Sway control bars too tight?

[Gmoore]

I have a pair of Husky Dual Brake Pad Friction Sway Control bars on my 30' International and when I turn even slightly they creek and groan! It gets everyone's attention, unfortunately!
Have I tightened them too much? If so, what is the correct way to gauge the right tension?
Please and thanks from a newbie.

[murreywalker]

Your alternative is a loose sway bar.

A loose sway bar is a recipe for eventual disaster.

My suggestion is to tighten the bar to the point of being tight and then back off a quarter turn.

I see where Husky recommends left and right for trailers over 24 ft in length; which I would think to be slight overkill, but that's just my opinion.

In any event this is a circumstance where a little creak and groan coming from the sway bar should be considered a GOOD thing.

[n2916s]

All the friction pad sway controllers "talk", it is especially noticeable at low speed. Seems REALLY loud when you are exiting the campground the long way...

Mike

[AWCHIEF]

Normal operation for that design.

[Miko38]

My Reese Weigh distribution hitch does the same thing, a little bit of grease helps a lot.

[Gnorts]

Originally Posted by Miko38

My Reese Weigh distribution hitch does the same thing, a little bit of grease helps a lot.

If your Reese setup uses the Dual-Cam sway control bars with the crooks in the ends, Reese recommends that you do not grease the contact points between the crooks and the cam surfaces. Greasing those areas will reduce the ability to control sway. If you're greasing the contact points at the hitch end of the round bars or trunnion bars, that's OK.

My Dual-Cam sway control setup emits loud pops and bangs when making sharp turns at low speed or when backing. We often stop and drop the bars before maneuvering into a tight spot, and wait to hook them up until we're out in the open before hitting the road.

[EarlM]

Maybe you would want to consider a Hensley Hitch they do not use friction for sway control.

More expensive, but considering your safety and the value of the trailer and tow vehicle I think it s money well spent

[n2916s]

The OP specified that he had dual brake pad friction sway control. Standard issue metal bar sliding fore and aft between slabs of brake pad material. The rigidity is controlled by tightening/loosening a nut/lever combination.

So, NO grease -- it would defeat the whole purpose.

The noise is only noticeable and annoying at low speed, is normal to this type of device and if you stop hearing it, something is wrong.

Mike

[drboyd]

I'll contribute to the melee here by suggesting that there are many better options than friction-type sway control bars.

I like my Reese dual cam; otheer people like the Hensley or the Equalizer brands as well. I'm sure there are other good options. 30' is a lot of weight to handle back there.

[TCwheels]

We have the same setup with two of these Husky units on my 20. They DO groan! I like the idea of installing them at the entrance and exit of campground, less embarrassing!


WBCCI #7246 Michigan Unit,Texas Hill Country Unit (associate member), AIR #91367

[m.hony]

I had a Eaz-Lift with a friction sway control bar. I would tighten as tight as I could, and then back off 1/4 turn.
They will sound like the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald or a trailer load of zombies...

[JCWDCW]

Gordon has what he has! As long as he sets up the tension sufficiently to control sway he should be OK. On my 89 -25 ft I did not hook up the anti-sway becauseI felt it was just fine. Andy Thompson told me I would never miss the anti-sway until I had an emergency and then I would be glad I had it. I always ran with it after that and found the rig was just so much more stable in the wind and passing trucks. Mine always creaked at slow speeds. We did have that 'emergency' in Texas and came out in one piece, so the friction bar does work.

JCW

[AWCHIEF]

I think any one that goes off topic by suggesting that someone buy a hensley/pp should have to write the check for at least half the price.

[m.hony]

I didn't read every post-
Was that suggested or implied?


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[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I didn't read every post-
Was that suggested or implied?


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Yes, read the thread.

[Urbanologist]

Oil/Lube your 'Friction' sway bar! That's a sure route to failure - that noise you hear is proof it's doing its job. My hitch, set-up by Andy at CanAm RV, has two sway bars and 1400# Flat bars to control the STOPPING of my Panamerica - PERIOD! When you hitch up, leave the sway bars loose. Once you straighten the train up, then tighten the sway controllers. I tighten to full, then back-off 1/4 turn. Drive for a distance to see how much control and tightness there is as I change lanes. Based on this, I then make micro adjustment to the sway controllers. BE SAFE!!

[Miko38]

I could be wronge but On The Reese dual cam system the spring pressure is what keeps the trailer aligned and Reese does recommend some lubricant at the contact points. I will have to call them to be 100% sure.
Mike

[Miko38]

I called Reese and the only thing they recommend is a thin layer of vasoline on the contact point. On a friction control system you shouldn't ever grease that. Sorry about the confusion, I have to go out and remove some grease from my cams.
Mike

[Gmoore]

Thank you everyone for your help, much appreciated.
CanAm set up my unit so I am confident that my equipment is appropriate. I just forget the instructions I was given for tightness.
I'll leave the bars loose until I leave the campground tomorrow and then tighten them up when we are straight and back off a quarter turn. No grease on the pads!
We'll let it groan on the highway and allow the other members of the Blue Ridge Caravan some peace and quiet!
Thanks again
Gordon

[m.hony]

Sounds all advice given in one post-
Good luck and have fun!


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