Equalizer hitch setup?

[dhay13]

Step-son is picking up his new 2021 Grand Design Imagine 3250BH this week and using my truck (2018 2500 Ram). TT will probably weigh about 9300lbs-9500lbs off the lot (advertised 8600 dry). He just bought a 12,000/1200 equalizer hitch. It is brand new and should have instructions but more thinking about the height adjustment. Anyone have an idea on how high or low the ball should be set for?

Trying to get it set up as close as correct as we can before he gets there so we will only have small adjustments before we leave there. Thinking he will need the ball dropped top the lowest setting based on how high my sons is. He has a 2018 2500 also and has a Husky TS Centerline WDH for his 26' 8000lb TT and his ball is at the lowest level it can go (and could probably go down 1 more if he could).

 

[AFMoulton]

I would set it at the same height as the Husky to start with. You will be close enough to get it home.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[dhay13]

I would set it at the same height as the Husky to start with. You will be close enough to get it home.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

That's what I was figuring. I told him with my truck we don't need it 100% accurate but still want it to be close. He is thinking the 3250 may have a higher hitch height than my sons 2670

He has a 2020 or 2021 Tundra with a 2" lift/leveling kit. His max tow is 9800lbs. He isn't sure of payload but thinks it's around 1500lbs. The payload is what he will have to be careful of. He leaves the TT at a campground about 20 miles from his house and will tow it there with his Tundra. Should be fine for that. I told him to weigh everything to see where he is at. At the end of summer he has a trip planned 2 hours away and is hoping to tow it with his Tundra. He said he may start looking for a 2500 for next year but he just got the Tundra new about 4 months ago.

 

[crash68]

even with a 2500, figure 2" of drop so set the trailer hitch height to the top of where the ball mounts. that's about where I would start

 

[dhay13]

So step-son ordered the Equalizer 12,000lb WDH and came over today to help me replace my rear pads and rotors. Yeah, only 21,000 miles on it. But had a bad shimmy and rear rotors were rusted and pitted.

Anyway, he brought his hitch with him so we could set it up. 3 pieces missing from the box...ugh. He got it through Amazon so called them. Best they said they could do was have it to him by Friday. We are picking it up Wednesday. I figured worst case we could get it home with my truck without the WDH but don't really want to.

What's missing are the 2 plates that sandwich the trailer frame. They are both about 6" long. 2 are there but there should be 4 total. Pretty sure there is supposed to be another piece that connected to the bar 'tool' to extend it. The handle end is threaded and had a rubber cap on it to protect the threads. The handle on the tool now is maybe 6" long.

So his buddy has the same WDH so he called him and asked him to take those off of his for us to use Wednesday. Hopefully they are the same and not an updated version that might be different.

BTW-the bottom of the hitch opening on my truck is 22" high. On my step-sons 2020 Tundra with a 2" lift and leveling kit is only 17" high so mine is 5" higher. We set the ball at the lowest setting we could so that should get us close but will adjust if needed once we get there.

 

[balok1701]

I just bought a Grand Design Imagine trailer last summer and had the same question. I contacted their tech support people who very nicely told me the correct hitch height specs for my trailer model. (XLS 17MKE)

 

[dhay13]

Well step-son got the brackets off his buddies TT so we have those to use for Wednesday.

He called Equalizer today and they pushed it back to Amazon so he was getting nowhere. Equalizer (maybe it was Amazon) agreed to give him a full refund for the WDH and told him to do whatever he wanted with it...lol. So he ordered the missing parts for about $90 and got the hitch for free...lol. Problem was the parts wouldn't be here in time so that's why we are using his buddies brackets.

 

[Firebird]

Equalizer is great to order parts from, I have the same WDH set up

 

[PH Tanker]

Level the trailer, height of ball should be ~height of ball socket. Use washers to angle it for more/less distribution... With trailer set, your front wheelwell measurement should be 1/2 or more (lower) than trailer connected without the bars in place. If trailer isn't level, adjust ball height and start again...

 

[dhay13]

Level the trailer, height of ball should be ~height of ball socket. Use washers to angle it for more/less distribution... With trailer set, your front wheelwell measurement should be 1/2 or more (lower) than trailer connected without the bars in place. If trailer isn't level, adjust ball height and start again...

We weighed it on the CAT scales. Had it near perfect first try so it worked out good. Trailer was 9300lbs and had 1100lbs tongue weight

 

[armallard]

Use could always get the BW adjustable hitch.