sway control basics

[jasin1]

Sway control pops up as a common theme on many of the threads, what is the minimum trailer size or weight that requires a sway control or would every trailer benefit from it ? i have a small 6x12 single axle cargo trailer and a tandem 20’ utility trailer,no sway control for either.

Accident on 95 near me this morning and doesn’t look like he had one either.

[jasin1]

thinking of one of these as minimum for my cargo trailer although i’ve had it since 2005 and always pulled with 3/4 ton pickups and never had sway control. I I will be pulling with a Ram Promaster 2500 van now.

[sourdough]

Wonder how long that trailer is - 26-30'? Big enough for 30lb. tanks?

Bigger problems are what appears to be no wdh/sway control on that size trailer and a Nissan pulling it. Seems like a likely setup for this situation. JMO

[dutchmensport]

When you blow up the photos all the way, you can see there are the snap-up brackets for the old style weight distribution bars that use chain and you tighten them by shortening the links, snap the snap-ups in place and you are good to go. Add a secondary external friction sway bar and all set. So, this trailer (at some time) WAS towed with weight distribution bars (the bars with chains on the end.)

HOWEVER, when you blow up the photos of the truck and look at the hitch, there is no weight distribution hitch on that truck. It's just a simple ball.

I suppose the person driving that truck learned an important lesson. Hope no one was hurt. Yet, we (all) see multitudes of folks pulling travel trailers with no weight distribution or sway control. And every one you talk to swears their set-up is perfectly fine .... until......

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

When you blow up the photos all the way, you can see there are the snap-up brackets for the old style weight distribution bars that use chain and you tighten them by shortening the links, snap the snap-ups in place and you are good to go. Add a secondary external friction sway bar and all set. So, this trailer (at some time) WAS towed with weight distribution bars (the bars with chains on the end.)

HOWEVER, when you blow up the photos of the truck and look at the hitch, there is no weight distribution hitch on that truck. It's just a simple ball.

I suppose the person driving that truck learned an important lesson. Hope no one was hurt. Yet, we (all) see multitudes of folks pulling travel trailers with no weight distribution or sway control. And every one you talk to swears their set-up is perfectly fine .... until......

Yep, I said there wasn't any sway control or wdh by looking at the truck ball. After seeing that I didn't worry about the trailer as it couldn't have been attached to the "nekked" ball.

[rhagfo]

I would say that 90% of sway control is correctly loaded trailer, and enough TV. I will not give speculation if the trailer tongue was close to 12% of trailer GVW or greater, but greater than that will help the trailer to follow correctly.

[Weldon]

Originally Posted by jasin1

thinking of one of these as minimum for my cargo trailer although i’ve had it since 2005 and always pulled with 3/4 ton pickups and never had sway control. I I will be pulling with a Ram Promaster 2500 van now.

Had 2 of these and used for a yr before upgrading to my E4. Just sand the brake dust off the sway control every few trips after using them. Also don't backup with them engaged. I found out that little nugget AFTER i had upgraded. Oops. The hardware included in the box looked cheap so I went to my local Fastenal and replaced them.

[dutchmensport]

I have a 6x10 foot (bed) utility trailer, that's probably 14 or 15 feet long total. It rated 3000 pounds. It weighs a lot less than that. I've never had sway with it and I don't have any sway control on it. I think 2 factors have made this possible.

First, I tow with a 3500 dually. I know .... that's way, way over kill for a little utility trailer. But, it's the truck I have. The truck itself is heavy and rock stable.

Second, when loading the trailer, all the weight always goes forward of the axles.

I transport a John Deere riding law mower (not the little ones found at your local home improvement stores). It's big and heavy. When transporting, it's always forward as far as possible.

I also transport a much smaller John Deere riding mower and a log splitter I tow behind the Deere. I have a ball hitch on this one. Again, everything is forward as far as possible.

And then ... all the fire wood I carry. It's always loaded from the front to the back with the front being higher than the back. I'm 100% positive I've exceeded the 3000 pounds with this.

I've also transported mulch, sand, and dirt. When loading, it's always loaded toward the front first. OK, and a refrigerator, an oven, a dishwasher, a trash compactor, and lots and lots of lumber.

Bottom line ... never had sway. Why? Because the greater percentage of the weight is always forward of the axles and when the trailer is loaded, I'm not driving like a crazy fool. I'm driving like a "grandpa!".... well, I guess I am a "grandpa!" -- 7 times now.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Weldon

Had 2 of these and used for a yr before upgrading to my E4. Just sand the brake dust off the sway control every few trips after using them. Also don't backup with them engaged. I found out that little nugget AFTER i had upgraded. Oops. The hardware included in the box looked cheap so I went to my local Fastenal and replaced them.

thanks..i will probably pick one up

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

I have a 6x10 foot (bed) utility trailer, that's probably 14 or 15 feet long total. It rated 3000 pounds. It weighs a lot less than that. I've never had sway with it and I don't have any sway control on it. I think 2 factors have made this possible.

First, I tow with a 3500 dually. I know .... that's way, way over kill for a little utility trailer. But, it's the truck I have. The truck itself is heavy and rock stable.

Second, when loading the trailer, all the weight always goes forward of the axles.

I transport a John Deere riding law mower (not the little ones found at your local home improvement stores). It's big and heavy. When transporting, it's always forward as far as possible.

I also transport a much smaller John Deere riding mower and a log splitter I tow behind the Deere. I have a ball hitch on this one. Again, everything is forward as far as possible.

