Have a 2020 2500 diesel. Truck came with Trailer Sway Dampening and Auto Rear Leveling. Do you all recommend using sway bars in addition to the manufacturer-installed devices? Based on what I've read seems like I need the sway bars too. If so, what would you recommend? I'm towing a 32' trailer with a GVW of 11,000 lbs. Appreciate the responses.
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With trailer sway dampening, do I also need sway bars?
- Thread starter chumes
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H3LZSN1P3R
You're doing it wrong
It all depends on the trailer i have no use for a wdh or anti swaybar with all the trailers i tow
Epsilon Plus
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Electronic sway control on modern pickups is likely set for emergency correction. Meaning, it won't control normal towing sway.
You have enough truck to try without a WDH. If you like the way it pulls, skip it. If not, add a trunnion bar setup. I get more porpoising without my trunnion bars on. Don't really feel sway but I only go short distance in the flats without the bars on.
You have enough truck to try without a WDH. If you like the way it pulls, skip it. If not, add a trunnion bar setup. I get more porpoising without my trunnion bars on. Don't really feel sway but I only go short distance in the flats without the bars on.
I tow a 33 ft camper with a 2020 2500, previously with a 2019 1500.
With the 2500, I tow locally (including a few miles on a 65 mph freeway) with a bare ball mount hitch, and beyond local with a WDH with a friction bar style sway control that came with the hitch.
The 1500 always swayed despite the WDH setup. The 2500 on the ball mount has very little sway, I do have the electronic sway control but I don't know enough to say that is why. It may just be I felt every little thing in the 1500.
Regardless, I'm going to use every tool available when I'm towing long distance because it won't make things worse. The only reason I do the ball mount locally is because my truck stance stays within spec of where you would set the WDH and it's a lot of work for a short trip.
tl;dr Doesn't matter if you NEED sway control, it's always a good idea.
With the 2500, I tow locally (including a few miles on a 65 mph freeway) with a bare ball mount hitch, and beyond local with a WDH with a friction bar style sway control that came with the hitch.
The 1500 always swayed despite the WDH setup. The 2500 on the ball mount has very little sway, I do have the electronic sway control but I don't know enough to say that is why. It may just be I felt every little thing in the 1500.
Regardless, I'm going to use every tool available when I'm towing long distance because it won't make things worse. The only reason I do the ball mount locally is because my truck stance stays within spec of where you would set the WDH and it's a lot of work for a short trip.
tl;dr Doesn't matter if you NEED sway control, it's always a good idea.
The easiest is to buy a WDH that comes with some type of sway control. I didn't see where you mentioned a WDH, but air bags are not a direct substitute for one. Etrailer doesn't manufacture you can buy those products anywhere. They do have great service and advice so I throw them some business even though I can usually find a little bet better deal elsewhere. If you submit a question to them with all your truck and trailer stats they will give you the exact products that will work.
RossT
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I have a 41' 12k pound Outback and use both anti-sway and WD chains when pulling it with my 2013 2500, just anti-sway with my new 3500. The Andersen No-Sway has been the best WDH I've ever used. The anti-sway is in the ball and mount, you can stow the chains and plate just about anywhere you want.
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I watched a few videos of how it worked. Most of the videos were jumbled nonsense but Andersen's videos were real good. One question I have is do you not have to measure and adjust the chains? The installation video said 4 revolutions and its done. Also, have you weighed to verify how much its redistributing?
For anti sway it looks excellent.
RossT
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You'll measure the truck and trailer once when you do the initial setup, count your turns and set it there every time you hook up. I'm at 8 hand tight and 9 turns leveled (one full revolution of the nut with a breaker bar). The family we travel with has the same hitch and similar trailer pulling with a 2012 F-250, I think he's at 6 turns hand tight and 7 turns to be level. The instructions that come with the hitch are better than the videos I've watched.
You don't set it once and hook/unhook with the tongue lifting it all up?
That was my main concern based on Andersen's own materials. Not an issue for my current trailer (7k lbs) but it will be when I trade up in a few years. I want to go heavy TT rather than the light 5er my 2500 diesel would restrict me to, but I want a lot better WDH and sway control than I have now if I'm going to do that. There are a ton of things I like about that Andersen but I would want to see proof that it could redistribute adequately on heavier tongue weights.
Kimo7
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Your trailer is heavy and length wise at 32 feet you have a significant amount of sail area that will change the wind. Your truck is heavy and has some sway control built in but I strongly recommend you use a WDH with some anti sway capability. There are lots of good choices on the market but I would look at Fastway which makes 2 models that are reasonable and work well, the Equalizer and E2. Go with the 12k lb trunion bars.
Check out YouTube for the Big Truck Big RV channel, he does great videos on towing safely and you can also research the WDHs I referenced above. I strongly recommend you get a WDH of some sort to be safe and control your truck and trailer while underway. Good luck
Check out YouTube for the Big Truck Big RV channel, he does great videos on towing safely and you can also research the WDHs I referenced above. I strongly recommend you get a WDH of some sort to be safe and control your truck and trailer while underway. Good luck