# Sway Control



## Mbrwr (Nov 12, 2011)

Hello... we'll be picking up our new 312BH in OH next week and I'm trying to figure it out abut the sway control. The dealer said we have weight distribution and sway control in our unit. Is that really enough or should we invest in other kinds of sway control like a Hensley?

Thanks!!!


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## #40Fan (Jul 7, 2011)

What exactly are you referring to when you say "unit"?


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## desperado (Aug 21, 2011)

the "Sway control and weight distribution" are all in the hitch that your trailer attaches to. the link below should be able to help it is not the same type as ours (we have friction bars) but gives you the basic idea.






have a great trip.


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## cdn campers (Oct 31, 2011)

I went with the e2 hitch and sway bar system. it was on the unit when i picked it up cost me approx $400.00 gary england at lake shore rv said for every 10 hitches he sells 8 of them are the e2. i drove approx 1600 miles with the 210 outback and my 2008 nissan titan pro 4x4 and had a great stress free trip. on my last trl i had a blue ox system and it was expensive and very heavy to man handle i( now i know how it got its name) and i paid about $1000.00for that one.







save your money i wud go with a e2.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Not sure what hitch you have. When we bought our 301BQ earlier this year we went with an Equalizer hitch. We had the Equalizer hitch with our smaller 25RSS. We have a 3/4 ton, long wheel base diesel truck and the combo worked fine with the 25RSS. Not so with the much larger 301BQ. I can feel the sway of the 301BQ with the Equalizer, not stable at all. I have had to slow down a bit to keep things in line and feel safe. This past weekend we came home from a trip on a windy day and we had a few white knuckle moments. If your hitch is an Equalizer, then I would not recommend it for such a large trailer.

I will be trading my hitch in this winter, thinking of a Reese dual cam, but no final decision yet. People say nice things about the Hensley, but it is so expensive, bulky, and looks like a real pain in the you know what to deal with. Jury is still out so any comments on this thread will be watched closely.

Anyone with a trailer around 25 feet that needs a hitch is welcome to purchase my Equalizer. Nearly new, used only a few months.









DAN


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## Northern Ninja (Aug 20, 2011)

We have a Husky Centerline and it worked very well on it's maiden voyage. It kept things nicely in-line, was easy to hook-up, and didn't make a bunch of noise. It was a little bit pricey, $900, but worked very well.


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## Gr8daggett (Oct 19, 2011)

Sold on my Reese Strait-Line Dual Cam. 
I have had it for 3 different trailers. A 26' Wildwood TT. A HUGE Jayco Octane ZX T29M Toy Hauler and now my 2011 34' Outback 277RL. 
All stayed straight behind the Dual Cam. Did not feel a bit of sway.


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

Mbrwr said:


> Hello... we'll be picking up our new 312BH in OH next week and I'm trying to figure it out abut the sway control. The dealer said we have weight distribution and sway control in our unit. Is that really enough or should we invest in other kinds of sway control like a Hensley?
> 
> Thanks!!!


I have a 312Bh trailer as well with a Reese 1000lb WDH and a simple friction brake style sway controller. It really isnt enough sway control for a 35 foot long bumper pull and I will be upgrading to a new WDH in the spring (most likely an Equal-i-zer brand 4 point hitch).


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Jewellfamily said:


> I have a 312Bh trailer as well with a Reese 1000lb WDH and a simple friction brake style sway controller. It really isnt enough sway control for a 35 foot long bumper pull and I will be upgrading to a new WDH in the spring (most likely an Equal-i-zer brand 4 point hitch).


I would not recommend an Equalizer hitch for a 30+ foot trailer. I have an Equalizer 4 point hitch with my 301BQ and I am not happy with the sway control it provides. The hitch was fine on my 25RSS, but once we upgraded to a bigger trailer, the drop off in performance was quite noticeable.

I intend to look into getting another type of hitch over the winter, just not sure which one.

DAN


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> I would not recommend an Equalizer hitch for a 30+ foot trailer. I have an Equalizer 4 point hitch with my 301BQ and I am not happy with the sway control it provides. The hitch was fine on my 25RSS, but once we upgraded to a bigger trailer, the drop off in performance was quite noticeable.


