When we bought our first TT about 5 years ago, we were warned during our walk-through that we should always remove the sway bar prior to backing with the trailer. Even if we were backing just a little bit. The salesman told us that backing with the sway bar connected would destroy it. He claimed that he had seen them come back in bent in half. He stressed the importance of removing it very strongly.We have always tried to remember to remove the sway bar before backing the trailer. But there have been a few occasions where I just started backing without thinking about it. The only problem I have encountered was once when one of the cotter pins got in a bind and it was destroyed. Never had a problem with the bar.Does anyone know the reason for the strong warning? Is it because you can get the bar in a bind if the turn is tight? I can't think of any other reason, but not sure if there is something I am not thinking of.Thanks for any thoughts.

You do state what type of sway controller you have, but on our Equal-I-Zer hitches, backing was never a problem. We have had one on each of 3 TTs we owned in the past and there was never any question of problems with backing with them.

There is no reason to take a friction sway off assuming there is enough travel in it so it does not bottom out, come apart, or hit in the middle if you jackknife the trailer which you cannot do going forward. With someone looking jackknife in both directions until you hit the trailer with the tow vehicle. If none of the above happen, do not worry about it.

humblerb wrote:When we bought our first TT about 5 years ago, we were warned during our walk-through that we should always remove the sway bar prior to backing with the trailer. Even if we were backing just a little bit. The salesman told us that backing with the sway bar connected would destroy it. He claimed that he had seen them come back in bent in half. He stressed the importance of removing it very strongly.We have always tried to remember to remove the sway bar before backing the trailer. But there have been a few occasions where I just started backing without thinking about it. The only problem I have encountered was once when one of the cotter pins got in a bind and it was destroyed. Never had a problem with the bar.Does anyone know the reason for the strong warning? Is it because you can get the bar in a bind if the turn is tight? I can't think of any other reason, but not sure if there is something I am not thinking of.Thanks for any thoughts.I'll assume you're talking about friction sway bars.They can get bent during an extremely tight turn where they are either completely compressed and forced further, or on the off side, bound up against the hitch, and then forced past that point. I have checked in my driveway, and on my setup, I can't turn tight enough to bind them before the corner of my truck box hits the trailer. You could check that out on your own rig. Obviously, best practice will be to take them off.I always loosen mine as soon as I get into the CG so they'll quit moaning on every turn. Once I get to my site, I remove them ... most of the time .... but if I forget, they will still slide loosely because I have backed them off.

BossCamper wrote: I always loosen mine as soon as I get into the CG so they'll quit moaning on every turn. Once I get to my site, I remove them ... most of the time .... but if I forget, they will still slide loosely because I have backed them off.x2, it's easy to flip the lever to release it.bumpy

Some of the sway bar manufacturers, actually have a statement in their installation manual, that says to remove the bar prior to backing up. Don't recall the specific manufacturer, but, I saw that statement while installing a sway bar on one of my trailers.I was watching a fellow backing into a campsite and heard a loud bang. It turned out to be his sway bar. The mount bracket on the trailer frame was ripped off, the sway bar was bent, and the hitch head was bent where the little ball was installed.

Sway Controller ? for longtime towers | Good Sam Community

Grandpere
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
You do state what type of sway controller you have, but on our Equal-I-Zer hitches, backing was never a problem. We have had one on each of 3 TTs we owned in the past and there was never any question of problems with backing with them.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Mar 02, 2015
There is no reason to take a friction sway off assuming there is enough travel in it so it does not bottom out, come apart, or hit in the middle if you jackknife the trailer which you cannot do going forward. With someone looking jackknife in both directions until you hit the trailer with the tow vehicle. If none of the above happen, do not worry about it.
BossCamper
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
humblerb wrote:
When we bought our first TT about 5 years ago, we were warned during our walk-through that we should always remove the sway bar prior to backing with the trailer. Even if we were backing just a little bit. The salesman told us that backing with the sway bar connected would destroy it. He claimed that he had seen them come back in bent in half. He stressed the importance of removing it very strongly.

We have always tried to remember to remove the sway bar before backing the trailer. But there have been a few occasions where I just started backing without thinking about it.
The only problem I have encountered was once when one of the cotter pins got in a bind and it was destroyed. Never had a problem with the bar.

Does anyone know the reason for the strong warning? Is it because you can get the bar in a bind if the turn is tight? I can't think of any other reason, but not sure if there is something I am not thinking of.

Thanks for any thoughts.

I'll assume you're talking about friction sway bars.

They can get bent during an extremely tight turn where they are either completely compressed and forced further, or on the off side, bound up against the hitch, and then forced past that point.
I have checked in my driveway, and on my setup, I can't turn tight enough to bind them before the corner of my truck box hits the trailer. You could check that out on your own rig. Obviously, best practice will be to take them off.

I always loosen mine as soon as I get into the CG so they'll quit moaning on every turn. Once I get to my site, I remove them ... most of the time .... but if I forget, they will still slide loosely because I have backed them off.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
BossCamper wrote:

I always loosen mine as soon as I get into the CG so they'll quit moaning on every turn. Once I get to my site, I remove them ... most of the time .... but if I forget, they will still slide loosely because I have backed them off.

x2, it's easy to flip the lever to release it.
bumpy
handye9
Explorer II
Mar 02, 2015
Some of the sway bar manufacturers, actually have a statement in their installation manual, that says to remove the bar prior to backing up. Don't recall the specific manufacturer, but, I saw that statement while installing a sway bar on one of my trailers.

I was watching a fellow backing into a campsite and heard a loud bang. It turned out to be his sway bar. The mount bracket on the trailer frame was ripped off, the sway bar was bent, and the hitch head was bent where the little ball was installed.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
handye9 wrote:
Some of the sway bar manufacturers, actually have a statement in their installation manual, that says to remove the bar prior to backing up. Don't recall the specific manufacturer, but, I saw that statement while installing a sway bar on one of my trailers.

I was watching a fellow backing into a campsite and heard a loud bang. It turned out to be his sway bar. The mount bracket on the trailer frame was ripped off, the sway bar was bent, and the hitch head was bent where the little ball was installed.

Are you referring to the single bar anti sway where they have 2 actual balls. A large ball for the hitch and little ball for one sway bar?
ScottG
Nomad
Mar 02, 2015
I've never understood this idea. The trailer isn't doing anything different when going backwards that it doesn't do when making a tight turn going forward.
So I have always backed up with every WDH I have ever used and never had any issues.
bigj3234
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
We received the same stern warning during our walkthrough, and generally have followed the advice. We have one of those Equal-i-zer things that attaches to a ball on the trailer and a ball on the hitch (not sure what the name for those are *shrugs). I have forgotten to remove it before, and when making a really tight turn it makes some awful noises. That usually reminds me to take it off (or at least loosen it) before it gets too far gone.
humblerb
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
Thanks to all.
First, Yes, I was talking about an independent, friction bar.
I assumed the reason for the alert was in the case of sharp turns. The salesman didn't give that as the reason. I just could never see anything else that would be cause for the concern.
Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Mar 02, 2015
ScottG wrote:
I've never understood this idea. The trailer isn't doing anything different when going backwards that it doesn't do when making a tight turn going forward.
So I have always backed up with every WDH I have ever used and never had any issues.

Agreed,

I have turned so sharply going forward that I was almost touching my bumper with the trailer. The inside wheels on the trailer were actually travelling backwards as all other wheels on the truck and trailer were moving forwards... and the Sway Control bar was perfectly fine.

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