Sway bar and/or weight distribution hitch

I'm wondering the same thing. I had a WD hitch with my former trailer (5000lb max at 21') and had no problem with sway. I'm picking up my new trailer which is 10,000lbs max and 33'. Wondering if I need to look at sway control more seriously.

It's hard to tell with a home built trailer. The rule of thumb is to have about 10% - 15% of the total weight of the trailer (that includes loaded with all gear and supplies) on the tongue. If you follow this rule you will initially avoid having sway.

Is your trailer a single axle trailer. Being 12 feet long (I'm assuming that's tip to tip), more than likely you will not need weight distribution. I tow a 10 foot BED utility trailer and have never had sway with it. But it does all depend upon how much tongue weight you have.

You need to find out how much weight you can put on the rear of your vehicle. Load it with people, pets, and attach the trailer, and how much does it actually weigh. It's not always about how much it can pull, it's about how much can it hold. 15 percent of 2500 pounds is 375 pounds pressing downward on your rear axle 5 - 10 inches beyond the bumper. What will that weight do to the overall performance of the vehicle, and how fast will the payload be used up. Payload includes the entire weight of the vehicle, plus everything in it, and everything attached to it, putting weight on the bottom of the tires.

Don't know what size engine you have in the vehicle, but you've got to remember, any trailer will make a sale behind it's tow vehicle. Wind resistance can cause a small engine to work extremely hard, not to mention the transmission. These are things you need to check out.

If you are set on using this vehicle, then the best you can probably do is hitch up the trailer and see how much the rear squats compared to the front. If it squats a lot, then you need weight distribution. All that weight on the rear will make the steering tires extremely light, and it's extremely easy to loose control. You don't want that to happen.

Hopefully, I gave you something to think about. Good luck in your project. But your best bet is to check with the manufactuerer stats for your vehicle, and then some common sense after that.

ajr7678 wrote:
I'm wondering the same thing. I had a WD hitch with my former trailer (5000lb max at 21') and had no problem with sway. I'm picking up my new trailer which is 10,000lbs max and 33'. Wondering if I need to look at sway control more seriously.

Yes you do. Make sure the hitch is adjusted correctly, to the point there is no sway, and THEN add sway control.

Fischtravel wrote:
Hello all!
We are trailing a 12x8 travel trailer (that we built ourselves) and are curious if we need a sway bar AND a weight distribution hitch or just one or the other? We will be towing the trailer behind a Honda Pilot across country. It will weigh approximately 2500 pounds. Thank you for the input and help!!

I would think not. You may want to use a sway bar. Buy a 2500lb trailer shouldn't need a WDH.

You guys are the best!! Thank you for your guidance!!