To sway or not to sway?

[cojer]

just curious: do any of you caravel owners use sway bars while towing...it kind of seems like big overkill to me but i'm interested in what your ideas on the subject are

thanks jer

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by cojer

just curious: do any of you caravel owners use sway bars while towing...it kind of seems like big overkill to me but i'm interested in what your ideas on the subject are

thanks jer

Any sway, can become instantly dangerous, that can lead to a total loss of control.

Andy

[Jammer]

The topic has come up before. There are a number of people who use weight distributing hitches on smaller trailers. A few use sway control of one kind or another as well.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...rol-17986.html

[Jammer]

Drawtite makes a single-bar wd package specifically for smaller trailers, up to 4000 lbs gvw:

Single Bar Weight Distribution Kit for A-Frame Draw-Tite Weight Distribution 3205

[moosetags]

I am in favor of some type of sway control when pulling any trailer that is heavy enough to require trailer brakes. A trailer can pull great through passing semis and severe cross winds. The true test is when you need to take any type of evasive action at highway speeds. This can start a sway action that can be catastrophic.

Brian

[FreshAir]

We towed a large model Coleman popup years ago. We loaded it up too including bicyles and canoe on top. When considering buying our AS I remembered the few times when the tent trailer 'wiggled' sometimes. Sway bar for a tent trailer? Rediculous I thought! Our AS has a sway bar as well as WDH and tows very smoothly........and much more safely.
Neil

[Mikethefixit]

I am defineatly in Favor of some kind of sway control even on you little trailer. What you dont understand is that little trailer is far worse in the sway department than a long trailer. Because it is short.THe whip will be almost instantaneous and severe.Because its sway back and forth is so much faster you cant catch it.It will put you out of control before you even realize what has happened.
SO its entirely up to you .CRASH OR NOT TO CRASH its your decision. Id put on one bar and CHOSE the latter
GOOD LUCK

[au_ee]

Originally Posted by cojer

just curious: do any of you caravel owners use sway bars while towing...it kind of seems like big overkill to me but i'm interested in what your ideas on the subject are

thanks jer

You don't say what type of tow vehicle you have. Often folks with a small trailer tow it with an SUV or some other type of short wheel base tow vehicle. The short wheel base of the TV combined with a short trailer will lead to more sway than a larger rig encounters.

[pgr32e]

YES!!!. My first trailer was an early 70's 17ft. single axle Oasis (not AS) that I got real cheap because the PO managed to wrinkle all four corners and the back of his honking big station wagon when it got away from him on the road. It had WD but no anti sway bar. This was all back in the 70's, but lesson learned............Phil.

[cojer]

well it's starting to look like everybody is pretty much on the same page on this one. it's just that i've towed alot of different trailers over the years and never used a sway or wd and i've never crashed one or really ever had any trouble...just lucky i guess? when i bought my as it came with a sway and wd that the p.o. bought but never really used...guess i'll try and hook it up.

[Jammer]

Sway is much worse with travel trailers than with nearly anything else.

I believe that the main reason is that travel trailers have more of their weight towards the ends, compared to boats and utility trailers, where the weight is concentrated closer to the axles. The amount of wall area exposed to crosswinds also plays a role.

[au_ee]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Sway is much worse with travel trailers than with nearly anything else.

I believe that the main reason is that travel trailers have more of their weight towards the ends, compared to boats and utility trailers, where the weight is concentrated closer to the axles. The amount of wall area exposed to crosswinds also plays a role.

On boats, due to the majority of the mass being at the rear of the boat they place the trailer axles towards the rear which is where the overall center of mass is located. On a TT the mass is more evenly distributed and the center of mass is near the center of the trailer which is where the wheels are placed. Therefore the geometry of the two are different with a greater distance between the hitch and the axles on the boat trailer than on the TT.