Forum Discussion

Larryzv7's avatar
Larryzv7
Explorer
Sep 11, 2018

Friction Sway Bar

What is your opinion on having two friction sway bars, one on each side of your weight distribution hitch? I talked to a Camping World repair person who had never heard of two friction sway bars on a trailer while towing. But when I chat with someone from etrailer they advised that any trailer over 25 ft. might need two sway bars. I already use a weight distribution hitch and one friction sway bar but I still have a little bit of sway when towing my 2018 32-ft. Heartland.

I traded in my fifth wheel, which was very easy on towing and did not need a sway bar or a weight distribution hitch. But I’m thinking I want to put a second sway bar on my travel trailer. I understand that a number of factors can create sway, how your trailer is loaded, whether the distribution hitch is functioning properly, etc. I guess what I am asking is do any of you use two friction sway bars, and if so, does it work better than just having one?

An additional question is how much do you tighten your friction sway bar? Camping World told me to tighten it as tight as possible while online instructions say leave some play in the friction plate. I know I have to disconnect the sway bar when backing up but I’m not sure how tight I should make it.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Oct 11, 2021
    aftermath wrote:

    When reading threads like this one I am still a bit confused. Should I use one or two?
    This one is easy. Read the directions That come with it. They all state what the limitations of a single control are. There is very little difference in the recomendations between brands.

    BTW, I have owned 3 different sized EQUALIZERS over the years, and also a single, and a double friction bar setup. The all performed well.

    I still think that the friction bars are the best choice for newbies.
    Simply because most newbies will not get the setup right, which is very important with the integreated SC hitches.... But one can miss the setup by a mile with the friction bars, and still get some benefit from it.
  • aftermath's avatar
    aftermath
    Explorer III
    Oct 11, 2021
    When I got started in all this weight distributing/anti sway hitch choice thing I was focused on....simplicity. Way back, many of the snap up the chain hitches did not allow you to back up with the chains attached. I also didn't "like" the idea of snapping these chains into position and I really was confused about the friction bars being used. I got all sorts of nebulous information. Only tighten them as much as you need was one of my favorites. What? How do I know what I am going to need?
    I went with the Equalizer. It is easy to adjust and once you have it dialed in, it is a quick hook up. I personally believe that add on friction bars can offer up enough safety and many still use them. When reading threads like this one I am still a bit confused. Should I use one or two? I have been using these for "x" amount of years and they remove 90% of the sway. Well, what about the other 10%?
    I like mine. I have over 55K miles on my current without any issues of sway. I will stick with the Equalizer.
  • NamMedevac_70's avatar
    NamMedevac_70
    Explorer II
    Oct 10, 2021
    old guy wrote:
    I have a 35 ft trailer and I use an equalizer 4 point hitch with it and have no sway problem at all. have towed all over the place in all kinds of weather too. I had the sway bar type but the 4 point is far Superior


    I have also had the same excellent Equalizer WDH on my 28 foot TT for many years and hard towing in the rockies and western mountains without any sway or jerking or any other problems. Easy to set up and use. Two sway bars are better than one I would think.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2021
    Yang07 wrote:
    {SNIP} Please ignore me. I'm just a spammer.


    I'll get right on that!
  • tewitt1949's avatar
    tewitt1949
    Explorer II
    Sep 17, 2018
    I started a post about the exact same thing a couple days ago. Got lot of good answers and points. I've already got the second way bar and got it ready to go. I am leaving next weekend for a road trip for a week. I've been pulling trailers for 20 years and I think I've got hang of it. I always put max pressure in all the tires. In the past I've had only one friction sway bar. It didn't sway going down the road but would only wiggle when a semi would pass.

    Last trip I did tighten the sway bar up tighter and it did make a big difference, thats why I thought I'd try 2 sway bars.

    I will let you know how it worked after the trip next week (9-22).

    I am quite confident 2 friction sway bars is a good way to go. I bought the used sway bar on craigs list for $25.00. Bought the 2 balls for about $15 each. I welded the 2nd arm on my hitch myself.
  • LarryJM's avatar
    LarryJM
    Explorer II
    Sep 15, 2018
    LVJJJ wrote:
    LarryJM wrote:
    LVJJJ wrote:
    waaayy back in the '80's when we towed with our 1965 Chevy Van, I used two anti-sway bars, but after almost losing it when two semi's blew by me on each side on a three lane freeway, going downhill, I bought an Equal-I-zer hitch and have been sway free since then.
    Those so-called anti-sway bars are stupidly ineffective, they don't start working until AFTER the sway has started so its hit and miss if they will keep you from crashing. While I recommend an Equal-i-zer there are several other hitches out there these days (however, many of those are Equal-i-zer knock offs so get the real thing) that don't need sway bars. Protect your family and get something that works.


