Sway Bar

[mstein26888]

Does anyone use a sway bar with their pu.  I have a Rockwood and was thinking about installing one on mine that attaches to the tv.  I have added a rack on the back of the camper and don't know if this is what is causing the camper to sway, but thought this might help with the problem.

Thanks in advance,

[cobbs1]

We have one.  My DH was actually questioning whether we needed it. Well, on the way home this weekend (local camping trip) we forgot to put the sway bar on.  That answered the question - we needed one.  Our pop-up box is about 12 ft x 7.5 ft (Coleman Niagra) pulled with a short wheel base Ford Explorer.  It could be the length of the trailer, but it swayed pretty good on I-285.

[AustinBoston]

Does anyone use a sway bar with their pu.  I have a Rockwood and was thinking about installing one on mine that attaches to the tv.  I have added a rack on the back of the camper and don't know if this is what is causing the camper to sway, but thought this might help with the problem.

Weight distribution is vitally important when it comes to sway.  If you are having trouble with trailer sway, first fix the cause, then add a sway bar.

In order for a trailer to track properly, 10-15% of it's actual weight must be on the tongue.  There is no shortcut or substitute for this.  If you don't have enough weight far enough forward, then you need to find a different way of packing (or remove that rear rack).  

Once the trailer tows safely, then it's OK to add a sway bar for insurance.

It doesn't happen often, but sway bars do fail.  There have been stories here of people who have rolled their pop-up and tow vehicle due to extreme trailer sway.  I came close myself.  So close that the story was published in Pop-up-times several years ago.  You don't want to discover that you're in one of those situations when your swaybar fails.

Austin

[mstein26888]

I think I am going to try removing the hitch.  I know that we had to reinforce the bumper in order to add the hitch.  I will take that off and see if it makes a difference.   I had a Rockwood Hybrid prior to the pop up and that thing towed like a dream and it had the sway bar.  I will remove the hitch and see how it does.

Thanks