving the hitch head around I bought the Hitch Grip. Its a little pricey, but makes lifting the hitch a lot easier.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...itchgrip/75569
|
|
|
09-17-2014, 06:19 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 289
|
Neat ideas. And for the arms, which seem to be the things that give us the greasy hand problems, we use an old pair of cotton socks. The heel fits the curve perfectly and the greasy ends are inside the sock. Cheap fix, too, as there always seems to be another pair with a hole in the toe!
|
|
|
09-17-2014, 06:41 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Colorful Colorado
Posts: 798
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishhawk
I keep an old pair of work gloves in the bin where the hitch is stored
When hitching or unhitching, I just slip on the gloves, do my thing and
Put the gloves back into the bin for next time
In my case, the milk crate would make it harder to remove my Equalizer hitch
From the storage bin
plus it would take up too much space
Just depends on each person's situation
QUOTE=Richard6959;144166]Garden hoses, milk crates any other creative ideas? I like it, and will have to buy me a milk crate!
|
[/QUOTE]
Same here. I always wear a pair of heavy leather gloves, and I wipe the grease off when I remove the hitch. The hitch sits on my garage floor, out of the way.
__________________
Current:
'17 Winnebago Vista 31BE / Wife, pesky Eski and loco Toto dog
Former:
'15 Open Range 256BHS / '05 F350 CCLB RWD V10
'14 Keystone Passport 238ML / '13 GC Trailhawk Hemi
RIP Birch (pitbull)
|
|
|
09-18-2014, 04:04 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Solomons
Posts: 3,874
|
Way fun Dennis), that is a great inexpensive idea for handling our clumsy hitches.
__________________
Tom
2019 Alpine 3651RL
2016 F350 CC DRW
|
|
|
09-18-2014, 04:27 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Arrey,
Posts: 2,368
|
Howdy All;
Never worried about the grease when I had my Eq-u-lizer(SP?),
I used Dawn to lube it and the bars the first rain storm would
pretty much clean it off. I used one of the lock pins to keep it
attached to the truck and only took it off when I sold the TT I'd
used it with. Yep, I did bark my shins on it, maybe twice, I was
then trained to make a slightly wider arc around that part of the
truck's back end.
hankaye
__________________
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...
Home: 2008 Cougar 278 RKS
T.V.: 2004 F-250 4X4, Level III BulletProofed , Detroit Tru-Track Differential (915A550)
Dog: 2006 Border Collie (Rascal) aka Maximum fur dispersal unit. (08/04/2006 - 12/16/2017) RIP.
|
|
|
09-20-2014, 02:53 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Clearville, PA
Posts: 150
|
When I had a bumper pull, I struggled with just finding a good place to grab the hitch head that was balanced enough to carry it. Space being a premium, I came up with:
The shank stays clean enough to handle and the chain/utility handle takes the weight of the hitch centrally so it is easy to balance. The chains on each side use the same clevis pins that hold the bars in (also keeps track of the pins) and when I took my "handle" off, the chain pieces let it collapse into any small area.
__________________
My 2 cents, your mileage may vary...
Don
Bronwyn
2 Cats; J-Lo and Ragamuffin
2011 Keystone Cougar 318SAB
2011 Ram 2500 Longhorn CTD HO
Built in brake controller and exhaust brake
Tri Glide TrailAir Pinbox / B&W Companion Hitch
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|