Anti-sway bar - R-pod Owners Forum

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MeandAd

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Joined: 11 Nov 2018
Location: BC, Canada
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Posts: 3

Topic: Anti-sway bar
Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 1:03am

We have a new R-Pod 177 and I think it needs an anti-sway bar! We purchased the weight distribution hitch but never thought about a swaying problem since it is brand new and figured that kind of thing would be addressed with the fancy hitch. The very first trip out the Pod danced every time we encountered the least bit of wind. Trucks passing us on the freeway were a problem as well. Any suggestions on what type of anti-sway bar fits on the weight distribution hitch?

AL1010

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Joined: 31 Oct 2018
Location: NC
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Posts: 29

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:12am

It makes a difference for sure. I was just using WD , it was ok but still felt a little squirrely at times. Added a $29 sway kit. Much better. Easy to install. Good set of drill bits needed. 11/32” hole. The kit I got at Harbor Frieght had some cheap mounting bolts that I didn’t trust. Went to Fastenal and got some good 3/8 self threading bolts. Yes, you should definitely get a sway bar kit. Cheap insurance.

You could also be a little light on you tongue wieght if it was that bad.

Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Posts: 1454

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:28am

Sounds like you may have issues with the weight distribution in the trailer too. You want the tongue to have 10 - 15% of the trailers weight. That is, if your trailer weighs 3500 lbs, you want 350 to 525 lbs on your tongue.

Also, you want the trailer to ride level, front to back, or slightly nose down.

Both of these are big contributors to sway and should be addressed even with a sway bar, but a sway bar can be a really good thing.

2010 176
FJ Cruiser

lostagain

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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 8:27am

Most of t he good WDH systems have anti-sway as part of their function. If you got a good quality WDH and are still having a sway problem, you may not have the hitch balanced correctly.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

GlueGuy

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Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2707

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 9:34am

You did not mention what you're towing with. That can have a big effect on how your "system" will deal with sway. Also, how you load the pod will affect sway conditions. Best to know how much weight you're pulling and how the weight is distributed.

bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

lostagain

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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 10:22am

... and what the towing capacity of your TV is.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

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Joined: 22 Sep 2011
Location: Chapel Hill,NC
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Posts: 1088

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 11:17am

What type of wdh do you have? Most of the wdh also have a provision for anti sway. You may already have part of what you need. If your wdh has the ability to add anti sway bars, this would mean simply adding the bars and the associated bar receivers to the a frame of the pod.

We use the Equalizer 4 point system and it works great for us. The hitch head has built in locations for the bars which serve as wd and anti sway

Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

TheBum

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Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
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Posts: 1407

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 11:21am

Just a caveat: one really big advantage to the WDHs with built-in anti-way is that the anti sway can stay engaged when backing up. With an add-on sway bar, there's a limit as to how much of an angle they can withstand, so it's fairly easy to cause some damage if you leave them on when backing up; it's a really good idea to remove them.

Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats

Woodmiester View Drop Down

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Joined: 03 Aug 2018
Location: Greenwood IN
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Posts: 142

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 1:56pm

In the past, I have found that most people, the first time they install a WDH, they end up taking too much weight off of the tongue. I would suggest that you lower your L bracket one hole and see how that works. Even though you follow the install directions, you have to play around with it a little so that you are perfectly comfortable.

As a default, the RPOD is not condusive to sway. In most cases, the WDH does the trick.

Swampfox

offgrid

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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290

Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:22pm

MeanAd, check this link where I've collected some data on tongue weight % of total trailer weight where sway has been reported my our members to occur. Some folks have experienced sway around the 10% point that is generally accepted as the minimum. One of these was a 177. That would indicate that to be safe we want to try to keep our pods at around 11% tongue weight or higher.

I suggest that you weigh your loaded trailer and tongue and if needed redistribute some weight so that you have 11% or greater on the tongue. I'm not suggesting you stop using an anti sway system but even with an anti sway system my opinion is that its better to have a rig that is inherently stable rather than to depend on the sway control.

