Anti Sway Hardware

[StreamGlider]

We've had our 25' International out on 4 trips now, 2 were short hauls and 2 were longer (200+ miles). Used the anti sway bars that came with our rig on the long trips only.

Today I was prepping for our upcoming weekend getaway and noticed the swaybar hardware on the A frame wasn't very tight. The 3/4" nuts all were not snug and one was finger loose. Both clamps had play in them.

My question- how tight should that hardware be? Should there be a little "give" to accommodate turns etc?

I tightened everything up snug- and our trip this weekend is only 50 miles- I'm not planning to use the anti sway. But I want to have it right for when I do use it next.

Thanks in advance.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Welcome Aboard...

That portion of the hitch is normally fastened with 'self tapping' hardware.
I snug them on a regular basis, you will get a feeling for it after awhile.

I think it's better to check them often rather than strip them once.
Blue LocTite helps.

BTW....why only on longer trips?

SC is best used on ALL trips


Bob

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Welcome Aboard...

That portion of the hitch is normally fastened with 'self tapping' hardware.
I snug them on a regular basis, you will get a feeling for it after awhile.

I think it's better to check them often rather than strip them once.
Blue LocTite helps.

BTW....why only on longer trips?

SC is best used on ALL trips


Bob

X2! My brother in law thought he'd skip the wd from his storage lot to the dealer. After all, it was only a few miles...right? Wrong! Got a wild sway going with his 30 classic. Saved it, barely by applying manual trailer braking and accelerating. He says never again will he roll without hitching up completely.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by StreamGlider

We've had our 25' International out on 4 trips now, 2 were short hauls and 2 were longer (200+ miles). Used the anti sway bars that came with our rig on the long trips only.

Today I was prepping for our upcoming weekend getaway and noticed the swaybar hardware on the A frame wasn't very tight. The 3/4" nuts all were not snug and one was finger loose. Both clamps had play in them.

My question- how tight should that hardware be? Should there be a little "give" to accommodate turns etc?

I tightened everything up snug- and our trip this weekend is only 50 miles- I'm not planning to use the anti sway. But I want to have it right for when I do use it next.

Thanks in advance.

Not sure what was meant by "self-tapping hardware". 3/4" hardware wouldn't seem to be self tapping. Maybe he meant locknuts.

Best recommendation is to use the process described in the manual for your hitch. If you don't have one, Google is your friend. One caution: if you have an Equalizer brand hitch, there have been problems with their brackets bending and slipping even when tightened to specifications. One member suggested, and I tried, cutting pieces of copper tubing to slip over the bolts. They must be cut a few thousandths less that the width of the frame rail. If the backing plate is bent, reverse it. I had problems with my sway arm brackets working loose until I did this and used locknuts. The brackets have been solid now for a couple thousand miles.

And I wouldn't personally tow more than a few miles, or at speeds more than about 35 mph, without my sway bars installed.

Al

[StreamGlider]

I haven't used the sway bars on shorter trips mainly because the previous owner suggested that we didn't really need to. He based that on our tow vehicle, a 7.3 F-250 and his experience towing the trailer with his Tundra.

On our 2 shorter trips to the same Texas state park about 27 miles from home, we didn't use them and had zero issues at 50 to 65 mph in the hill country. Winding roads and plenty of hills. Most of the time we didn't know the trailer was back there until I'd look in the rear view. I certainly didn't feel and sway or waggle.

Of the 2 longer trips, one was over 400 one way on I-10 in the 80 MPH range most of the way. Had the sway bars on and again, didn't have any issues.

To be honest, I couldn't tell any difference having them on or not.

So the answer to my question seems to be, the brackets on the A frame need to be "snug"? Is that a fair assessment?

[Andrew T]

Where you will notice the difference is when something unexpected happens, someone pulls out in front of you and you have to go around them, some changes lanes into you, a sudden wind sheer etc. In these events having the correct weight distribution makes a huge difference. This can happen any distance from home.

Also make sure your weight distribution is actually doing what it is supposed to be. On the F250 your front bumper should be no higher with the trailer attached than it is without the trailer.

I have seen more trailers rolled on 3/4 an 1 tons than other vehicles. I think one reason for that is that the stiff suspension hides a poor hitch set up.

Andrew T

[xrvr]

Is the op talking about sc as part of WD or the friction sc bars attached separable.?

[dznf0g]

Either one, I suppose. My story was about an EQ setup, so one and the same.

[StreamGlider]

Okay y'all I'm going to ask one more time. How tight should the brackets on the A Frame be? Snug? A little wiggle? Tight as possible?

Please.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by StreamGlider

Okay y'all I'm going to ask one more time. How tight should the brackets on the A Frame be? Snug? A little wiggle? Tight as possible?

Please.

What type and brand of hitch and/or sway bar is yours?

On another topic, based on one of your posts in the thread: If you're going to be running 80 mph on Texas interstates in the summertime, upgrade from ST to truck tires. The STs are rated for 65 mph, and the place where that makes a difference is the amount of heat they build up. Running fast in Texas heat is not good for STs especially if you're using a good portion of their load-carrying capacity.

[andreasduess]

Not using a proper hitch setup for a short trips is like not buckling up for a short trip - trip length will make zero difference if somebody unexpectedly pulls out in front of you.

Also, just because you don't feel the trailer behind the truck doesn't mean that the setup is safe and correct. In fact, with a bigger truck you have to be extra vigilant exactly because it's difficult to feel if something is wrong.

The "I've got a big truck so it's got to be safe" school of thinking is really dangerous, not just for the driver of the rig, but for everybody on the road.

[StreamGlider]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

What type and brand of hitch and/or sway bar is yours?

Hitch is Equal-I-Zer and the sway bars are also- 4 point sway control.

Geez I got an earful of info about things I was NOT asking about. The prior owner made the suggestions about not using the sway controller on short trips- maybe because he didn't like the difficulty backing up or the hassle of hooking them up. They ARE a pain in the butt.

Gotta love these forums for helpful insight, though. I appreciate the perspectives.

By the way, and kind of off topic- the missus got me an airbag setup for Christmas, rear only- to make hauling a 950 pound Harley Road Glide Ultra in the bed safer. Don't think that will affect the sway or weight distribution too much, or will it?

[DKB_SATX]

In the case of the Equal-I-Zer your weight distribution and sway control are inseparable, if you're not hooking up the bars you're taking some weight off the steer axle while adding weight to the rear axle... how much depends on a number of factors, but it's easy to find out at a CAT scale.

The airbags will affect how much sag you see with weight in the box and/or on the hitch, but won't affect the distribution much, nor does it increase actual capacity.

[A W Warn]

Tighten the brackets tight enough that they will not move on the frame.