Can I Add Sway Controller to Any WDH?

[binfordtools]

I have a Fastway E2 WDH on my TT. The E2 is supposed to reduce sway, but with my light duty truck (which, yes I am planning to upgrade) it does a less than stellar job. I've spoke with Fastway and set my truck and TT up per the recommended settings but it still has me white knuckle driving in moderate wind and heavy right footed semi drivers.

Do any of you know, can I simply add a separate sway control device to my existing WDH? Trying to avoid the $2300 Hensley route but I need to do something before I mess myself in front of my wife driving down the road!

Appreciate any help.

[mfifield01]

I have the 4 point version (Equalizer) and it controls sway well. Only thing I get is some push in the lane that just needs a little steering correction. Adding air bags or Timbrens can help out.

[sourdough]

You're faced with the ongoing dilemma of too much trailer and too little truck. The ultimate, and safer, solution for you, your family and others, is a bigger truck.

You can improve on what you have but you have, and need, to spend some money. The Fastway E2 is what I would call an entry type hitch for a light trailer pulled with a proper truck. It doesn't have the "oomph" to handle what you have.

I've pulled my trailer, which is larger than yours, with a Ram 1500. I use an Equalizer hitch. I also installed Airlift 1000 air bags on the truck. Upgrade the P rated passenger tires on the truck. If you do all of the above you will have a much better towing experience. It won't be the best experience but it will be about as good as you can get given the truck/trailer combo you have.

I am attaching a copy that has one of the best descriptions I've found between the Fastway E2 and the Equalizer. The Equalizer will probably be a little more than double the cost of the Fastway but will work at least twice as good....and it won't cost the price of a Hensley.

The copy of the explanation:

""I have investigated the Fast Way hitch a few years ago when it came out on the market. A few things to your question.

First some background. http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2/

Fastway is a Division of Progress Manufacturing. Scroll to the very bottom of that web page and look where they link you. Progress makes the Equal-I-zer. When I saw the E2 and the L brackets they were using I said, WoW that is the same L bracket setup Equal-I-zer uses. Then after digging I found out why. The engineering groups share parts and concepts.

The E2 I "believe", do not know for fact, was developed and marketed under Fastway as a lower cost alternative to the higher end Equal-
I-zer. The price competition is pretty fierce in the WD hitch market. Reese has done the same thing in recent years creating products to compete at a lower cost then their top of the line Straight Line Dual Cam.

The E2 is a good hitch. As far as a weight distribution is concerned, it is very good as is most any other WD hitch. It does not have any new revaluation on how to apply WD.

The L brackets create high friction on the WD bars and create a level of anti sway control. By having high friction at the L brackets it helps stiffen the connection between the TT and the TV to resist sway forces acting on the TT.

There is a significant difference between the E2 and the Equal-I-zer. The Equal-I-zer has a more involved hitch head, cost more to make and in turn provides a higher level of anti sway control. On the Equal-I-zer the WD bars fit into a pivoting trunnion socket. The pivot bolt of the trunnion socket can be tightened where it pinches the trunnion socket top and bottom. When the trunnion socket is tightened, it creates very high friction in these pivots points when it combines the large WD forces pulling up on the WD bars. So you get ultra high friction at the hitch head plus high friction at the L brackets to create more resistance to sway.

The E2 only creates anti sway friction at the L brackets where the Equal-I-zer has both the L brackets and the hitch head.

The difference between round bar and trunnion bar for the most part is sizing. Trunnion bar often features higher rated WD bars for higher TW's. There is also a clearance difference. The round bar hitch hangs down further at the hitch head and in low riding TT's it can some times bump the ground. Both round bar and trunnion bar are common in the WD hitch world. Both do WD using the same concept however some brands have have more features with trunnion bar.

Now is the E2 a good for for your camper and TV?

As far as WD, it will do as good as most any other brand in obtaining proper WD on the TV.

As far as anti sway, it will be less effective than the Reese DC or the Equal-I-zer.

