sway controll tips

Lynnmor wrote:
The idea that the friction sway control is adjusted at the factory is not correct. There is no way the factory knows if it will be used with a 1500 or 15000 pound trailer.

2. HOOK-UP
a. Lubricate both balls with a small amount of grease, place socket of slide bar (6) over ball (1) and secure with clip (2b). Loosen handle
(5) until the slide bar can be moved. Extend sway control assembly and place socket over ball on trailer, secure with other clip (2b).
b. Retighten handle until it stops (handle should be in its original level position). The sway control assembly is preset at the factory with a tension suitable for most light trailers.
c. On some installations, damage to the sway control may occur during extremely sharp turning maneuvers. This can be checked by
slowly backing vehicle into a jackknife position while someone is watching. Do not allow slide bar to contract completely (bottom out)
or bumper to contact sway control. If it looks as though contact will be made or the sway control will bottom out then the sway control
must be removed before backing trailer.

3. ADJUSTMENT
a. Trailer configurations and loading, road and weather conditions, towing speed, tire condition and pressure, and center of gravity of
trailer, all affect towing. To get maximum benefits from the sway control assembly, a series of road tests should be taken with the
loaded trailer. During the first road test try the sway control at the factory pre-set force. On subsequent trips increase or decrease
tension by turning the adjusting bolt (7) in 1/4 turn increments in the direction shown on the label until the desired control is achieved.
For large trailers, it may be necessary to install a second sway control unit.

Read the instructions that come with it. They ARE adjusted at the factory. Sway bars do NOT prevent sway. that is NOT what they are for. They are only to help control it once it is induced by a emergency situation.
Sway control should NEVER be used to keep a trailer in control under normal driving conditions. A trailer should NOT sway with out a sway bar installed. If it does. You have other problems you need to fix. As you are to remove the sway bar in slick conditions. It can prevent the TV from turning properly, and IF the TT sways without the bar on. How are you going to drive in the rain with out it.

And should you ever need to adjust the sway bar, after it wears the pads. You turn the adjusting nut 1/4 turn at a time until you get the drag back to what it was. Remember a too tight sway bar will cause the TV, and TT to not straighten out completely after a turn. Will cause the TV to pull to the side the turn was. Been there done that.