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Topic ClosedFriction sway control OR weight distribution

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bc matell View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Friction sway control OR weight distribution
    Posted: 13 Jul 2013 at 8:02pm
OK what one do I go with??  FRICTION SWAY CONTROL or WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM??

I think both would be over kill. I have gotten advice from trailer stores,repairs and trailer dealers. They all say one or the other,never the same anwser. 
Thanks again for your imput!
TV 2012 Toyota Tacoma 6 cyl
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2013 at 8:49pm
OK. Here's my put on the subject. I tow an RP-172 with a 2010 4WD Honda Pilot rated at 4500 pounds. BTW, I also have a V6 Tacoma but I don't tow with it.

Sway control and weight distribution are two separate functions. Sway control keeps the trailer directly behind the TV so it doesn't try to steer the TV. It usually employs some sort of friction device. Weight distribution shifts a portion of the trailer tongue weight off the back of the TV and onto the TV front wheels and trailer axle. This restores steering control to the TV front wheels. In addition the WDH eliminates most of the "porpoising" experienced when going over dips and bumps on the road. For light weight short wheelbase TVs like the Tacoma and Honda I highly recommend both. This is for safety, comfort, and mental stress. Many Podders use the E2 hitch which combines weight distribution and sway control in a single device. A single set of bars provides both functions. When PROPERLY ADJUSTED you won't even know the Pod is back there, except for acceleration and gas mileage. I emphasize: read and understand the installation instructions and check the setup. Don't trust the dealer's work. An improperly adjusted WDH can be worse than nothing at all. I had that experience and had a very bad time until I readjusted the hitch.

I have the E2, have gone through the setup, and am very glad to have it.
Charlie
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2013 at 9:28pm
I agree with CharlieM.  I tow with a Santa Fe 6 which has plenty of power and is relatively heavy, but it does have a rather short wheelbase.  Without a WDH, the Santa Fe does tend to squat since all of the tongue weight of the trailer is concentrated on the hitch ball.  I want both my TV and TT to be level, so I always use my WDH.

We returned from a 6000 mile trip last month, and with the sway control properly adjusted, we experienced no sway from passing trucks and strong gusty crosswinds.  One day I failed to tighten the sway control sufficiently, and we soon noticed sway.  One additional turn on the adjustment lever (to where I normally set it) and the tendency to sway disappeared entirely.  I strongly recommend both, especially on extended trips.

My dealer, who sells both the WDH and sway controls, tried to talk me out of both.  As you put it, he thought either or both would be over-kill.  Based on my experience, though limited, I totally disagree with his opinion. The R-Pod is very light, so obviously it is subject to sway. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2013 at 10:28pm
It depends on your tow vehicle and the tongue weight of your r-pod... Check the specs on your vehicle and your r-pod, if you're approaching your tow vehicle's max hitch weight (don't forget that stuff you carry in the back of your truck also adds to the hitch weight; equally, your r-pod's propane tank, battery and everything you carry in the trailer will affect your tongue weight), seriously consider a WDH.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2013 at 11:05pm

We towed our Pod with a 4.0 Prerunner for quite some time. We towed with a common drop hitch and then with a WDH, sans sway. The Tacoma is a little lightly sprung in the back. The WDH helped ameliorate this fact, leveling the Tacoma nicely. It also helped lessen the hobby horsing that is often present with any single axle trailer. In the above post, Charlie is perfectly correct. Unless you show up with your truck and trailer fully loaded for towing, the dealer will set up the WDH on a by guess and by gosh basis. Any WDH I've ever had whether dealer or self installed always seemed to need some  tweaking to get just right.

How much ya wanna spend? Friction sway is cheap, but will only control, and in some ways help hide a sway tendency that is due to improper set up or a poor trailer/tow vehicle combination. An old school WDH like mine that is more expensive, but will help ensure your set up and towing will be improved, and  the E2 type WDH that is more expensive, but pretty much does it all. In a previous post, I commented on seeing a Tacoma towing a Pod that had a drop hitch and a friction sway control. It wasn't set up properly, and was kind of scary watching the Pod skip from side to side--white knuckle time! 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2013 at 10:07am
Guess I am confused.  I thought the sway control systems were weight distributors as well.  Maybe just mine.  I went with the Equalizer.  Complete overkill according to most - but it performed beautifully on the way home - 14 hours of driving is all I have tested it out so far.  I could not find a reason that overkill would be bad so I went with it.  You can back up without removing it too. 

The only major down about it, and I read about it as well, is that it is really noisy.  Lots of metal on metal noises - which means its working as I understand it.  Well mine is working!  Lol!

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/About%20Equal-i-zer/howitworks.php
Erin - TV 2010 Buick Enclave - 2014 RP182G - Equalizer hitch
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2013 at 10:56am
Originally posted by kaleidoscopegirl

Guess I am confused.  I thought the sway control systems were weight distributors as well.  Maybe just mine.  I went with the Equalizer.  Complete overkill according to most - but it performed beautifully on the way home - 14 hours of driving is all I have tested it out so far.  I could not find a reason that overkill would be bad so I went with it.  You can back up without removing it too. 

The only major down about it, and I read about it as well, is that it is really noisy.  Lots of metal on metal noises - which means its working as I understand it.  Well mine is working!  Lol!

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/About%20Equal-i-zer/howitworks.php


The Equalizer and it's brother the E2 provide both weight distribution and sway control. However, friction sway control can be bought separately without WDH and WDH can be bought without sway control. But for small TV's you should have both, IMHO. And the noise you hear? Yes, it's working! That's a good thing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2013 at 11:18am
Thanks for the clarification Charlie.  Much appreciated!  
Erin - TV 2010 Buick Enclave - 2014 RP182G - Equalizer hitch
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2013 at 11:02am
We picked up the pod in June. We've driven over 4000mi on our first adventure. We are very happy we chose to have the E2 installed. Yes, some auto professionals have said it might be overkill, as our TV is heavy and more than adequate to pull the pod. But safety was our main concern.  It's extra insurance against the winds. We had a lot of wind across the prairie and always have windy conditions crossing the Great Basin or in the Rockies. It's been worth the extra expense and a litte extra work. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2013 at 11:21am
Driving on I-40 east of Las Vegas the crosswinds were terrific.  Somewhere along the way, our trailer plate bracket was actually torn off of the trailer.  However, we seldom felt the winds thanks to our sway control.

Bob
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