Sway Control Idea

[Hansel]

I have a Laredo 284BH that has a Reese WD set up with a single friction bar, now my issue is with the swaying of the trailer. I'm going too double check the ride height of the truck to make sure the WD hitch is properly set up, I did notice that watching a video on youtube the guy was installing Drawtite kit#7903 and I notice that the head assemble had a spot on both sides of the head for a ball that the friction bar mounts onto, does anyone use a double friction bar set up?? or is the dual cam set up the way too go???

I've searched around alittle and can't seem too locate that head that was shown in the video, I'm thinking it would be more cost effective too just add a 2 friction bar if I could find this head that has the ball mount on both sides

[Javi]

I use two friction bars, it works great as long as the tongue weight is between 10% - 15%... and the trailer is level to slightly nose down... get light or nose up and sway can start...

[B&T]

A left side friction sway bar either comes with a steel plate or you buy it separately. Then you must get the plate welded on to you head.

An example:

http://accessories.etrailer.com/search?w=friction%20sway%20control%20adapter

[B&T]

Just more info:

The Curt Friction Sway control comes with a weld on plate for left side installation.

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/17200

[JRTJH]

There are double ball heads available for some hitches. We had one for our Holiday Rambler and used 2 sway controls, one on each side of the hitch. It helped some, but as many have said, friction sway control bars just don't seem to provide enough dampening for trailers over 25' or so, We finally went with the equalizer bar type sway system.

[Hansel]

I did see where the Curt WD have the double adjustable head, but I've been thinking about the dual cam by Reese but I was pondering an idea:rolleyes:

[Hansel]

Went out and took some measurements:

Truck sitting no load: Front= 35 1/8"
Rear= 38 3/8"

Truck/Camper Front= 35 1/8"
Rear= 37 1/4"

Adjustment Front= 35 1/8"
Rear= 37 3/8"

After a small change in the head angle, my truck only lost 1" instead of the 1"+ but the trailer will tow slightly and I mean slightly nose up, but I'm talking the front is only like 1 3/4" higher than the rear.

Does this sound more acceptable???

[Javi]

You want nose down or level... not nose up

[fla-gypsy]

I did see where the Curt WD have the double adjustable head, but I've been thinking about the dual cam by Reese but I was pondering an idea:rolleyes:

The Dual Cam system is an integrated system and is highly respected and very effective. You cannot go wrong by switching to a dual cam set up

[Hansel]

You want nose down or level... not nose up

Then won't the truck be loosing too much in the rear????

I thought anything over 1" drop of the truck in the rear is too much.

So which is more important????




PS. School me like you did on those Hoyt Cam-n-half"bouncey:

[Rick1300]

You need to adjust your ball height not your entire rear end height.

[Javi]

Then won't the truck be loosing too much in the rear????

I thought anything over 1" drop of the truck in the rear is too much.

So which is more important????




PS. School me like you did on those Hoyt Cam-n-half"bouncey:

Drop the ball mount down 1 hole and then re-adjust the angle so that you get the proper load on the bars... This should lower the nose of the trailer while keeping the truck level to 1" down in back...

[Hansel]

You need to adjust your ball height not your entire rear end height.

Drop the ball mount down 1 hole and then re-adjust the angle so that you get the proper load on the bars... This should lower the nose of the trailer while keeping the truck level to 1" down in back...

Thanks guys, NOW I get it:):):)

I knew it Javi, Keystone/Hoyt Tech.

[Hansel]

Update:

Dropped the ball/head assembly 1 hole, and adjusted the spring bars.

Truck measurements:
Front 35 1/8" no load
Front 35 1/4" trailer load

Rear 38 1/2" no load
Rear 37 1/2" trailer load

I did notice that the truck did not have too work as hard as it has in the past towing the trailer, still getting some sway but its controlable:rolleyes:

[Javi]

Update:

Dropped the ball/head assembly 1 hole, and adjusted the spring bars.

Truck measurements:
Front 35 1/8" no load
Front 35 1/4" trailer load

Rear 38 1/2" no load
Rear 37 1/2" trailer load

I did notice that the truck did not have too work as hard as it has in the past towing the trailer, still getting some sway but its controlable:rolleyes:
Put another washer in and give the ball mount slightly more tilt... should help even more..

[Hansel]

Put another washer in and give the ball mount slightly more tilt... should help even more..

It doesn't use washers, but I should tilt it more???

[labs4life]

Doesn't use washers?? Is it a set screw type set up??

[Javi]

I would.. Not a lot, but about a degree or so


If you put a level in the floor of the trailer is it slightly nose down now?

[Hansel]

Doesn't use washers?? Is it a set screw type set up??

I would.. Not a lot, but about a degree or so


If you put a level in the floor of the trailer is it slightly nose down now?

The hitch has these side plates that are grooved that mate into grooves in the hitch itself, make sense?? Trailer is sitting almost dead level, it might be just a hair nose down when looking at the level.

[Javi]

Try 1 or 2 more of the notches on the washers... If it were mine I'd want the front of the truck down a little more..

[Hansel]

After another round of adjustments, I had too flip the shank over so I have more holes going down, trailer ride height is dead level, truck front is the same empty and with trailer, the rear dropped 7/8".

I'm having fun at this, but what do ya think Javi now???

