Sway Controller ? for longtime towers

[humblerb]

When we bought our first TT about 5 years ago, we were warned during our walk-through that we should always remove the sway bar prior to backing with the trailer. Even if we were backing just a little bit. The salesman told us that backing with the sway bar connected would destroy it. He claimed that he had seen them come back in bent in half. He stressed the importance of removing it very strongly.

We have always tried to remember to remove the sway bar before backing the trailer. But there have been a few occasions where I just started backing without thinking about it.
The only problem I have encountered was once when one of the cotter pins got in a bind and it was destroyed. Never had a problem with the bar.

Does anyone know the reason for the strong warning? Is it because you can get the bar in a bind if the turn is tight? I can't think of any other reason, but not sure if there is something I am not thinking of.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[gijoecam]

Ivylog wrote:
There is no reason to take a friction sway off assuming there is enough travel in it so it does not bottom out, come apart, or hit in the middle if you jackknife the trailer which you cannot do going forward. With someone looking jackknife in both directions until you hit the trailer with the tow vehicle. If none of the above happen, do not worry about it.

This. Also take into account any twisting of the hitch head due to uneven terrain.

The sway control doesn't know which direction the rig is travelling. I've never removed ours on the popup or the travel trailer. If it's being loud in the campground, I've loosened it to prevent annoying the neighbors, but aside from that, I never touch it.

[Terryallan]

In truth. you may NEVER turn sharp enough while backing to bottom out, or pull out the slide. But that is why the warning is there. To prevent you from doing either. Can it happen? Yes. But you would really have to jack it in there.

It is quite apparent it has happened. Or there would be no warning. Just like the waning on your hairdryer not to put it in water. Some idiot did it.

[DutchmenSport]

Ah! I think I figured it out thanks to those Reese install instructions mentioned above! Yes, under most normal conditions any turn made with trailer and tow vehicle can be made forward and backwards.

BUT... I have NEVER heard of anyone jack knifing a trailer moving forward, no matter how sharp the turn. The sway bar is positioned in such a fashion, that even at the tightest turn, either direction in a forward motion, the bar will not "bottom out".

BUT! Going backwards, it is VERY VERY possible to jack knife. A jack knife will cause the bar to bottom out (backing either direction), because going backwards it IS possible to turn the angle of the camper and tow vehicle MUCH more than going forward. If the jack knife occurs and the bar hits the frame of the camper .... well .... there goes the "dog ear", there goes the ball on the trailer A frame, and there goes the bar itself. Makes sense now.

So, if you NEVER jack knife, sure ... you can back up. But you know .... that one time you "think you knew it all?"..... well! You just may be kicking yourself.

I'm glad I switched hitch systems and don't have to worry about it now!

[cbshoestring]

Nvr2loud wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I've never understood this idea. The trailer isn't doing anything different when going backwards that it doesn't do when making a tight turn going forward.
So I have always backed up with every WDH I have ever used and never had any issues.

Agreed,

I have turned so sharply going forward that I was almost touching my bumper with the trailer. The inside wheels on the trailer were actually travelling backwards as all other wheels on the truck and trailer were moving forwards... and the Sway Control bar was perfectly fine.

Just call me a ditto head... I leave mine on when backing.

The recommendations I have seen concerning backing, say that removing it will make backing up "easier". I just assumed that meant I would not have the added friction when backing---loosening up the whole manuevering thingy. I do not have trouble backing, so the added tension does not bother be.

Although I am getting cranky in my old age, and sometimes all that squeaking and cracking get on my nerves. :M

[handye9]

WyoTraveler wrote:
Are you referring to the single bar anti sway where they have 2 actual balls. A large ball for the hitch and little ball for one sway bar?

Yes, I think we're talking about the same kind of sway bar. Hitch head had 2-5/16 ball for the trailer and the little ball was mounted on a dog ear of the hitch head. There was another little ball welded on a plate that was screwed to the trailer frame. The damage consisted of the dog ear bending on the hitch head, the plate ripped off the trailer frame, and the friction bar bending.

Was it installed incorrectly, I couldn't tell you.

My old Draw Tite hitch had the same setup, I never had a problem either, but, I too had the warning from the dealer. I always removed to bar, for backing.

