Anti sway

Moved from Forum Technical Support

The old way before these highly integrated systems...was to touch the brake controller manual lever...slid it to initate the trailer brakes...just a bit to have it pull the TV a bit....all the while the driver controls the situation via the TV controls....brake...steering...throttle...etc...

These new systems (talked to one of their engineers)...the highly integrated brake controller sends a bit of braking signal to the trail...to have the trailer pull the TV a bit...while the highly integrated anti-sway system determines which INDIVIDAUL wheel brake...via the highly integrated ABS system...obeys that command...braking individual wheels in concert (opposite to the sway direction)...until the sway condition abates down to some pre-determined level....

Plus a bunch of new sensors...one a set of accelerometers to sense sway...and wonder how many more there are in there...

Not a fan...even though one early career was in controls, automation, systems and process controls...

Making these new systems to complex and heaps on more stuff to fail...and makes it harder to diagnose...so they will just replace parts...systems...

Thanks Ben, I was guessing it was something like that but the truck manufacturers only say sway control and didn't specify.

Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...

Not sure if they dumb down the drivers, or if the drivers are just dumb to begin with! ;) (Not all drivers... only some)

IMO the tow vehicle anti-sway systems react after sway begins, and do not prevent sway from starting. They react very fast, faster than we humans could react, and that is good. However, proper trailer loading, WD adjustment, hitch anti-sway devices, etc. remain important in preventing sway from starting in the first place.

One of the manuf has designed it so that when the ABS actuated it pulses the trailer brakes also.

But otherwise, yes it uses the trailer brakes to straighten the trailer out!

BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...

BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...

rexlion wrote:
Not sure if they dumb down the drivers, or if the drivers are just dumb to begin with! ;) (Not all drivers... only some)

4X!
I think there are way too many dumb and not paying attention to what they are doing drivers now days. Devices like these just give them license to continue not paying attention.
Not anti technology just not one that would rely on it.

Maybe the technology should, report on too many incidents where the car save the dumb driver.

Better yet, just disable the car, with a big message on the instrument, "CAR DISABLED BECAUSE YOU ARE A VERY BAD DRIVER!".

The sway control on modern trucks kicks in when things are about to go out of control. Minor swaying of a trailer will not be corrected and the truck system is no substitute for a proper setup and loading. The salesman that shrugged gave the correct answer.

There are those that rail against the factory trailer brake controls, but I do not agree. Some folks think that a device hung under the dash making it's own decisions on brake application is somehow better than input from brake pressure.

BenK wrote:
....

These new systems (talked to one of their engineers)...the highly integrated brake controller sends a bit of braking signal to the trail...to have the trailer pull the TV a bit...while the highly integrated anti-sway system determines which INDIVIDAUL wheel brake...via the highly integrated ABS system...obeys that command...braking individual wheels in concert (opposite to the sway direction)...until the sway condition abates down to some pre-determined level....

I am confused by this part. Are you saying that the TV's system controls each side of the trailer brakes independently? How would that work?

I agree with the other posts. Get a good WD hitch with built in sway control. Load your trailer properly and you should be good to go. If your TV has built in sway control that is even better. It is not good enough to use this alone. Make it a party of your system.