Equalizer hitch, do they help?

[uptomyarmpits]

I had quite a scare on our latest trip to the mountains. As we were driving on the interstate at 75 mph, with the cruise control on, we hit a small patch of ice and the rear tires went sideways. After jacknifing back and forth we finally gained control as we entered the ditch and found some traction. Would an equalizer hitch help with trailer sway, or are they only to equalized the weight on the tongue. Any help with this is appreciated. We drove the remainder of the trip with the cruise control off. Thanks.

 

[Ice Cap]

Equalizer hitch with a stabilizer bar should do what you are looking for

 

[Kong]

Every bit of literature says no cruise control in wet or snowy/icy conditions.

On trips other than just local around the corner I use my anti-sway bar. My trailer is a 17' enclosed now so is a bit tongue heavy since the sleds are long track putting the motors and heavy parts in front of the wheels. So I also use the load levelers if I am traveling interstate or high speed.

You are supposed to take off the load levelers when off road or very tight turn arounds but I haven't had to yet.

BTW: Dodge cummins 2500 HD and I still use the equalizer. Had a 27' before and always used the EQ.

 

[buck50]

the equalizers might not help a lot with icy patchs and cruise on, but they definitely help with heavy winds and twisty roads. cruise and winter is a no no. have i done it myself, yep, but always know that i shouldn't, and thankfully hasn't caught up to me yet

 

[R J]

I had quite a scare on our latest trip to the mountains. As we were driving on the interstate at 75 mph, with the cruise control on, we hit a small patch of ice and the rear tires went sideways. After jacknifing back and forth we finally gained control as we entered the ditch and found some traction. Would an equalizer hitch help with trailer sway, or are they only to equalized the weight on the tongue. Any help with this is appreciated. We drove the remainder of the trip with the cruise control off. Thanks.

I'm going to be mean about this but WTF were you driving with the cruise control on with a trailer and areas that have ice under the bridges? Give us a all a break my friend. That was your problem, the hitch would not help give the driver some common sense. Sorry, I just have seen it too many times with people driving trailers and so on. They get in, set the curise and then wonder why they have 4 sleds and 3 cars all tangled up in the ditch.

The equalizer hitches prevent some sway but mostly the sway you would get from wind and uneven roads. You know the type, once the trailer starts bouncing a bit it just seems to never end. There it would help.

The WD (Weight distrubution) hitches also help a bit with the sway.

Do you have a brake controller? If now, why didn't you? I don't know if your trailer has electric brakes but if it doesn't it should, you could have simply squeezed the little lever on the brake controller and the trailer would have straightened out and you would have been all good.

The biggest things you can do to make trailering easy on you and everyone else is the following.

1) Tow vehicle able to handle the load and have the proper equipment to stop the load once it's rolling.
2) Electric brakes or the new fancy hydraulic/proportional brake units that are popping up.
3) Speed, meaning slow down just a bit. It's easier for cars to pass you then for you to pass all the cars while towing this giant trailer. Plus you aren't getting there that much faster no matter how you think about it.
4) Unless the roads have been dry for a long time and all the bridge and underpass/overpasses are dry, don't even think about using cruise. If everything is dry, then by all means but the second you see one bridge with ice you will be seeing more.

Keep it safe, especially on the way out to ride.

 

[Beels]

Cruise control on while icy.... Wow...

What's that saying about natural selection?

 

[Sambo11]

I've had a 20ft, 26ft, and now 28ft enclosed car hauler type trailer and I wouldn't tow any of them much farther than across town without and equilizer hitch. I have the anti sway bar attachment but to be honest I couldn't tell any difference but the equilizer hitch and arms make a huge difference. I couldn't pull any of my trailers above about 60mph without them whippin all over the place.

 

[mightymoko]

The reese straight line cam equalizer hitch would have helped you. It is constantly trying to keep the truck and trailer in a straight line.

 

[Bubba700]

Cruise and Ice is just asking for bad stuff to happen to you. I pull a 24 ft travel trailer that has a load leveling hitch and an anti-sway bar and it makes a huge dif. the anti-sway helps alot when it is windy. which it always is here in ID. It is very noticeable when the leveling bars are not on.

 

[Deadsled]

I learned about cruise control and ice the hard way. On my way to work a year ago it was raining and it all of a sudden turned to snow and slush on the hiway. I flicked off the cruise and that little bit of different sent me into a spin that looked like something out of Talladaga. I was in my company car, '06 all wheen drive Ford 500 sedan. I got lucky and kept it on the road until the final seconds when it got traction and plunked in the ditch. The spin blew out 2 tires.

 

[vmaxfrank]

A true Equal-i-zer hitch is a brand name and yes, it is very good at sway control. If you meant weight distributing hitch, it depends on the hitch. I have a weight distributing hitch on my camper, but no sway control. I use a friction type sway control bar that connects to the side of the V and on a little ball on the truck hitch. Not the best, but works for me.

A weight distributing hitch also puts weight on your front tires of your tow vehicle which "can" help at times. If you need a brake controller, get a proportional type controller like a Tekonsha Prodigy, etc. The timed controllers like a DrawTite Activator aren't worth spit.

And like others said stay off the cruise control. Pull over if you need a break.

 

[yoogebear]

two words FITH WHEEL,you will never pull a bumper pull trailer agian!i have had my truck hit ice,let the tires loose and the trailer never went south.just my .02 cents.and btw don't bash on the guy because he did something every one of you has done.i know im guilty of it and i pull a 45ft 5th wheel at 70mph on cruise.

 

[R J]

The gooseneck/5er is the way to pull loads, no doubt about that until you need to use your box while pulling the trailer. A horse a piece of course but you still shouldn't be using the cruise no matter what when pulling and there being any chance of icy spots. I get a bad feeling just thinking of the cruise control and hitting some ice with a big trailer, you know deep down it's not going to be good!

 

[yoogebear]

that's why when i build a 5ther i build a top deck on them so you can replace the room you loose in the bed,plus with a gooseneck you realy don't loose that much room.but anyway back to the story.

 

[H2SNOW]

and these are axactly the type of idiots that I drive by that are upside down in the scenery MUH

 

[R J]

Ditto that.