[Javi]

After another round of adjustments, I had too flip the shank over so I have more holes going down, trailer ride height is dead level, truck front is the same empty and with trailer, the rear dropped 7/8".

I'm having fun at this, but what do ya think Javi now???


Sounds better. "bouncey:

How does it tow now?

[Mighty Ming]

If I may... Have you checked the trailer's suspension? I ask only cuz I had a similar issue and just figured that was how she was going to handle till one day I was checking the belly and noticed one of the shackles broken on a leaf spring! Both leaf springs on the passenger side were riding on the frame!! I installed a dexter ez flex wet bolt system and FIXED my issue. Here are pics of the broken and then fixed suspension. Just something to look at and rule out. Good luck. 28722873


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hansel]

Sounds better. "bouncey:

How does it tow now?

Pulls alot easier, not having to get into the throttle has hard, still some swaying but not bad.

If I may... Have you checked the trailer's suspension? I ask only cuz I had a similar issue and just figured that was how she was going to handle till one day I was checking the belly and noticed one of the shackles broken on a leaf spring! Both leaf springs on the passenger side were riding on the frame!! I installed a dexter ez flex wet bolt system and FIXED my issue. Here are pics of the broken and then fixed suspension. Just something to look at and rule out. Good luck. 28722873

.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Suspension is good, I was just underneath draining the tanks and looking at the plastic bottom cover seeing if I wanted to cut open some service openings because my tank monitor shows all tanks empty when they are not, so I have an electrical issue I think with the grounding wire

[theeyres]

My experience is with the Equal-i-zer so take this for what it's worth. First, the slightly up or down with the nose should have mostly to do with keeping the truck level and enough weight on the front axle to keep the truck from swerving or bouncing around or "light" steering. It should not have any great effect on trailer sway. If you are getting sway with your current adjustments I would guess you simply don't have enough weight on the hitch. You really should never have trouble with trailer sway, even with no anti-sway hitches, except in emergency situations. And you can cure the slight nose up problem by lowering your hitch one hole--not readjusting the equalization. Make sense?

[Javi]

Pulls alot easier, not having to get into the throttle has hard, still some swaying but not bad.

If you're still having sway, then I'd suggest taking a trip to the scales and checking out the tongue weight... you may need to move some stuff around in the trailer in order to get it up around 12% - 13% and even 15% ain't bad... Anything under 10% is gonna promote that sway...

On my Passport 2890RL I simply can't get enough weight in the little storage we have in front of the wheels so I travel with a 1/2 - 3/4 full fresh water tank for stability... kind of like ballast on a ship...

[Hansel]

OK Javi, went too the CAT scale today and this is the results:

Steer Axle: 3780lbs

Drive Axle: 3540lbs

Trailer Axle: 7320lbs

Gross Weight: 14640lbs

My son was with me and he feels the truck is alittle bouncy, but I think it's not too bad, I think I'm going to add the dual cam sway system thou.

How do these #'s sound????

[Javi]

Hansel you'll need to reweigh now without the trailer so that you can determine the steering axle load from the hitch. My fault for not mentioning it before you headed over there. The object is to make sure you have the hitch adjusted to keep the same weight or very slightly more on the front axle when the trailer is hooked up.

Many folks just measure the fenderwell like you did and it sounds like you're close, but the scale is the only sure way.

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[Bob Landry]

Hansel,
If your front fender height is the same hitched and unhitched, you are where you want to be. At this point leave it alone. Don't tweak it trying to get the truck to drive better. Don't worry about rear end squat. You are going to get some and he purpose of WD is not to make the ruck level. If you are still getting some sway, then start looking at tongue weight and an anti-sway system, but don't try to fix it by tweaking your settings. WD has nothing to do with sway. Accept that you probably won't get rid of all of it and go camping.

[Javi]

Hansel,
If your front fender height is the same hitched and unhitched, you are where you want to be. At this point leave it alone. Don't tweak it trying to get the truck to drive better. Don't worry about rear end squat. You are going to get some and he purpose of WD is not to make the ruck level. If you are still getting some sway, then start looking at tongue weight and an anti-sway system, but don't try to fix it by tweaking your settings. WD has nothing to do with sway. Accept that you probably won't get rid of all of it and go camping.

Bob... a W/D hitch that is improperly adjusted can indeed cause or at least exacerbate sway... I've known Hansel for several years so I'll just take this to the phone and get him straightened out...

[Hansel]

OK guys more weights,

Truck by itself:

Steer axle=3780 lbs
Drive axle=2780 lbs

Gross wght= 6560 lbs

Javi, got your pm, drop ya a line tomorrow"bouncey:

[Hansel]

Update, trailer is towing alot better. But I just got a Reese Dual cam set up off e-bay for $75"bouncey:"bouncey:

[audio1der]

$75?!? :EEK!: I thought the $150 I found on eBay was a steal until now.
You will LOVE the DCSC system. I would have upgraded my truck or downgraded the trailer after only 1 tow without it.

[Hansel]

Believe it or not, the camper dealer I purchased the camper from in 2005 had over 10 units sitting around, so they decided too place them on e-bay, and I snatched one up.:p

[GMcKenzie]

Update, trailer is towing alot better. But I just got a Reese Dual cam set up off e-bay for $75"bouncey:"bouncey:

Crap.

Can you get me one????

[Hansel]

Crap.

Can you get me one????

Sorry Man:(

Looka like they have all been sold:banghead::banghead: