Upgraded Sway Bar for Pulling 5th Wheel

Well, you ARE from Texas - so I understand the arguing with you !!!
but being from TexUS you know the old saying about horses and water :)


And to those that say it doesn't help in a straight line - PuSHAW, puShaw !

I was on a straight old 2 lane road last night that threw a passengers head against the window even WITH the sway bars when the right side had a 10" dip !

Hellwig demo

This is a good example. They even have a neat video showing them in action
http://www.hellwigproducts.com/products/sway-control/sway-bar-education/

Don't let anyone tell you that this does not apply since you are not caring a load in the bed.... Un what do you call the 1-5k lbs in pin weight that your trailer has IN THE BED of the truck?! yup that's a load in the bed of the truck!

Sorry if I sound fired up. This is a topic I have talked about so many times and people always tend to argue without knowing... Kinda like SA vs DA pistols.

ol Bombero-JC wrote:


IMO - most folks towing 5th wheels never experience "sway" as compared to towing a TT..:W

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I think this is where most start to get lost in the fog... trailer sway pretty much does not exist when pulling from the bed. Trailer sway can be sorta explained like the tail wagging the dog. Sine the trailer hooks up at the back of the truck the trailer can use the leverage to wag the truck. Also when pulling from the bumper a trailer can wag (aka sway) and the truck will feel this and be pushed side to side (like wondering in the lane) A sway bar does NOTHING to help this.

The sway bar helps the truck stay flat and not lean when going around a corner. Go find a twisty road and push the truck faster than you would normally ( about to the point the tires start to fold or squeal). Feel the lean? That is body roll (aka sway). When pulling from the bed (not as bad with a gooseneck) the trailer can press down on the truck and cause the body to lean just like when turning. This does not happen when going in a straight line. Adding a sway bar will make the truck feel so much better turning empty and loaded.

Like I said in an earlier post, there is a point where too much sway bar will start to allow other parts to "flex". A big issue is the sidewalls on the tires. Since adding my sway bar I am able to turn faster and the sidewalls start to fold and rub the road. Now don't get me wrong, my f350 is still a massive 8500 pound brick on wheels and handles nothing like my lowered, stiff spring, large swaybar, super sticky AWD wrx.

Nomad wrote:
What is a 5th wheel sway bar. Never heard of it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously, you didn't read the entire thread..:S

The OP is asking about a sway bar for his *truck* suspension.

Experiences (and opinions) vary as to whether there will be any benefit while towing his 5th wheel.

"We" don't know the condition of his suspension, or capabilities of the truck he has -vs- the load.

IMO - most folks towing 5th wheels never experience "sway" as compared to towing a TT..:W

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What is a 5th wheel sway bar. Never heard of it!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the advantages to an anti sway bar is you can get away with a little softer spring for a better ride. As the the vehicle leans they bar connecting both sides gets assistance from the spring on the opposing side. Not necessarily applicable to this discussion but an advantage.

I replaced the front one on my dually, and added a rear one. Empty the difference is night and day turning, and on twisty back roads. Loaded (rock) they helped the sway as well - went from riding like a bathtub toy to a respectable pickup. As far as the 5er attached, the truck now stays more or less level when cornering, even though the trailer is attached on the centerline of the truck, it is attached 2+ feet above the axle. Cornering with the bars is more predictable, and the truck just doesn't lean to the outside of corners. At stupid high speed cornering it still does lean, and the 4 rear tires are making noise as well.

Me Again wrote:
I do not believe upgrading a sway bar will have a noticeable difference in towing a 5th wheel. My 2001.5 Dodge has one as part of the camper option. In 2003 Dodge quit installing them on 2500 and 3500 trucks, stating that the frame rails were widen which moved the springs out more and they no longer felt a sway bar was needed.

I have disconnected once to see if it improved the brick truck ride, and it did. I would be nice to have a quick disconnect like the jeep guys use.

Chris

If they quit putting them on I wonder why my '04.5 has them on both ends from factory? Not ordered separately. Must have been part of towing package.

I don't agree with most of you that have posted on this thread. My truck did not have a swaybar on the rear. I added the helwig big wig and could not be happier!! It was an amazing upgrade both loaded and unloaded.

Also those of you saying it will not help pulling a 5er since the weight is centered are also wrong. Look at the hitch and rails. They take the weight and spread it out across the width of the frame. That means it can cause the truck to lean or push one side down when turning. The sway bar will help fight against the lean.

Now, is upgrading the one you have to a bigger one worth it? I would say probably yes. Most stock swaybars (Like the new fords) are about the size of a twig. They help, but not much.

Remember that a big sway bar is good but you pass the point of too much and you start to fold the tires :) Yea I know that from experience!!

I agree with the other posts, with the load centered over the rear axle, sway is controlled with the axle location on the 5th wheel. Motor homes benifit from the addition of a sway or stabilizing bar due to the high side walls and higher center of gravity.