Friction sway control for 30'er?

[dmopar74]

I bought a 29'(35 overall) trailer, and can get a bit of sway, especially around big rigs. I still need to buy a wdh, but am wondering if I will be happy with a cheaper setup that uses the separate friction sway controllers, or if I should just save up some money and get something like the curt trutrack or an e2. I tow with a 2016 ram 2500.

[Hannibal]

I like to think of the Reese Dual Cam as similar to a rotary switch with a detent at center. Very effective if set up and aligned properly. I was just about to order the sway control arms for my Reese HP trunnion style with integrated cams in the spring bars when I saw the barely used Equalizer 4 point for a song on Ebay. It's no drill installation was appealing to me. Since we weren't having a sway problem to begin with, I figured a little reduced control would still be far more than we had with the Reese and no sway control. So for me that works well, but as you said Ben, that's not to imply that it's good practice for others. My apologies as well if I came across that way.
When I got the Equalizer home, which had been set up for the original purchaser at the dealership, none of the bolts were even close to properly torqued and the socket bolts were just snug leaving no friction at the sockets. I torqued them to 65ft/lbs per the manual and lubed them per the manual. If you can swing the bars out with little effort, the socket nuts need to be tightened to the spec in your manual.

[BenK]

But...many here, including lurkers who never post, view: "recommendations", "opinions", "what I do", etc as advice no matter what the qualifier or intent of that comment is

Ditto most who think an OEM's manual 'recommendation' does NOT mean you have to...not understanding the context of that 'recommendation'...if you don't follow their recommendation...then they don't have to provide warranty

In part why I'll never say 'sure you can' stuff, but provide metrics for folks to make up their own mind on these risk management decisions...AKA gambling....only to find that, that OP is just looking for confirmation of what they want to hear...not from me, they have to make up their own mind and only try to provide data for them to make up their mind

Do apologize for using "VERY BAD thing" in regards to lubing the friction contact areas...should have said 'in my opinion, I'd not'...I can live with that kind of noise, as know it is doing it's job...

To the PM on what is that 'crook' mentioned on cam'd systems

It is the spring bar (either round bar or trunnion bar) end that is bent to create a well or crook for the cam to nestle in. As the trailer moves off center, it will both pull/push itself out of that.

In doing so, it increases the spring bar's tension on the WD Hitch Head by lifting the spring bar higher

It is a metal on metal contact area. So it will protest rubbing metal on metal doing it's job...AKA resistance or friction. Lubing it will reduce that friction...the vary thing that it provides to control off cent movement...or sway

Hannibal wrote:
To clarify "my" posts. If I say "I" use a little marine grease on "my" L brackets to keep it smooth and quiet, that's only stating what "I" do. I'm happy with the results. We didn't have a sway problem before with the Reese HP with no sway control. That's not "advising" anyone else to do anything. That's simply stating what works for me. If all it takes to send your trailer out of control is a little grease on your L brackets, you have far bigger problems than reduced friction. That's not advice, that's my opinion based on my own experiences.

[Hannibal]

To clarify "my" posts. If I say "I" use a little marine grease on "my" L brackets to keep it smooth and quiet, that's only stating what "I" do. I'm happy with the results. We didn't have a sway problem before with the Reese HP with no sway control. That's not "advising" anyone else to do anything. That's simply stating what works for me. If all it takes to send your trailer out of control is a little grease on your L brackets, you have far bigger problems than reduced friction. That's not advice, that's my opinion based on my own experiences.

[BarneyS]

Hannibal wrote:

BenK wrote:

Lube is a VERY BAD thing for these and have read too many threads where advisers say to lube them to reduce the noise...well it also reduces the very thing that makes them work...friction...but oh well, can only comment and folks will do whatever

.

I can't say I've ever read in any thread where "advisers" say to lube sway bars. Care to clarify?

Reese, in their instructions for the Dual Cam system says that when using with a high tongue weight it is ok to lightly coat the cams with Vaseline to reduce the wear. That will also eliminate any noise from the friction.

Equal-i-zer, in their instructions, says to lightly coat the L brackets and the top of the WD bar sockets and the underside of the hitch head where the bars sockets rub with a light coating of grease. This is to help with wear and to reduce the considerable amount of noise that this hitch can make.