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12384&title=tongue-weights-at-which-sway-has-occurred

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

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MeandAd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: BC, Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Topic: Anti-sway bar Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 1:03am
	We have a new R-Pod 177 and I think it needs an anti-sway bar! We purchased the weight distribution hitch but never thought about a swaying problem since it is brand new and figured that kind of thing would be addressed with the fancy hitch. The very first trip out the Pod danced every time we encountered the least bit of wind. Trucks passing us on the freeway were a problem as well. Any suggestions on what type of anti-sway bar fits on the weight distribution hitch?


AL1010 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 31 Oct 2018 Location: NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:12am
	It makes a difference for sure. I was just using WD , it was ok but still felt a little squirrely at times. Added a $29 sway kit. Much better. Easy to install. Good set of drill bits needed. 11/32” hole. The kit I got at Harbor Frieght had some cheap mounting bolts that I didn’t trust. Went to Fastenal and got some good 3/8 self threading bolts. Yes, you should definitely get a sway bar kit. Cheap insurance. You could also be a little light on you tongue wieght if it was that bad.

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1454	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:28am
	Sounds like you may have issues with the weight distribution in the trailer too. You want the tongue to have 10 - 15% of the trailers weight. That is, if your trailer weighs 3500 lbs, you want 350 to 525 lbs on your tongue. Also, you want the trailer to ride level, front to back, or slightly nose down. Both of these are big contributors to sway and should be addressed even with a sway bar, but a sway bar can be a really good thing. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 8:27am
	Most of t he good WDH systems have anti-sway as part of their function. If you got a good quality WDH and are still having a sway problem, you may not have the hitch balanced correctly.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

GlueGuy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2707	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 9:34am
	You did not mention what you're towing with. That can have a big effect on how your "system" will deal with sway. Also, how you load the pod will affect sway conditions. Best to know how much weight you're pulling and how the weight is distributed.
	bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 10:22am
	... and what the towing capacity of your TV is.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1088	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 11:17am
	What type of wdh do you have? Most of the wdh also have a provision for anti sway. You may already have part of what you need. If your wdh has the ability to add anti sway bars, this would mean simply adding the bars and the associated bar receivers to the a frame of the pod. We use the Equalizer 4 point system and it works great for us. The hitch head has built in locations for the bars which serve as wd and anti sway Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

TheBum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Feb 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 1407	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 11:21am
	Just a caveat: one really big advantage to the WDHs with built-in anti-way is that the anti sway can stay engaged when backing up. With an add-on sway bar, there's a limit as to how much of an angle they can withstand, so it's fairly easy to cause some damage if you leave them on when backing up; it's a really good idea to remove them.
	Alan 2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod" 2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4 Three cats

Woodmiester Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 03 Aug 2018 Location: Greenwood IN Online Status: Offline Posts: 142	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 1:56pm
	In the past, I have found that most people, the first time they install a WDH, they end up taking too much weight off of the tongue. I would suggest that you lower your L bracket one hole and see how that works. Even though you follow the install directions, you have to play around with it a little so that you are perfectly comfortable. As a default, the RPOD is not condusive to sway. In most cases, the WDH does the trick.
	Swampfox

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 13 Nov 2018 at 7:22pm
	MeanAd, check this link where I've collected some data on tongue weight % of total trailer weight where sway has been reported my our members to occur. Some folks have experienced sway around the 10% point that is generally accepted as the minimum. One of these was a 177. That would indicate that to be safe we want to try to keep our pods at around 11% tongue weight or higher. I suggest that you weigh your loaded trailer and tongue and if needed redistribute some weight so that you have 11% or greater on the tongue. I'm not suggesting you stop using an anti sway system but even with an anti sway system my opinion is that its better to have a rig that is inherently stable rather than to depend on the sway control. http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12384&title=tongue-weights-at-which-sway-has-occurred
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold