Equal-i-zer Hitch 4K Model

This guide covers the installation of 4K standard Equal-i-zer® hitch sway brackets on a pole tongue trailer. The Equal-i-zer hitch will work with surge brake systems. If you are installing a 6K, 10K, 12K, or 14K hitch model, please refer to the 6-14K specific installation guide. If this installation method will not work for your particular application, refer to the Equal-i-zer Installation Guide, “Pole Tongue Adaptor.” You may also contact a customer service representative for support with your installation at 1 (800) 478-5578, M-F 8:00am to 5:00pm Mountain time.

Requirements:

• Clear space along both sides of the tongue from coupler back 38”.
• Trailer tongue jack must not be mounted closer than 40” from the center of the coupler ball cavity.
• Additional Hardware:
  • (2) 3/8” x (1-1/4” longer than beam width) – grade 5 hex bolts. These are only needed if your trailer frame is wider than 2”. Otherwise, the 3/8” bolts provided with your hitch will work for this method.
  • Angle grinder or hack saw.

Installation:

Measure and mark 32” back from the center of the coupler ball cavity along the tongue on both passenger and driver sides. This is the center placement mark for the first link plate (second link plate will go in front of this one). See Figure 1. Start with the outside link plate on the passenger side. Insert two 7/16” x 1-1/4” bolts through the outside link plate from the back side. The head of the bolts should fit completely inside the pocket on the back. The slot in the back should keep the head of the bolt from rotating.

Thread a 3/8” x 3-1/4” bolt through the single hole of the outside and inside link plates from the outside in. See Figure 2. The head of the bolt should be against the outside link plate with the bolt pointing inward. Put a split washer on the bolt and thread a nut onto end of bolt a few turns.

Slide the link plates over the frame so that the bolts for the L-brackets are facing outward. Thread the second bolt through the link plate hole closest to the trailer frame with the head on the outside. See Figure 3. Put a split washer on the bolt and and thread the nut onto it from the back side.

Pinch the link plates flat and tight to the frame. See Figure 4. Hand tighten both nuts, then use a torque wrench to tighten them to between 20 and 30 ft-lbs torque. Follow the same steps to install the brackets on the driver side. Mount the driver side brackets just in front of the passenger side brackets. See Figure 5.

Place the L-bracket on the two studs through the two middle holes in the L-bracket and check whether the end of the bottom frame bolt sticks out past the L-bracket. If so, grind or cut off just enough of the end of the bolt to prevent interference with the spring bar that will rest on the L-bracket. See Figure 6.

Use the standard Equal-i-zer hitch owner’s manual (LINK) to complete the setup and adjust the height of the L-brackets for proper weight distribution. Once weight distribution setup is complete the L-bracket nuts should be torqued to between 40-45 ft-lbs torque.