The question comes down to, will it be good enough for anti sway control? You have not given enough info for us to help guide you on that. Any of the high or ultra high friction anti sway control hitches will not guarantee they will solve your TV and TT sway problems. If you call and and ask that question to the hitch manufacture the response will be something like this. Our hitch is a good tool to help be part of an anti away program. It has limitations and can only correct so much.

What your TV is and the tires on it are a large variable for controlling a TT.

Your TT, is another large variable on how well it is balanced for loaded tongue weight in relation to loaded gross weight and other construction characterizes.

So where does this leave you? Tell us some more about your TV and TT and we can supply an opinion based on our experiences. If you are looking for the highest level of anti sway control in the friction type WD hitches, you will need to spend more money. That is not to say the E2 will not do a good job for you. ""

[binfordtools]

You're faced with the ongoing dilemma of too much trailer and too little truck. The ultimate, and safer, solution for you, your family and others, is a bigger truck.

So where does this leave you? Tell us some more about your TV and TT and we can supply an opinion based on our experiences. If you are looking for the highest level of anti sway control in the friction type WD hitches, you will need to spend more money. That is not to say the E2 will not do a good job for you. ""

Truck - as stated, I realize this already. I have 9 months left on my lease then I will get a 2500. But, I have 7 trips booked already this year so I need a remedy for 2016 until I get a bigger truck.

I am most interested in being calm when I drive with my family towing my TT. Every time a bird farts, it generates enough wind to move my trailer side to side. I have air bags already in my Ram and that helped to level things out which in turn helped with sway. The E2 WDH is set is dialed in as best as it can be.

Would a Blue Ox be an improvement? Would the Equa-L-Izer get me there? Not wanting to part with big-bucks for a Hensley or otherwise.

Thanks for the advice!

[GMcKenzie]

I tow a similar setup with a 4 point hitch and am happy with the setup. You don't need a Hensely, but a better hitch may do. At least until you get your new truck.

And it will work well with a 2500 setup, so it isn't like it would be money wasted. I bought mine when I towed with a 2500 Diesel because I was not happy with the stock one that came with the trailer.

[sourdough]

Personally I would go with an Equalizer and forget the Hensley, simply because of the cost. If you are going to upgrade trucks to a 2500 in 9 months (take good care of your truck, keep the miles a little low and maybe you can turn it in 3 months early with no more payments - at least we do) the Equalizer will swap right over and then, with the 2500, you should be good to go. When I did the same thing I did have to get a new extended shank because the HD 2500 4x4 was taller than my 1500 4x4.


The Equalizer on your 1500 will still give you a little bit of the "get both hands on the wheel" feeling at times, but not much, and definitely not like what you are experiencing. You won't be worrying about having a physical movement (if you get my drift) in front of the family while driving:rolleyes: With the 2500 I don't worry about semis etc. and can drive with one hand 90% of the time.

Good luck with your choice. I do believe an upgrade to at least a 4 point system is mandatory to remedy your problems.

[BlueThunder34]

I had a very similar setup to yours before I upgraded my TV. As you already know that is the ultimate solution but in the interim the Equal-I-zer 4pt WDH will give you a better feel. I started out with Fastway e2 like you when I had my Ram 1500 and it was a nightmare. The Equal-I-zer helped as did adding E range tires on the Ram, the weak sidewalls on the P rated tires were like riding on marshmallows and all that sidewall flex just adds to the instability of a truck already at or over its limits. Countdown the days to when you get a new TV you will be so happy when you do, as someone who has been right where you are, it is so nice to now have more than enough truck:)

[RLM5150]

Truck - as stated, I realize this already. I have 9 months left on my lease then I will get a 2500. But, I have 7 trips booked already this year so I need a remedy for 2016 until I get a bigger truck.

I am most interested in being calm when I drive with my family towing my TT. Every time a bird farts, it generates enough wind to move my trailer side to side. I have air bags already in my Ram and that helped to level things out which in turn helped with sway. The E2 WDH is set is dialed in as best as it can be.



