WD/Anti Sway hitches: Who needs 'em?

[jcl]

Originally Posted by WhereItsAt

The BMW sway control engages the trailers brakes, not the TV's. I'm sure other brands are the same.

Could you clarify which model and year of BMW you are referring to? None of my BMWs equipped with trailer stability control (TSC) engaged the trailer brakes, just the tow vehicle brakes, on specific wheels. They also didn’t have built in electric trailer brake controllers, without which there would be no way for the vehicle to talk to the trailer brakes

[WhereItsAt]

We have a 2020 X5 (G05) with the factory tow package (7,200 trailer) and front/rear air suspension (1,800 payload) . The sway control works with the trailer brake controller that is installed post factory. The wiring and trailer control module is all there with the tow option.

Originally Posted by jcl

Could you clarify which model and year of BMW you are referring to? None of my BMWs equipped with trailer stability control (TSC) engaged the trailer brakes, just the tow vehicle brakes, on specific wheels. They also didn’t have built in electric trailer brake controllers, without which there would be no way for the vehicle to talk to the trailer brakes

[Dennis C]

Originally Posted by DebTaylor

We had a 22' Sport Bambi that we towed with a Mercedes
ML350. The Mercedes was at least 2000 lbs more towing capacity than we needed for the Sport Bambi. However, this past spring we ended up in a 30 MPH gust along with getting caught in the draft of a semi-tractor trailer truck. Needless to say, the trailer started to sway and we ended up in the median off HWY 15 outside of Vegas. The trailer sway took control of our tow vehicle and the trailer and the tow vehicle flipped over in the median!!! Fortunately, we walked away unhurt but the trailer and the Mercedes were totaled. We heavily advise you to use a reliable sway control and WD hitch for your personal safety. We use the Hensley Arrow bssed on multiple recos on this blog. Good luck!

That’s really scary. Glad to hear you’re okay. Were you using the Hensley Arrow when this event took place?

[Mattedfred]

Originally Posted by DebTaylor

We had a 22' Sport Bambi that we towed with a Mercedes
ML350. The Mercedes was at least 2000 lbs more towing capacity than we needed for the Sport Bambi. However, this past spring we ended up in a 30 MPH gust along with getting caught in the draft of a semi-tractor trailer truck. Needless to say, the trailer started to sway and we ended up in the median off HWY 15 outside of Vegas. The trailer sway took control of our tow vehicle and the trailer and the tow vehicle flipped over in the median!!! Fortunately, we walked away unhurt but the trailer and the Mercedes were totaled. We heavily advise you to use a reliable sway control and WD hitch for your personal safety. We use the Hensley Arrow bssed on multiple recos on this blog. Good luck!

Very relieved that you weren't hurt! And, thanks for sharing your experience. I too would like to know more about your setup prior to the accident. Feel free to PM me if you prefer. Thanks!

[propchef]

Originally Posted by WhereItsAt

We have a 2020 X5 (G05) with the factory tow package (7,200 trailer) and front/rear air suspension (1,800 payload) . The sway control works with the trailer brake controller that is installed post factory. The wiring and trailer control module is all there with the tow option.

Where did you find the controller? Does it plug directly into the existing harness? I've not found one that is plug and play, they all need some sort of modification or rewiring in order to be used with the factory harness.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by WhereItsAt

We have a 2020 X5 (G05) with the factory tow package (7,200 trailer) and front/rear air suspension (1,800 payload) . The sway control works with the trailer brake controller that is installed post factory. The wiring and trailer control module is all there with the tow option.

Which brake controller did you install? And does BMW say that the TSC talks to any aftermarket trailer brake controller?

I am wondering if BMW gave you any documentation on the TSC activating the trailer brakes, perhaps a supplemental manual. The BMW Owner's manual says that TSC activates vehicle brakes, not trailer brakes. It also says that a trailer brake controller is optional, and can be installed by a dealer or other. I am trying to figure out how a non BMW technician installs a non BMW trailer brake controller and tests it with TSC.

[DebTaylor]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

That’s really scary. Glad to hear you’re okay. Were you using the Hensley Arrow when this event took place?

