16K Model Owner's Manual
90-00-1600 - 1,600 lb max tongue weight / 16,000 lb max trailer weight
**Your model # can be found on the stickers on either spring arm. Make a note of it for future reference**Installation Tools
The following tools will allow you to install the hitch properly:
- 1-1/8” Box-end wrench (Shank Bolts)
- 1-1/8” Socket wrench (Shank Bolts)
- 3/4” Box-end or socket wrench (Link Plates and L-brackets)
- 5/8” Socket or box-end wrench (Angle Set Bolt)
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Torque wrench capable of 320 ft-lbs of torque. (Shank Bolts)
- Torque wrench capable of 75 ft-lbs of torque. (Sway Bracket Assembly)
Recommended tools for installing the Hitch Ball:
- 1-7/8” Thin-wall socket (available from Progress Mfg. Inc.)
- Torque Wrench capable of 430 ft-lbs of torque (or higher if hitch ball manufacturer specifies).
Parts Breakdown
| Item # | Part Number | Part Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90-02-4700 | Adjustable shank (2-1/2") | 1 |
| 2 | 90-04-9224 | Hitch Pin Clip | 1 |
| 3 | 90-03-9220 | Hitch Pin | 1 |
| 4 | 90-03-9425 | 5/8" -11 Nut (grade 5) | 4 |
| 5 | 90-03-9420 | 5/8" split lock washer | 4 |
| 6 | 90-02-5216 | 16K inside link plate | 2 |
| 7 | 90-03-9655 | 5/8" -11 X 1-3/4" bolt (grade 5) | 4 |
| 8 | 90-02-5316 | 16K outside link plate | 2 |
| 9 | 90-03-9611 | 5/8" -11 X 3-3/4" bolt (grade 5) | 4 |
| 10 | 90-02-5116 | 16K L-bracket | 2 |
| 11 | 90-03-9633 | 5/8" -11 hex nylock nut (grade 5) | 4 |
| 12 | 90-03-9230 | Snap L-Pin | 2 |
| 13 | 95-01-6000 | Snap-up lever (complete) | 1 |
| 14 | 90-04-9126 | 3/4" -10 nut (grade 8) | 2 |
| 15 | 90-04-9120 | 3/4" split lock washer | 2 |
| * Part number displayed is for single (1) individual piece. |
| Item # | Part Number | Part Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 90-04-9115 | 3/4" hardened flat washer zinc | 4 |
| 17 | 90-03-9212 | Socket pin | 2 |
| 18 | 90-04-9216 | Socket Pin Clip | 2 |
| 19 | 90-03-9708 | 1/2" -20 X 1-3/4" angle set bolt (grade 8) | 1 |
| 20 | 90-03-9525 | 5/8" -11 nut (grade 8) blk. oxide | 2 |
| 21 | 90-03-9510 | 5/8" split lock washer blk. oxide | 2 |
| 22 | 90-03-1600 | 16K socket | 2 |
| 23 | 90-04-9131 | 3.4" -10 X 5" bolt (grade 8) | 2 |
| 24 | 90-02-1699 * | 16K spring arm | 2 |
| 25 | BD164 | 16K arm sticker | 2 |
| 26 | 90-02-1600 | 16K hitch head | 1 |
| 27 | BD020 | New owner information sticker | 2 |
| 28 | BD035 | Socket warning sticker | 2 |
| 29 | 90-04-9110 | 1/2" hardened flat spacer washer | 8 |
| 30 | 90-03-9105 | Spacer (pan) rivet | 1 |
| 31 | 90-03-9508 | 5/8" -11 X 4-1/2" bolt (grade 8) blk. oxide | 2 |
Operator Safety
Warning
Read, understand, and follow all safety warnings, set up, use, and maintenance instructions of your trailer, tow vehicle, and hitching equipment before installing your hitch or towing your trailer.
Never cut, weld, grind, bend, or modify hitch components in any way.
It is the driver’s responsibility to adjust equipment and driving habits to match towing conditions. The driver is responsible for their own safety and the safety of passengers.
Never exceed the specified weight ratings for the trailer, tow vehicle, hitch, hitch ball, or any other towing equipment.
