Sway control and backing up

[AustinBoston]

That's like saying that falling off a building doesn't kill you, it's the sudden stop at the bottom. :eyecrazy:

Yes, you are correct, however, when moving forward, the weight of the trailer causes it to move back in line with the TV because the trailer is being pulled.  But when backing, the normal action of the trailer is to move to one side or the other, not to stay in line with the TV.  That's the reason that backing up does no apply the same forces to the anti-sway device as it is moving forward.

This whole sub-topic started with the advice to remove the swaybar when backing, even when backing in a straight line.  I can back in a straight line fine..., uh..., usually.  That is why the sway bar should be removed before backing.

Austin

[fritz_monroe]

I can see your view.  I have backed in a straight line with the anti-sway device in place.  But for me, and probably a lot of others, the biggest reason to take that device off every time I back up is so I don't forget to do it some time when I do need to back into a space.

When I get home, I have to make a 90 degree turn backing up to get the pup in it's space.  When I turn onto my street, I pull over, take off the anti-sway and put that in the front trunk and take the chocks out of the front trunk.  It's part of my routine.  I do it every single time.  The one time I wouldn't remember to do this routine, I'd back sharply into the space and ruin that anti-sway.

It's just a lot easier to get in the habit of taking it off when backing than it is to think about it each time and decide if it needs to come off or not.

[zamboni]

Think of the sway bar as a tow rope. It is meant for pulling only. If you push with it (back-up) it will bend.

That is actually a very incorrect statement.  The sway bar does not "care" which way it the vehicle is moving.

When turning left, the sway bar extends (pull out).  When turning right, the sway bar contracts (pushed in).

It does not matter if you are going forwards or backwards -- the physical force imparted onto the sway bar is the same.  It both pulls out and pushes in when the vehicle is both going forwards and when it is going backwards.

Jack-knifing is the only valid reason for disconnecting the sway bar.

[BDK]

Generally, you should be turning wider with a trailer than you might without.  The trailer always tracks inside the turn from the tow vehicle, so if the tow vehicle just misses the curb, the trailer will probably hop the curb.

If you turn wide enough so that the trailer does not go places it should not, you should be fine.  While I have seen places where it might be a problem, those would be places I would not be taking a trailer.  (The narrow streets of South Boston come to mind).

Austin

Good deal...thanks for your help, and happy camping!

[wynot]

The key (according to the sway bar manufacturers) is to see just how tight a turn you can make backing up to determine whether or not to disconnect.  I found the perception of a tight jackknife turn to be far worse than the actual amount of movement on the sway bar.  In other words, I would move forward and start over again, LONG before I got in a situation, which would damage the bar.
 
Their printed recommendation was to back up slowly into an ever increasing turn in both directions to find out whether or not the bar needed to be removed.  I found that I could put this bar into a much tighter turn than I would ever let happen when backing.
 
Unless I am backing into a very tight hard turn space, I leave the bar attached (but loosened).  I very rarely remove the sway bar to back into a site.  So far, this bar has made it through 6 seasons without a bend, without damaging the ball mounts or anything else.  Doesn't mean I won't but haven't had to yet.
 
Caveat emptor.

[Dee4j]

I never take mine off . I've loosened it but not taken it off.. shoot now I can't remember if the dealer told me to take it off or loosen it...stinks getting old :eyecrazy:

[Venatic]

Here's why you shouldn't back up with the sway bar attached.

We had to turn around on a two lane road because of an accident ahead. The policeman guided us, but I forgot about removing it first.