Sway Control
When I bought my first new Travel trailer, I asked the dealer to give me everything I needed. As part of my tow package, they included a Friction Sway bar. I was very careful about hooking the trailer to the tow vehicle as I was instructed but I experienced really bad sway. I eventually tightened the sway bar down as tight as it would go which helped, but I still experienced sway. This was a problem because I was very stressed driving and really didn’t enjoy the drive.
I did everything I could to rectify this problem by moving things around inside the trailer to make sure it was well balanced, but I still had sway. I started researching all the methods of sway control. I decided that I wanted to drop the friction bar and do something else. I was a bit overwhelmed about all the options. There are quite a few schools of thought and different approaches to the same solutions.
The problem with Friction Sway Control is two fold. One; the sway bar does not prevent sway, it just dampens it. Two; when sway begins, the very thing that is supposed to prevent sway helps to prevent the sway action once in progress. Please understand that I am no expert. I am an average camper like you and I have had some experience with the sway issue. I feel that I can speak on my experiences and my theories on this subject.
before I get into the options, let me try to explain how the Friction Sway Control works. The Friction Sway bar is actually a type of brake. There is a sleeve where a flat bar has a range of motion that when one tightens the sleeve, the braking action is supposed to prevent sway. The sway bar is attached to the hitch head and to the trailer frame.
Now, some people have reported better luck with dual Sway Bars, but I still feel the Friction Style Sway Control is not the best option. When searching for other options, it is amazing as to the range and variety of options. There are hitch options such as the Equal-i-zer hitch system and the Reese Dual Cam system. These two are comparable in the effectiveness. They prevent sway in different ways, but are comparable in price. The Equal-i-zer utilizes the weight distribution bars as the sway control by binding them within their hitch system. This has been proven to be very effective and folks who own these hitches report that they are generally happy with the effectiveness of the sway control.
The Reese Dual Cam Hitch is what I currently have and have been very happy with their effectiveness to prevent sway. The Reese Dual Cam system works by tightening the weight distribution bar up against cams. These cams seat in a ’saddle’ (detent) on the bars and prevents sway by forcing the trailer to run straight. 
Then, there are the Hensley Arrow Hitch and the ProPoint 3P hitch systems. These systems are more expensive than the Equal-i-zer hitch and the Reese Dual cams. The concept of both models is the same. these hitches work to eliminate sway via a mechanical method. They consisit of a ‘head’ that is mounted to the trailer hitch coupler and it stays on even when parking. There is a special head that attaches to this hitch for the tow vehicle. The way these work is via gears that are internal to the hitch. These gears force the tow vehicle and the trailer to stay in line.
Most people agree that the Hensley Arrow and 3P systems are the ultimate in sway control.
There are other options too. I chose to just talk about some of the more common ones. I have been talking to Sean over at ProPoint and I am going to be receiving a 3P hitch. I will be reporting on the installation and performance in a future entry. This will include detailed installation and podcast interviews with Sean and Jim Hensley, the inventor!
No matter what you choose for sway control, please do use it as it is a safety issue. I don’t like the idea of me being in danger of up to thirteen thousand pounds of high speed out of control tow vehicle and trailer coming at me. Out of control can be the end result of not using sway control.
Happy Camping and see you next Sunday!
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I used a PullRite hitch for many years and it is the best. These other contraptions might be easier to install and perhaps cheaper, but there is none better than a PullRite for sway free towing.
I agree with Don, the PullRite hitch system is the best. I have used many systems over the years searching for the answer to sway. I have’nt had problems since I started to use the PullRite system. I pulled last weekend in 30MPH wind and the TT followed me like it should and no white knuckles!
I agree with Don… I have used a standard friction sway, Hensley, and Pullrite and I have found the Pullrite to be the best of them all…
True – you will need to relocate your exhaust and you might lose your tow vehicle spare tire storage depending on Pullrite hitch model and truck model but the Pullrite is the stabilist out of all of them and arguably the easiest to hook up…
Les
Hello,
I have never heard of the pullrite system, where can that be purchased?
Joyce,
You can get information on the Pullrite hitch system at http://www.pullrite.com. The Pullrite hitch is made for the specific tow vehicle so once you own it, if you buy another tow vehicle, you may have to replace it with a new one. There is no doubt that it is a fine hitch and the people that have them love them.
Good luck,
David
All of the comments about sway control were good. While it wasn’t specifically stated it sounded like everybody was addressing the sway potential from either sidewinds or interaction with big rigs. I am hoping that some newbie does not take too seriously the word ‘balance’ that was in one of the comments. With any travel trailer, equalizer hitch or not, a minimum of 10% of the loaded trailer weight needs to be on the hitch. From personal experience and over 40 years of driving everything from RV’s to big rigs I cannot stress to strongly the need for adequate tongue weight to help eliminate sway. An improperly loaded trailer can start swaying on its own at speeds as low as 35 mph, though that is rare with travel trailers. Once you have the load properly distributed in the trailer then you will want to look at one of the sway controls to help contol the sways caused by passing big rigs and by gusty side winds.
The term “sway control” has long been a problem. It presupposes that sway is inevitable and keeps everyone locked into looking to “control” it.
The better solution is to eliminate trailer sway by transferring the pivot point forward. The Pullrite hitch mentioned above does exactly that. It physically moves the pivot point forward to reduce the steering torque the travel trailer is applying to the tow vehicle.
The ProPride 3P (Pivot Point Projection) that I manufacture accomplishes moving the pivot point forward through a linkage design. A virtual pivot point that is so far forward also eliminates the sway.
Ask anyone that tows a 5th wheel and they will tell you the same thing. Their pivot point is forward also.
Equalizer hitch works w/my 33′ TT. I’ve used it for 4 years. We had 50 mph side winds coming up from Texas to Colorado and made it. Yes it was a struggle but the Trucks didn’t bother us. Best $700.00 I’ve spent!