Hello! I have been reading my new truck manual (yeah, I know!) and in the towing section it mentions that the Traction Control System and Stabilitrak system "sense" trailer sway and selectively apply trailer and truck brakes (and may even reduce engine torque) if they sense your trailer is swaying. Does this mean I can do away with my sway bar? Or is this just sounding great on paper but not in practice? I would not mind doing away with the sway bar but on the other hand it is a "hardware device" that needs no computers and is really not subject to any failure and needs nothing to operate. Thanks!

stabilitrac can only do so much, IMHO the short answer to your question is NO.

Lol, it will help after you start swaying. I would rather have a sway bar that prevents sway from happening in the first place. Its cheap insurance.

Sjm9911 wrote:Lol, it will help after you start swaying. I would rather have a sway bar that prevents sway from happening in the first place. Its cheap insurance.I have a sway bar and I have a WD hitch but the hitch is like, 50 lbs and the WD arms reduce my turning radius (my flatbed/hitch is low in the back and comes up against the WD arms). It is a pain in the arse to set up as well, every time I need to hook up. I was hoping I could do away with the whole thing.

Why do you need it? If the answer is because your trailer tows poorly and is all over the road, then absolutely you cannot get rid of it. Why would you want your vehicle trying to compensate for a schitty handling trailer with its own brakes ALL the time?However, if the answer is you do not know why you need it, perhaps only because someone said it was required, then you most likely dont need it nor did you ever need it, regardless of what fancy features the truck has.

Is your tongue weight in the 13-15% range? That’s the number one sway preventative. Check by weighing at a scale. So far my 2020 is doing fine without the sway bar.

Traction control systems and trailer sway bars | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

goducks10
Explorer
Aug 29, 2021
The factory built in sway control is a reactive vs proactive system. It only activates after the trailer has excessive sway. To stop the trailer from having excessive sway in the 1st place is to have the correct tongue weight and or a good WDH with built in sway control. Your tow vehicle must be set up correctly as well with the front end returned to OEM requirements.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Aug 29, 2021
Is your tongue weight in the 13-15% range? That’s the number one sway preventative. Check by weighing at a scale. So far my 2020 is doing fine without the sway bar.
Grit_dog
Navigator II
Aug 29, 2021
Why do you need it? If the answer is because your trailer tows poorly and is all over the road, then absolutely you cannot get rid of it. Why would you want your vehicle trying to compensate for a schitty handling trailer with its own brakes ALL the time?

However, if the answer is you do not know why you need it, perhaps only because someone said it was required, then you most likely dont need it nor did you ever need it, regardless of what fancy features the truck has.
ognend
Explorer
Aug 29, 2021
Sjm9911 wrote:
Lol, it will help after you start swaying. I would rather have a sway bar that prevents sway from happening in the first place. Its cheap insurance.

I have a sway bar and I have a WD hitch but the hitch is like, 50 lbs and the WD arms reduce my turning radius (my flatbed/hitch is low in the back and comes up against the WD arms). It is a pain in the arse to set up as well, every time I need to hook up. I was hoping I could do away with the whole thing.
Sjm9911
Explorer
Aug 29, 2021
Lol, it will help after you start swaying. I would rather have a sway bar that prevents sway from happening in the first place. Its cheap insurance.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Aug 29, 2021
stabilitrac can only do so much, IMHO the short answer to your question is NO.

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Traction control systems and trailer sway bars

26 Replies

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