# Friction Sway Control Noise



## Colo-outback (Jun 1, 2005)

I am a proud new owner of a 26RS and we had a beautiful long weekend in it. On the way back it started to rain and when I went down the off ramp I heard a rather loud clunking noise. After a few minutes of panic with thoughts about potentials such as seized brakes on the trailer or the truck and various transmission and differential problems I figured out it was coming from the friction sway contoller I have. Functionality is not a problem but the sounds are not comforting. Anyone else that has seen this?


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## TheBoyds (Jan 1, 2005)

Yes we get this moaning every time it is damp.

Brian


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## Colo-outback (Jun 1, 2005)

TheBoyds said:


> Yes we get this moaning every time it is damp.
> 
> Brian
> [snapback]38485[/snapback]​


I am wondering if there is a fix for this, its a sound that would for sure wake the kids up if it gets late.


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

I used to get that moaning and growning noise.
What I did was to grease all connecting points
Put alittle grease on the ball, and the little balls for the sway bar
And on the top and bottom of the WD Bars and I don't any more noise.
Don


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

Just make sure you don't grease the sway bar. Kind of defeats the purpose.


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## 1stTimeAround (Sep 22, 2004)

I heard the same moaning noise during our first couple of trips out. We told the kids it was Dorie from 'Finding Nemo' talking to the whales!!!
















I did nothing and it has stopped. I am not sure if this is a break in feature or what, but currently I am not experiencing the moan.

Jason


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## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

I may be wrong but when we got our Outback it had friction sway control, Yuk, If I remember right we were told to remove it when backing up and in the rain. Has anyone else heard this? Kirk


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## Jacko (Feb 14, 2005)

We too get the noise, but I figure all the steel connections touching one another, then some noise is going to happen. I was taught to remove the sway control when backing, but would think use during the rain would be very important. When we get into town I generally pull over and remove the sway bar so the noise is reduced. Nevertheless, the weight distibution hitch still make some racket. Our set up is new and only used 4 times with less than 500 miles. Maybe things will get a little less noisy as time goes by.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

I remove mine when I get to the campground to check in. If you jack the trailer around while backing you could snap the sway control.

I pull the sway control apart once a year and clean it with a wire brush to get any dirt, etc. off of it. I think I read that in the manual.

As far as the noise goes, with the windows up and A/C on, I can't hear it









When I had my trailer in to flip the axles, they greased everything up, and it just makes a big mess when you take the w/d bars off , they pick up any dirt that's nearby and get grease all over everything.

Mike


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## Morrowmd (Feb 22, 2005)

I hear popping and grinding when going around corners in town. If you don't hear it then you probably don't have it tight enough.

I loosen it up or take it off if I'm going to do any tight manuevering. On the highway you shouldn't get any noise.


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

I had the same experiance this weekend. Only the second time I have used my sway controller and when it rained it made the same noise. The same thing happened to one of my friends traveling with us as this was his first time using his sway control. My brother on the other has used his several times and had no noise. When I got to work yesterday, I called Reese since I have a wholesellers account with them and the tech guys said there is a break-in period on the friction devices simliar to brake rotors. After the breakin, they have a slight glaze and the sounds will go away. I was really worried but feel much safer now with that info. Also, brand does not matter, mine is a reese, my brothers a draw-tite, and my freinds a husky, so it is just all friction sway control devices in general from what I understand.


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## jallen58 (Oct 27, 2003)

Rees Dual Cam no need to remove when backing no noise except when on uneven ground. Just a little creaking and groaning from the bars lifting out of the saddles.

Jim


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

Bringing the dead to life (this thread).

With us about to head out on our longest single trip in a couple of weeks, I just had a Draw-Tite Friction Sway-Control put on the OB this morning. I also went from 550# round WD bars up to 750# after they weighed my tongue at about 600#.

I was advised to remove the sway bar whenever you are in mountain driving scenarios, lots of city driving and backing up.

Nothing was stated about the rain.

I will read the instructions tonight to make sure I know all scenarios.

Either way, I have modded the OB with an added safety feature.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

You want sway control in the the mountains!!! Come around a corner, catch a gust, and you don't want to go over the edge.


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

It's what I was told. It holds to the same concept of not keeping it on when backing up because the turning may snap the small ball.

Mountain driving involves alot of switchback turns so I could see how you might be advised to remove it.

My setup has always done well without a FSC but with this long trip coming up I just wanted some extra protection for the family on the freeways and two lane hi-ways where many big rigs will be flying by.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

aplvlykat said:


> I may be wrong but when we got our Outback it had friction sway control, Yuk, If I remember right we were told to remove it when backing up and in the rain. Has anyone else heard this? Kirk


Yes! We had the friction sway control on our pop-up and the dealer said when it is raining, to loosen it up - basically it is useless on slick roads. It can become dangerous under slick conditions because the design relies on the friction between tires and road to straighten out the trailer when sway begins. If there is not enough friction (ie; rain slicked roads or hydro-planing tires), the trailer will not straighten out and you end up towing the trailer down the road at an angle to the TV. That makes handling very dicey. (An accident waiting to happen!)

I recommend the Equalizer (or Reese dual-cam) for sway control. That friction sway control device is nearly useless on a trailer your size (Reese doesn't recommend using it on trailers over 24' in length).

PLEASE consider finding an alternative sway control strategy, for the safety of you and your family, and whoever else is on the road around you!

The reason for removing it while backing up is that you can bend it if you turn too tightly. Then, that $100 sway control becomes a piece of scrap metal.

Mike


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

See his current signature line. They do not use the FSC anymore.

That post you were looking at is over 2 years old.


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## pjb2cool (Apr 8, 2004)

Mgonzo2u said:


> See his current signature line. They do not use the FSC anymore.
> 
> That post you were looking at is over 2 years old.


Wow...good eye


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