Sway Control HELP........

gon2dadawgs wrote:


You do not have an Equalizer if it has "Chains". It sounds like you have weight distribution only.....no sway control.

Michael

Bingo. The Equalizer is a brand that has built in sway control. If it isn't too late, trade your weight distributing hitch for something that has built in sway. Equalizer or Dual Cam or.....

brulaz wrote:
THink this was discussed here, with a link to the SAE info:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26669875/gotomsg/26670734.cfm#26670734

Thanks for the link. The way I read it, some vehicles (pickups?) handle better with a slightly heavier rear loading instead of fully equalized to front and rear. It adds that the rear should never be higher than the original, unloaded height.

I can see that for sure. Some squat is good for stability, as is loading the rear of the vehicle (esp. lighter SUVs like the 4Runner).

I've noticed when adjusting WDH that it transfers the weight quickly at first with each link, but starts to adjust less as you approach a properly balanced load- which is how the front and rear suspension on vehicles *should* work.

I am running with a slight squat, which tows quite well. I backed off one link after the initial adjustment after towing it a bit. It would seem wise to consider the adjustment a 'Starting Point' then try a link either way after a bit of towing to get the best performance.

It seems a good idea to add the above info to adjustment advice, as it is plausible some folks may go to extremes to get the last bit of 'equal height' and over torque their setup ;)

Thanks for the additional info!

DiskDoctr wrote:

Ron Gratz wrote:
The approximately equal drop approach no longer is recommended by the majority of TV and WDH manufacturers.

The following statement also no longer applies to current practice:

9. Release the spring bars, remove the chains, and put the chains back on at a different
link. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you find which link makes the tow vehicle’s front and rear both drop, and drop by the same amount. {NOTE: Some people feel that the front end of the tow vehicle does not need to drop, or at least doesn’t have to drop as far as the rear end. I won’t try to give a definitive answer, except that the front end should not rise at all when you put the weight on the rear, and it should not drop more than the rear end drops.}

(Underline added for emphasis.)
The front end should not drop at all. In fact, Ford and GM/Chevrolet now specify for some vehicles that only 50% of the front-end rise should be eliminated via the WDH.

Ron, link a credible source for this?

THink this was discussed here, with a link to the SAE info:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26669875/gotomsg/26670734.cfm#26670734

Ron Gratz wrote:
The approximately equal drop approach no longer is recommended by the majority of TV and WDH manufacturers.

The following statement also no longer applies to current practice:

9. Release the spring bars, remove the chains, and put the chains back on at a different
link. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you find which link makes the tow vehicle’s front and rear both drop, and drop by the same amount. {NOTE: Some people feel that the front end of the tow vehicle does not need to drop, or at least doesn’t have to drop as far as the rear end. I won’t try to give a definitive answer, except that the front end should not rise at all when you put the weight on the rear, and it should not drop more than the rear end drops.}

(Underline added for emphasis.)
The front end should not drop at all. In fact, Ford and GM/Chevrolet now specify for some vehicles that only 50% of the front-end rise should be eliminated via the WDH.

Ron, link a credible source for this?

how about a pic of the rig hitched up OP?

That may help us help you more than anything.

Pic of the entire rig and a pic of the hitch set up.

That would help immensely.

thanks!

Jeremiah

kbravo1974 wrote:
I have a new 2014 Zinger 33BH. Towing it with a 2011 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 6.0L. Power is fine but the sway seems to be out of control. Have standard 1000lb equalizer hitch and bars. Have tried to take up on the chains and even with out the bars still no good. At a loss as to what to do to control the sway. It whips me all over in my lane at 55-60mph.

Any insight to this would be helpful.

Dry Weight: 8,370
GVWR: 11,162
Carrying Capacity: 2,800
Hitch Weight: 1,002
Axle Weight: 7,453
Lengths/Capacities
Exterior Length: 36' 6"
Exterior Height With A/C: 11' 9"
Fresh Water: 54 gallons
Black Water: 40 gallons
Gray/Galley Water: 30 gallons
Tire Size: 225/75R15D

You do not have an Equalizer if it has "Chains". It sounds like you have weight distribution only.....no sway control.

Michael

I'm happy to report that all my trailer sway is gone. Not sure what exactly what part i did fixed it. I aired my rear tires to 40 psi, I leveled my trailer to almost peractly level and added one friction sway control bar. Took all summer to get it just right. I also weighted my setup and have just shy of the 15 percent tongue weight. Thanks for the advice.

Weigh it on a truck scale. TV front axle should be bit lighter than the rear, up to 500 lb. Go online and google the setup and watch it on video.

DiskDoctr wrote:
Also, take a look at this article about adjusting WDH.

Weight Distributing Hitch Adjustment

I suggest that anyone who looks at that article should ignore the last part of the following statement:

6. Re-measure the tow vehicle height at the wheel wells, and write it down. You will find that the rear end of the tow vehicle has dropped, probably more than an inch. And you will find that the front end of the tow vehicle has risen. Our goal is to make them both drop, and by approximately the same amount.

(Underline added for emphasis.)
The approximately equal drop approach no longer is recommended by the majority of TV and WDH manufacturers.

The following statement also no longer applies to current practice:

9. Release the spring bars, remove the chains, and put the chains back on at a different
link. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you find which link makes the tow vehicle’s front and rear both drop, and drop by the same amount. {NOTE: Some people feel that the front end of the tow vehicle does not need to drop, or at least doesn’t have to drop as far as the rear end. I won’t try to give a definitive answer, except that the front end should not rise at all when you put the weight on the rear, and it should not drop more than the rear end drops.}

(Underline added for emphasis.)
The front end should not drop at all. In fact, Ford and GM/Chevrolet now specify for some vehicles that only 50% of the front-end rise should be eliminated via the WDH.

I also disagree with this statement:

11. You are done. If you disabled an air shock compressor, restart it.

If the ride height control was disabled prior to adjustment of the WDH, the rear end will be below the unhitched height. When the height control is "restarted", the rear of the TV and front of the TT will be raised, and the load on the WD bars will be decreased. This will cause the amount of load transfer to be decreased.

Ron

get a propride p3 or a Hensley and watch you troubles go away. Sure they are expensive but so are 5wheel hitches and these make you TT behave like a 5 wheel. Got one and will never look back .