How are your tires inflated? I have a 2012 RAM 1500 and using an e2 hitch. I first picked up my camper and noticed some sway that was concerning. Was only going a couple miles so didn't adjust my tires before leaving. Before I hit the road again I inflated the rear tires to max sidewall rating (44 lb ) and had no issues on the way home. adding 5 lbs of pressure to my rear made a big difference. Don't underestimate the effect tire pressures have on the tow vehicle.

If you have the crappy Goodyears from the factory, that would explain a bit too. Since you are leasing it doesn't make sense to replace those tires now, but if they are the original Goodyears and you didn't up the pressure I would expect the results you are describing.

[theeyres]

I have to agree that the Equal-i-zer will make all the difference in the world. You should not be white knuckling it with your set-up. I would buy one immeditately as you can move it right over when you get a bigger truck. You may even find you don't need the bigger truck. :)

[CaptnJohn]

Max tire pressure will help. I always cracked a window on both sides to help equalize the effect of heavy footed semi drivers.

Mostly, watch Craigs List for an Equalizer 4 point hitch with sway control or advertise for a used one. I have a 1000/10,000 in my garage used twice I need to get on CL. You should be able to find one for $300 - $350.

[KSH]

I bought a the propride. Expensive like the hensley, but worth it in my experience.

[slow]

I bought a the propride. Expensive like the hensley, but worth it in my experience.

I too have the ProPride, but do not regret paying for it given our cross country trips. And I am reminded of that every spring and fall when I use a Reese set up when I take the TT out / in the TT from indoor storage without the ProPride.

[Outback 325BH]

I use a "sway control" WDH with my F250. It works, but after adding a traditional anti-sway bar the towing experience improved dramatically. All of the new "sway control" WDH still cannot match the control of a good old bar.

If your WDH head has an ear on it, where the bar ball goes, you can add it to your setup. Anti-sway bars start at around $40.


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[Outback 325BH]

I will add that proper loading of the trailer is important too. For my rig, about 1,500 lbs tongue weight is the sweet spot.


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[binfordtools]

Thanks all for the responses!

Tires - yes, I usually run them close to the max air pressure. I always worry about a blow-out in the hot summers with all of the weight over them so I never run max pressure.

Window Cracked - if that works, what a great idea! Semi's passing are a nuisance, then again, my slow-*** TT in their way is also a nuisance so I understand.

2500 vs. 1500 - when I leased my 1500 Ram, I had no intention of getting a TT. Wife talked me into it, sort of (I wanted one too). I'm trying to keep the miles low so I can turn it in early and get a 2500.

Equal-I-zer Hitch - This hitch does not look vastly different from my E2. Lot's of votes for that so perhaps it functions better. I'll look into that option.

[sourdough]

Thanks all for the responses!

Tires - yes, I usually run them close to the max air pressure. I always worry about a blow-out in the hot summers with all of the weight over them so I never run max pressure.

Window Cracked - if that works, what a great idea! Semi's passing are a nuisance, then again, my slow-*** TT in their way is also a nuisance so I understand.

2500 vs. 1500 - when I leased my 1500 Ram, I had no intention of getting a TT. Wife talked me into it, sort of (I wanted one too). I'm trying to keep the miles low so I can turn it in early and get a 2500.

Equal-I-zer Hitch - This hitch does not look vastly different from my E2. Lot's of votes for that so perhaps it functions better. I'll look into that option.

Tires: P rated tires even at max 44psi don't do a lot for controlling a heavy trailer. You're so close to being able to upgrade I think I would just stick with what you have unless you were going to take a really long trip.

Window Cracked: I have no experience with that.

2500 vs 1500: Been there, done that. Exact same thing happened to us.

Equalizer: Don't know if your E2 has the round or square bars but look at the head where you insert the bars. The Equalizer has bolts that tension where the bars move at the head as well as on the L brackets. The head exerts a considerable amount of tension that resists sway. As I said earlier if you upgrade to one you can just keep it when you get a 2500 truck.....and it works great (IMO).