I have searched for info on these friction anti-sway bars but can't find any.
I have a Reese torsion bar (square steel) weight distribution hitch with a flat rectangular friction-type anti-sway bar. [10,000 lb rating, 600 lb. hitch weight... don't know the model name or number]. My application is for towing a 007 219' Bambi with a 2005 Toyota 4Runner V8 all-wheel-drive. Everything has worked fine until I loosened the sway bar too much and dropped it. One of the 'brake pads' fell out and broke in half. I slid it back in and continued using the sway bar. I made a fairly tight turn going forward and heard a bad snap-popping noise. The outer flat metal bar, which applies pressure to the pads when the handle is turned... had gotten a bad outward bend in it! I used a small sledge to semi-straighten the bar, then glued both 'pads' back in with Gorilla Glue. I can still use the bar, but the pads don't seat as tight and flat against the inner sliding bar because everything is bent. Is their a fix?... or better option for my relatively light-weight application (trailer is 4500 lbs. max.) Do these things need to be removed when backing and turning sharply? Advice would be appreciated.
Pete
I've been told the bar should be removed before backing the trailer because a very tight turn could cause it to bind and break. Never had the problem myself, but that's what I was told.
The end of the bar probably caught on the broken end of the pad inside of the mechanism, and caused it to bend. You will hear some folks say that these are no good on wet, icy, or slippery roads, as they can hamper the rigs ability to turn without loss of traction. True, but when used properly they will provide some degree of sway-reduction. I just back off the tension a hair when in those situations, along with a healthy dose of slowdown!
You may want to change to a better type of anti-sway mechanism, rather than replacing this one with the same. I'll look forward to what some of the more experienced members have to say about this.
Do you really have a 219' Bambi? I would love to see the pics of that!
I have searched for info on these friction anti-sway bars but can't find any.
I have a Reese torsion bar (square steel) weight distribution hitch with a flat rectangular friction-type anti-sway bar. [10,000 lb rating, 600 lb. hitch weight... don't know the model name or number]. My application is for towing a 007 219' Bambi with a 2005 Toyota 4Runner V8 all-wheel-drive. Everything has worked fine until I loosened the sway bar too much and dropped it. One of the 'brake pads' fell out and broke in half. I slid it back in and continued using the sway bar. I made a fairly tight turn going forward and heard a bad snap-popping noise. The outer flat metal bar, which applies pressure to the pads when the handle is turned... had gotten a bad outward bend in it! I used a small sledge to semi-straighten the bar, then glued both 'pads' back in with Gorilla Glue. I can still use the bar, but the pads don't seat as tight and flat against the inner sliding bar because everything is bent. Is their a fix?... or better option for my relatively light-weight application (trailer is 4500 lbs. max.) Do these things need to be removed when backing and turning sharply? Advice would be appreciated.
Pete
Your half way there.
You can add the Reese "dual cam" sway control, which works on torsion, not friction, to your rig.
The dual cam out performs the friction type sway control, hands down.
Backing up, or going forward, makes no difference, with the dual cam.
You can add the Reese "dual cam" sway control, which works on torsion, not friction, to your rig.
Torsion defined is a twisting FORCE. The force must be applied by something.
The torsion is applied by friction between the weight distribution bars and the cams. Still friction. If that weren't the case the hitch would still work when the cams are lubricated. Once the torsional force applied by the hitch is exceeded the trailer will sway.
A friction sway bar ALSO operates by applying a counteracting torsion to the sway torsion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by From Reese product support:
Can I grease the Dual Cam Sway Control (DCSC)? Do not grease the cam and cam arms.The Dual Cam was designed to use metal-to-metal friction. Heavy greasing of the cam and cam arm surfaces with affect performance.
__________________ ProPride Hitch "The Next Generation in Trailer Sway Elimination"
Grand Blanc, MI
Reese says that the torsion increases or decreases, depending on the position of the cam on the saddle.
Since the torsion always wants to return to zero, or minimum as the case may be, the cams are encouraged to return to the straight line position on the cams, everytime the torsion increases, for whatever reason, hence, the "straight line".
Reese says that the torsion increases or decreases, depending on the position of the cam on the saddle.
Since the torsion always wants to return to zero, or minimum as the case may be, the cams are encouraged to return to the straight line position on the cams, everytime the torsion increases, for whatever reason, hence, the "straight line".
Andy
Okay, agreed. Torsion, a twisting force, can only increase or decrease through FRICTION. If that is what Reese says they are saying that friction increases or decreases depending on the position of the cam in the saddle. {Reference their statement that the Dual-Cam was designed to use metal-to-metal FRICTION. (emphasis added by ME)}
The only reason I point this out is that it isn't correct to say that the Dual-Cam uses torsion and not friction.
BOTH the sway bar and the Dual-Cam apply counteracting torsion through friction.
__________________ ProPride Hitch "The Next Generation in Trailer Sway Elimination"
Grand Blanc, MI
Thanks Andy... Will I need to get a new hitch receiver part?... to use the dual-cam type anti-sway bars? Any idea of cost to upgrade? (NOT asking for a quote.... just an idea).
Thanks,
Pete
Thanks Andy... Will I need to get a new hitch receiver part?... to use the dual-cam type anti-sway bars? Any idea of cost to upgrade? (NOT asking for a quote.... just an idea).
Thanks,
Pete
Pete,
The dual cam has nothing to do with the hitch box.
I cannot quote prices on anything we sell or might sell, for public view.
You can actually use the early model cams with the late model bars, and they will be easier to adjust and you won't have to drill holes in your trailer's "A" frame tongue.
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