Passport 3220BH - Double Sway Control

lspajm · 10-02-2012, 03:11 AM

hey folks - looking for some thoughts and guidence. I have a 2011 passport 3220BH model and feel as though i am getting alot of sway. I am pulling it with a 2008 F150 - it pulls the camper fine - but i feel alot of movement in the rear-end while travelling on the highway at 60+ mph. I am using 1 Husky sway control bar - friction style - and my dealer recommended that i increase my tire pressure ont eh truck and t to help - and possible install a 2nd sway control bar - so I would have a sway cotnrol bar on each side of the hitch area.

Does anyone have expereince using 2 of these? Has it helped? Is it a waste of money? thanks!
Andy

Javi · 10-02-2012, 03:24 AM

I've experienced the same feeling and after several attempts to eliminate the feeling; including two sway control bars, I found the answer... a ¾ ton truck with a 172” wheel base.. it stopped all tail wagging the dog..

x96mnn · 10-02-2012, 03:41 AM

Is your truck a crew cab with the 8ft box? If it is not there is not much you can do to improve your tow other then a Hensley hitch. A reese dual cam system can help stop you from losing complete control say in a bad wind but will not eliminate the the smaller sway feeling over 60.

As stated in the previous post a new truck with a longer wheelbase is another option. The Hensley hitch will eliminate your sway but will not help stop the trailer.

lspajm · 10-02-2012, 03:42 AM

thanks for your reply. short of buying a new truck - Has anyone had any better luck reducing sway by uising the reese dual-cam style weight dist and sway control system?

Paddler · 10-02-2012, 04:12 AM

The Reese Dual Cam or the Equal-i-zer (tm) will allow you safely pull about 6 more feet of trailer than your wheelbase would normally allow. I pulled our previous tt (35 foot) with an 06 Sierra 1500 CC SB using the Equal-i-zer (tm) hitch setup and never had a white knuckle moment. I did feel the trailer push/pull when a semi zoomed past but that is something you just get used to.

If a larger truck is out of the question for now, I would suggest going to the Reese Dual Cam or Equal-i-zer (tm) hitch. Adding a second friction lock on your current hitch is a waste of money in my opinion.

Another thing to consider is how well is the trailer/truck leveled? They should be level or the trailer nose slightly lower than the truck. Also how is the weight distributed through out the trailer? Do you have 12-15% of the total trailer weight on the hitch? If not, find ways to lighten the weight at the rear of the trailer. (empty or nearly empty fresh water tank if located behind trailer wheels)

Reduce your speed! I generally tow at 58 mph. Better fuel economy, relaxed ride.

Hope you find an inexpensive fix to your sway issues,

x96mnn · 10-02-2012, 04:26 AM

I have the Reese Dual Cam system for my set up. It will not eliminate sway but it is supposed to and has done that to this point for me reduce the risk of losing control. The Sway I get is in winds while driving above 60 miles but at no time do I feel I am losing control.

I have never towed without the dual cam set up.

SteveC7010 · 10-02-2012, 05:36 AM

I would also point out that the Reese Dual Cam needs to fine tuned to work well. Those of you who still experience sway with a DC may want to consider adjusting your hitches for maximum function.

Second point... Friction sway controls have a very large drawback. They only work at all when properly tightened and not overtightened. I don't think any of us can precisely tighten a friction control exactly the same every time it is used. And, unlike a DC, it is easy to forget to tighten them at all when hooking up for a trip.

If you feel you might need a second friction bar, it's time to look at a DC, Equalizer, or if your budget permits, the Hensley.

KJcachers · 10-02-2012, 10:01 PM

You can back up with the dual cam. I was specifically told you could when we had ours installed with the new TT. They even demonstrated it to us before we left the lot. Had us make hard corners at full lock and then got out and observed how the bars slid on each side. Sure they make a little noise but they work!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

michol02 · 10-03-2012, 12:00 AM

I have an Equalizer 4 point 1400# and it handles my 35' very well. Found it for $555.00, but may be a little cheaper somewhere else, like Amazon. I had the 1200#, but upgraded after I weighed the tongue(a little over 1200#). The 1200 worked fine, but I feel safer with a little bit bigger than I need.

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