I have the Equalizer 4-point hitch for our 290RLS, which is 33 feet long. It handles it beautifully. It is not the same Equalizer as I had on my KZ 23CMS which was around 25 feet. I had to go up a shank size, and up a size in the weight bars. Could there be something defect with the unit itself on yours?


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

Dan - if you make it down to join us for thanksgiving, you can look over the ProPride - both me and Jerry have it and swear bye it i have had for three years now and it has seen the roads from Maine to Florida on the east coast - i wouldnt tow with out it, worth every penny in my opinion.

Also once it is installed and Dialed in - very simple to hitch/unhitch........ back in, breaker bar two cams and drop pins......... then socket on battery drill to lift the WD towers..........


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## Mbrwr (Nov 12, 2011)

Wow... thanks for all the responses... (sorry it took so long to get back to you).

There is another concern we now have...

When we bought the TT we were assured that our truck could haul it. We took their word for it, for some reason... anyway, now I have my doubts.

We have a 2004 Ford F-150 5.4L V-8 Gasser... Something tells me I shouldn't rely on this for long trips...

Apparently:
Dry Weight: 7,640 lbs.
Unloaded Vehicle Wt (UVW): 7,640 lbs.

I don't know my axle ratio... but it appears my truck (2004 Super Cab 4X2) has this towing capacity:
Ratio of 3.55 allows for 7,600 - 8,500 lbs
Ratio of 3.73 allows for 8,100 - 9,500 lbs
Ratio of 4.10 allows for 9,500 lbs

If I'm reading it correctly Ford PDF 

If I have to trade up this would put a serious kink in my budget... one I'm not sure I can swing at the moment.


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## Mbrwr (Nov 12, 2011)

OK... I just figured out that I have a Ratio of 3.73 Limited Slip

So... 8,100 - 9,500

BTW, My rear GAWR is 3,800lbs...

Given this information, do you folks think I'll be able to tow this TT ?


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## Mbrwr (Nov 12, 2011)

A few more things:

2004 F-150 5.4L V8

Curb Wt 5,244
Payload Cap 1,800
GVWR 7,050
Max Tow 9,500
Max GCWR 15,000

(This is with 17" wheels... Mine are 16" - what does that mean to me?)

The 312BH:

Hitch Wt. 655
Dry Wt. 7,530
Payload Cap 1,470 (so... up to 9,000lbs)

So... I have up to 15,000lbs (should stay at or below 14,000 as I understand it...)

If the Outback is empty...
If I include the passengers (5 of us - 3 adults 2 kids - it's between 550 and 600 lbs)
And if I gas up the truck (about 170 lbs full)

I get a GCWR of 13,544

This means I might get about 450lbs of "stuff" to carry...

Seems impossible to me...

Am I missing something?


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

Mbrwr said:


> A few more things:
> 
> 2004 F-150 5.4L V8
> 
> ...


16" wheels will be better for towing... they weigh less and you have more sidewall to work with in tire choices to achieve the same circumference.

Where is the information you are getting coming from? I'd first start with the sticker on the door jamb. That will tell you the left over payload as the truck left the factory. Then adjust your numbers below.



> .
> The 312BH:
> 
> Hitch Wt. 655
> ...


Seems like you're on the right track. You'd want to weigh the setup at certified scale so you can know exactly how much weight is on each axle... that way you know how close you are to your rear axle (RAWR / rear axle weight rating) limit... .even if you are still under the GCWR.

I think that is a LOT of trailer for that truck.. the only thing that is keeping you within the limits is that you have super cab.. .and no the full four door super crew. There are those that would still tow it with a less capable tow vehicle... but i'd look at upgrading to 3/4 or 1-ton myself... to give you more wiggle room on payload, axle rating, and hitch weight.


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> . When we bought our 301BQ earlier this year we went with an Equalizer hitch. We had the Equalizer hitch with our smaller 25RSS. We have a 3/4 ton, long wheel base diesel truck and the combo worked fine with the 25RSS. Not so with the much larger 301BQ. I can feel the sway of the 301BQ with the Equalizer, not stable at all. I have had to slow down a bit to keep things in line and feel safe. This past weekend we came home from a trip on a windy day and we had a few white knuckle moments. If your hitch is an Equalizer, then I would not recommend it for such a large trailer.


