seeking input on anti sway system

[nevermoor]

Greetings.

I have been towing my '64 globetrotter without a weight distribution hitch nor anti-sway system for since purchasing five years ago. Something is telling me I need to, perhaps my advancing age which promotes caution or wisdom (i like that better).

My tow vehicle is a 2011 ford ecoboost, super cab, with fiberglass cap.
I travel with 5 border collies, competing at sheep dog trials, they are in crates in the back.

I sure would appreciate your help in directing me to the appropriate anti-sway or weight distribution hitch. Thank you in advance for your time and opinion.

diane

[n2916s]

I would look at the Andersen hitch. Lightweight, easy to install.

[LNBright]

I like my Blue Ox Swaypro.

One thing that might help for folks to offer more precise suggestions:

What is the weight of your Globetrotter? More specifically, do you know your tongue weight? That info would inform more on which specific bars might be needed, etc.

[nevermoor]

Thank you so much for your opinions! Below are some weights, albeit not the tongue weight.

The camper currently weighs 2940 lbs. This includes water, but not food, clothes and filling the two 30# propane tanks.

Single axle rated at 4500#
The pickup weighs 6600 lbs., minus 5 border collies and 3 dog crates.

I am not sure when I will have the time to get the tongue weight.

Hope this data enables some clarity on anti-sway hitch.
Again, thank you big time for your time and opinions, most treasured.

diane

[Peter417]

I also have a blueox and I like it. I like it better than the eazlift. That's the only 2 I have used.

[OTRA15]

FYI there is a recent "Overturned Airstream" thread, with helpful links in some of the posts IMO.

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f29...ay-222415.html

[click on the orange arrow in the quote to go directly to the following post]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Glad the 6 of you are all fine, and sorry for the scary incident.

You might want to check in the Hitches etc. sub-forums for threads about sway control :

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f238/
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f464/

Also these search results should reveal helpful posts/threads:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sway...=airforums.com

Finally, these "Out of Control Sway" and "Rollover in Quebec" threads are good reading IMO:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f23...ay-152451.html
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f48...ec-153984.html


. . .

Happy trails,

[CBWELL]

Look at the Husky Centreline TS. It has weight distribution as well as sway control. I used a Centreline for several years before having the Hensley given to me. I was very happy with the performance of the Husky hitch.

[LNBright]

Originally Posted by nevermoor

The camper currently weighs 2940 lbs. This includes water, but not food, clothes and filling the two 30# propane tanks.

Single axle rated at 4500#
The pickup weighs 6600 lbs., minus 5 border collies and 3 dog crates.

Yours isn’t far off from mine, my single axle gross weight is 5000lbs.

At a 4500lb max, 10% tongue weight would be 450lbs, but more than 12% is recommended, up to 15%: that would be up to 675lbs. But you’re running light at ~3000lbs, which at 15% is down to 450lbs…

My Blue Ox Swaypro uses 750lb bars, I think that could work for you if you ever would ‘really’ load it up… but if you usually are running at those lower weights, you could try 500lb bars… I think they’d probably a pretty good sweet spot.

[LNBright]

If you do go with a Blue Ox Swaypro, here’s a video of someone hooking up with it, to show you how it would be used.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ukyHLJOLQ

[jcanavera]

Unfortunately you are going to find many different recommendations. All decent hitch's and sway equipment. I've used a Reese Dual-Cam system with my Safari and then changed out to an Equal-i-zer brand hitch with my Classic. It all depends on how deep your pockets are. Maybe the question to ask is what are the negative sides of each of the hitches. Learn what those are and then make your decision based on if those shortcomings are going to bother you. None are perfect. Maybe you can do some research pick some candidates, and then ask folks who have these hitches what they like and dislike about them.

Jack

[AnnaBelle33]

I have a ‘21 Classic 33 FB. Due to the tongue weight being over 1200# - I went with the Equalizer 1400#. I noticed I have a small quarter sized dimple at the bottom of my storage door on the left side - assuming it is from the stiff WD bars. (Guess I should have just done the 1200#).

