friction Sway Control Bar

1kotonk · 06-03-2017, 03:44 PM

whats your thoughts on a Friction Sway Control bar. I haven't had any problems with sway as big rigs pass me. However I have not experienced any high windy days at 55 MPH yet. Ive been reading that you cant back up with them on and not to use it in rainy weather or icy roads or even windy roads..
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I pull a 139x, average 3200 lbs, 13 foot long. my TV is a Honda Pilot 4500 lbs tow capacity.

APD · 06-03-2017, 05:34 PM

We tow a T139 and use a friction type sway bar. I back into sites with ours on all the time. I will (sometimes) loosen it at check-in to a campground because of the noise it makes but I leave it in place until I un-hitch. We use it on the mountain roads all the time without any trouble.
Never had that much weight in our 139. Even with gear and supplies we only weigh around 2300 to 2400 lbs max. Ours is a 2005 and is rated at 3000 lbs maximum.
Your right, sway isn't a problem so I'd have to say the friction type sway control works well.
With the 139 behind our G20 van, it just doesn't give the van much trouble so I'm probably not a good judge.

twinster2 · 06-03-2017, 10:01 PM

I've used friction plate sway bars in the past when I towed a popup. I can say that they do well at controlling sway and I have even backup into sites with them engaged without problems. I think it is well worth it to install one, especially on a single axle trailer.

fourfourto · 06-04-2017, 06:14 AM

That's all I used on my 189fbs and my keystone I had no problems in rain or backing up.

DiverRick · 06-04-2017, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1kotonk

whats your thoughts on a Friction Sway Control bar. I haven't had any problems with sway as big rigs pass me. However I have not experienced any high windy days at 55 MPH yet. Ive been reading that you cant back up with them on and not to use it in rainy weather or icy roads or even windy roads.....I pull a 139x, average 3200 lbs, 13 foot long. my TV is a Honda Pilot 4500 lbs tow capacity.

I've been towing pop ups, and then travel trailers from 13' to 24' for years and have decided that a proper sway bar assembly also designed as a weight distributing hitch is mandatory IMHO.

Several things: most if not all, "sway bars" years ago had to be disconnected to back up properly, so a royal pain. Now days, most makes/models (but NOT all), can be left fully connected while reversing.

The advice you're hearing about dangers on wet/icy roads has to do with POORLY & incorrectly installed systems where the alignment causes too LITTLE weight on the front axle of our towing vehicle (and too much on the rear axle) that makes your vehicle VERY dangerous to operate period.

The system MUST be set up to maintain very minimal difference in weight distributed to the front and rear axles of your towing vehicle. Hence the term "weight distributing".

The tongue weight of your trailer vs the tongue weight rating of your tow vehicle is one of the factors in determining the need for weight distribution.

So, sway help is good for everyone I think, and WD for most.

So get one that is a combo. We can all use the sway control, and almost 100% of the time, the weight distribution helps with handling PLUS its less wear and tear on the TV to spread the extra weight to both axles. Often overlooked, its equally important a factor as the trailer weight & TV max tow rating.

Hope that helps.

Google trailer weight distribution, then Click on IMAGES. The exaggerated of before and after illustrate this well,

twinster2 · 06-05-2017, 08:33 AM

Diverrick- nicely stated and I agree that a wdh is a good addition to anyone pulling a travel trailer. And the plus side is that it is transferable to the next trailer you acquire.

DiverRick · 06-05-2017, 11:48 AM

A quick note on why tongue weights might influence the need for a WDH.

Lets say your TV is rated for 650 lbs of tongue weight and your trailer is light and only has, lets say 200 lbs of tongue weight. You could argue that there would be little need for a WDH in such a combo. However, it most cases, your trailer is probably much closer to, or even higher than the recommended tongue weight for your TV in which case you really should use a WDH in combo with sway control. It just makes sense.

And again, it must be properly installed to make sure its helping, rather than making it worse!

The specs on my pick up actually state two different max towing capabilities, with and without a WDH. It makes that much difference.

profdant139 · 06-05-2017, 03:13 PM

It is true that you might not need any sway control -- but why take a chance? I have always had a sway bar on my two 139 models -- no problems at all.

Eagle · 06-05-2017, 04:26 PM

I've seen the results of uncontrolled sway and it isn't pretty .... be it either a short or longer unit.

I would NOT pull my 30' toy hauler without a WD anti sway hitch .. Equalizer to be exact.

BTW ... here in the open midwest, it's not uncommon for the daily breeze to be at least 20 MPH and often 40 - 50 MPH at times. It can start out being a beautiful day and then the wind picks up and it's 'sailboat time'

Michigantraveler · 06-05-2017, 04:38 PM

We towed our 189fbr with only a round bar weight distribution hitch and it did fine. Never felt a sway bar was needed. But we tow in Michigan, not Oklahoma lol!

1kotonk · 06-05-2017, 11:12 PM

I think Ill install a Friction Sway they are so inexpensive..for some reason Honda does not recommend a WDH for use with the Pilot.

APD · 06-06-2017, 05:49 AM

I agree. A sway device should be installed.
The best sway control is your common sense, your right foot and a little extra horsepower. If speeds are kept at a reasonable level, ample following distance maintained, and sway should happen, a good dose of throttle will usually end it quickly.
Trying to steer out of sway is a sure recipe for trouble.
My 2%.