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Topic ClosedA poll on WDH w/sway control
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texman View Drop Down
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Posts: 446 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: A poll on WDH w/sway control
    Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 2:45pm
+2  to mjlrod.  I have never used the pry tool.  only keep it in case of jack failure and even then, the electric jack has a manual lever to raise and lower.  (hope i never have to do that!)
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2586 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 3:44pm
+1 to mjlrod.  In a prior post I pointed out the danger of using the release bar to dislodge the WDH bars when under tension.  Quite frankly, I think Fastway is foolish even supplying the bar as it invites misuse.  If you release those bars under tension it's unleashing a significant amount of energy and when it collides with an extremity, you're going to be injured, likely with a very serious contusion or a fracture.  

If anyone has ever seen a cable under strain fail you will get an idea of the force.  For an example, go back to the reality tv series about loggers and watch when a strawline breaks.  It'll take someone arm or leg right off.
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Posts: 6285 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 7:00pm
When I had the Equal-i-zer, I have had to use the pry tool when I was parked on a slope. The force is significant, but motion is very limited given the friction of the hitch head's bar mounts. It is totally unlike a chain or cable where it can whip around. I agree though that one would not want to have an extremity under the bar when it is released. It would be hard to do so anyway given the angle one must use to pry the bar up or release it from the mount.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2586 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 7:58pm
The bar doesn't move in just a down direction.  It moves both out and down and can hit someone easily.  I didn't realize how much force is on the bars until I tried to dislodge one with the tool that I though was for that purpose.  When I did it, I realized that it was not a very smart thing to do.  The tool launches the bar out away from the L bracket as it moves down.  If you have a slope issue and can't get the bars off without the tool, then take them off ahead of time when you're on the flat and move the trailer to the slope without the bars in place.
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Posts: 6285 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 8:47pm
It must depend on the type of hitch. The Equal-i-zer has friction at the hitch head in addition to the friction of the L brackets. When I removed the bar with the tool, it did not swing outward.Part of the stress had been taken off when I raised the jack, just not quite enough to get the bar off.
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Posts: 2586 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2019 at 5:52am
Stephen, I am not familiar with the Equal-I-zer WDH.  I was describing a danger in the Fastway e-2 in which the friction occurs on the L brackets mounted on the tongue and the bars pivot at the head of the hitch.  Sorry for the confusion.
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2019 at 6:32am
Originally posted by lostagain

  If you have a slope issue and can't get the bars off without the tool, then take them off ahead of time when you're on the flat and move the trailer to the slope without the bars in place.

The concern about tension on the wdh bars when on uneven terrain is a very good one. Consider that your wdh is set up on flat ground so its trying to keep all 3 axles of your rig in a straight line.  So, if say you're backing down a slope into a flat campsite your wdh is trying to lift both the trailer tongue and the rear of your TV up in the air. The tension on the bars under those conditions is going to go way up. You could easily have a thousand pounds of tension on the bars, probably more. 

In that case, even if you lift the tongue with the jack before you release the bars you will now be hanging the back of the TV on the hitch and tongue jack, which isn't a great idea either. So, I agree with lostagain,  the best thing to do under conditions where the TV rear axle is going to end up sitting low relative to a straight line drawn between the trailer axle and front axle is to release the wdh tension before parking. 
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Posts: 6285 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2019 at 3:36pm
Ideally yes, it would be better if one realizes that the slope of the ground will be a factor. It isn't always apparent.
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2019 at 4:17pm
Originally posted by StephenH

Ideally yes, it would be better if one realizes that the slope of the ground will be a factor. It isn't always apparent.

Agreed, but when in doubt you can always release the bars first. Your hitch and jack will also let you know. If when you lift the tongue with the jack the load on the jack is getting heavy, the rear of the TV is coming up more than usual and the wdh bars are still under a lot of stress then you have a caution flag. 
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Posts: 67 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Mar 2020 at 4:10pm
Old post new question - for those using the Fastaway e2 is it the trunnion or round bar style? I see both offered in the 6K model. I don't know what the pros and cons of each are other than the trunnion one cost more, so I assume it might have some advantages over the round bar type.
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