Thank you! We were NOT using the Hensley Arrow when we rolled over. We bought the Hensley Arrow so we would never roll over again!

[DebTaylor]

Thank you! Our set up was a 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 tow vehicle that had a towing capacity of 7200 pounds. Our 22 foot sport Bambi fully loaded was less than 5000 pounds. We had sway bars. We had a Bluetooth trailer brake kit. The 30 mile an hour wind gusts, the draft from the semi tractor trailer truck and the beginning of a downhill descent was the perfect storm. We did not realize that we could’ve tried to apply the brakes to the trailer without applying brakes to the tow vehicle. It was an expensive learning curve! But happily we were all OK. Four adults and two dogs!

[Mattedfred]

Originally Posted by DebTaylor

Thank you! Our set up was a 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 tow vehicle that had a towing capacity of 7200 pounds. Our 22 foot sport Bambi fully loaded was less than 5000 pounds. We had sway bars. We had a Bluetooth trailer brake kit. The 30 mile an hour wind gusts, the draft from the semi tractor trailer truck and the beginning of a downhill descent was the perfect storm. We did not realize that we could’ve tried to apply the brakes to the trailer without applying brakes to the tow vehicle. It was an expensive learning curve! But happily we were all OK. Four adults and two dogs!

Thanks again for sharing. Feel free to PM me to discuss this further if you'd prefer. It would be very helpful for me to know if there were any other contributing factors in addition to the ones you mention. So, I have a few more questions, if you don't mind.

You were using sway bars without a WDH?
Were you over either; GCVWR, GVWR, either axle rating or payload at the time of the accident?
Did the authorities or insurer bring up any of these weights after the accident?
Was the driver charged or ticketed for any offense?

Respectfully,
Ted

[Bob May]

We purchased our airstream last January. We live in Michigan and purchased it in Georgia. We had no weight distribution or anti sway device - just Reese hitch on a 2019 GMC 2500HD duramax. The trip home from Georgia was very scary. I have pulled various bumper pull campers with nothing but a Reese hitch for years. But pulling this airstream was different. It swayed and felt very loose. It was not a comfortable drive home as I was constantly monitoring and adjusting. When I got home we went to the Grand Rapids Michigan airstream dealer to buy some goodies for our trailer. We asked the salesman about an anti sway hitch. He showed us some he had on display. He also said I have a used Hensley we just took off a trailer we took in on trade. He stated he was not a Hensley dealer and did not want to include it on the lot. He offered me the whole hitch for $250.
I looked at it and thought it l looked very big and bulky as I had never seen or heard of one before. I told him I was not interested. That night I did some google searches and realized the mistake I had made. I called the next day and told him we wanted it. I got it home and installed it in the trailer. We did several trips in 2021 - Florida in March, Rocky Mountain NP in June, Michigan Upper Peninsula in August and Hocking hills Ohio in early October. The results of the hitch - 100% elimination of sway. It’s a dream to pull I will not be without it.

[WhereItsAt]

Redarc. I made a pigtail after purchasing the plug drom ECS Tuning . Super easy.

Originally Posted by propchef

Where did you find the controller? Does it plug directly into the existing harness? I've not found one that is plug and play, they all need some sort of modification or rewiring in order to be used with the factory harness.

[WhereItsAt]

Voodoo to me. I use a Redarc. It works though. The BMW supplied controller for older models was a Prodigy

Originally Posted by jcl

Which brake controller did you install? And does BMW say that the TSC talks to any aftermarket trailer brake controller?

I am wondering if BMW gave you any documentation on the TSC activating the trailer brakes, perhaps a supplemental manual. The BMW Owner's manual says that TSC activates vehicle brakes, not trailer brakes. It also says that a trailer brake controller is optional, and can be installed by a dealer or other. I am trying to figure out how a non BMW technician installs a non BMW trailer brake controller and tests it with TSC.