    I disagree with just about everything you posted and it appears you don't understand how these systems actually work. A properly adjusted and installed (i.e. more than one for longer trailers) "friction bar" system IMO is just about as effective as any of the other friction based systems (Equal-i-zer, Reese, etc.). They begin operating any time there is a rotational movement of the trailer tongue on the TV hitch ball and NOT as you stated "after sway has started" just like such systems as the Equal-i-zer and Reese do. The biggest advantage IMO of the integrated systems is they as more or less adjustment free except for the "socket pivet bolt torque" on the Equal-i-zer system. Also, there are not the "backing concerns" with them as you need to be aware of with the "friction bar" type system.

    Larry


    Well I totally disagree with your post. Anti-sway bars are dangerous and don't work in all situations, Equal-I-zers do and have saved my life. Sorry, I do understand how these things work based reality based on 30 years of experience.


    Well everyone else that has posted here .... Huntindog, jerem0621, hussbuss, Vintage465 agree with me and disagree with you on friction sway bars, and confirm that they are safe, effective and work very much like the integrated systems like Equal-i-zer, and Reese performance wise.

    You must like being the LONE WOLF man out, but each to his own.

    Larry
  • LVJJJ's avatar
    LVJJJ
    Explorer
    Sep 15, 2018
    LarryJM wrote:
    LVJJJ wrote:
    waaayy back in the '80's when we towed with our 1965 Chevy Van, I used two anti-sway bars, but after almost losing it when two semi's blew by me on each side on a three lane freeway, going downhill, I bought an Equal-I-zer hitch and have been sway free since then.
    Those so-called anti-sway bars are stupidly ineffective, they don't start working until AFTER the sway has started so its hit and miss if they will keep you from crashing. While I recommend an Equal-i-zer there are several other hitches out there these days (however, many of those are Equal-i-zer knock offs so get the real thing) that don't need sway bars. Protect your family and get something that works.


    I disagree with just about everything you posted and it appears you don't understand how these systems actually work. A properly adjusted and installed (i.e. more than one for longer trailers) "friction bar" system IMO is just about as effective as any of the other friction based systems (Equal-i-zer, Reese, etc.). They begin operating any time there is a rotational movement of the trailer tongue on the TV hitch ball and NOT as you stated "after sway has started" just like such systems as the Equal-i-zer and Reese do. The biggest advantage IMO of the integrated systems is they as more or less adjustment free except for the "socket pivet bolt torque" on the Equal-i-zer system. Also, there are not the "backing concerns" with them as you need to be aware of with the "friction bar" type system.

    Larry


    Well I totally disagree with your post. Anti-sway bars are dangerous and don't work in all situations, Equal-I-zers do and have saved my life. Sorry, I do understand how these things work based reality based on 30 years of experience.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Sep 14, 2018
    One more point on adjusting a friction control:
    It is not adjusted with the handle! That should be tightened all the way. The adjustment is done with the bolt.
  • jerem0621's avatar
    jerem0621
    Explorer II
    Sep 14, 2018
    Huntindog wrote:
    I have used a single, and double friction control. And am now on my third EQUALIZER 4 point.

    IMO, a double friction control has about the same anti sway dampening as either the DC or EQUALIZER. Some years back our resident engineer did the calculations, and they were all very close as well.

    The friction controls work well.... And the big advantage they have is that they work independantly from the WD function... This means that the set up can be off a lot, and the friction control will still work.... This is why I recommend it for newbies.

    Now the integreted say control hitches are setup dependant as to how well they will work.

    Once properly setup, they are easier to use.... But not any better performing that a dual friction control hitch.

    Most all of the people that rave about them came from a single friction control hitch... That indeed would be a big difference.

    But Dual friction or DC, or EQUALIZER is a wash performance wise.

    As for how to adjust the friction controls... Tighten them until the Steering wheel of the TV doesn't want to return to center after a sharp turn. Then back it off a little.

    That was in the directions for my friction controls.


    This is a great response. Thanks for posting.

    I used DC and Dual Friction Bars on my TT. They performed exactly the same with my 31.5 ft trailer. Neither swayed and took out all of the bow wave push oscillation from passing vehicles. I still felt the push it would just be one push not a push against the TT then a push against the Truck.

    I hope that made sense.

    I took the DC off the truck and put the friction bars back on. DC puts a lot of pressure on the trunnion sockets and I was using cam adaptors on a Husky hitch and the DC ripped the trunnions right out of the hitch head.

    That was also about the time there seemed to be a mountain (nearly weekly posts) about someone's DC breaking and snapping parts so I just went back to a standard WD hitch and two friction bars when I replaced the Husky.

    OP, add a second bar and adjust per the instructions. Also, don't buy into the marketing about there being a left and a right bar, you can remove the slider and invert the slider, and.., now your sway bar works on the other side. Your sticker will just be upside down.

    Thanks and good luck.

    Jeremiah

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