Towing Sway Bars - necessary or overkill

[crispyboy]

With the picture you provided I am only seeing a weight distribution hitch. No sway control in this hitch.
I suggest you start from scratch with a decent hitch that has both weight distribution, sway control and some Cat scale numbers to adjust it accordingly.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by waninae39

yes

wd and sway bars are a must

i would not tow my as without both

they are both for your safety

+1

[Shermy1987]

I may as well play devils advocate. I have towed thousands of miles without sway bars. I tow with a van which helps. I never have had any issues and I'm not likely to either. I origionally didn't install them on my AS because we travel through a lot of desert washes and the like and I don't like adding extra stress etc to the camper. I've done so many miles now through so many different roads, driven in hurricane force winds across the pan handle etc etc. So. If it tows excellent without stabilization accessories, then why fit them?

[Fred L]

Originally Posted by Shermy1987

I have towed thousands of miles without sway bars. I tow with a van which helps. I never have had any issues and I'm not likely to either.

As noted earlier by another poster, I have also gone many miles without seat belts and dont need them either. I only say that because playing "devils advocate" relative to safety issues, isnt cool. It can provide others with a false sense of security.
Fine if its about how to play a hand of poker, but not when the lives of others are at stake.

Have you tried driving with a sway bar/s before to know the difference?
My experience is limited, but have taken off on the highway forgetting to engage the sway bar and knew it immediately. Felt a significant difference just passing trucks. That was with the Land Cruiser. Perhaps as you note, the van does make the difference ? It is somewhat of a unique tow vehicle (perhaps an E350 or similar?).

[Shermy1987]

Originally Posted by Fred L

As noted earlier by another poster, I have also gone many miles without seat belts and dont need them either. I only say that because playing "devils advocate" relative to safety issues, isnt cool. It can provide others with a false sense of security.
Fine if its about how to play a hand of poker, but not when the lives of others are at stake.

Have you tried driving with a sway bar/s before to know the difference?
My experience is limited, but havwe taken off on the highway forgetting to engage the sway bar and knew it immediately. Felt a significant difference just passing trucks. That was with the Land Cruiser. Perhaps as you note, the van does make the difference ? It is somewhat of a unique tow vehicle (perhaps an E350 or similar?).

An E350. Obviously stabilizing hitches do a great job. However my post and other peoples safety are two unrelated subjects. As I don't need to explain, stability is related to speed. There is a speed limit to safely towing a trailer. Adding a stabilizer system allows this safe limit to be raised if the weight bias/ratio is too much for the tow vehicle. Fact is slowing down 20 MPH does the same thing.

[Cyclist]

Originally Posted by Fred L

Nodding my head as I read through this, some good advice here.
Interesting to see Andys name pop up as he was kind enough to assist me early on with working out a hitch for my the 2006 Land Cruiser and 23ft. He suggested the EAZ Lift and 2 anti sway bars. I oddly felt like I had to spend more money (for more safety...) but took Andys advice and glad I did. The one I bought only had one sway bar and I planned to add another, but ran out of time before my first trip. It has done a great job and yes on the Land Cruiser, did much better with the sway bar and probably would have been perfect with 2. As someone here said, you really dont need them... until you need them. I hit some high winds in October on that first trip and wished I had the second one. Since then I added a 2017 Tundra, and was much easier towing than the LC. Originally had p metrics tires and I could feel the sway when a truck passed or I passed one. Upgraded this past spring to Nokian Rokiva AT plus tires that are E rated with 10 ply. As noted by another member here, that was a big improvement in stability and little to no extra rough ride. I doubt I need the second sway bar now, but always connect the one.

Can-Am also recommended EAZ lift with 2 friction anti-sway bars. It's worked very well for over 70,000 km. There were more expensive solutions they said, but in most cases this set-up works and it did for us.

BTW - my original post should read "I read a posting on Airforums several years ago by Andy Thomson of Can-Am RV that anti-sway bars were not necessary - until they were necessary."

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by svworthy

[ATTACH]352507 Thank you for the reply and for the questions. I'm really a novice at all this. Attached is a photo of what I have, which I believe is a dual cam hitch with 12000 # WD bars. But, it seems that the consensus is that I need sway control to tow my AS.

