Trailer Anti-Sway Devices

Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Glenn F.

Equalizer hitching is for trailers that are missed matched for the tow vehicle with the TV being to small to pull the trailer.

Equalizer hitching can if used improper, will remove traction from the TV axle.

Sway bars are a false sence of security for a badly loaded trailer.

I've pulled several 28ft TT and never used a equalizer or sway bars and never had a problem one. I've never used any type of sway/equalizer on any flatbed trailer.

One thing that I've always had, is more TV than my trailers required.

T_Bone

Ya, but that's a hitch rating problem your talking about, and not the reason why most people use equalizer hitching.

Even the factory receiver on a F350 DRW requires a equalizer to use the factory receiver at maximum design rating but not because the TV it's self requires equalizer hitching for pulling the load.

Two different problems.

T_Bone

I never said a equalizer doesn't work. I just stated that a equalizer is used for missed matched trailers to the TV with the actual cause being the TV is too small to pull that trailer.

A equalizer is a first class lever that transfers load weight from a pivot point(the hitch ball) both forward to the TV front axle and rearward to the trailer axle(s).

Think of the trailer and TV as a straight beam between the TV front axle and the trailer axle(s). That beam has a bow in it at the hitch ball point. To straighten this "beam" you can add a equalizer to redistribute the weight both forward to TV front axle and reward to the trailer axle(s).

The end result is you have now straighten that beam by unloading weight off the rear TV axle and thus have less traction.

This is fine as long as your on pavement and pulling just fine WITHOUT any traffic or roadway problems. When the "all $hit happens", then the rear TV axle has less traction, thus TV control is less than pulling without equalizer hitching.

I've just scratched the surface on WD hitching and more questions have risen that's been answered here.

For a great in depth explantion of how equalizer hitching works and pictures of the redistributed weight, see Ron Gratz explantion on equalizer hitching. You'll see it took him several pages to explain how and why equalize hitching works as this is a complicated subject. Ron is a retired civil engineer.

T_Bone

• RV.net Equalizer Hitching

Don't even think of pulling your travet trailet with out a equalizer hitch....Reese uses the type where the two bars fit over a cam lobe..... Others use a friction adjusted slidding fixture..... .I have had both and I like the Reese better..... .

• Sway bar

Anti-Sway: basically a "friction shock" that dampens trailer movement transmitted through the hitch to the vehicle. This movement could be cause by wind, passing traffic, road conditions, etc. Also makes tongue weight less critical to overall ride ( without, I've actually had to pull over and jockey horses around in 3 horse slant load to optimize handling- with, it didn't seem to matter)

Usually the Anti Sway attaches to the equalizer hitch, so you'll rarely see the anti Sway without the equalizers

Don't use use either when I pull with the truck- use both when I pull with the suburban or the motorhome ( and both help a lot in those circumstances).