Sway control

[Hootie]

* First post, I am down sizing from a 5th wheel toy hauler to a TT of approx 37 ft long, depending on what we get. Weight will be considerably less, .toy hauler weight when full was right at 19000, I drive a 2017 Ram 3500, LB, CC, dually. I will not need a weight dist. set up. But sway control is a issue I am not sure about. Only because I have not had this issue before, I would think I would need something to correct TT, due to you never drive in perfect weather conditions all the time and other factors on the road, ( being passed by 18 wheelers etc..) I drive at the appropriate speed for equipment I have and conditions that are present. I cannot go down to a smaller truck due to other equipment i tow, never thought I would be in this situation, usually the other way around, what are your thoughts on this, Thank You, Safe Travels, Hootie

[Bisjoe]

Your Ram doesn’t have Sway Control? Our F150 came with it as an included option. Sensors detect sway and can apply brakes and even reduce the speed. In addition, though our trailer is well below the tongue weight limit, we opted for a combination sway control and weight distribution hitch setup.

[sourdough]

A 5th wheel hitch provides a more stable towing experience due to the location of the hitch and the way the load is applied to the truck.

When you move that weight to the very back of your truck you will need a good sway control IMO. Yes, the dually will provide a lot of "stop" power for sway, but if you get a long trailer without sway control it WILL start swaying and depending on the circumstances it WILL start pulling your truck. My thought is to just get a good WDH with good sway control and go down the road and not worry about where the breaking point is.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by sourdough

A 5th wheel hitch provides a more stable towing experience due to the location of the hitch and the way the load is applied to the truck.



When you move that weight to the very back of your truck you will need a good sway control IMO. Yes, the dually will provide a lot of "stop" power for sway, but if you get a long trailer without sway control it WILL start swaying and depending on the circumstances it WILL start pulling your truck. My thought is to just get a good WDH with good sway control and go down the road and not worry about where the breaking point is.

Well said. One of my mottos: “ better to have it and NEVER NEED IT, than NOT have it and NEED IT”.

[Hootie]

What Sourdough eluded to is my concern, he confirmed what I thought. . I had not thought about getting a full set up, just a sway control, that is a thought to think on. I know I will not be getting an electronic sway control that uses brakes to stop sway, I my be wrong but it looks like it would use up brakes faster. Thanks for your thoughts everyone, Safe Travels, Hootie

[ctbruce]

Get an Equalizer 4 point weight distributing hitch. It has built in sway control, is easy to use and effective. Best case scenario.

[JRTJH]

Electronic trailer sway control is often a "misunderstood feature". Some people believe it stops trailer sway by applying trailer brakes, others think it controls trailer sway by applying brake power to individual wheels or individual sides of the trailer. Actually, it doesn't stop trailer sway that way at all. If you think about how trailer brake power is applied, by ONE wire, there's no way to apply power to the left or right side or to individual wheels on the trailer....... Additionally, all of the "tow vehicle trailer sway control devices are designed to work with "all types of trailers". Few (if any) of the light trailers even have braking systems. Some, like our travel trailers, have electric systems, some have surge systems and most under 3500 pounds don't have brakes at all. The "anti-sway systems" built into tow vehicles typically use the rear wheels of the tow vehicle to counter the lateral forces caused by trailer sway, but they can't apply trailer brakes where there is no brake system even in place.

What the Ford system (GM and Chrysler systems are similar) do, is to apply braking power to the individual wheels of the tow vehicle and reduce vehicle engine power. That goes completely against the "conventional logic" that we used years ago of speeding up and applying trailer brakes to "bring the trailer back in line behind the tow vehicle."

This is the way Ford explains it in the 2015 SuperDuty manual: "This feature applies your vehicle brakes at individual wheels and, if necessary, reduces engine power. If the trailer begins to sway, the stability control light flashes and the message TRAILER SWAY REDUCE SPEED appears in the information display. The first thing to do is slow your vehicle down, then pull safely to the side of the road and check for proper tongue load and trailer load distribution."

I completely support sourdough's comments above. Tow vehicle electronic sway control works to "stop sway after it starts".... It's much better to have a quality hitch that controls or prevents sway before it even happens. And, as chuckster57 said, “ better to have it and NEVER NEED IT, than NOT have it and NEED IT”.

[66joej]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

Get an Equalizer 4 point weight distributing hitch. It has built in sway control, is easy to use and effective. Best case scenario.

Agree on this one. Also with comments above. The Equal-i-zer made a world of difference for sway control when I replaced the Reese WDH style hitch. Mind you our TT is only a 24 footer. YMMV

[Hootie]

Actually talking about the Hayes Sway Master Electronic Sway Control, and other simular controls. They use the Trailer brakes and speed to control sway. I rather try to control the sway before it starts,
In the electronic sway controls it senses sway then controls it. Never thought about the full WDH only sway contol, till i asked on here, which is why i joined to get suggestions and info, good info at that. I can also run TV and TT across scales and configure the load and CG and midagate the the sway even more I do believe. Just want it right the first time, Family will be with me. Any other trailer I pull my young ones do not care, but hook to a camper all they see is "BIG" and they turn into back seat monitors for the Trailer. Safe Travels, Hootie

[ADQ K9]

There are a number of WDH/Sway control setups that do both out there, just do your research and find what works for you. No one in my area keeps the Equalizer in stock. I went to the local trailer supply dealer and got the Curt 17501 system. I have no problems in high winds or buffeting when 18 wheelers pass from either direction with my setup.
I think my setup is a little overkill, but can we all really be too safe?
Here is the link to what I have
https://www.curtmfg.com/part/17501

[jack65]

Originally Posted by sourdough

A 5th wheel hitch provides a more stable towing experience due to the location of the hitch and the way the load is applied to the truck.

When you move that weight to the very back of your truck you will need a good sway control IMO. Yes, the dually will provide a lot of "stop" power for sway, but if you get a long trailer without sway control it WILL start swaying and depending on the circumstances it WILL start pulling your truck. My thought is to just get a good WDH with good sway control and go down the road and not worry about where the breaking point is.

Ah, remember me? You helped me a lot picking out the proper truck to tow my 20' 6,000 lb 18RS Outback trailer with Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi. I'm going to make a separate post on what I need.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jack65

Ah, remember me? You helped me a lot picking out the proper truck to tow my 20' 6,000 lb 18RS Outback trailer with Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi. I'm going to make a separate post on what I need.

I DO remember you! Ask away and hopefully someone has the answer.