New guy and hitch questions

[Rustyone]

Hello all:
I have questions specific to my own situation.  I have a 1994 Ford F-150 styleside (133 in. wheelbase) with 64,000 original miles that I special ordered.   No frilly stuff but with every heavy duty option they had at the time.  It has the trailer towing package, 302 CID V8, 373 rear end, and about 10,000 miles ago I replaced the stock shocks and tires with the best Monroe and Goodyear had.  It ain't fancy but it'll pull stuff.  My situation changed a few years back where I no longer needed it but I kept it anyway, taking it out about once a month to "blow the carbon out".  
Well, recently DW and I have been thinking about introducing the grandkids to camping and have zeroed in on a new Fleetwood Niagara.  While talking to the Fleetwood dealer I mentioned how much of a safety fanatic I am and how I liked the Reese dual cam sway control.  He commented about the dealers policy that no one who bought a PUP with a slide out would be allowed to leave the dealership without some sort of sway control and went on to recommend a friction style Reese over the dual cam because "it would be easier for me to set up" (I have mobility limitations). What is going on?  I read on the Reese site that the Cam set-up attaches to the trailer tongue and therefore needs no further handling, plus the fact that the dual cam system stops sway before it starts, and I was also turned off to learn you had to disconnect the friction type before backing up.  Isn't it true that the Reese dual cam system is a set it and forget it set-up?  Would a friction type control really be better for some one with physical limitations?  Can I back up without disconnecting a dual cam system?  Even though my truck will pull 7,000+ pounds I remain adamant that a good anti-sway device be used.  I prefer to err on the side of caution and am not adverse to a degree of overkill.  Afterall it's mine and your families out there.  I am very confused!  Comments please!

[mike4947]

While the Reese dual cam setup is one on the best. You've got two strikes against you using it on a PU. #1 the tongue weight range for even the lowest rated bars is above the tongue weight for any PU. #2 is while it is a set it and forget it, you still need to hook up the bars and depending on the level/slope where you hook up it can be a struggle to "bar" the bars into position.

A much better choice would be the Equal-i-zer brand WD type hitch. It's lower rated bars have a tongue weight rating of between 250 and 600 pounds of tongue weight. Costs about the same and also comes with integral sway control.
 
But, having said that, there's a lot to recommend just the friction sway control if you don't really need weight distribution. While you do have to disconnect the bar if you intend to jack knife the trailer, normal backing up won't "bottom out" the bar. If it did, it would bottom out going foward as well.

[SkipP]

Can't speak for the dual-cam but I have the friction type on our current camper. Installation and removal of this type sway bar is very simple (after the initial mounting is done)...to remove it, you just loosen a lever and remove two pins. Installation is just as simple, place the bar on the sway bar mounts, install the pins and tighten the friction lever. Thats it.
 
The new Niagara is probably set up to accept a friction-type sway bar. On the passenger side of the tongue, there should be six holes (with plugs) about halfway back. These are for attaching the mounting plate. If you go this route, I'd highly recommend getting the plate welded though. Three of the six mounting bolts for the plate broke off on my camper and I understand it's not that uncommon for this to occur.
 
What mike says is right. You don't have to disconnect a friction-type sway bar to back up. You do need to remove it for very sharp, near jack-knife situations though...going backwards or forwards.