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Anti sway

kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Explorer
I have used load leveling hitches in the past, and will continue to. But I am curious just what the "anti sway" controls are that all truck manufacturers seem to be claiming they have built in on their products.
I asked a salesman and just got a shoulder shrug, so I was curious if it was anything other than maybe some form of controlled braking, or is it a sway bar?
12 REPLIES 12

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
rhagfo wrote:
BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...


BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...


rexlion wrote:
Not sure if they dumb down the drivers, or if the drivers are just dumb to begin with! ๐Ÿ˜‰ (Not all drivers... only some)


4X!
I think there are way too many dumb and not paying attention to what they are doing drivers now days. Devices like these just give them license to continue not paying attention.
Not anti technology just not one that would rely on it.

Maybe the technology should, report on too many incidents where the car save the dumb driver.

Better yet, just disable the car, with a big message on the instrument, "CAR DISABLED BECAUSE YOU ARE A VERY BAD DRIVER!".


Lol. Agreee whole heartedly.
Many discussions about the "safety features " or nannies as those of us who learned how to drive when you had to control ALL aspects of the vehicle operation manually.

Being in the worst drivers in the country zone here in Seattle, I'm sure Portland is similar just by way of location and similar ethnic and socio economic groups (tree huggers), I see most all these integrated "services" vehicles now provide just making drivers worse.
He!!, in some cars you can text and drive with no fear of crashing almost because collision avoidance, lane change warnings, adaptive cruise control and active braking keep you on track or at least warn you you're about to f up.
Add in abs, traction control, stability control, trailer sway control and auto trailer backing and auto parallel parking, no one will even know how to control a vehicle when it comes to less than ideal conditions or a situation where any real skill is involved.

It's plain out of hand now. I'm 44 years old and had such a hatred for ABS when it came out, I bought our only brand new vehicle to date, a 2001 Dodge Ram mainly because it was the last truck available without 4 wheel abs.
grew up driving in snow, plowing snow, playing in it. Last thing I want when it's low traction is some system taking over my 2 or 3 ways to get thru it. Acceleration, braking and steering.
I've learned to drive with those systems and it's kind of fun throwing a vehicle sideways and watching/knowing the stability control will dial it back in for you, but for those that haven't, god forbid they get in a situation where the vehicle doesn't save them. They're going straight off the road!
Can't count how many times I got stuck, up on the AK N Slope. Busting a hardpack snow drift and as soon as you giver the beans, traction control takes over and you're stuck! Became force of habit to turn off tc whenever I was in inclement weather up there because an unseen drift you couldn't punch thru due to the nannies coming on could mean putting yourself in serious danger. (40 below, no one around and you just got stuck out in a blow because your truck decided what was best for your right foot!)
I realize this is not the norm, but it's just a sign of the times, pandering to the lowest common denominator in society.
Rant over....for now.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
ABS on the TV...not the trailer

Some say on the trailer too, as most of the modern trailer brake controllers are PWM'd (pulse width modulated...digital), but unless there is an AMS module on a trailer hydraulic braking system...not likely IMHO

The hysteresis (raise time...AKA slop of that curve/incline) is NOT fast enough to accomplish an ABS braking session

Plus, trailer wiring and the magnets will have too much impedance (flux field build up will take too long and the falling off (turn off) like wise will take too long)

So it just sends voltage to the trailer brakes (all of them) at whatever preset it is at (boost, gain, etc)

Agree...should not happen in the first place if properly sized/setup/etc. Even the OEM's which offer it on their products has a 'recommendation' for that option...and it is to have it properly sized/setup or some such CYA fine print
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

aftermath
Explorer II
Explorer II
BenK wrote:
....

These new systems (talked to one of their engineers)...the highly integrated brake controller sends a bit of braking signal to the trail...to have the trailer pull the TV a bit...while the highly integrated anti-sway system determines which INDIVIDAUL wheel brake...via the highly integrated ABS system...obeys that command...braking individual wheels in concert (opposite to the sway direction)...until the sway condition abates down to some pre-determined level....


I am confused by this part. Are you saying that the TV's system controls each side of the trailer brakes independently? How would that work?

I agree with the other posts. Get a good WD hitch with built in sway control. Load your trailer properly and you should be good to go. If your TV has built in sway control that is even better. It is not good enough to use this alone. Make it a party of your system.
2017 Toyota Tundra, Double Cab, 5.7L V8
2006 Airstream 25 FB SE
Equalizer Hitch

Lynnmor
Explorer
Explorer
The sway control on modern trucks kicks in when things are about to go out of control. Minor swaying of a trailer will not be corrected and the truck system is no substitute for a proper setup and loading. The salesman that shrugged gave the correct answer.

There are those that rail against the factory trailer brake controls, but I do not agree. Some folks think that a device hung under the dash making it's own decisions on brake application is somehow better than input from brake pressure.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...


BenK wrote:
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...


rexlion wrote:
Not sure if they dumb down the drivers, or if the drivers are just dumb to begin with! ๐Ÿ˜‰ (Not all drivers... only some)


4X!
I think there are way too many dumb and not paying attention to what they are doing drivers now days. Devices like these just give them license to continue not paying attention.
Not anti technology just not one that would rely on it.

Maybe the technology should, report on too many incidents where the car save the dumb driver.

Better yet, just disable the car, with a big message on the instrument, "CAR DISABLED BECAUSE YOU ARE A VERY BAD DRIVER!".
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
One of the manuf has designed it so that when the ABS actuated it pulses the trailer brakes also.

But otherwise, yes it uses the trailer brakes to straighten the trailer out!
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

lenr
Explorer II
Explorer II
IMO the tow vehicle anti-sway systems react after sway begins, and do not prevent sway from starting. They react very fast, faster than we humans could react, and that is good. However, proper trailer loading, WD adjustment, hitch anti-sway devices, etc. remain important in preventing sway from starting in the first place.

rexlion
Explorer
Explorer
Not sure if they dumb down the drivers, or if the drivers are just dumb to begin with! ๐Ÿ˜‰ (Not all drivers... only some)
Mike G.
Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one's thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. --Frederick Douglass
photo: Yosemite Valley view from Taft Point

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
Personally think these new IMPROVEMENTS are...have dumbed down too many drivers out there...but am in the vast minority on that opinion...
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks Ben, I was guessing it was something like that but the truck manufacturers only say sway control and didn't specify.

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
The old way before these highly integrated systems...was to touch the brake controller manual lever...slid it to initate the trailer brakes...just a bit to have it pull the TV a bit....all the while the driver controls the situation via the TV controls....brake...steering...throttle...etc...

These new systems (talked to one of their engineers)...the highly integrated brake controller sends a bit of braking signal to the trail...to have the trailer pull the TV a bit...while the highly integrated anti-sway system determines which INDIVIDAUL wheel brake...via the highly integrated ABS system...obeys that command...braking individual wheels in concert (opposite to the sway direction)...until the sway condition abates down to some pre-determined level....

Plus a bunch of new sensors...one a set of accelerometers to sense sway...and wonder how many more there are in there...

Not a fan...even though one early career was in controls, automation, systems and process controls...

Making these new systems to complex and heaps on more stuff to fail...and makes it harder to diagnose...so they will just replace parts...systems...
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

1492
Moderator
Moderator
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