[jondrew55]

That’s a great deal you got. Glad you like it

Originally Posted by Bob May

We purchased our airstream last January. We live in Michigan and purchased it in Georgia. We had no weight distribution or anti sway device - just Reese hitch on a 2019 GMC 2500HD duramax. The trip home from Georgia was very scary. I have pulled various bumper pull campers with nothing but a Reese hitch for years. But pulling this airstream was different. It swayed and felt very loose. It was not a comfortable drive home as I was constantly monitoring and adjusting. When I got home we went to the Grand Rapids Michigan airstream dealer to buy some goodies for our trailer. We asked the salesman about an anti sway hitch. He showed us some he had on display. He also said I have a used Hensley we just took off a trailer we took in on trade. He stated he was not a Hensley dealer and did not want to include it on the lot. He offered me the whole hitch for $250.
I looked at it and thought it l looked very big and bulky as I had never seen or heard of one before. I told him I was not interested. That night I did some google searches and realized the mistake I had made. I called the next day and told him we wanted it. I got it home and installed it in the trailer. We did several trips in 2021 - Florida in March, Rocky Mountain NP in June, Michigan Upper Peninsula in August and Hocking hills Ohio in early October. The results of the hitch - 100% elimination of sway. It’s a dream to pull I will not be without it.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by DebTaylor

Thank you! Our set up was a 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 tow vehicle that had a towing capacity of 7200 pounds. Our 22 foot sport Bambi fully loaded was less than 5000 pounds. We had sway bars. We had a Bluetooth trailer brake kit. The 30 mile an hour wind gusts, the draft from the semi tractor trailer truck and the beginning of a downhill descent was the perfect storm. We did not realize that we could’ve tried to apply the brakes to the trailer without applying brakes to the tow vehicle. It was an expensive learning curve! But happily we were all OK. Four adults and two dogs!

Glad your safe! When our 25' AS "whipped" us into the center divide dirt during an emergency maneuver to avoid a collision, our Blue Ox with Sway Control straightened us back out with one whip...was amazing and hair raising for sure, but we had an F150! I do believe from my research the longer wheelbase in a TV can help control a TT better; youtubes on this topicl; but your AS was not over matched for your ML350, IMHO. I remember our ML350 was a tank! My GLE350 seems much lighter, though my son was towing his Basecamp20X with no problems.

My neighbor just had an accident with his ML350 on I-10 at the LA/TX border, and they were totaled. Semi nudged them in the rear at 70mph, they slammed into another semi next to them and sandwiched against the cement guard rails, while slamming into the car in front. Totaled...said there was a 4 month wait to order new GLE350 so they went a new X7 BMW...said so far, he really loves the X7 vs his older ML350.

Hope you come out of this without any insurance or medical issues.

[PB_NB]

I was reading my owners manual for my TV and there were a few points noted:

*******

“Weight Distribution Hitches:
Your vehicle is designed to tow without the need for a load distributing hitch. If you wish to use one, please consult your trailer maker for proper installation and set-up.
Improper set-up could degrade the handling, stability, and braking performance of
our vehicle.

Driving Safely with a Trailer:
- Operating speed when towing a trailer must not exceed 62 mph (100 km/h).

Towing Speeds and Gears
- When towing a Fixed-sided trailer (e.g., camper) do not exceed 55 mph (88 km/h)
- At higher speeds, the trailer may sway or affect vehicle handling.”

*******

With no WD, which they expect most operators will follow based on manufacturers recommendations, speed is a factor and the manufacturer has set limits.

So we know that sway is related to speed and crossing over this set limit and going faster invites sway to occur, Other factors such as adequate tongue weight and no cross winds can help reduce sway occurrences when driving over 62 mph.

My other dilemma is how am I going to be able to drive this combo on highways where some speed limits and traffic flow is well above 70 mph and on some stretches of I5 in Southern Washington, we were going with the flow at 90 mph! (Not with a trailer). I don’t want to cause a traffic jam or get rear ended!

My TV was made in Alabama in 2019 and is a Honda Ridgeline. This vehicle was produced for our market so the expectation is that it will be used on North American road ways. When I look at these limits, I think they are better suited for Europe.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by PB_NB

I was reading my owners manual for my TV and there were a few points noted:

*******

“Weight Distribution Hitches:
Your vehicle is designed to tow without the need for a load distributing hitch. If you wish to use one, please consult your trailer maker for proper installation and set-up.
Improper set-up could degrade the handling, stability, and braking performance of
our vehicle.

