Are Sway bars required for towing a 31' AS?

[Okiestreamer]

We just bought a 31' 1974 AS Sovereign that is in relatively good shape. I notice it may have had sway bars on it some time in the past. We are new to the AS family and wonder if sway bars are required for towing or are they "nice to have?"

[arodriguez60]

They are not required but are recommended. Depending on your TV it could prevent alot of white knuckle moments. I would recommend that you get a set. Your safety is #1, It doesn't have to be propride or hensley but you need some kind of WD/sway control

[adonh]

Great to hear about your new Airstream and welcome to the forum. Post some pictures. The question on sway is always a good topic. Others will post comments on this subject for you to look over.

Don
1976 31" Sovereign

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ASRookie

We just bought a 31' 1974 AS Sovereign that is in relatively good shape. I notice it may have had sway bars on it some time in the past. We are new to the AS family and wonder if sway bars are required for towing or are they "nice to have?"

Not really, "IF" you disregard the safety of your self and your passengers.

But a resounding "ABSOLUTELY" when the safety of all is considered.

Andy

[DKB_SATX]

Another good reason to post pictures of the hitch rigging... If you're lucky, it could be that the hardware is present for a friction sway system but previous owners stopped using it because they upgraded to something like a Reese Dual Cam hitch (that manages sway without a separate friction bar) and just left the ball for the friction bar in place.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Another good reason to post pictures of the hitch rigging... If you're lucky, it could be that the hardware is present for a friction sway system but previous owners stopped using it because they upgraded to something like a Reese Dual Cam hitch (that manages sway without a separate friction bar) and just left the ball for the friction bar in place.

The Reese "dual cam" hitch controls sway with "torsion' not friction.

The fiction method has no brain, but the torsion system does.

Andy

[Okiestreamer]

I was sanding the tongue to repaint and noticed a rusty place on each arm where I suspect sway bars had been attached. It's raining here right now but I did get this one pic of a small ball welded to the passenger side arm. I'll try to figure out how to attach a pic as soon as I can. Still trying to learn how to use this site.

[DKB_SATX]

You can attach a photo as a regular "attachment" if you click the Advanced button on the reply window. There are some limits on the size of the file.

You can include a photo from a photo sharing site (like photobucket or dropbox) by clicking the square button that has a yellow background with overlapping triangles and a big dot... (a pictogram of a landscape, I guess) and pasting the URL of your photo into the dialog box that comes up.

[perryg114]

If you like to poke along at 55 or less you will probably be ok. When you start going faster the rig gets more and more unstable. You will start to feel it as you go faster. The sway bar damps things out to prevent an unstable condition that can lead to loss of control. Usually, shorter trailers are more unstable. Applying the trailer brakes when sway occurs usually helps. I would get one and until then keep your speeds down. I would also try to stay off the interstates.

Perry

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by ASRookie

I was sanding the tongue to repaint and noticed a rusty place on each arm where I suspect sway bars had been attached.

You do know that Weight Distribution bars are NOT sway bars, right?
Weight distribution bars are put on both sides of the tongue, and a friction sway control bar would generally be installed on one side only. The extra little ball mount you found is probably for a friction sway control setup.

[n2916s]

I have towed my 31' Sovereign almost 50000 miles now and I wouldn't tow it another inch without weight distribution AND sway control. It is almost 4 tons back there, there is wind, road surface, wake from passing vehicles and, while the 31' is extremely stable, there are going to be moments when the anti-sway will be critical. Do you really want to be without it for those few moments?

Mike

[ROBERT CROSS]

Free reading...


More good stuff...just click the pic. for more info.

Last but....not least




Bob

[tcrum]

Do not tow a 31' without sway control. It is a MUST.

[Okiestreamer]

Thanks to all for your input. I'll add a sway control and weight distro system to our list of needs.

[StreamNTyme]

There is nothing worse than your rig getting out of control. "Anti sway" yada yada Reese etc. work only to there limitations. Hensley or Propride eliminate sway.