Equalizer Hitch is LOUD!!!!!

[vparmato]

So I got my Tundra about six weeks ago and installed a P3 brake controller and purchased an Equalizer hitch. Last week I picked up my new 26 ft. trailer and hooked it up to the hitch with the dealer's assistance on the install. The levels all look good and it drives very nicely with minimal swaying and bouncing.

However....Any time that I turn the vehicle the friction of the hitch is letting loose a HORRIBLE groan. I mean the groaning, creaking, squealling and popping is SO loud that it is a disturbance of the peace issue when I drive into my neighborhood.

I did go on a quick one night weekend trip to attempt to let the hitch break in and wear down the paint on the friction surfaces, but even then it was loud.

I have purchased some of the Equalizer lubricant to handle the situation, but I don't want to lube up a hitch that delivers anti-sway with friction. Even the manual of the Equalizer states that applying lubricant will reduce or even eliminate the sway control.

It seems that I have a choice here, have the anti sway control with a horrible noise or don't have it. Am I missing something here???

- Vince

[quarque]

I looked at those hitches when I was consider a TT instead of a 5er and I always wondered about the friction design. Noise was something I thought might be very possible and you have confirmed what I feared. Lubing looks like it would reduce the sway control for sure. This is the same problem people have with disc brakes squealing. The pad has some play and this allows it to set up a resonance during braking. On industrial machinery they sometimes coat the resonating part with a rubber-like plastic material. This changes the natural frequency and sometimes eliminates the problem. As I recall the long bar on the outside is only rubbing on a few inches of its total length. Perhaps you can coat the remaining part of it with this plastic goop. It is similar to the junk they sell for coating old screwdriver handles to give you a rubbery grip. The other technique that is often used is to clamp a weight in the middle of the bar. You would need 5-10 lbs of something to have enough effect. Try it with a C-clamp and some chunks of steel or lead.

Other than damping the rod I'm not sure what else you can do. Have you talked to Equalizer tech support?

[vparmato]

Originally Posted by quarque

Have you talked to Equalizer tech support?

Not yet, but that's my next step. I was curious if anyone else had a simple resolution for it.

- Vince

[tomhole]

I have used both the Reeses Dual Cam and the Equal-i-zer and they are both noisey. My Equal-i-zer has quited down after about 2000 miles of towing, but it still lets you know it's back there. It is no louder than my dual cam was, though.

Equal-i-zer sells plastic pads that go on the L brackets to quiet it down. I haven't tried them, yet, but I may. I would not lube anything as that will reduce your sway control.

So, stick with it for a while, if you can stand the noise.

Tom

[Zhukov]

No experience with the Equalizer hitch, just the regular friction bar, and yeah - they'll do that sometimes. You might have it tightened down a little too much. With the friction bar, they usually quieten down after a while.

[vparmato]

Well I called Progress (manufacturer of the Equalizer) and they confirmed that this is normal and while it may decrease slightly as the first 'grooves' are established it will continue through the life of the hitch.

Progress sells a polymer pad that you can use on the arms of the hitch and it will reduce noise without the mess of the grease. However they also state that the best configuration to reduce noise is 1. no lubrication or friction reduction, 2. grease lubricant, 3. polymer pads.

Given this I'm going to go with the lubricant option for now to at least help reduce the noise while the hitch is going through the break-in process. It doesnt' make any sense for me to purchase an anti-sway hitch and then defeat the anti-sway feature entirely.

As the break-in finishes I'll stop applying the grease and we'll see how it goes. As far as other options I don't really think there are any - this is just part of the package.

[rcdave]

My Reese Dual Cam HP creates very little if any noise.

[celica]

Hensley - no noise at all.