Do I NEED sway control??

[GinMame]

Originally Posted by SteveH

That first video actually looked more like a simple blow over from high winds. Did not see any oscillation.

Would have been interesting to see what hitch was used in each case.

Hi Steve,

I agree that the wind was the cause of the trailer going over, but if you look carefully, you will see some oscillation. Well, at least it looks like that to me. Then again, I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time!

Cheers,
Rion

[Zigidachs]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Thank you for visiting with us.

Glad to try and help, anyone, anytime.

Andy

It appears that the TV was a one ton dually, and there may have been WD bars on the hitch....type? I couldn't tell for certain on the WD bars.

Question: would any anti-sway hitch have helped this poor guy? It was a very long trailer with a higher center of gravity than the AS line, and he encountered a heavy cross wind.

(I have a one ton dually with a ProPride.)

Thanks for your opinion....Zigi

[Kosm1o]

Can't tell anything about sway control from either one of those videos. Nonetheless, the reasons for sway control cited in this thread are well established. That said, the need to educate drivers about proper loading and driving is as important as anything else. Just observing other TT on the freeway tells me that most don't have a clew and I prefer to keep a safe distance.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by Kosm1o

Can't tell anything about sway control from either one of those videos. Nonetheless, the reasons for sway control cited in this thread are well established. That said, the need to educate drivers about proper loading and driving is as important as anything else. Just observing other TT on the freeway tells me that most don't have a clew and I prefer to keep a safe distance.

Yes, I've seen videos of tornado type winds blowing over freight train cars, and although I wouldn't bet on it, don't think they were victims of sway.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by GinMame

You you need sway control???

Not if you want to end up like this guy and park your Airstream in the center median.

An RV crash to remember - YouTube

Wow. I seriously doubt any hitch or tow vehicle would have made a difference there... I mean, what do you expect towing a 36' billboard down the freeway? It's like towing a sailboat with the mainsail up

[Lumatic]

This is a favorite thread of mine. Kind of the immovable object versus the irresistable force thing. I suspect the majority of advocates of sway control are democrats and the skeptics are republicans.

[xrvr]

Boy are you wrong!! jim

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

This is a favorite thread of mine. Kind of the immovable object versus the irresistable force thing. I suspect the majority of advocates of sway control are democrats and the skeptics are republicans.

If this goes to politics, I'm outa here because I know very few would agree with me.

[pmclemore]

Wait - I thought all Airstream owners were rich. So.....

Pat

[Inland RV Center, In]

Blowing up the picture, best a person can tell, there is no ball mount or torsion bars, but just a ball.

Granted it's windy, but....................

So much for the "'magic" trucks. NOT.

An RV crash to remember - YouTube

Andy

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

This is a favorite thread of mine. Kind of the immovable object versus the irresistable force thing. I suspect the majority of advocates of sway control are democrats and the skeptics are republicans.

Think you got it exactly backwards.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Think you got it exactly backwards.

Yep, here we go.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Think you got it exactly backwards.

Immovable force vs. irresistable object

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Blowing up the picture, best a person can tell, there is no ball mount or torsion bars, but just a ball.

Granted it's windy, but....................

So much for the "'magic" trucks. NOT.

An RV crash to remember - YouTube

Andy

Oh sure, probably wouldn't have happend if he'd been towing with an Impala!

[ROBERT CROSS]

This is still my

favorite.....

Bob

[Gene]

There seems to be a direct relationship between the length of hitch threads and the lack of facts. It does not seem to be in anyone's perceived economic interests to actually test all of this with contemporary tow vehicles, trailers and hitches. There are a lot of educated guesses here and there are statements by the more knowledgeable address part of the problem, but not all of it.

To test hitches, trailers and tow vehicles would be incredibly expensive if you test every trailer and tow vehicle. At least there are fewer hitches to test. And what about tires—lots of those too and they make a difference (ST vs. LT, for example). I suppose testing drivers would be a good idea since some really have no experience, but there are so many variables no one could easily design such a study.

I would think Sean would want to have an independent lab test his hitch in some circumstances (who could afford all of them?) to see how it performs and to, if it does well, aid in marketing. But I don't know the costs. Maybe if Sean has his tested, others may follow, but if their results are bad, I doubt they would release the results. Maybe a university lab would do it to educate engineering students, but finding a university to do this may be very difficult, but would be great if it were done.

I have never run alongside the trailer or followed it, so all I have are impressions. Our experience with the Equalizer has been good just like Bob Sunrus. We too have gone to Alaska and over very bad roads with no sway. I once made a panic stop on an interstate and no sway. I do not understand how panic stops cause more crashes since panic stops are by definition part of a bad situation and more likely to be part of an accident situation.

I also don't understand how wet bars sticking is a problem because I thought water was a lubricant and would reduce sticking. It is not a very good lubricant compared to grease, but still a lubricant. Equalizer sells a lubricant for the bars and says it does not affect necessary friction, but I wouldn't use it because it doesn't make sense to me. I am not a friction engineer, so maybe common sense does not apply because common sense often is an excuse for ignorance.

And I wonder about the light vs. heavy tow vehicle controversy. Is this "conventional wisdom"? I think the heavier tow vehicle would probably have bigger and better brakes and therefore less reliance on the trailer brakes, so a heavier tow vehicle would have that advantage over a light TV. My understanding is that a light TV tends to get pushed by the trailer more and that feels dangerous to me—trailer drum brakes are not as effective as discs and the TV most likely has discs, and I rather have big brakes for most stopping. If you see the trailer out your side window, none of this matters.

As for lawyers and liability, showing that someone read this thread would have little effect because you would still have to prove the reader understood what was said. Since completely opposite opinions are posted here, it proves nothing. There are some bad lawyers and they get more notice than good ones, but to say lawyers are sharks or any other such claim is the same as saying because there are some bad RV shops, all RV shops are bad. I have noticed people who claim lawyers are bad are quick to hire them when they need to.

A note to engineers: some of you post in jargon and the rest of us don't understand you. It is hard to explain technical details to us laymen, but necessary to make your point. I am very interested in what engineers post because it might help me understand this better.

Carry on….

Gene

[GinMame]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

This is still my favorite.....[/URL]


Bob

Get's my vote!

Rion

[Zigidachs]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

This is a favorite thread of mine. Kind of the immovable object versus the irresistable force thing. I suspect the majority of advocates of sway control are democrats and the skeptics are republicans.

My dad always said that those who discus politics, money, and religion will eventually make the worst of enemies from the best of friends.

[Gene]

We have friends from all sides of politics, religion and with various degrees of money, and we all get along—friendship is much more than all those things. People who want enemies can always make them or find them.

Gene

[Kosm1o]

Perhaps it would be helpful if some of the more experienced and knowledgible on the subject, would actualy list some causes of the kind of sway that causes a loss of control. Then , maybe, we could see the benefits of having a sway control hitch.