Dual cam VS Equalizer...I have both

BenK wrote:
Anyone either know of where or can empirically provide the actual forces these
take to go off center?

Frictional resistance of a trunnion through that snap bracket (think the actual
friction is the downward force on the 'L' bracket).

Both the frictional force and the run up that incline of a bent end bar on a cam

Of course dependent of factored by the WD bar force and that has a dynamic
component as the alignment goes off center

Then all that is factored by the differing centers between the ball
and bar pivots...that then depends on how the chains are captured
by the hookup to the tongue. Question on this...are all brands
WD bar pivot center vs ball center the same distance?

Can see why there has been reports of the Blue Ox bars bending and breaking
because I think their chain latch is cool and adds to anti-sway...so
much that it doesn't allow the bar end to move as much as other OEMs
chain latchup architecture

Campin LI wrote:

Ron Gratz wrote:
The sway-control effectiveness is determined almost entirely by the base force applied to the WD bars. `The additional force due to lifting of the bar by the cam and due to differences in bar stiffness is negligible.
IOW, friction has everything to do with it.

Ron

This post was a great explanation. Thank you for the education. Also, relative to the quoted portion of the post, Reese makes a round bar WDH and if you read the directions, to install it correctly, the bars are to be parallel to the trailer frame. Reese never makes a claim that their trunion bar setup provides more sway control than their round bar setup.

I'm not sure I follow your question. I think friction forces are different for every trailer and every setup. Generally, the heavier the hitch weight, the more friction you will be able to produce. That's why lighter trailers usually have those add on sway control things (don't know the name but they are 2 friction pads on an adjustable bracket that attach to 2 small hitch balls). They use those because A) No weight distribution hitch is needed because the hitch weight is too light or B) The hitch weight is too light for an Equal-i-zer or Reese dual cam to produce enough friction to be effective.

These 2 companies market these hitches for weight distribution and sway control. Weight distribution definitely happens and they work, but notice they all say that they provide sway control but never put a number to it like they do for weight distribution. It's because sway control is related to friction. If you don't have a lot of friction, you don't have a lot of sway control. You need weight to produce friction.

I had a Reese dual cam some time ago but I could not get it to work well with my setup. When turning, I never felt any difficulty getting the cam to unlock. Actually never considered that it would be a problem. In fact, mine used to bend all over the place while traveling and I never knew until I got to my destination and looked. If the trailer sways, its going to unlock it easily.