No hitch setup guarantees that trailer sway will be altogether avoided.
Always load trailer correctly. Follow trailer and tow vehicle manufacturers’ recommendations for placement and quantity of cargo.
Towing with a tongue weight more than 15% or less than 10% of gross trailer weight increases the likelihood for loss of vehicle control.
Always use a hitch ball with a rating that equals or exceeds the Gross Trailer Weight (GTW). Always use a hitch ball size that correctly matches your trailer coupler size and make sure it is coupled securely before towing.
Measuring weight distribution setup well does not ensure safe towing. The operator is responsible for making necessary adjustments to the hitch setup to optimize weight distribution and sway control. Each trip is different, and the weight distribution setup and towing performance should be evaluated by the operator and adjusted when necessary.
Never tow with your hitch adjusted incorrectly.
Check all hardware before each trip. Do not tow your trailer until all bolts and nuts have been checked for wear and fatigue, are properly tightened, and all pins and clips are securely in place.
Do not tow with your hitch engaged on rough roads, through profound ditches, dips and swales, or while launching a boat. Excessive strain on the spring arms and hitch head may cause hitch fatigue or failure.
If your dealer installed your hitch, make sure to verify that it is still adjusted correctly after loading your trailer and tow vehicle for your trip.
Replace worn, faded, or unreadable warning stickers on the spring arms and arm sockets.
Do not transfer the hitch to a different tow vehicle or trailer without readjusting the hitch for proper setup and weight distribution.
Caution
Do not loosen or remove any part of the hitch while the hitch is under load. Use the tongue jack to take the tension off the spring arms before removing the L-pins.
Always secure the tow vehicle and trailer with the parking brake and wheel chocks before setting up or adjusting your hitch.
Disengage weight distribution before towing or backing the trailer where there is a significant transition in grade which puts excessive strain on the hitch, e.g. backing from a flat street to a steep uphill driveway.
About Your Hitch
Weight Distribution
Weight distribution is the ability of a hitch to transfer load from the rear axle of the tow vehicle to the front axle of the tow vehicle and to the trailer axles. Without weight distribution the tow vehicle “teeter-totters” on the rear axle of the tow vehicle, and unloads the front axle. Proper weight distribution transfers weight back to the front steering axle, forcing it back to the ground.
Proper weight distribution also adds performance to the Integrated 4-Point Sway Control™ (ISC) feature of your Equal-i-zer hitch. As the tongue weight gets distributed, it helps generate the friction needed to reduce trailer sway.
Sway Control
ISC is a built-in, patent pending feature of your Equal-i-zer hitch. Once the spring arms are tensioned, the sway control is in force.
ISC works through the connection between your spring arms and L-brackets, and between the sockets and hitch head. The Equal-i-zer hitch takes advantage of the steel-on-steel friction generated at these points to help reduce trailer sway.
This added friction makes it more difficult for the trailer to sway side-to-side while it’s being towed, as sometimes happens when you encounter a gust of wind or a passing semi truck. When set up well and properly adjusted for your load, the Equal-i-zer hitch will noticeably reduce sway.
Important Setup Information
These instructions are a guideline to aid in setting up your hitch. Every trailer and tow vehicle combination requires a different setup and adjustment because of factors like trailer weight and length, trailer loading, hitch weight, and tow vehicle geometry and suspension. It is not likely that a good setup for one vehicle combination will work well for another. If you change tow vehicle and/or trailer, you should check the hitch setup for proper weight distribution and adjust it when necessary.
You must use your best judgment to determine if changes to the setup are required to ensure a safe and comfortable towing situation. There is no all-inclusive formula for setting up or adjusting a hitch that will accommodate each combination of trailer and tow vehicle possible.
The setup may need to be changed slightly at times to accommodate changes in your trailer load, perhaps even during the same trip. For example, a trailer that starts with full clean water and propane tanks, may tow differently when that water becomes black and gray water, and the propane tanks are empty. Or, a trailer loaded with gear for a long cross country trip may tow differently than the same trailer loaded for a weekend getaway. The driver must be conscious of these changes, and adjust the hitch accordingly.