Yes, you need an anti-sway device.
The photo you attached shows a Reese Round Bar WD Hitch (not a dual cam). With this hitch you must use an additional sway control device, usually a friction bar.

[batman]

Originally Posted by Shermy1987

An E350. Obviously stabilizing hitches do a great job. However my post and other peoples safety are two unrelated subjects. As I don't need to explain, stability is related to speed. There is a speed limit to safely towing a trailer. Adding a stabilizer system allows this safe limit to be raised if the weight bias/ratio is too much for the tow vehicle. Fact is slowing down 20 MPH does the same thing.

I am going to have to agree with Shermy1987. You do not have to have WD or sway control bars to tow safely.
Having a class A license and towing for a living back in the day I have towed many trailers without WD or sway control. With zero issues.
I do not recall any trailer (10,500 # car transport, Heavy constriction eq., Large boats, etc.) ever having WD or sway control, other than "travel trailers".
Why is that?
In MHO, WD was developed to compensate for a TV that was under rated to tow the trailer that was too heavy and similarly the anti sway bars. You can sell more trailers to inexperienced buyers/towers.

Talk about a "false sense of security".

Saying that towing without WD or sway control is putting other peoples lives in danger is just ludicrous. You are entitled to your opinion but that is just your opinion.

As this is just mine. With some actual facts and experience to back it up.

That being said I have both WD and anti-sway bar on my hitch setup. It came with my trailer, so yes I use it. Do I need it? No! Slow down...

-Dennis

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by batman

I am going to have to agree with Shermy1987. You do not have to have WD or sway control bars to tow safely.
Having a class A license and towing for a living back in the day I have towed many trailers without WD or sway control. With zero issues.
I do not recall any trailer (10,500 # car transport, Heavy constriction eq., Large boats, etc.) ever having WD or sway control, other than "travel trailers".
Why is that? <<snip>>
Dennis

I've towed some of the same equipment you mentioned.

I remember the trailers were most of the time designed differently from a travel trailer. The axles were further back on the equipment hauling and/or boat hauling trailers, in most cases. This axle positioning, so that there is less load behind the axel, reduces a trailer's tendency to sway.

I remember one tilt bed trailer where the axels were forward more. That trailer was unstable above 45 mph, even if loaded with a Cat dozer loaded forward of the axels.

[Josh]

60 or less, probably no. Faster? Then yes.

[batman]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

I've towed some of the same equipment you mentioned.

I remember the trailers were most of the time designed differently from a travel trailer. The axles were further back on the equipment hauling and/or boat hauling trailers, in most cases. This axle positioning, so that there is less load behind the axel, reduces a trailer's tendency to sway.

I remember one tilt bed trailer where the axels were forward more. That trailer was unstable above 45 mph, even if loaded with a Cat dozer loaded forward of the axels.

Very true.
It always helps to have a long wheel base on the TV and the right amount of weight on the tongue.

-Dennis

[Fred L]

The original poster specifically said his TV was a Lincoln Navigator, not a Kenworth... apples and oranges, or perhaps apples and hot dogs.

And would also agree that an E350 with 10ply tires shouldnt "need" sway control.

But I will guarantee you that a whole lot more of the AS and SOB trailers are pulled by something less suited for towing than a 1 ton vehicle.

Originally Posted by batman

I am going to have to agree with Shermy1987. You do not have to have WD or sway control bars to tow safely.
Having a class A license and towing for a living back in the day I have towed many trailers without WD or sway control. With zero issues.
I do not recall any trailer (10,500 # car transport, Heavy constriction eq., Large boats, etc.) ever having WD or sway control, other than "travel trailers".
Why is that?
In MHO, WD was developed to compensate for a TV that was under rated to tow the trailer that was too heavy and similarly the anti sway bars. You can sell more trailers to inexperienced buyers/towers.

Talk about a "false sense of security".

Saying that towing without WD or sway control is putting other peoples lives in danger is just ludicrous. You are entitled to your opinion but that is just your opinion.

As this is just mine. With some actual facts and experience to back it up.

That being said I have both WD and anti-sway bar on my hitch setup. It came with my trailer, so yes I use it. Do I need it? No! Slow down...

-Dennis

[smithcreek]

Originally Posted by Fred L

The original poster specifically said his TV was a Lincoln Navigator, not a Kenworth... apples and oranges, or perhaps apples and hot dogs.