Driving Safely with a Trailer:
- Operating speed when towing a trailer must not exceed 62 mph (100 km/h).

Towing Speeds and Gears
- When towing a Fixed-sided trailer (e.g., camper) do not exceed 55 mph (88 km/h)
- At higher speeds, the trailer may sway or affect vehicle handling.”

*******

With no WD, which they expect most operators will follow based on manufacturers recommendations, speed is a factor and the manufacturer has set limits.

So we know that sway is related to speed and crossing over this set limit and going faster invites sway to occur, Other factors such as adequate tongue weight and no cross winds can help reduce sway occurrences when driving over 62 mph.

My other dilemma is how am I going to be able to drive this combo on highways where some speed limits and traffic flow is well above 70 mph and on some stretches of I5 in Southern Washington, we were going with the flow at 90 mph! (Not with a trailer). I don’t want to cause a traffic jam or get rear ended!

My TV was made in Alabama in 2019 and is a Honda Ridgeline. This vehicle was produced for our market so the expectation is that it will be used on North American road ways. When I look at these limits, I think they are better suited for Europe.

I've driven our 1974 coach all over the US and we don't exceed 65 mph. I try to keep slightly slower if at all possible. Even in areas with much higher limits such as areas in the SW with speeds well over 75, we've never had a problem. We weren't the only ones traveling at that speed and you won't either. We've actually passed more than a few going even slower.

Another example where this is done all the time is commercial trucking. Many have fleet speed limits set like the trucking company I drove for year before last. The fleet was equipped with speed governors set at 64 mph. We had drivers criss-crossing every state, and the slower speed was set for both safety and fuel economy.

I know that others will argue that it's dangerous to go at 62 mph when the flow is going so much faster, but it's done safely every day. Stick to the right-hand lane and keep your lights on for added visibility.

It may tick off some people, for sure. But it's done every day and isn't generally speaking a problem. Just imagine how much more of a problem it is when someone pulls a trailer above the safe speed and rolls it over, shutting down the Interstate for hours.

[Mattedfred]

100% agree with above

[jcl]

I agree with slowing down as well. For the I5, the first option is to avoid it. And when it goes through California, the speed limit is 55 towing in any case.

My target when towing is 100 km/hr maximum, so 62 mph.

[PB_NB]

I wanted to show that this sort of thing is written in user manuals and relatively current too.

We use a WDH for our setup and it has a sway control built into it. We will occasionally go above 62 mph and we are not worried about swaying with our setup dialled in the way it is.

We do make sure that our TW is well above 10% as well.

Several years ago we had a sway event with our Camplite and other TV travelling about 70 mph and got passed by a semi on a windy day. The trailer started swaying but I never noticed it in the TV until my wife said it. I got our speed down to about 40 and it stopped swaying. We blamed it on our new cheap radial trailer tires with soft sidewalls. We had a ball hitch and a sway bar on one side of the hitch.

The TW was probably lower than 10% as well so all these things made up our perfect storm.

When I look at this manual I see that Honda is really concerned about the setup and it may be more straight forward for them to say use of a WDH is up to you and you need to make sure it is setup correctly which we all know can be a challenge.

[LLninja]

My owners manual also says to only use 3rd year while towing to avoid transmission damage, though since my trailer is so light compared to the TV, I have cheated to get slightly better fuel economy. So far I haven’t fried the tranny (fingers crossed).

Also, most states have a separate speed limit for semis and towing rigs. I think in IL it’s 65 mph when everyone else can go 70 mph. Yet there are plenty of campers getting towed at faster speeds.

Has anyone noticed that when heading south, once I leave IL and hit kentucky and Tennessee, people tend to ride in the left lanes thus eliminating that the right lane is the slow lane and left is fast? It just amazes me how both lanes become slow lanes, then speeders push hard to weave left and right to get a few car lengths ahead, only to get thwarted if someone slows down and they are slowed to the back of the line.