Sway Control or Coil Sumo Springs?

[crabbey1]

Thanks for the detail. That helps tremendously. I will definitely do this.

[Airstreamer67]

I have been using the friction sway devices for some 30 years now, and they are not outdated. They are the classic way to stop trailer sway and have been on the market for many decades for a very good reason: They do stop the trailer from swaying. I would recommend them.

Relative to the question of quality, I use the ones that cost about $50. They get the job done and seem to last forever. But you do need to buy the related stuff as well, ie the little balls it fits on and the mounting clips.

[Ron Gratz]

Originally Posted by crabbey1

I read somewhere that the Sway Control Bar doesn't stop sway but it lessens the effects of the sway once it happens. Is there a product that actually can prevent sway?

The Sway Control Bar works by trying to prevent the TT from swinging relative to the TV. It does this by using the friction force generated by the bar multiplied by the offset distance between the big ball and the little ball to produce a yaw-axis torque between TV and TT.

The magnitude of available swing-preventing torque is limited by the magnitude of friction force which can be generated by the sway control bar. If the lateral forces on the TT generate a torque which exceeds the available sway control torque, the TT will swing relative to the TV. But, the sway control still is producing its swing-resisting torque which will cause the amplitude of the sway oscillations to be reduced.

So, in short, a sway control bar prevents "sway" -- up to a point. Beyond that point, the bar works to reduce the amplitude of the "sway".

Ron
P.S. I loved "mstephens" s s s s depiction of increasing amplitude of sway oscillation.
In the UK, "sway" is referred to as "snaking".

[A W Warn]

Crabbey1,
Another thing no one has mentioned here; if you do add the friction bar sway control, you should release the tension on it if you encounter ice or snow while towing. The sway bar's friction can overcome the tire's traction in these conditions causing loss of control.

[crabbey1]

Well dang. That is a lot of great info. Thanks guys.

[genearnold]

Those who've never experienced the thrill of oscillation aka, fishtailing don't ever want to have this delightful moment in time! It only happened to me once. It was my maiden cruise with my '92 Limited triple axle, and largely caused because I didn't have my tensioner bars correctly set on my new (to me) TV. Also related – I had failed to insert the keeper keys that secured my friction sway control and it had dropped off on the first turn out of my block After 250 miles of unpleasantness we arrived at our destination.
Before starting back home I took time to read some hitch set-up instructions and performed the suggested ritual. Trip home was pretty different even without the sway control. (Aside – upon returning to our block four days later my wife strolled down to the corner and found the sway control so I didn't have to buy a new one).
I used my sway control religiously. However, with or without a sway control, the most important advice I can give is, keep a continuous lookout for what's overtaking you from behind. My thrill happened when I was driving in the center lane and was overtaken by semis on either side of my rig. It set up the event that I never ever wanted to repeat. When you are aware of what is overtaking you can compensate quite easily. Meeting a truck was never a problem, it was always the overtaking of one that was tricky.