And then ... all the fire wood I carry. It's always loaded from the front to the back with the front being higher than the back. I'm 100% positive I've exceeded the 3000 pounds with this.

I've also transported mulch, sand, and dirt. When loading, it's always loaded toward the front first. OK, and a refrigerator, an oven, a dishwasher, a trash compactor, and lots and lots of lumber.

Bottom line ... never had sway. Why? Because the greater percentage of the weight is always forward of the axles and when the trailer is loaded, I'm not driving like a crazy fool. I'm driving like a "grandpa!".... well, I guess I am a "grandpa!" -- 7 times now.

thanks for the advice!

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

When I starting RV'ing 10+ years ago, I just had an inexpensive WD system for my 18 footer. But when I upgraded to a 30'TT, I added a friction bar, and then added a second one a short time later until I was able to decide on a "real" hitch system, which ended up being the Equal-i-zer.
Even with 2 friction bars, I did experience minor controllable sway on I-75.
The moral of my story: Never quit looking for the safest thing when it comes to towing.

[Dallasrules]

I towed a 40' park model trailer home from PA about 300 miles without a weight distribution hitch. I didn't have any trouble, but I have a dodge Ram 3500 diesel.

[RET.LEO]

I have seen where if you are towing less than 50% of your tow vehicles tow rating you don't need a anti sway WDH................I wouldn't chance it though, I would always use a anti sway WDH.
This is after driving semi's with trailers from 34ft to 53ft long for twenty plus years. You learn real fast how to deal with sway when in the winter you slow down to stop and you see your trailer sideways in your side mirror
To correct: you give the power unit more fuel and apply braking to the trailer. OR you apply more brake to the trailer than the power unit. Straightens things right up

[travelin texans]

IMHO if towing a big heavy trailer with the aerodynamics of a cinder block get sway control & a WDH.
On any given day on any highway anywhere I'd guess that at least 40%, probably more, rvs on that road are being towed by vehicles unequipped with the proper hitch to tow whatever they're towing, the equipment isn't setup properly or just simply not enough tow vehicle to safely do the job.

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

J.D. from "Big Truck Big RV" demonstrates on You Tube how the bigger trucks with the latest towing system can adequately tow without a anti-sway system.
I'm not sure I'd try that routinely.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

IMHO if towing a big heavy trailer with the aerodynamics of a cinder block get sway control & a WDH.
On any given day on any highway anywhere I'd guess that at least 40%, probably more, rvs on that road are being towed by vehicles unequipped with the proper hitch to tow whatever they're towing, the equipment isn't setup properly or just simply not enough tow vehicle to safely do the job.

Then, add a "inexperienced driver, not well skilled in controlling a towed vehicle in an emergency situation" and you've got a "recipe for disaster"....

We've all said or heard, "You don't know what you don't know" so many times, but "analyzing that statement," it becomes apparent that a "first time RV trailer buyer who hitched a 40' trailer to his tow vehicle, which he thought was big enough to handle anything, and gets "way-layed on the highway by an unsuspecting, suicidal deer" or by an underpass in an area with a 35 MPH crosswind will "get a lesson in what they don't know very quickly....

And, if they don't get the lesson this trip, they become even more convinced that "it'll never happen".... Only after eating some "humble pie" will they learn "what they didn't know" .... Hope it never happens to the unsuspecting, but ......

[sourdough]

Any vehicle towing any RV needs an wdh, but more importantly, sway control IMO. All one has to do is pay attention to the makeup of those traveling with RVs, sitting in an RV park etc. Seems most are new and have never towed or have limited experience. They have NO idea what to do with the rig if something happens whether it be cross winds, blowout, deer, someone pull out in front of you etc.

To compound the issue all those newbies read the advertisements of how much they can tow with a given truck - exaggerated numbers meant to sell, not keep one safe, then get something right at the max totally ignorant of real life. My truck pulled a 9k trailer, about 1/2 of tow capacity IIRC, it is OK BUT it was not as controlled as it is with way control in W TX winds so I would recommend their use.

[jasin1]

took picture this morning …now i seem to notice more and more undersized trucks and no sway control. And i need to stop taking pictures while i’m driving

[flybouy]

I remember what my flight instructor said when I passed my FAA flight exam. He said "Now your a licensed private pilot you can go learn how to fly". That was very similar to what my dad said when I got my driver's license. Translation: you now have the legal right to get the experiance you need. Like John said, "you don't know what you don't know.

What continues to amaze me is how "newbies" ignore or want to argue with folks that have decades of real, practical experience. I am also confused by the total lack of logic or common sense when it comes to spending money on hitch equipment. It's not uncommon these days to have a truck & trailer combo worth tens to hundreds of thousand dollars. Why would anyone not want to spend the money for the most secure, safe device that's the single point of connection between the 2 vehichles?

I'm not saying every person has "all the answers" but when a group of folks that all recommend the same thing with absolutely no possibility of personal gain (unlike a salesperson) then it might warrant listening to their advice. JMHO, YMMV

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

Originally Posted by jasin1

took picture this morning …now i seem to notice more and more undersized trucks and no sway control. And i need to stop taking pictures while i’m driving

Yep, he'll be on You Tube for all the wrong reasons in a matter of no time. A wreck waiting to happen.
As John mentioned earlier, "You don't know what you don't know".
I remember 10+ years ago when I bought my first RV (used 18 footer); I was like just get it home and learn what we need to tow this thing safely in the real world before our first trip.