Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Towing and Tow Vehicles
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 05-09-2007, 10:48 AM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 62
SUN #238
MikeM
Update 2363 and Progress Mfg (Equalizer) Sway Control Hitch

First thing I want to relay to everyone.

This company has the best customer support I have ever encountered! They care about you having a safe and positive experience with their products.

If you have read my previous post, I did not have much fun (dangerous actually) using my previous Valley WDH. I did not have any type of sway control hardware on that hitch and towing in the wind was scary.

I picked up the hitch and tried to find someone local to install the hitch, I did not find anyone with any real experience installing this brand hitch. (Reese Country)

I decided then I would install the hitch myself as I figured I had as much experience as the real installers I could find and I know I would be more carefull than they would.

First thing after reading the instructions and talking to Progress support, I had a ball with a shank a tad to long. I ended up driving all around town and finally found one at Napa. (Tip, buy a equalizer brand ball when you buy the hitch, less headache)

Next was to install the ball. More fun, the ball requires a special thin walled 1 7/8 socket to torgue the ball to the hitch head. None of the dealers admitted to having one and most of them contracted out to hitch installers who use pipe wrenches, cheater bars, and screw drivers to jam the nut. I am an old airplane mechanic and believe when they say torgue stuff, they mean torgue it, not smoke it until the lock washer compresses.

So now I am looking for a socket, remember not all thin wall sockets are the same. None I could find would work.

The company says they send their $75 dollar socket to intalling dealers free. I got their local displaying dealer on the phone and they never heard of such a thing. Of course this is the dealer who contracts out the hitch installs. I put them in contact with the company so they could get a socket. Of course not in time for me.

I decided I would order the socket myself as I am now down to one week before my vacation. I have a Sat to install the hitch and I leave to go to Ft Wilderness on Sunday. I go through the online order system but it does not allow allow 3 day shipping. No way I would get the socket before my trip. I will say my frustration level is high at this moment. I really want to use the Equalizer hitch but things just seem to be getting in the way.

I called Progress Mfg again and ended up talking to their Director of Sales and Marketing. I relayed to him my experiences with their local "selling dealers", my frustration level trying to use their product, and inability to even purchase a socket from their site in time for my vacation.

He did admit there were pockets around the country they have not been real popular as Reese has a strong foothold and it is hard for some people to change. I told him I really wanted to use his product but may be forced to go to a Reese DC because it was more popular in my area.

It is now the Monday before I leave on my vacation the following Sunday. I still do not have any type of sway control I can use for my trip.

This man was sympathetic with my experiences and did the following for me.

He had the correct ball installed on another hitch head and sent it to me via 3 day UPS. He asked me to send my hitch head back once I got the one he sent. (UPS prepaid return shipping label was in the box) I asked him to throw in a tube of grease and spare kit pins in the box and he did so for no charge.

He said the install was easy enough that he even installed his own. I asked him about installing the sway brackets on a c channel trailer frame. He suggested I install some wood spacers on the inside of the frame to give more contact area for the brackets. (2 x 4 spacers work great)

The hitch head was waiting for me when I got home Thursday evening. Now this is what I call customer service!

I had plans Friday evening so I am stuck installing the hitch Sat.

Hitch install went fine. I ended up borrowing a saw to cut the spacers but I had all the other tools. Spouse took the 4runner out for a while to get food so it took me longer than anticipated to do the install. Tech support did say the bars would be tough to move on a new hitch. This was an understatement. I ended up sitting on the ground and using my legs to swing the bars close to the brackets. It is close to dark so first real tow experience with the new hitch will be the next day on the trip. I had all the wrenches in truck to check bolts while on the trip.

Verdict using a non optimal tow vehicle. (2004 4runner)

I am sitting on a picnic table at Ft Wilderness at this very moment.

Well worth the experience!

Interstate highway, semis passing, wind blowing.

TV and TT were now a safer combination. Trucks passing were hardly noticeable. Did feel a little front end wiggle with a direct xwind at times. This was on the same 3 mile bridge as before. Wind was probably 15 mph or so.

This trailer is heavier than my last one so I probably won't be driving up mountains but Fl travel is fine. I probably will look at buying another TV in a year or two.

Progress Mfg(Equalizer) support is superb, their product actually works, and their product can be found for alot less than MSRP.

mike










I
__________________

__________________
2007 T-2363
2004 Toyota 4Runner
MikeM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2007, 12:00 PM   #2
Moderator
 
PTHutch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 1,920
SUN #98
PTHutch is an unknown quantity at this point
Hi Mike,

Glade things work out for you. It's always a pleasure to deal with company's that sincerely care about you and your use of their product. Reminds me of how Sunline was.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, and have a great time at Fort Wilderness and Disney World.

Hutch
__________________

__________________
Mary & Tom (aka Hutch)
2015 Jayco Eagle Premier 361REQS
2014 GMC Sierra 3500HD 4x4 CC D/A
Sunlines: 2005 Solaris T-280SR; 1999 Solaris T-2670; 1998 Saturn T-24A
PTHutch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2007, 12:03 PM   #3
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by PTHutch
Reminds me of how Sunline was.
Hutch
That's exactly what I was thinking!

Jon
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2007, 08:02 PM   #4
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 62
SUN #238
MikeM
Finally got both truck and trailer on a relatively level surface. Looks like I need to do some adjusting.

Current settings put the front end down to about the same as when the trailer is not connected but the rear is sitting down 2 inches lower.

From what I read compression of the front and rear suspension should be about the same after hooking up the WDH. This means I would need to adjust my bars to force a little more weight on the front end of the tv to get the rear end up a little

Does this sound right?

mike
__________________
2007 T-2363
2004 Toyota 4Runner
MikeM is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Backing up with sway control? LanCoPA Towing and Tow Vehicles 29 09-14-2010 09:57 AM
I don't need no stinkin' sway control........ Mark Towing and Tow Vehicles 1 04-13-2008 05:26 AM
WD hitch or Sway control? sdsferraro Towing and Tow Vehicles 4 01-17-2008 10:44 PM
Sway control on T-1550 Honda03842 Towing and Tow Vehicles 2 06-04-2007 07:17 PM
What Hitch and Sway Control Do You Prefer Ray and Lynn from PA Towing and Tow Vehicles 11 01-31-2007 04:42 PM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:18 PM.


×