Hensley Mfg posted this thought I would share !!

[325BH]

By design, a TT has its axles located near the middle of the trailer and the coupler connects to a ball behind the TV's rear axle. This means any steering input on the TV induces yaw on the TT. Any push (e.g., wind) on the area behind the TT' axles or in front of the TT's axles will induce yaw. Improperly loading a TT will cause greater amounts of yaw, however a properly loaded TT does not eliminate it... even with a properly sized TV.

Yaw movement is sway... and exists. Period. Controlling that is the goal.

Unless your TV dwarfs your TT a sway control device is suggested.

All sway control devices, whether built-in or a separate component, are friction based. (Yes, dual/cam users it it friction. The "cam" of the bars act as detents, but it is friction.) This of course does not include the pro-pride type systems. All the sway control devices "control" sway and do not prevent it. The yaw exists... it is the gyrations of yaw back and forth that we wants to prevent.

The pro-pride type hitches, through an isosceles trapezoid changes the pin (coupler/ball) location virtually. This means that steering inputs from the TV does not induce as much yaw. The effects are pretty dramatic.

On a 5er, the dynamics are huge... for the better. The pin is above the TV's rear axle. This means no yaw during steering input. That, combined with the 5er's axles being farther back means the length of trailer in front of the 5er's axles and the length of trailer behind the axles is very different (meaning not equal like on a TT)... which makes yaw almost non-existent.

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by thebrakeman

Sounds like a good article, I should look it up when I have more time. Working in the braking industry, I know what they mean about exceeding available friction. But also consider that if/when the available friction is exceeded, it's not like a light switch, where all hell will break loose.

Here's a link to the full paper. www.webby.natcoa.net/Caravan.pdf

FWIW, I recently saw a post from a guy who bought a small trailer. On his way home, while on the x-way, he started experiencing sway but was able to slow down and made it home safely. He then went back to his dealer and had one of the anti-sway hitches installed, don't remember which one, Blue Ox, Equalizer, etc. Got the impression that it was one of the better ones. On his way home, again on the X-way, not worried because he had a good anti-sway hitch, another sway incident, This time he did a flat 180 spin, banged up his new trailer some, and ended up on the side of the road. No weight info provided, but there was a comment that he had a heavy canvas (?) awning inside the trailer but behind the axle, so he may have had seriously low tongue weight. I know it was a small trailer and may have been a compact truck, so many contributing issues...
I also saw a post from Sean of ProPride where he admitted to pulling a trailer with negative tongue weight. No idea on why he did it, how fast he was going, etc. But apparently there was no sway. Note that Sean specifically said that he does not recommend or suggest that doing this is an acceptable practice.

As in all this, do your research and do what you can to stay safe.

[Nyazai]

After a lot of research and consideration, I bit the bullet and spent the $$$ for the Hensley Cub to tow my Cherokee 23BD. It seemed like overkill at the time, but towing safety was my #1 concern, and I'm glad I did it. It is a great setup, and gives you peace of mind while towing (no sway or unexpected behavior at all). I figured there's some places you cut costs and manage risks, but with my family in the TV I wanted to be sure I had the safest option available. Glad I did in the end, some things you can't put a price on.

[jlgail4309]

I really enjoy towing with Hensley Cub. Overkill maybe but safety first for my family. They are fairly cheap for what you get.