sway control?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Diesel1

Andy thanks for reinforcing my position. And I have not heard one comment yet as to why a major auto manufacturer does not use anti sway control devices on any of there trailer tow setups during tens of thousands of miles on open public highways with aveage( non profesional) drivers.
Adios,John

John.

Could be cost.

Could also be that a sway control, is usually a mechanical device of sorts, that has nothing to do with the tow vehicle.

I still feel very strongly, that the old, almost 40 years now, Safety Tow, was the best sway control "controller" yet to hit the market.

It advised you when an unstable condition began, as well as applied the trailer brakes faster than a human can, should a sway develop.

I just need to find some time to get that ball rolling again, as I used it for about 50,000 miles of towing and demonstrated it at many rallies, way back then.

Everyone, almost without exception, said "unbelievable", when they witnessed how it performed.

Andy

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by arcamedies

This is an interesting video from you tube showing a trailer hit by a side gust and the little ball connection pivoted very nicely and wouldn't let go of the big heavy truck pulling it. One in a million a trooper was following behind. I bought a Reese dual cam for my little 22 foot lightweight trailer after seeing this.

Last night on the TV show, "it only hurts when I laugh" on the Tru channel, there was a very similar but not the same video. The only difference was that traffic was slower, so the truck (TV) only ended up on its side. It did not roll all the way over.

Last fall, I came upon the aftermath of this same type of accident about 10 miles from home. It was a gusty windy day. Both trailer and pickup TV were on their sides. There were TT parts all over the highway.

Ken

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Last night on the TV show, "it only hurts when I laugh" on the Tru channel, there was a very similar but not the same video. The only difference was that traffic was slower, so the truck (TV) only ended up on its side. It did not roll all the way over.

Last fall, I came upon the aftermath of this same type of accident about 10 miles from home. It was a gusty windy day. Both trailer and pickup TV were on their sides. There were TT parts all over the highway.

Ken

Modern technology has created very small and very efficient "hearing aids".

Hearing aids are designed for people who have a hearing loss, that want to hear.

But, hearing aids are not designed to make someone listen.

Andy

[Diesel1]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Last night on the TV show, "it only hurts when I laugh" on the Tru channel, there was a very similar but not the same video. The only difference was that traffic was slower, so the truck (TV) only ended up on its side. It did not roll all the way over.

Last fall, I came upon the aftermath of this same type of accident about 10 miles from home. It was a gusty windy day. Both trailer and pickup TV were on their sides. There were TT parts all over the highway.

Ken

Here goes again,is there a video showing the same thing with a anti sway hitch installed? I have no idea I am asking if anyone is aware. As of yet there has not been a shred of proof ofered only theory's and suposetions. The fact that a trailer turned over in the wind only proves a strong wind.
With seat belts as an earlier poster alluded too there are many studys proving that they are efective.
The closest to proof that I have heard is Andy's 1000 accident survey. So with a properly hitched rig and accounting for bad weather,and leaving out impaired drivers, how many crashes caused by sway? 578? 296? 12? none? How many documented crashes are there when the above conditions were meet and the rig had a anti sway device? 644? 321? 2? none?
The fact that most people say the empereer has clothes on when he is in fact naked does not clothe him.
Adios, John

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Diesel1

Here goes again,is there a video showing the same thing with a anti sway hitch installed? I have no idea I am asking if anyone is aware. As of yet there has not been a shred of proof ofered only theory's and suposetions. The fact that a trailer turned over in the wind only proves a strong wind.
With seat belts as an earlier poster alluded too there are many studys proving that they are efective.
The closest to proof that I have heard is Andy's 1000 accident survey. So with a properly hitched rig and accounting for bad weather,and leaving out impaired drivers, how many crashes caused by sway? 578? 296? 12? none? How many documented crashes are there when the above conditions were meet and the rig had a anti sway device? 644? 321? 2? none?
The fact that most people say the empereer has clothes on when he is in fact naked does not clothe him.
Adios, John

You are really starting to annoy me. I merely posted a reference to a TV clip . I said nothing about whether it had sway control or not.
In this whole thread, until now, I have not made specific reference to anything you have posted or quoted any of your posts. Would you please make whatever your point is without picking at and quoting my posts. If for no other reason than I request it.
Ken
PS your posts would be more credible if you would spell check them.

