fwed
Maine
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Joined: 02/21/2011
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I’ve had sway bars on a 28’, 6,000# camper, but we’re downsizing to a 3,000# A-frame. Should I have them on this as well? Salesman recommends them, but he’s in the selling business. Opinions?
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eHoefler
ozark mountains
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Joined: 10/22/2011
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Depends on your tow vehicle. You need to look at the tow capacity and requirements to get the capacity. Also, look at the sticker on the receiver, it will also state whether or not an equalizing hitch is required for the receiver.
Unless you are running a 3/4 ton or bigger, usually you will need the equalizer
2021 Ram Limited, 3500, Crew Cab, 1075FTPD of Torque!, Max Tow, Long bed, 4 x 4, Dually,
2006 40' Landmark Mt. Rushmore
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wing_zealot
East of the Mississippi
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First of all, you said "sway" bar. Are you really talking about a "weight distribution hitch (WDH)" or a "sway" bar - lots of people regularily say "sway" bar but mean WDH. Totally different tools for totally different functions.
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Boomerweps
Hills of PA
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wing_zealot wrote:First of all, you said "sway" bar. Are you really talking about a "weight distribution hitch (WDH)" or a "sway" bar - lots of people regularily say "sway" bar but mean WDH. Totally different tools for totally different functions.
Indeed. The bars associated with a weight distributing Hitch are actually called spring bars. Older design WDHs often used add on anti sway bars that used a friction adjustment to control sway.
2019 Wolf Pup 16 BHS Limited, axle flipped
2019 F150 4x4 SCrew SB STX 5.0 3.55 factory tow package, 7000#GVWR, 1990 CC Tow mirrors, ITBC, SumoSprings,
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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I’m gonna say no, but fwed seems to have left the discussion without actually saying whether he’s pulling the new camper with a Kia or a dually, or something in between….
So I’ll go with D. Not enough info to answer. Lol
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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fwed
Maine
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Okay, I'm back. Sorry for the lapse. It's been a horrid week.
I've got a Nissan Titan rated to tow 9500 pounds and the new camper is only about 3000 pounds. I'm thinking sway bars. I just don't want some 18-wheeler or Greyhound bus blowing this little guy sideways while I'm trying to pull it in a straight line. The salemen make their living by convincing me I need something I don't know alot about. I trust you guys more than them. Maybe a discussion of the difference between sway bars and weight distribution systems.
Thanks. I appreciate the help.
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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Here is what a friction sway control looks like. It is used in conjunction with the Weight Distribution (WD) spring bars.
If you have one of these on your trailer tongue then you most likely have an older style WD hitch that uses chains to put pressure on the spring bars. Those spring bars do nothing to control sway other than adding some weight to the front axle of your truck. When the trailer swings they swing right along with it.
Note: Some of the later hitches do use the spring bars to control sway as used in the Equil-i-zer brand hitch. There are others also. Those do not use the sway control pictured above.
Barney
Friction sway control
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/Z6GbYXyl.jpg)
Equal-i-zer Hitch
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/d4U8wivl.jpg)
* This post was
edited 05/22/23 09:03am by BarneyS *
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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fwed wrote:Okay, I'm back. Sorry for the lapse. It's been a horrid week.
I've got a Nissan Titan rated to tow 9500 pounds and the new camper is only about 3000 pounds. I'm thinking sway bars. I just don't want some 18-wheeler or Greyhound bus blowing this little guy sideways while I'm trying to pull it in a straight line. The salemen make their living by convincing me I need something I don't know alot about. I trust you guys more than them. Maybe a discussion of the difference between sway bars and weight distribution systems.
Thanks. I appreciate the help.
Unfortunately, it seems most of the members here are either not much more knowledgeable than the salesman and/or have been brainwashed into thinking that travel trailer = wdh/sway required.
However your trailer is SO small compared to your TV that you may actually get others to tell you you don’t need it…..if they can stay on topic.
(Like the post above mine explaining hitch types….lol)
Oh and maybe just be a “rebel” and go see how it goes without all that c rap….It’s not magic or scary no matter how many make it out to be.
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fwed
Maine
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Well, thank you for that! That's why I wanted the sales guy to send me information on his recommendation (a request he ignored, BTW). I'll just have to wait until I can get him within grabbing distance to find out what he's proposing. Thanks again for the help.
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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Most likely your new camper is NOT designed for a weight-distributing hitch, and will say so right on the tongue frame work.
One sway bar is likely all you will need for belt-and-suspenders protection. Having a truck that outweighs the trailer and can easily handle the weight goes a long way toward preventing sway. I've also noticed that these lightweight single-axle trailers tend to have the axle closer to the rear, which also helps. Loading all the heavy stuff ahead of the axle is the final step you can take.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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