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TommyC83's avatar
TommyC83
Explorer
Dec 28, 2015

Sway control for Aluminum framed trailer?

Ill start off by saying I'm not new to towing or use of wd/sway setups so no need to cover the basics or debate the use of either. More so seeing what if anything others have used in a unique situation such as I feel mine is.

I have a 24' livin lite VRV with off-road package (3" lift and good lt tires) unloaded the trailer is about 5000lbs and tongue weight is right around 800lbs without anything in it. So with extra battery, propane and the front storage carrying the usual items I'm probably about 1000lbs on the tongue. I am towing with a 13 Ram 3500 srw so tongue weight is a non issue.

With my trailer loaded with everything including my rzr everything is great pulls staight no sway, no wind or semi truck induced sway issues at any speed. The problem is when we don't take the rzr and are traveling lite the trailer is a handful and can be sketchy at any speed over 55 with slight wind of big trucks. I know my tongue weight is fine so I'm blaming it on the fact that it's just a lifted, underweight, wind sail when unloaded.

I don't want to to go with a full WD setup because first it's not needed nor do I want the added stress applied to the trailer frame. I also don't care to bolts the steel bracket to the frame for a generic friction sway setup. Which leaves me wondering what the hell I can do? Anyone using anything on their aluminum trailers?
  • If you eliminate WD/Sway hitches and friction sway bars right from the start, I don't know what's left.

    Just a thought... is hitch weight more with the rzr loaded than without? Enough so that perhaps the trailer is riding a bit nose-up when unloaded, but nose-down when loaded? If so, a bigger drop on the drawbar might help.
  • You sound like a good candidate for the Anderson No-Sway which, assuming your coupler is compatible (they have a list of incompatible couplers on their website). This will give you the best ride and good sway dampening, and be easy to hook up to your trailer. It won't re-distribute tongue weight all that well, but for your combination that's just fine. Maybe even desirable to maintain traction.
  • If you get a WD system with built-in sway, like the Equal-i-zer, you do not have to drill holes anywhere on your frame. The L brackets which hold the bars on the tongue are U style brackets that go over and under the tongue frame and are held on by tightening the bolts between the front and back of the bracket. No holes.

    This way, you have the WD system and Sway control at the same time.

    Sounds like you need the sway control, when traveling empty.

    Here's another thought, I realized this just this week, after towing for 30 plus years myself and my parents example from the time I was 6. You may not notice it, but if you attach your camper to your truck hitch, the back end of the truck does SQUAT down. With NO WD, the squat is still there. Do you realize when you put that weight the truck back end, the headlights are angled upward! I have WD (Equal-i-zer), but returning home from Florida a couple days ago, we traveled all night. I normally do not drive at night, but wanted to get home. My headlights were angled much higher then when NOT towing, and I have an Equa-i-zer, a 3500 dually diesel and tongue weight of about 800 pounds! One would not think with a set-up like that the slight difference in rear squat would matter! Well it did. I had LOTS of drivers coming the other direction flashing their lights at me. When I reacted by flipping on my brights, I realized my headlight angle was really way to high. This does not happen when NOT towing.

    So you know, you REALLY do need to keep WD on your rig. You're experiencing sway, can't drive over a specific speed limit. When driving back roads or off road, simply remove the bars then if you want.

    My advise ..... Equal-i-zer, or some other such system that does not require holes and has built in sway.

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