Many here in the forums, including myself, have stated those recommendations to members who were complaining of noise or heavy wear in their equipment. Yes, I, and most others have also stated that doing the above will reduce the sway control to some degree.
Barney

[Hannibal]

BenK wrote:

Lube is a VERY BAD thing for these and have read too many threads where advisers say to lube them to reduce the noise...well it also reduces the very thing that makes them work...friction...but oh well, can only comment and folks will do whatever

.

I can't say I've ever read in any thread where "advisers" say to lube sway bars. Care to clarify?

[Airstreamer67]

I don't reduce the pressure on my two sway bars when conditions are wet. I've never felt the need to do so. Maybe I don't tighten them enough to require it.

I've never had a sway event in 30+ years of towing with this type of sway control. As noted by another poster(s), the most noticeable thing mine do is to eliminate the little push/pull "wiggle" when big rigs pass me by.

[Lynnmor]

BenK wrote:

The two hates are that when wet...some don't work well, if at all....other is that when tightened for 'that' trailer...some times...most times...they do NOT allow the trailer to track back on the center line of the TV's travel...too many has the trailer dog track the TV...oh...add another...they wear out in the Z area and when tightened for that worn area...too tight off center of that Z area...maybe a good thing for when the trailer does go that far off center...

When you say "Z" area, are you referring to the fact that they are designed with the handle side not being even with the adjustment bolt side? I saw that the flat spring pushing against the friction bar was not pushing in the center, so I added a spacer to the adjustment bolt to make it even and wear evenly top to bottom.

It is suggested in the owners manual to reduce the friction when on wet or slippery roads, so I guess that the wet friction material is kind of "self adjusting." The tire to road friction is what pulls the combination back in line and with any kind of friction sway control there will be some measure of dog-tracking, yes even the higher priced brands that are often mentioned here and they have no means of adjustment for conditions.

The Blue-Ox is one that I thought might make the most sense, but there have been some issues reported, so I'll take a wait and see attitude on that one. Even this design is always trying to straighten the alignment even in a curve when they shouldn't be in alignment.

[BenK]

WD is a SYSTEM and each component of that system has a role to play...that added together makes the whole system in good working order

Similar to any vehicle today...TV's are a mini factory/robot these days...and each component is part of that system (not the aux stuff, but the real stuff of which a vehicle system is made up of)

On this topic of friction bars as part of the anti-sway system...have a love hate relationship with them...

They wear fast and even faster when tight...to the point that they need to be checked at each stop. Sure, if lightly tightened...not so much, but still needs to be checked/tightened

The two hates are that when wet...some don't work well, if at all....other is that when tightened for 'that' trailer...some times...most times...they do NOT allow the trailer to track back on the center line of the TV's travel...too many has the trailer dog track the TV...oh...add another...they wear out in the Z area and when tightened for that worn area...too tight off center of that Z area...maybe a good thing for when the trailer does go that far off center...

Ditto the newer trunnion bar and the friction material...older versions had no friction material and made more noise. Do not have direct experience with these and wonder if wetness affects them like the friction bars am experienced with.

Lube is a VERY BAD thing for these and have read too many threads where advisers say to lube them to reduce the noise...well it also reduces the very thing that makes them work...friction...but oh well, can only comment and folks will do whatever

As for the CAM'd system...there is no friction per say (there is a bit, but not the main anti-sway metric). The crook that the cam nestles into is the main metric....but....they too make noise when the cam/crook protest when off center line...likewise...read so many recommending lubing it to reduce noise...which likewise reduces that resistance to move out of the TV center line

Andersen uses plastic springs to provide that off center line resistance. Love their nifty architecture...but...lost is their application. Those plastic springs (compression only...they are not used to pull) are undersized and not enough travel...so constantly hear of them cracking/crumbling/etc over time

My personal preference is to use a steel spring that is used both in compression (push back towards the TV center line) and extension (pulls back towards the TV center line). The BlueOx SwayPro is my choice and am going to buy one some day (don't have a trailer now and borrow from church members and buddies)

Also, if using friction bars...use one on each side of the tongue. As they wear, switch them left to right to even out the wear.

[jerem0621]

blt2ski wrote:
Jeremiah,

Try losing a bar at 60 mph! been there done that. Did not notice for over 100 miles! Hence why I say, one should be able to tow with out issues at 60-65 mph with no sway! If a bar breaks on ANY of the systems, you trailer wants to sway due to too low hitch weight, nose high, v'd axels, too much weight on one side, too little air in tires on one side, among many issues that can cause sway......Lose a bar, you're screwed!
I've been able to pull ALL of my trailers with out bars of any sort. Only time I had issues, is when they had too little hitch wt! BIG TRUCKS, ie a 12K empty truck with an 8K trailer behind it, loses the battle! I had to stay under 50. I've seen tandem flatbeds pulling tandem axel trailers with the trailer going side to side! too little hitch wt, and nose high! Very apparent.
I'm not going to go taking a spare bar with me. If I need them that bad, I should not be towing that trailer! My 02

marty

I agree Marty, I don't think I was clear. My weight distribution hitch head broke. I carry a spare shank just in case that happens again.

I also agree that you shouldn't rely on a sway bar to keep sway from happening. That's all in the set up, just like you said. I like using sway bars to keep the little wiggle out of the connection. I'm a firm believer in "If a trailer sways, find out why, fix it, and then add sway bars."

I hope that makes better sense.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Hannibal]

I carry a 10k lb rated tri-ball in the truck that we use for the boat. If the WDH breaks, I'll slip the tri-ball in and carry on 1.5" lower in the rear. That is if we don't crash and burn as a result of the breakage.

[blt2ski]

Jeremiah,

Try losing a bar at 60 mph! been there done that. Did not notice for over 100 miles! Hence why I say, one should be able to tow with out issues at 60-65 mph with no sway! If a bar breaks on ANY of the systems, you trailer wants to sway due to too low hitch weight, nose high, v'd axels, too much weight on one side, too little air in tires on one side, among many issues that can cause sway......Lose a bar, you're screwed!
I've been able to pull ALL of my trailers with out bars of any sort. Only time I had issues, is when they had too little hitch wt! BIG TRUCKS, ie a 12K empty truck with an 8K trailer behind it, loses the battle! I had to stay under 50. I've seen tandem flatbeds pulling tandem axel trailers with the trailer going side to side! too little hitch wt, and nose high! Very apparent.
I'm not going to go taking a spare bar with me. If I need them that bad, I should not be towing that trailer! My 02

marty

[jerem0621]

I use the friction sway control. Actually used two of them. Makes for a very secure ride with a fine tuned and properly matched weight distribution hitch.

As someone who experienced a weight distribution hitch failure at a camp ground I appreciated having separate sway control.

So yea, I'm the guy who carries a spare weight carrying shank with a sway bar mount "just in case" I have another failure.

Trying doing that with a hitch with integrated sway control...lose WD and you lose sway control.

Not throwing stones, just giving ya something to think about.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Hannibal]

We towed our 32.5' TT for a year with a Reese HP trunnion syle WDH with no sway control. We got a little sway from passing trucks if there was a crosswind. Not bad or dangerous but annoying if there were lines of trucks passing. I was about to order the sway control arms from Reese as our spring bars had the integrated cams in them. Then I found a barely used Equalizer 4 point 10k on Ebay for a song. Even with a little marine grease on the L brackets to keep it quiet, it takes every bit of the sway from passing trucks out. The Curt unit looks like it works on the same principle.

[blt2ski]

Make sure your weights ie hitch to axel weight % is good. Along with, is the trailer level to nose down etc. ALso, make sure the weights side to side are as close to equal as possible. ie no more than 200-300 maybe 500 max. More than 500 and pulled over in Wa st, that is a fine for incorrect loading. Also, if the trailer wants to sway no matter what you do, it could be V'd axels. That is not correctable with a sway system. Well, it might stop the sway per say, tires will rub, scrub, screw up mpgs etc. If the sway system breaks, your trailer will still sway. So get all the sway issues fixed before installing the sway system.
Otherwise, no matter the trailer they have a tendency to sway. Including that equipment trailer with a bobcat, or add in the mini trackhoe on my ET at 12K total. Even a 12K empty Navistar dumptruck can get pushed around if the ET starts to sway due to incorrect loading.

Marty