That does surprise me. My 2010 Sydney 290RLS is the same length as the 2012 301BQ and we tow with a 3/4 ton short bed diesel crew cab and have towed 3 trips in high gusting winds (40 mph+) and have felt very secure at Interstate speeds. We have the 1000 pounds bars (versus the 600 pound bars on our old 25 footer), and the larger shank. In fact we drove home from Ohio where we picked the unit up ... two 8 hour days of driving in windy, bluster, snow flurries weather.

I guess the good thing is there are some pretty good alternatives out there to move to, to try and get your setup stabilized, and get rid of the white knuckles.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

luverofpeanuts said:


> That does surprise me. My 2010 Sydney 290RLS is the same length as the 2012 301BQ and we tow with a 3/4 ton short bed diesel crew cab and have towed 3 trips in high gusting winds (40 mph+) and have felt very secure at Interstate speeds. We have the 1000 pounds bars (versus the 600 pound bars on our old 25 footer), and the larger shank. In fact we drove home from Ohio where we picked the unit up ... two 8 hour days of driving in windy, bluster, snow flurries weather.
> 
> I guess the good thing is there are some pretty good alternatives out there to move to, to try and get your setup stabilized, and get rid of the white knuckles.


Maybe I need to adjust my hitch? How much tension do you have on your bars?

DAN


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Maybe I need to adjust my hitch? How much tension do you have on your bars?
> 
> DAN


Hmm...i guess I'm not sure how to measure the tension. I added a power jack to the trailer; I hitch up.. then raise the trailer with the back end of the truck up a few inches before I can get the sway bars over on the "L" bracket. Then latch them in... and lower the trailer and truck again.

The camper is tucked away in winter storage inside a farmer's pole shed, or I'd try to snap some pics of the L brackets to show where they are as far as height goes. It might be worth running through the Equal-I-Zer setup process again if you can...just to rule out some type of adjustment issue... or maybe you'd discover a defect in the hitch that you could get replaced.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

luverofpeanuts said:


> Maybe I need to adjust my hitch? How much tension do you have on your bars?
> 
> DAN


Hmm...i guess I'm not sure how to measure the tension. I added a power jack to the trailer; I hitch up.. then raise the trailer with the back end of the truck up a few inches before I can get the sway bars over on the "L" bracket. Then latch them in... and lower the trailer and truck again.

The camper is tucked away in winter storage inside a farmer's pole shed, or I'd try to snap some pics of the L brackets to show where they are as far as height goes. It might be worth running through the Equal-I-Zer setup process again if you can...just to rule out some type of adjustment issue... or maybe you'd discover a defect in the hitch that you could get replaced.
[/quote]

Sounds similar to my hitching routine. I was curious whether you had to use the bar tool to snap the bars into place, and it sounds like you don't. I have been through the setup routine a few times, but maybe I will do it again to see if i can get a bit more tension on the bars.

DAN


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Sounds similar to my hitching routine. I was curious whether you had to use the bar tool to snap the bars into place, and it sounds like you don't. I have been through the setup routine a few times, but maybe I will do it again to see if i can get a bit more tension on the bars.
> 
> DAN


Yes.. I used to use the lever bar to snap on the bars... but the power jack has been so easy just to push a button and raise the whole thing up to the point where I don't have use the bar... kind of nice that way. ;-) 


I've called Equalizer once or twice with questions about the "bracket jackets" and also what size bars to to use and things like that. They seemed pretty knowledgeable on the phone. I wonder if they could offer any insight as to why their product isn't providing the control of sway and stability that you need and their product should provide. I'd hope they'd be interested in helping you become a satisfied customer if at all possible.


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

Might I suggest that you read this My Hitch Thread. I have the Reese Strait Line setup, and now that it is dialed in, I really like it and feel comfortable with it. I have my weights in one of my posts, and you will see that the trailer gets heavy quick. There's lots of good info in the thread, and if your budget doesn't allow for the ProPride or Hensley Arrow, I can speak highly for the properly set up Reese. We just had it out last weekend with the golf cart in the truck bed and the camper hooked up, we had zero bother from the wind or the passing trucks.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

Mbrwr said:


> A few more things:
> 
> 2004 F-150 5.4L V8
> 
> ...


