Electronic sway control

[Mike134]

Has anyone installed an electronic sway control on their trailer like the Hayes or Tuson?

Pros/cons?

Thanks

[Mike134]

carringb wrote:

Mike134 wrote:

afidel wrote:
I was going to purchase it but found out at the last minute that it is not compatible with most modern GM trucks for some reason.

http://www.hayesbc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sway-Master-NHTSA-Recall-18E-045.pdf

The Sway Master is not the same controller as the Tuson module. The Sway master operates by simply activating all trailer brakes, while the Tuson system individually activates each side at a time to immediately correct the unintended yaw. Tuson does not currently list any incompatibility issues.

Correct but that would explain the lady with the airstream camper the sway master is "plug and play" while the tuson will require hard wiring the left and right sides. I suspect the first version of the Hayes didn't have a blocking diode so there was a "back feed" on the Blue brake wire circuit that the GM control saw and "disconnected" the circuit to protect the truck. It is though just my educated guess. BTW Jayco trailers started adding sway control in 2016 but also had compatibility troubles.

[carringb]

Mike134 wrote:

afidel wrote:
I was going to purchase it but found out at the last minute that it is not compatible with most modern GM trucks for some reason.

http://www.hayesbc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sway-Master-NHTSA-Recall-18E-045.pdf

The Sway Master is not the same controller as the Tuson module. The Sway master operates by simply activating all trailer brakes, while the Tuson system individually activates each side at a time to immediately correct the unintended yaw. Tuson does not currently list any incompatibility issues.

[Mike134]

afidel wrote:
I was going to purchase it but found out at the last minute that it is not compatible with most modern GM trucks for some reason.

http://www.hayesbc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sway-Master-NHTSA-Recall-18E-045.pdf

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

🙂 Hi, at our last Airstream Rally there was one lady that had one of these sway control boxes on her brand new trailer. I mentioned to her that Trailer Life had an article stating that these had a recall on them. As she was checking her lights before heading for home, she noticed that her brake lights were not working. A few of us checked things out and power from her tow vehicle was working. Power from the sway control box was not. We were able to bypass this box with the original 7 pin connector and she now had lights and brakes. The unit appeared to be sealed as we were looking or a reset or fuse.

[afidel]

I was going to purchase it but found out at the last minute that it is not compatible with most modern GM trucks for some reason.

[carringb]

I bought the Tuscon sway control module, but have not installed it yet.

FWIW - I have zero sway under normal conditions, however things have gotten squirrelly for me a couple times:

1) when both waste tanks are full and the fresh is empty, my tongue weight is too light but some regions just don't have nearby RV dumps. Nothing uncontrollable but still have to be ready for and bow waves coming off trucks...

2) Patchy ice. It got going once when I had to brake hard and only the pax side wheels were on ice.

Installation is fairly involved because you have to run new brake wires to the controller, and you might have to open up the underbelly to access a crossmember for mounting. The good news is it gives you a good excuse to upgrade the grabage wiring that came on the trailer. My trailer only has 20 gauge from the factory, which is tiny for 6k axles that are nearly 30' from the 7-way plug.

That all said... If you are experiencing sway under any normal conditions, fix your setup first, rather than relying on electronic sway control. I think it's an excellent concept for emergency/adverse conditions, but if you had to rely of it for normal conditions, you'll burn up your trailer brakes quick.

And speaking of trailer brakes, self-adjusting brakes are a must. If there's any slack in the brake shoes, the sway control system won't work as well, if at all. (That part I did upgrade already, and well worth it, for having consistent trailer brakes).

If the weather holds up, I might install the Sway controller this week. I'll try to report back with some pics.

[Donald_Carpe]

I'm interested in knowing how to do this too!