Sway Control for Bambi Safari 19'

jschelle · 05-09-2004, 07:31 AM

We just purchased a 2004 Bambi Safari 19'. We have a Eaz-Lift weight distributing hitch that we used to haul our 19' Hi-Lo Funlite. We did not use sway control because the Hi-Lo dropped down close to the height of our 1999 GMC Jimmy. The Bambi is close to the maximum GVW and Hitch weight for the Jimmy. We looked at the Hensley-Arrow, but the gas line on the Bambi is on the bottom of the A-frame which would be clamped by the frame brackets. Most of the gas line is a metal pipe and cannot be easily moved. We are looking now at the Eaz-Lift Sway Controls. Does anyone have any information on this or other sway controls they have used towing a Bambi 19'?

Silvertwinkie · 05-09-2004, 08:02 AM

We used Reese friction sway control and it a good job. Folks at 3 of the hitch places told me that I could use dual cam, but they said that for under 20' it would be overkill. I now use the new Reese dual cam with our 25' Safari and it too works great.

RoadKingMoe · 05-09-2004, 08:16 AM

The gas line is easy to drop. Just drill the heads off the rivets that hold the clamps to the bottom of the A frame, mount the U-bolts and then make up some spacers out of aluminum or plastic block and reinstall the clamps to the A frame with self-tapping metal screws. Everyone who has a Hensley on an Airstream has done this.

WayWard Wind · 05-09-2004, 07:16 PM

We had a 02 19' Bambi & had a Reese Dual Cam system put on during the initial hitch set-up. we were told that it wasn't needed & probably wasn't for the Bambi, but I felt a whole lot better going down the highway. I don't like white knuckle driving. So we went with Cam system, figuring that some day if we up sized with the trailer, the sway control was already a done deal. Well we up-sized sooner than later, so the sway control was a good investment. I really like the Reese Dual Cam system, as it worked well with the Bambi & now also with the new rig. The gas line did not create a problem during the install with either rig.
Best,

dtbw · 05-10-2004, 08:07 AM

jschelle,
As has been noted, the gas line on the Bambi is not problem. The pipe is actually semi-rigid copper which means that it can be slightly bent to make an arc where the Hensley hardware attaches. I had NO problems installing the Hensley on our '02 Bambi. Having towed my parents A/S years ago with a Reese Dual Cam (excellent hitch), I can say that the Hensley is better yet and significantly so. I would not trade the Hensley for any other hitch.

david

crazylev · 05-10-2004, 02:40 PM

Greetings.

Last week when the dealer was setting up the Equilizer hitch on our 19' CCD and we encountered the same puzzle: The rigid gasline runs on the bottom street-side of the A-frame. The bottom bolt for the hitch-bracket assembly would have been resting on the gas line.

The fix was to drill out the .75" gas pipe clamps, the gas line can now move freely. Position the mounting bracket for whatever hitch. The big bolt goes in between the A-frame and the gas line.

On the Equilizer bottom bolt, we cut a 2 inch piece of rubber tubing to go over the bolt, to try and keep the wearing of the gas line to a minimum from the Equilizer bolt. I also plan on "blocking" the gas line an inch or two from both sides of that hitch bracket. I'll use a piece of rubber and secure it somehow.

I will be keeping an eye open for any wear on occasion.

Jonathan