When I bought a new trailer, I did the install for the sway bar. Besides giving specific measurement for the plate on the trailer, the manual also had the warning about removing the bar for backing up.

There very well could be folks who have towed (for years) and backed up with the bar installed, and never had an issue. Maybe, it's luck, maybe it's a different brand that is built a little different. I don't recall the brand, but, I have heard of one that doesn't have that warning in the manual.

Here is a link to install instructions for a Reece sway bar. It says, on some installations the bar may need to be removed for backing up.

I guess the one I saw damaged, was one of those installations.

[samsontdog]

I have towed thousands of miles in the last 55 years and not once did I remove the sway bar when backing. Never had a problem

[fla-gypsy]

Turning sharply can put the friction bar in a bind and damage it. The better systems do not have this requirement.

[ScottG]

DutchmenSport wrote:
On my first TT we had a Reese system and had the friction sway bar attached. The dealer told us never to back with it on. The reason was because backing could break the small ball on the hitch. Actually, the ball itself would not break, but the hitch itself where the ball is attached would break out the metal. All it took was one time for the bar to bind and that would have been the end of the hitch.

We never backed with it on, never, not even a few feet on a flat straight surface. Never. I always removed it.

There may be other reasons, but this is what the dealer told us. A year go I switched to an Equal-i-zer. I can back up with it on.

The only way that could happen is if the ball on the trailer end was not positioned exactly per the instructions.
Mine was mounted properly and I never had a problem forward or backward.
What ever angle you can turn going forward, you can also turn going backward. There is no difference.

[DutchmenSport]

On my first TT we had a Reese system and had the friction sway bar attached. The dealer told us never to back with it on. The reason was because backing could break the small ball on the hitch. Actually, the ball itself would not break, but the hitch itself where the ball is attached would break out the metal. All it took was one time for the bar to bind and that would have been the end of the hitch.

We never backed with it on, never, not even a few feet on a flat straight surface. Never. I always removed it.

There may be other reasons, but this is what the dealer told us. A year go I switched to an Equal-i-zer. I can back up with it on.

[Nvr2loud]

ScottG wrote:
I've never understood this idea. The trailer isn't doing anything different when going backwards that it doesn't do when making a tight turn going forward.
So I have always backed up with every WDH I have ever used and never had any issues.

Agreed,

I have turned so sharply going forward that I was almost touching my bumper with the trailer. The inside wheels on the trailer were actually travelling backwards as all other wheels on the truck and trailer were moving forwards... and the Sway Control bar was perfectly fine.

[humblerb]

Thanks to all.
First, Yes, I was talking about an independent, friction bar.
I assumed the reason for the alert was in the case of sharp turns. The salesman didn't give that as the reason. I just could never see anything else that would be cause for the concern.

[bigj3234]

We received the same stern warning during our walkthrough, and generally have followed the advice. We have one of those Equal-i-zer things that attaches to a ball on the trailer and a ball on the hitch (not sure what the name for those are *shrugs). I have forgotten to remove it before, and when making a really tight turn it makes some awful noises. That usually reminds me to take it off (or at least loosen it) before it gets too far gone.

[ScottG]

I've never understood this idea. The trailer isn't doing anything different when going backwards that it doesn't do when making a tight turn going forward.
So I have always backed up with every WDH I have ever used and never had any issues.

[WyoTraveler]

handye9 wrote:
Some of the sway bar manufacturers, actually have a statement in their installation manual, that says to remove the bar prior to backing up. Don't recall the specific manufacturer, but, I saw that statement while installing a sway bar on one of my trailers.

I was watching a fellow backing into a campsite and heard a loud bang. It turned out to be his sway bar. The mount bracket on the trailer frame was ripped off, the sway bar was bent, and the hitch head was bent where the little ball was installed.

Are you referring to the single bar anti sway where they have 2 actual balls. A large ball for the hitch and little ball for one sway bar?

[handye9]

Some of the sway bar manufacturers, actually have a statement in their installation manual, that says to remove the bar prior to backing up. Don't recall the specific manufacturer, but, I saw that statement while installing a sway bar on one of my trailers.

I was watching a fellow backing into a campsite and heard a loud bang. It turned out to be his sway bar. The mount bracket on the trailer frame was ripped off, the sway bar was bent, and the hitch head was bent where the little ball was installed.