I had a 2005 Ford F-150 with the max tow package. I towed the 312Bh for one season and I had enough....Too many white knuckle situations. I have two young children and a wife and decided that I didn't want to risk it anymore. 
Besides that, I was really up against the payload of the truck and the GVWR. I felt that if I continued to tow that trailer with that truck, I would probably need to replace the transmission every 30,000 miles or so. It struggled going up hills. 
Long story short, can it pull the trailer, yes, will you like towing the trailer with that truck, no....I traded it in April, for a Chevy Suburban 2500, and can tell you that my towing experience has improved greatly. More piece of mind as well. 
Your going to love the 312, it has been one of the best purchases I have made ! Happy camping !


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Mbrwr said:


> This means I might get about 450lbs of "stuff" to carry...
> 
> Seems impossible to me...
> 
> Am I missing something?


Don't forget water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon. Battery, another 50 lbs or so. Hitch, another 50 or 60 lbs. Clothes, bedding, food, pots, pans, dishes, tools, grills, tables, chairs, beer, soda, TV's, lanterns, bikes, bike racks, generator, gas, cleaning supplies, vaccuum cleaners, hoses, cables, extension cords, blocks, chocks, firewood, tarps, games, flashlights, computers, ... the list goes on and on. You will have much more stuff than you realize.

I think you will be overloaded when it is all said and done. I think you are in 3/4 ton territory at a minimum. Just my opinion, but I think you need a new truck.

DAN


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi again Mbrwr,

Just saw another thread where you posted that you wanted to travel the country as well? We have had the pleasure of doing exactly what you want to do over the past few years. We have spent the past three summers traveling from New York out West, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and all points in between. Our experience is that you cannot attempt this sort of adventure (and it is an adventure) with a few hundred pounds of margin. You will get into many unforeseen circumstances that are out of your control, weather, wind, etc. You need tons of gear, lots of food and water, and a great deal of margin. The hills out West are steep and long, we even struggled on some of them with a 25RSS and a 3/4 diesel.

You might get by on short, local trips with your setup. But there is no way you can tour the country. You definately need a bigger truck (or a smaller trailer) if you want to do what you indicated.

DAN


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## Mbrwr (Nov 12, 2011)

Ok... We just traded in our F150!!!

We are now the proud owners of a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT Cummins Straight 6 Diesel 2X4

Looks like we should be just fine now...

w00t!!!


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Mbrwr said:


> Ok... We just traded in our F150!!!
> 
> We are now the proud owners of a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT Cummins Straight 6 Diesel 2X4
> 
> ...


Damn....You must have a wonderful wife!! Congratulations!!









You will not regret it when you are out West driving across Red Mountain Pass.

DAN


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

Mbrwr said:


> Ok... We just traded in our F150!!!
> 
> We are now the proud owners of a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT Cummins Straight 6 Diesel 2X4
> 
> ...


Congratulations, great move. I too had to buy a new truck, but I did so before purchasing the TT. You will definintely be glad you did, when you first hitch up and look in the rearview mirror, and see the behemoth behind you. I don't remember seeing the actual hitch setup you are getting, but again, I would recommend the Reese dual cam setup. Proper setup is key with it, as well as any WD setup, and I can say from personal experience, don't rely on the selling dealer to set it up right. If you read the thread I suggested, you will see that there is lot's of help here, and that's how I got mine setup right.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

As the previous owner of an F-150 similar to yours, I can say that you made a great decision. Ours was pushed to its limits at times towing our 23RS, much smaller than your camper. I doubt you will even notice the camper behind that big Cummins.

-CC


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## funbikerchick (Jun 6, 2011)

TwoElkhounds said:


> I have a 312Bh trailer as well with a Reese 1000lb WDH and a simple friction brake style sway controller. It really isnt enough sway control for a 35 foot long bumper pull and I will be upgrading to a new WDH in the spring (most likely an Equal-i-zer brand 4 point hitch).


I would not recommend an Equalizer hitch for a 30+ foot trailer. I have an Equalizer 4 point hitch with my 301BQ and I am not happy with the sway control it provides. The hitch was fine on my 25RSS, but once we upgraded to a bigger trailer, the drop off in performance was quite noticeable.

I intend to look into getting another type of hitch over the winter, just not sure which one.

DAN
[/quote]

Is it possible you need to either upgrade to higher weight rated bars for it, or adjust the height setting?


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