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Old 02-28-2015, 03:25 PM   #1
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Default Hitch Grip

I ordered a Hitch Grip a couple of weeks ago. Today was the first day I got a chance to use it. It's a 2-Thumbs Up product and I would definitely buy it again.

Although the Equalizer hitch head is crazy heavy for me to lift, this device makes the lifting/moving around much less awkward and doesn't appear to put as much strain on an old body...I put a small wheeled garden cart underneath the head and just set it down on the cart.



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Old 03-01-2015, 09:31 AM   #2
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That is a very cool product -- plus it keeps your hands cleaner! Thanks for the heads up. Hope you have been doing ok with the ice storms in Tennessee!
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Old 03-02-2015, 05:16 AM   #3
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I like this. Everytime I touch that hitch I get grease and grime on my hands or pants. Its heavy and I have sprain my back picking it up wrong before. I will check into this.
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Old 03-05-2015, 07:31 PM   #4
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Hey Michelle, you're located near my part of the country. We're in WKY. Gonna be in Memphis the second week in April doing a little camping and enjoying some BBQ & Blues.
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Old 03-06-2015, 07:20 AM   #5
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Dan and Karen, I sent you a PM...
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Old 03-06-2015, 08:07 AM   #6
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Loos like a convenient handle, but does not appear to make the job any easier, just cleaner for your hands. I guess if someone sels it, some people will buy it. Hope it really does help.
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Old 03-06-2015, 08:14 AM   #7
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Makes it quite a bit easier for me to get the head in and out. Glad I bought it.
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Old 03-07-2015, 09:00 AM   #8
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I guess I'm lazy. I have a locking pin and just leave the hitch in. I don't think I've taken it out once since I bought the truck.
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Old 03-07-2015, 09:39 AM   #9
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I take mine off the tow vehicle every fall once the camper goes into storage for the winter. It's cleaned and stored in the garage. In the spring when I go to pickup the camper, it's installed on the tow vehicle again.

I do wear gloves to remove and re-install it....no big deal.
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Old 03-07-2015, 09:41 AM   #10
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As I was bending over this morning to pick up my hitch assembly, another advantage of Michelle's new gadget became apparent to me -- it means that you don't have to bend over as far or lift the assembly as high! For those of us with aging back muscles, that could be a big help. I would bet that this device would also make it a little easier to align the drawbar with the receiver.

I don't need the help yet, but I am sure that I will, in the not-too-distant future.
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Old 03-07-2015, 11:25 AM   #11
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On the Ram Eco Diesel forum, there is a thread called "The Hitch from Hell" where people have humorously talked about how and how many times they've managed to smack their shins on their hitch. I pretty much have won the contest. Because of the rear door on our shell hinged at the top, it swings upward and needs additional clearance from the trailer. I had to get the longest drawbar available (16 inches) to achieve this. The bar is solid steel (not tubular) and weighs as much as I can carry with two hands about 10 yards.

One additional drawback to this hitch, other than my propensity to smack it with my shins, is that the longer moment arm multiplies the tongue weight above what it would be with a normal length bar. I'm going to install a set of Timbrens on Monday to help this situation.

And I don't mean to be contrary Dan, but for me I find it easier to insert the end of the bar into the receiver when I can grip the end of the bar and make small deliberate adjustments to align the two. With the bar extended out from the gripping device of the tool, any small amount of hand movement would have a larger affect on the end of the bar and possibly make it a bit more difficult. Kinda like holding a camera steady when it's zoomed in versus zoomed out






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Old 03-07-2015, 02:10 PM   #12
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I too, can line up the hitch better with one hand on the shaft entering the receiver on the vehicle. However, with 3/4 of a century in the not to distant future and back surgeries, the 'hitch helper' is not out of the question.

But to address the Timbren system ~ I installed a set on my Ram 1500 4x4 pickup and after one trip of 250 miles, removed them. They did what they are designed to do but we found the ride far to rough with timbrens installed. Just my experience.
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Old 03-07-2015, 06:46 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eagle
But to address the Timbren system ~ I installed a set on my Ram 1500 4x4 pickup and after one trip of 250 miles, removed them. They did what they are designed to do but we found the ride far to rough with timbrens installed. Just my experience.
Thanks for the heads up Eagle. Lots of people on the Ram forum swear by them and no one there has ever chosen to remove them so I'll have to see how they feel. We have a heavier than average shell on the back and it weighs 250 lbs so that additional weight may come into play also. I am curious as to what year truck and time period that you had this experience ?



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Old 03-08-2015, 10:57 AM   #14
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The Timbrens were installed on 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 AT 4X4 Quad Cab Hemi, factory tow package, 355 gears, Equal-I-zer anti-sway hitch, Tekonsha P3 brake controller.

On the specific trip with the Timbrens installed, the bed of the pickup was empty and only two people in the cab.

The camper being towed is the 2012 XT 276 Toy Hauler with the 2007 Ultra Classic in the garage portion ~ no water or waste in the storage tanks.

Unloaded, the pickup rode fine as the Timbrens did not touch the pickup frame. Once loaded, the ride became extremely choppy especially on a concrete surface roadway with all the seams. On an asphalt roadway, not quite so prevalent until a bump.

It was about 1 1/2 years ago when I purchased/installed the Timbren system. Used one time, one trip and removed them. I purchased them on Ebay new ~ and after sitting around in the garage, decided to sell and sold them on Ebay last year.

I would be interested in your experience.
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Old 03-08-2015, 11:12 AM   #15
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Thanks for all the information there Eagle. Your experience is a bit different than many posters on the Ram Eco Diesel forum. All of them say that they got better rear support and load carrying ability without suffering from any harshness when driving loaded. As you may know, the Rams are quite heavy by themselves and have the least amount of payload capacity of the Big 3. It may have to do with the coil over suspension, I don't know. The back of our truck was fully loaded with gear and bikes as well as the weight of the shell. The FF 214 WSD was also loaded quite a bit so I'm thinking that the unloaded tongue weight of 475 lbs. had to have been closer to 575 lbs. Even with the WD hitch transfering weight to the front axle, the extra length of the drawbar multiplying the tongue weight seemed to overload the rear suspension just a wee bit, so I want to do something without resorting to an air suspension system. I'll let you know .... they'll be delivered tomorrow



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Old 03-08-2015, 05:10 PM   #16
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Do you have rear coil or leaf springs?

My 04 has rear leaf springs.
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Old 03-08-2015, 05:12 PM   #17
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All Ram trucks since 2010 have coil over rear suspension ... one of the reasons they have such great overall ride quality (unloaded / non-towing mode)



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Old 03-08-2015, 05:21 PM   #18
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I wonder if the change in springs will make a difference?
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Old 03-08-2015, 05:51 PM   #19
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Definitely could be a factor and also explain the comments from forum people who have later model year coil over trucks also.



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Old 03-08-2015, 07:01 PM   #20
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Default Re: Hitch Grip

Quote:
Originally Posted by michellep
I ordered a Hitch Grip a couple of weeks ago. Today was the first day I got a chance to use it. It's a 2-Thumbs Up product and I would definitely buy it again.

Although the Equalizer hitch head is crazy heavy for me to lift, this device makes the lifting/moving around much less awkward and doesn't appear to put as much strain on an old body...I put a small wheeled garden cart underneath the head and just set it down on the cart.



The End.
This works, tried mine this weekend and WOW what a difference in moving the hitch around. No more grease and back pain.
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