[Journalist]

I hate to even get into this debate, but I'm another person pulling a smaller Airstream with one helluva' big truck. I have the opposite setup from 90% of Airstreamers on the road. I run without any WD hitch at all, but I do have a friction type anti-sway device attached to the side. So far, I really like the way it pulls. I ran it for a long time with nothing but the ball, and only installed the sway device for peace of mind. I wasn't having problems before I started using it, but it doesn't negatively affect the way it pulls, so I use it. The gearing of my truck (4.10 rear end) means it gets the best mileage at 60mph, so that's how fast I drive.
Is my anti-sway device necessary? No. I also don't pretend that it will magically save me from having an accident. Not even the most high-tech whiz bang hitch will. There is no hitch that will erase stupid driving habits of the operator. However, my setup may help me maintain just enough control for long enough that experience and driving skill will let me avoid disaster.
There are too many opinions on this subject, and I agree with points made by folks on both sides of the fence. The bottom line here is that no particular setup is perfect for everyone. The possibilities are almost endless. What works for me won't necessarily even work for someone with the same truck and the same trailer. So, debate and discussion is great, but hostile arguments over this subject are just arguing for the sake of arguing.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Stream Safe..

[Diesel1]

Sorry Ken I certainly did not mean to annoy you. Just trying to get a fact or two thrown into the fray. Adios, John

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Diesel1

Sorry Ken I certainly did not mean to annoy you. Just trying to get a fact or two thrown into the fray. Adios, John

Thanks John.
I think I'll hang out on a less controversial thread for awhile.
Maybe I'll start a thread about whether or not chocolate tastes good.
Regards,
Ken

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Diesel1

Sorry Ken I certainly did not mean to annoy you. Just trying to get a fact or two thrown into the fray. Adios, John

Diesel.

Your rehashing statments made from several owners.

First of all, you have no real reason other than to argue, about the subject.

But, to better answer your question, "It does not matter how many loss of control accidents happened, that caused a problem". If it was but "ONE" that's way too many already.

Anyone that does not want to listen to proven facts, based on person experiences, is fine with me. But to argue about it, solves nothing. To demand evidence, is being rather annoying. If you don't want to listen, that's your personal choice.

Past customers who want to have answers to questions, are always welcomed.

But to carry on and on, and argue a point, when they do not have the before, during and after experiences, is really being agrumentive instead of trying to learn.

People learn from others experiences, not from arguing.

Sorry, I enjoy helping others as I have for over 43 years, but I will not argue a point with anyone else, over issues that a small minority disagrees with.

Those that disagree, need to go thru the expense and time to do the research, as others have done. Quite well they may turn up their hearing aids, so not to hear, but to listen.

Andy

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by w7ts

...Maybe I'll start a thread about whether or not chocolate tastes good.
Regards,
Ken

here ya go ken, a very pleasant video on the cocoa bean and bakery goodies, pictures and things...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f484...sts-39649.html

or a very simple "let them eat cake" recipe...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f484...cup-56728.html

i'm gonna try a dutch oven chocolate/berry cake this weekend...

cheers
2air'

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

i'm gonna try a dutch oven chocolate/berry cake this weekend...

cheers
2air'

Let me know how it turns out, and what sway control you used for the baking pans...