I called Jackson and two different guys told me I should live with it. Ripping everything apart and fixing it would probably cause more issues than what I have. Both said just wait since there is a three year warranty and see if it gets worse.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by AnnaBelle33

I have a ‘21 Classic 33 FB. Due to the tongue weight being over 1200# - I went with the Equalizer 1400#. I noticed I have a small quarter sized dimple at the bottom of my storage door on the left side - assuming it is from the stiff WD bars. (Guess I should have just done the 1200#).

I called Jackson and two different guys told me I should live with it. Ripping everything apart and fixing it would probably cause more issues than what I have. Both said just wait since there is a three year warranty and see if it gets worse.

Find that hard to believe. I’m using 1400# Equal-i-zer hitch and bars on my 31’ Classic Slide out. My hitch weight based on factory specs is 1175+#. I’ve had this trailer since new and see no structural issues from this hitch size. Could that dimple been caused by road debris?

Jack

[AnnaBelle33]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Find that hard to believe. I’m using 1400# Equal-i-zer hitch and bars on my 31’ Classic Slide out. My hitch weight based on factory specs is 1175+#. I’ve had this trailer since new and see no structural issues from this hitch size. Could that dimple been caused by road debris?

Jack

Anything is possible. Both guys at Jackson told me the 33 FBQ has support lacking in the front due to the bed & storage compartment being right there in the front. They said to take a picture of it and after each trip, see if it’s getting bigger.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by AnnaBelle33

Anything is possible. Both guys at Jackson told me the 33 FBQ has support lacking in the front due to the bed & storage compartment being right there in the front. They said to take a picture of it and after each trip, see if it’s getting bigger.

I’ve got a rear queen with its storage compartment in the rear. In the front I have two compartment doors for the batteries. The fact you have front storage probably means you have additional hitch weight beyond Airstream’s quoted hitch weight. Not a bad thing if you have sized your hitch and weight distribution bars accordingly. It’s not unusual to find hitch weight heavier than what the specs quote. A heavy dip or pothole in the road can cause a downward motion on the front end of a trailer causing a momentary extra load to be placed on a bar. Bars have snapped or cracked if they are exposed to loads that are greater than their rated strengthed. I assume your dealer recommended and installed this hitch?

Jack

[AnnaBelle33]

AS of Tampa installed it but recommended 1000# at time of sale. I saw tongue weight on brochure so I called Equalizer and Jackson - both recommended going to 1400#. AS of Tampa, at my request did the 1400# on delivery.

[jcanavera]

Going to the 1,400# was not bad advice. Obviously even JC originally told you that too. The only time I have seen folks go to lower weight bars was when the tow vehicle's towing capacity was such that the heavier bars were not providing any lift, thus rendering them useless. Some hitching systems use those bars for sway control and the bars need some load on them to provide the proper sway control.

I know on my 3/4 ton van my 1,400 lb bars are providing lift because it's very obvious the rear end of the van sags when those bars aren't connected. A misadjusted installation of the Equal-i-zer hitch can be applying too much lift. Have you been able to pull your trailer to a flat lot and measure the distance from the bottom of the front and rear trailer frame to the ground? A properly adjusted hitch will allow that distance to be very similar.

Jack

[AnnaBelle33]

Yes. I’m good. Did a 3” lift with @GMFL and we re-adjusted the set up. Jackson told me the front of the AS needs better support for the stiff bars. Maybe 2022s will be different.

[jcanavera]

Maybe then they will stiffen up the support at no charge to you because they recommended the 1,400 # bars when you orignally contacted them asking them for advice in your choice of bars!

Obviously I say this in jest because unless you recorded the conversation they will take no responsibility and blame your use of the 1,400# bars for causing the problem. Let's hope that that dimple doesn't grow and maybe you can them assume it was a debris hitting the trailer. My front bears its battle scars (even with it's shorter rock guards), from 17 years of towing.

Don't forget that the hitch weight does not include your spare tire, wheel and assembly that holds it. It also doesn't include what you have in that front storage area and other items in the trailer. Your weight is very likely to be closer to 1,400 lbs than you think.

Jack

[SeeMore]

The tongue weight measurement and calculation outlined in the video below won't meet the rigid standards used by your State's weight and measurement division but it will be informative enough for your purposes.

Determining tongue weight using a bathroom scale -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5kEr0_daYY