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Old 05-03-2014, 05:21 PM   #1
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Just picked up my Sunset Trail - how do I unhitch it !!!

Hi,
Just picked up my Sunset Trail 270BH.
Had a great drive home (first time I ever towed anything). I have the Equalizer hitch. No problems towing at all. But something occurred to me once I got home. I don't know how to take the hitch off!

If I put the trailer stand (don't know what to call it) all the way down with the electric winch, how do I know It's not exerting upward force on my truck and if I don't put it all the way down, how do I know the truck still isn't holding some of of the trailer weight. Either way, I'm afraid I would "pop" off the hitch because of pressure from either the truck pushing down on the hitch or the hitch pushing up on the truck. HOpe that makes sense!
So... how do I take off an equalizer?

Thanks!
mike
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:32 PM   #2
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When I towed a TT with a WDH I would release the chains and bars first to let the truck settle down. Then I would release the ball and finally raise the trailer with the tongue jack until it cleared the ball. Then I would move the truck and lower the TT until it was level. With my cargo trailer, I leave it high in the front for drainage.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:33 PM   #3
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Mike , we can help here ,but that should have been the responsibility of the dealer that sold the trailer and hitch. If I were you ,I would call them ,even the salesman at home or on his/her cell . They should have gone thru the unhitching with you . they must have realized that you were new to this and taken extra time to get you comfortable .
If they refuse to help , let us know.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:45 PM   #4
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My way for an equalizer WD
Parking brake on for the truck.
Wheel blocks on the trailer wheels.
Put the trailer jack down pulling the back of the truck up to release pressure from the bars.
Pull the bar L pins
Swing the bars out and remove them.
Lower the jack back down
Pull the tongue lock back and up.
Disconnect the chains and run away cable.
Raise the jack up until it clears the ball.
Pull the truck forward.

Start trailer level process.

This is my way of doing it for my gear, yours may be different.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:49 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coopers_dad View Post
My way for an equalizer WD
Parking brake on for the truck.
Wheel blocks on the trailer wheels.
Put the trailer jack down pulling the back of the truck up to release pressure from the bars.
Pull the bar L pins
Swing the bars out and remove them.
Lower the jack back down
Pull the tongue lock back and up.
Disconnect the chains and run away cable.
Raise the jack up until it clears the ball.
Pull the truck forward.

Start trailer level process.

This is my way of doing it for my gear, yours may be different.
....X2.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:51 PM   #6
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The dealer was fine, but I forgot to ask how to un-hitch and I guess they forgot to tell me. I called them back but they were closed early today and they are not in tomorrow. I guess I can email the salesman tomorrow. He will probably get back to me, but I'm going to look over the instructions some of you have posted in the meantime.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:53 PM   #7
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One more thing, connecting the trailer is the same process in reverse. Use the jack to pull the rear of the truck up to make it easier on you to put the bars in place . There is a great video on YouTube by equalizer when shows all of this. It took me a few tries to get the process right. Good luck and if something feels forced just step back and try it again. Everything should go smoothly. :-)
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:55 PM   #8
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But... when I put the trailer jack 'down', how do I know when the trailer jack gets to the point that it's holding it's own weight but NOT pushing the back of the truck up. Since for both of these actions, the truck back is rising.
I'm concerned I will cause pressure to build in one spot or another and when I release some part of the hitch (any part really), the pressure will release --- in a bad way.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:56 PM   #9
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Coopers -- yes, they showed me how to connect it. I understand that fine. Also took my own video of him connecting it. But not disconnecting it.
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Old 05-03-2014, 07:59 PM   #10
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That trial and error. I pull mine 2" past where my truck sits unloaded. As long as the ball lock is still in place the connection between the truck and trailer won't come apart. By pulling the back of the truck UP your causing the force the WD bars put on the hitch to reduce. You can pull the L pin anytime it's not going to pop out as the bar is putting downward pressure on the frame bracket it's sitting on. As the ball goes up the pressure drops and you can more easily pull the bar away. With pressure on the bar you can't hardly budge them.
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Old 05-03-2014, 08:03 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nachtmsk View Post
Coopers -- yes, they showed me how to connect it. I understand that fine. Also took my own video of him connecting it. But not disconnecting it.
That's good I got shown but got my steps out of order. I only got my trailer last month so I'm still learning.
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Old 05-04-2014, 05:42 AM   #12
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Cooper got it exactly right. The only thing I'll add is that the process gets very difficult on uneven ground. When parked in a spot that causes the nose of the truck to point up, you might find too much tension on the bars to release them.

I have the same setup, with the equalizer hitch. At my last house, the driveway was inclined from the road to the house (not very severe elevation). When parked the tongue was near the curb of the road. When backing in the driveway to park this caused extra pressure on the bars (back of the trailer and nose of truck were higher than the hitch).

I learned to release the bars and swing them aside while sitting level in the road and back in with just the ball coupled up. Same for departures- pull into the road before connecting the bars.

Good luck with your new rig!
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Old 05-04-2014, 06:39 AM   #13
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Found this. This guy does a good job explaining hitching/unhitching. Something to watch until the dealer calls you back.

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Old 05-04-2014, 08:26 AM   #14
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This video is specific to the Equalizer WD system. We used this system for four years while we had our travel trailer before we bought our 5er. This should help.

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Old 05-04-2014, 12:24 PM   #15
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Thanks everyone, I was able to take it off. I used Coopers steps. The key thing I didn't understand was that I thought I had to take all the weight off the truck BEFORE I removed the ball lock. I didn't know how to figure out when all the weight was off the truck but the Jack wasn't pulling the backend of the truck up. I'm good now.
Mike
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Old 05-04-2014, 12:47 PM   #16
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I would still rip one out of the salesman (and the manager for not training the salespeople) ....he owes you a few freebies. He knew you were new at this and he should have mad sure you were comfortable before you left the lot.
The videos here were perfect. Also hope you were told that you drain the black tank first, then the grey(gray) tank last...
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Old 05-04-2014, 03:15 PM   #17
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Shoot I'd tell the dealer it took you X hours to unhook and throw a stink they should be doing something for you..
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Old 05-13-2014, 06:05 AM   #18
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Nach,
Just saw your question and I hope by now you're well versed in Hitch/Unhitch. If you get on youtube, search equal-i-zer hitch. There are quite a few "How to" videos on how to do it.
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Old 05-13-2014, 06:10 AM   #19
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HI Gary,

Yep, I was able to take the hitch off.
Funny thing though, I went to YouTube and found some videos posted by Equilizer, but they all focused on putting the hitch on. All they said to take it off was "do the same thing in reverse", which didn't help much. but I figured it out with the help of posts here and on other message boards. Thanks!
Mike
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