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Thanks John.
I think I'll hang out on a less controversial thread for awhile.
Maybe I'll start a thread about whether or not chocolate tastes good.
Regards,
Ken

Let's see we could argue about:
1. The exploitation of peasant cocoa pickers to satisfy the capitalist, imperialism of American chocolate cravings
2. The dangers of chocolate on unrestrained libido
3. Hershey or Nestle ala Henshen vs Dexter

[war eagle]

Whether the OEMs use sway control during their towing tests or not - they are engineering an electronic trailer anti-sway system into their product lines. Ford offers the system which: "detects the yaw in one direction and selectively applies the brakes on the tow vehicle's opposite side - called asymmetric braking." In effect the vehicle reacts to counter the yaw of the trailer. The flier (http://media.ford.com/images/10031/T..._SuperDuty.pdf) also says the system can reduce engine power if needed. While they show a picture of a Super Duty - at the bottom of the flier - the system is standard on 5 vehicles in the line including the F150 and optional but included with the towing package on 5 others include the Escape. An interesting variation of the active handling systems.

Later,

Steve

[war eagle]

Reposting the link to Ford's flier on their system for sway control:

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/T..._SuperDuty.pdf

Steve

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by war eagle

Reposting the link to Ford's flier on their system for sway control:

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/T..._SuperDuty.pdf

Steve

My objective was to prevent sway....not control it after it's started.

[barts]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Hi Bart,
I am curious about something. From your above post, you seem to have experience towing and some definite opinions formed before you started this thread. Were you just trolling? If so, you seem to have been very successful.
Regards,
Ken

Actually, I was just curious, since I'd never had any problems w/ towing stuff before... Watching that video of the little trailer getting blown over and taking the tow vehicle along for the ride was interesting; I'll make sure to stop and face into the wind if I ever get into 75 mph winds like that.

However, this subject seems to be rather emotionally laden for some folks, so seriously I'm sorry I brought it up, and my apologies if I offended anyone's sensibilities. I'm considering using some sort of anti-sway gear; in the mean time perhaps it would be best if you see this rig to please give me ample room:

[overlander63]

Bart, from the picture, you have parts of an old Reese dual cam anti-sway WD system on the trailer now. If you wanted to, you could pick up the rest of the parts, and piece together a decent system that you could "take with you" if you changed tow vehicles.
If you didn't want to do that, you could get one of those simple sliding bar, friction type sway controls. The latter would probably run around a hundred bucks. That one would have the advantage of being able to be left off or put on, if you hear about those hurricane-force winds heading your way. That would also be the minimum I'd suggest for sway control.

[barts]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Bart, from the picture, you have parts of an old Reese dual cam anti-sway WD system on the trailer now. If you wanted to, you could pick up the rest of the parts, and piece together a decent system that you could "take with you" if you changed tow vehicles.
If you didn't want to do that, you could get one of those simple sliding bar, friction type sway controls. The latter would probably run around a hundred bucks. That one would have the advantage of being able to be left off or put on, if you hear about those hurricane-force winds heading your way. That would also be the minimum I'd suggest for sway control.

Yup; I found the square spring bars the other day in the AS bedroom closet under some misc. detritus; the towing cable (electrical) for the original exterior lights was in the shower closet on top of the Univolt... still lots more cleaning to do.... There's no names or numbers I can see on any of the hitch equipment, so I'll need to figure out just what I have so I can set it up correctly. I'd rather run the dual cam than just a friction unit, I think, but I don't want to end up w/ a overly stiff setup as that just punishes the trailer - it doesn't want to try and lift the back of my rig off the ground, esp. when loaded for Burning Man, so getting the right stiffness bars seems important.

- Bart

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Bart, from the picture, you have parts of an old Reese dual cam anti-sway WD system on the trailer now.

I agree. Looks like you have the Reese Dual Cam sway control now. I'm not expert on the system. But if this is what you got you should not need anything else. Can you send a close up of just the WD hitch with Dual Cam.
The Dual Cam itself are the parts on both sides, below the A frame (not the spring bars) that connect the spring bars to the A frame. If you do an internet search for Reese you should be able to find some photos of the system for your reference.

I still want to argue about chocolate, probably more fun than hitches and we don't have to take our selves so seriously.