Anti-Sway Bars Needed?

bob4470 wrote:

owenssailor wrote:
So you have an expensive new truck and a brand new trailer but you are wondering about spending another 500 to 700 dollars for a good integrated WD and sway control hitch? I don't understand that thinking at all.

On top of the value of your combined rig you have the passengers in your unit and others on the road.

a good WD will likely make towing more relaxed. It may prevent a wreck.

If you can afford the rig you have finish it off with a proper hitch.

No, it's a 5 year old truck. And no, it's not about spending another 500 to 700 dollars. It's about getting what I need, not what someone wants to sell me, to ensure safe operation and family safety. So I came here looking for advice from fellow RVers, not sarcasm. But thanks anyway.

I thought you said dealer told you that you did NOT need it. So, doesn't sound like they are trying to sell you on it.

Mike

When we bought our first travel trailer, a 21ft Aljo, I was sold a monster of a hitch that put the ball 14" beyond the bumper of our F150 adding over a foot of leverage to wind effect. Even with the friction bar, every passing truck pushed us around. Then I saw a used Quality S short shank welded WD hitch without sway control at a flea market. I snatched it up and put it to use. Without the 14" of additional leverage, felt push and pull from passing trucks was greatly reduced. Finally decided to try just a short ball mount without WD as tongue weight was just under 500 lbs. It towed the best yet. I eventually sold both WD hitches. Now I wish I still had that short Quality S WD hitch for our soon to aquire 32.5' TT.

TomG2 wrote:
My point is that I prefer to deal with the cause rather than the symptom of a problem. People whose first advice is to Buy a hitch like mine are not always right. Sometimes we need to, pulled the vehicle up closer to tongue first.

Agreed.. or in this case, get your tongue weight up to 13 percent of total weight (at least).

Mike

My point is that I prefer to deal with the cause rather than the symptom of a problem. People whose first advice is to "Buy a hitch like mine" are not always right. Sometimes we need to, "pulled the vehicle up closer to tongue" first.

TomG2 wrote:

Walaby wrote:
If you're looking for rationale for not adding sway control, you've found it.

I've experienced sway once (not a TT, but towing a vehicle on a open trailer). Wasn't fun at all. Happened immediately once I started up to freeway speed. Got the vehicle under control and stopped, pulled the vehicle up closer to tongue (more tongue weight), and it towed great.

...snip........Mike

From your example, sway can be eliminated by correctly loading the trailer or with a new hitch. I like the first choice.

And that's fine.. as is your choice. And yes, in my example, sway was eliminated by correctly loading the trailer. I think the thing to remember is the sway control hitches don't ELIMINATE sway, they REDUCE sway. So, in my opinion (which is worth the same as anyone elses), having something that helps me reduce the potential of sway is worth the investment. It may not be worth it for you, or the OP, or 50 percent or more of the people who responded to the OP, and that's fine.

But, if the OP is going to buy a new hitch anyways, he needs to decide for himself is it worth the couple of hundred additional dollars he would have to spend to have sway control or not. The Blue Ox SwayPro was just over $500 delivered by e-Trailer to my house. How much is OP planning on spending on a WD hitch that he admits he has to purchase?

Mike

I commend the OP for trying to be safe as well as all the members here for trying to be helpful and as safe as possible while operating these rigs on the same public highways as we all drive on. I'll bet everyone here wishes more people would be more professional in our hobby.

I agree as others have said , with operators control being the key factor regarding trailer sway.

I really don't know if we need sway control or not..... but I don't think using sway control is a bad idea. I have a friction sway bar and sometimes use, sometimes don't. I notice no difference. That doesn't mean its right or wrong.

Using a good WDH with integrated sway, allows you to back up longer distances with tighter angles opposed to the 'friction type' of sway bar, that you might have to disengage before backing at tight angles , but both will work . Either way, if you feel comfortable using it, then you are doing the right thing.

A bow wave from an overtaking bus or tractor trailer is to be expected due to unequal air pressure that pushes and pulls on your TT then your TV .
Don't let it scare you, expect it and flow with it , don't try to over correct it. Experiencing that does not mean you are having a sway problem.
***Having your tow vehicle and trailer properly aired up with a balanced load and your hitch adjusted properly , should tow fine.
If not careful on wet surfaces, hydroplaning will occur before trailer sway if your rig is in total balance.
Slow down on wet surfaces. At over 55 mph, you're riding on a bead of water. ( research tire safety and hydroplaning)


4x4 Dodgers post as well as others made me think about what I have practiced and made excellent comments regarding control.

Lets face it, driving a Prius is not the same as driving a truck trailer combo.
Learn the forces in play and always pay attention while being the captain of your ship.
IMO, your best weapon is your ability to control your vehicle by not panicking when reacting to a force that feels foreign to you.

"feel different forces and how a rig reacts to them."
Know what to expect by practicing it might be in order for all of us.
Setting up some cones in an empty parking lot of a closed business might NOT be a bad idea. It gives you the chance to push your rig under a controlled environment as well as your comfort level. Increase your speed gradually as you practice to learn how the rig reacts . That way, you have a good idea of what to expect if/when you encounter something.
You practice how to brake, avoid objects and control becomes second nature and improves confidence on the road.
** With your rig, practice driving around an object while keeping control . Practicing that could save you from crashing into something because you will automatically react from your own training to avoid an object rather than crashing into it.
Often, I travel during the night to avoid traffic . I have come upon and been the first person on scene of fatal accidents where drivers locked the brakes and skidded into something. When all they had to do was take pressure off the brake and drive around the fixed object , totally avoiding the accident.

My point.... practice how to keep control of our rigs , in an emergency it will and take away the element of surprise and may save your life.

Even safer if you leave the trailer at home. Telling people what they "SHOULD" do might not be the answer since every situation is different. Towing a 5,000 pound travel trailer with my 2500HD was a safe and pleasurable experience without any weight distributing hitch or anti-sway mechanism. My 1500 pound cargo trailer neither has nor needs its own brakes. People SHOULD use their own intelligence in these matters.

There are a lot of things you don't NEED to have, but SHOULD have. Do you need sway control? Nope. Should you have sway control? Yep. Same with weight distributing hitches, frame mounted hitches (as opposed to bumper mounted), safety chains, trailer brakes, wheel chocks, etc etc.

Yes, I would recommend getting some sort of sway control, even if it is just the inexpensive simple friction bar (linked earlier), which is what I have. One more piece of safety equipment.

TomG2 wrote:

Walaby wrote:
If you're looking for rationale for not adding sway control, you've found it.

I've experienced sway once (not a TT, but towing a vehicle on a open trailer). Wasn't fun at all. Happened immediately once I started up to freeway speed. Got the vehicle under control and stopped, pulled the vehicle up closer to tongue (more tongue weight), and it towed great.

...snip........Mike

From your example, sway can be eliminated by correctly loading the trailer or with a new hitch. I like the first choice.

My dad and I learned this many years ago with a boat that had been moved back on it's trailer for lighter tongue weight. That was a fun interstate ride. One reason we decided on the Jayco 28RLS for our going back to a TT decision. Two thirds of the trailer is in front of the axles and heavy on the tongue with kitchen and bedroom storage in front of the axles.

Walaby wrote:
If you're looking for rationale for not adding sway control, you've found it.

I've experienced sway once (not a TT, but towing a vehicle on a open trailer). Wasn't fun at all. Happened immediately once I started up to freeway speed. Got the vehicle under control and stopped, pulled the vehicle up closer to tongue (more tongue weight), and it towed great.

...snip........Mike

From your example, sway can be eliminated by correctly loading the trailer or with a new hitch. I like the first choice.