And would also agree that an E350 with 10ply tires shouldnt "need" sway control.

But I will guarantee you that a whole lot more of the AS and SOB trailers are pulled by something less suited for towing than a 1 ton vehicle.

Are you saying people should actually address the specific question asked by the OP? That's crazy talk!

Looking at Ford's towing literature, actual specs for the Lincoln Navigator L, are:
Without a WD hitch, Max Trailerweight 6,600 and Max Tongue Weight 660
With WD hitch, Max Trailer Weight 8,400 and Max Tongue Weight 840

So, does the Tongue Weight on a FC27 come in at or under 660? Magic eight-ball says, "Not Likely". Which gets back to an earlier post I made, without WD the OP may be over the Navigator's rear GAWR, and that's not good.

[Halford1]

Originally Posted by smithcreek

Are you saying people should actually address the specific question asked by the OP? That's crazy talk!

Looking at Ford's towing literature, actual specs for the Lincoln Navigator L, are:
Without a WD hitch, Max Trailerweight 6,600 and Max Tongue Weight 660
With WD hitch, Max Trailer Weight 8,400 and Max Tongue Weight 840

So, does the Tongue Weight on a FC27 come in at or under 660? Magic eight-ball says, "Not Likely". Which gets back to an earlier post I made, without WD the OP may be over the Navigator's rear GAWR, and that's not good.

I agree... hope others listen to the valuable information concerning TONGUE WEIGHT.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by svworthy

When I bought a 2015 27FB Flying Cloud, the dealer sold me on a rather dramatic sway bar set up (1200 lb. weight diet w/ Dual Arm Sway $800). A few years later, after the bolts holding the bar to the A frame broke off, I stopped using the sway bars altogether. Today my Tow Vehicle is a 2018 Lincoln Navigator XL 4WD w/ Heavy Duty Trailer Tow Package listing 8,100 Max Towing capacity. The question is, under normal conditions, are anti-sway bars necessary or overkill.

IMHO,
Considering that you are at the upper limit of your tow capacity and payload the Weight Distribution is a must. That is also instrumental in sway prevention.

[Wrjch]

I also have towed airstream & SOBs since the 70s for thousands of miles.
Point 1. No hitch makes up for an insufficient tv. Weather insufficiency is weight issues or wheelbase.
Point 2. The closer the hitch head is to the bumper (much less leverage on the tires and suspension to cause sway and maintain proper movement of trailer and tv in both directions) makes much more difference than almost all sway control systems.
For example Shocker Hitch Is a great example of a safe, smooth, easy hitch I use even through countless thunderstorms and high winds with no problems.

[SnowWanderer]

Under 'normal' conditions? What happens when abnormal conditions suddenly arise?

[LiamG]

I wouldn't tow without sway bars. I've set out without fully tightening them a few times but when you get up over 60mph and the trailer starts to sway, I always pull over to tighten them down for a much pleasanter and safer drive.

We have a 34' Classic so your trailer may not cause as much sway but I wouldn't tow an airstream without sway bars if I had the choice.

[strangepod]

I just picked up a set of equalizer 4 point set-up (10k) and have been told that they are a very good way to go( there is also a E2 made by someone else that is supposed to be pretty good). I personally have not had a chance to try them out but the allure of having both sway control and EQ in one package is appealing.

[Photo Dog]

i have a slightly different viewpoint. I think the need for sway bars and/or a WD hitch should be based on the TV and TT configuration you have and personal preference. We have a 99 Safari 25ft that has a short A frame and our TV is a Ram Rebel 1500 with air suspension. When connected, our Safari sits close to the rear of the pickup. After completing the remodel of our Airstream, I did try to install a WD and sway bars based on all the comments I read in this forum. However, I could not find one that would fit.

So I pulled our Airstream to the local AS dealership and the service manager inspected my setup and recommended using it as is. We then traveled out to the Airstream Rally in Oregon and made several other trips with it. Our Safari rides right behind the truck beautifully without a WD hitch or sway bars. We have been through windstorms, passed by 18 wheelers and through winding roads and at no time did I feel concerned.



Again, this is my experience based on the setup we have. I would not pull a trailer longer then ours with my truck, I probably would go up to a 2500. Also, I do not travel at a high rate of speed - I tend to keep the speed at 65 or less.