cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Sway bars advice

Roam_Schooling
Explorer
Explorer
Ok, so our rig is a 2003 Excursion towing a Jayco 287 TT (about 30 feet long and 6200 lbs dry). Took her for her maiden voyage from Kansas City to St. Louis for a few days. The Excursion pulled the TT great! BUT...there is a bit of sway. I've got a Fastway e2 WD hitch with sway bars connecting the TV with our TT. But when semi trucks come up alongside us, or when the wind hits the camper, there is a bit of sway. I understand by physics alone there will always be some sway. I get that. But my question is, if I add a Hellwig sway bar underneath, will that cut down on that sway? Significantly or just a little bit? Or, is there another suggestion you may have about helping with the sway. Mind you, I can live with it if need be. But it does get a bit tiring to constantly readjust that wheel from sway. Thoughts?
Big X and JayJay
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2016 Jayco 287BHSW
20 REPLIES 20

The_Kroc
Explorer
Explorer
Ask the dealer if you can pay the difference for an E4 hitch, you will be amazed at the difference. I never felt safe with our original E2 setup. For $ 190.00 more We got the Equalizer instead, that took care of the sway completely.

Tachdriver
Explorer
Explorer
+1 What Barney says

Tachdriver
Explorer
Explorer
I'm sorry I disagree with some of these answers. My rig is properly set up and you can get some sway with larger vehicles passing you. I have done the scales with just TT connected with and without the WDH and with the truck alone. My hitch weight is correct.

I have two Husky sway bars and have very little but SOME sway when larger vehicles pass. Not all, SOME. You are two units connected at a single point. The sway SHOULD NOT CONTINUE. The second sway bar made a hugh difference with my rig.

But I would do was the other posters tell you to do. Go to scales and get your rig weighed.

BarneyS
Explorer III
Explorer III
The Hellwig will do nothing to control what you are feeling. Those are for controlling the movements of the tow vehicle lean.

You are correct that that wiggle you are feeling is normal. As long as it doesn't develop into a full blown sway even you are ok. If you want to try to get rid of it you might try the following.
Larry is correct that a low tongue weight will contribute to sway conditions but it doesn't sound as if that is your case, in my opinion.

The type of sway bar you need is one or two of these sway bars. One is usually recommended for trailers up to about 24 feet long and two if trailer is longer.
These are the cheapest and simplest of the sway control methods.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine

Roam_Schooling
Explorer
Explorer
Larry, so if I understand you correctly, it could actually be that my TW is too low?
Big X and JayJay
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2016 Jayco 287BHSW

LarryJM
Explorer II
Explorer II
Roam Schooling wrote:
Ok, so our rig is a 2003 Excursion towing a Jayco 287 TT (about 30 feet long and 6200 lbs dry). Took her for her maiden voyage from Kansas City to St. Louis for a few days. The Excursion pulled the TT great! BUT...there is a bit of sway. I've got a Fastway e2 WD hitch with sway bars connecting the TV with our TT. But when semi trucks come up alongside us, or when the wind hits the camper, there is a bit of sway. I understand by physics alone there will always be some sway. I get that. But my question is, if I add a Hellwig sway bar underneath, will that cut down on that sway? Significantly or just a little bit? Or, is there another suggestion you may have about helping with the sway. Mind you, I can live with it if need be. But it does get a bit tiring to constantly readjust that wheel from sway. Thoughts?


I would recommend you get to the scales and make sure you have enough TW and then go thru and make sure your hitch and sway bars are setup and adjusted correctly. Something IMO is not right if you are getting engough sway that you need to adjust your steering. That TT weight is just too light and the X too good of a TV to be experiencing what I think you are describing.

Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
RAINKAP INSTALL////ETERNABOND INSTALL