To sway or not to sway?

A properly set up trailer should not sway without any sway control under normal towing.

Sway control is needed for the not so normal towing conditions such as a large motor home passing at 20 mph faster than you are going and only 18 inches from your side mirrors.

If you do feel the sway control there is most likely a sway problem that needs corrected.


Same for a properly setup brake controller. When braking under normal conditions you should not feel the trailer.

If you feel the trailer pushing or pulling then the brake controller is probably not set correctly.

Got my equalizer hooked up today. I followed the instructions to the letter. The measurements unhooked, hooked and with bars in place didn't change at all! I drove it around and it tows great. I could really feel the anti sway working. Hooking and unhooking is simple and the piece of mind is worth every penny. Looking forward to my first big trip and enjoying the lifestyle with my family. Thanks for all the help!

Again thanks everyone! I just ordered 10k equalizer hitch. I will post up after I have an opinion of it!

vanreever wrote:
Hope you got your hitch setup corrected. You mentioned easy hookup in your original post. Honestly, a wd hitch setup with built in sway control only takes an extra couple min to hookup. Safety of you and your family is worth a few extra min and it is not difficult work once you get a system down.

Ah, but not all hitches are created equal. The Equalizer brand does not have chains to snap into place and can be hooked and unhooked on uneven ground. The "top of the line" Hensley Arrow and Pro Price require the truck to back into the stinger and are difficult to use when on uneven terrain. Those who use these hitches gain the expertise to deal with these challenges in short order but going in, it is a challenge. Some systems take "a couple of minutes" to set up while others take more.

WSC7050,

You have made the right decision. WD and sway are two entirely different issues. Those who to with large trucks claim that they don't really need WD an they are often correct. But then following with they don't need sway control are usually misinformed. While it is correct that properly set up systems reduce the probability of sway, it does not completely eliminate the chance of sway. Extreme weather conditions, passing trucks, blowouts and panic moves are not something we can plan for.

Getting a hitch that deals with WD and has built in sway control is the answer as far as I am concerned. There are many hitches out there today that do a good job in both regards. Get one and get it set up correctly and you will sleep much better at night.

I have an Equalizer and love it but I have never had anything else so I can not say much about the options. All I know is that mine works for me and after 30K miles, I remain a happy camper.

Hope you got your hitch setup corrected. You mentioned easy hookup in your original post. Honestly, a wd hitch setup with built in sway control only takes an extra couple min to hookup. Safety of you and your family is worth a few extra min and it is not difficult work once you get a system down.

Thanks everyone! My tv hitch is rated for 12k and the 2500 cummins tows great. The Nash is 7500 gvw and I tow it around 5500. I think I have decided to just spend some more (will it ever stop?) and get a new either equalizer or Reese double cam set up. I'm sure when I encounter the rouge deer, texting tourist, or severe crosswind, I won't miss the $500. As I mentioned I'm hoping to do a year or so long trip and will be detaching and reattaching quite often. I've read the equalizer is a bit more user friendly but I'm sure I'll adjust to whatever I end up with. I will update and I'm sure have more questions! Thanks again for the help.

Ya well! I ran off in the median and got back on once because I had the proper Reese Cam over. You can go with the more expensive hitches like
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/towing/163-1212-anti-sway-and-weight-distributing-hitches-tow-tech/ I have no opinion on them as I've never owned one.

"Sway bars should not be used to compensate for poor hitch set up. "


I X2 that statement.

Recommend getting scale weights after you are loaded for a trip.

If your tongue weight is sufficient and the trailer is level or slightly nose low and WD setup properly you should not have a sway problem provided all weights are within the TV and trailer capacity.

Make sure tires are also within their weight capacity.

After all this I would recommend sway control which is integral with many WD systems.

I want sway control for those times you may have to dodge a deer, dog, or someone who has cut you off. Also for a large Motor-home that passes you going 20 mph faster than you.

we are also fairly new travel trailers, pulling a 22ft Gulfstream Vista Cruiser with a Highlander. We went with the sway bars and glad we did because on our recent trip we encountered really strong winds and it helped keep the trailer snugly behind us. The dealer installed them and they are really easy to attach whenever we go on a trip. Wouldn't go without them after the wind we drove thru.