FRICTION SWAY CONTROL

I am going to go into some detail on adjustment of the friction sway control and why some people, including me initially, have had trouble with adjustment of the sway control bar. Draw-Tite, Husky, and others use the same bar with their own name put on it.

The instructions on the sway bar tell you to turn the handle all the way in and bottom out the threads. Look at the drawing below. This is the way they used to be built. They are certainly not built that way now. This is the reason that so many people have complained about the fact that you can't get the plate to bottom out without the plate being so far cocked over. It is amazing that they changed the design without adding the required spacer.

The bottom bolt is really easy to adjust by hand once you relieve the tension on the top bolt.



I went over to a very good hardware store, you know the kind with all of the little specialty boxes, to find the "right" spacer. I bought a metric jam nut that is 14mm x 1.5 pitch. The top bolt just slides through this nut. It is just the right thickness. I have adjusted the bottom bolt to give me what I think is the correct tension on the sway control pad. By putting the spacer in I am able to consistently put the correct tension on the bar once I finalize the adjustment on the lower bolt. Notice in the second photo that the rocker pivot is about centered.
Note: If you want the handle parallel to the bar when the bolt is bottomed out and the spacer is not quite right then get a selection of washers and substitute these for the spacer.

Lokin4deer wrote:
To hijack a little.....How tight should the handle be? I have always just snugged it up real good. But often wondered if there was some kind of guideline I should be following?

See the previously posted link to the instructions and look at "#2 Hook-up" on page 2. You tighten it as far as it will go then back it off until the handle is parallel with the A frame.
Barney

To hijack a little.....How tight should the handle be? I have always just snugged it up real good. But often wondered if there was some kind of guideline I should be following?

Ok, I stand corrected. I thought you meant between them on the head, not trailer to head. My mistake.

I ordered my second one from Etrailer as my trailer required two and the dealer only installed one. Anyway, the sway control came with directions on how far back to mount the ball on the tongue, I took that seriously and followed the directions and have not had any problems.

Yes, 24" is critical.

It is 24" back from the ball. But should be mounted to the tongue at a height level with the small ball on the hitch when trailer is attached to the tow vehicle

campigloo wrote:
The bar should stay parallel to to the frame. The distance should be more like 10 inches.

You would be wrong. When in doubt, read the directions. See Page 2

Posted: 05/27/15 10:00pm Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator
wing_zealot wrote:

24 inches ball to ball.


^^^^^^^^^^^^ What he said and yes it is critical. If it isn't right you will pop one of the balls pretty easily.

24 inches? No wonder you're breaking things. The bar should stay parallel to to the frame. The distance should be more like 10 inches.

I always remove mine when backing up into my drive or a campsite. I have made it a point to keep it loose until I get near the interstate or a road when I might really need it. Last week my final destination was up a mountain with a lot of curves. I pulled over and removed it. I try to only use it when I am hitting the interstate. Just trying to save some wear and tear on it....