Friction Sway Bar Adjustment?

Terryallan wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Thanks for all the good advice.

I first put the anti-sway bar on when the prairie cross-winds started up on the trip back home. That seemed to work well against the winds so guess that was my initial "test" run. When there was no wind, I didn't seem to need anti-sway. Big trucks and buses rushing by me had little effect. The new trailer is quite heavy with a fair amount of tongue weight.

It was later that I noticed that the adjustment nut was loose and so finger tightened it before clamping down on the upper lever. Again it worked fine afterwards with the cross-winds. I guess there was some initial wear-in on the first day that caused this. And as the friction pads wear, guess I'll keep hand tightening that nut a little bit more.

Remember. It is NOT an anti sway device. there is actually no such thing. It is a SWAY CONTROL bar. It is not to keep the TT from swaying in normal driving. It is NOT to enable you to drive the TT in a straight line. If you need it to control the trailer in normal driving. The trailer has other serious problems, that a sway bar will only hide, until the problem come out from under the sway control bandaid and bites you.
It is only to help dampen sway once it has been induced by the driver during a emergency maneuver, Like dodging a dog, child, deer, or other vehicle that has wandered into your lane.

IF a TT sways in normal driving without a sway bar. You need to find out why, and FIX the sway problem. And then, and only then , Add a sway control bar. Then you will be ready for that idiot that cuts you off.

That your TT does not sway with out a sway bar. Is the way it is supposed to be. (Again that is not what a swaybar is for). So you are ready for the sway bar. Put it on, and you are ready for the emergency moves, you hope to never make. It is too late to put one on, while you are dodging the deer.

BTW, Yes the handle is the on off switch. Bottom out the threads is ON. Any thing less is off.

Also notice. You are to remove it when driving in slippery conditions. If you are using it to keep the TT straight. You can't remove it. But for safety. It needs to come off on slick roads. It "CAN" cause the TV not to turn / go straight, when you turn the wheel. Not a good thing.

IMO a sway system will help in normal driving when road conditions and wind along with passing vehicles put abnormal forces on longer trailers. I also remember that the recommendation is not to remove in in adverse weather conditions such as rain, but to loosen it so it mainly won't "grab", but still provide some minimum sway mitigation.

Larry