Looking for sway control advice

[Area 52]

I recently bought my retirement truck, 2013 F-150 ecoboost, to tow my 166 SLC Sandstorm. I'm using a Husky WD hitch & bars with a sway control bar. Reading the F-150 forum quite a few are turning off the sway control that is built in the truck in order to get better mpg. My question is this a good practice or do I need both the truck sway control on and the sway bar hooked up?

[Chunky2]

I don't know how long you have been an RV'er.

OK I'm confused, I was unaware there is sway control built in the truck or are you actually referring to a manufactured installed trailer brake controller or after market one.

I don't own a Ford, but on my old 1994 chevy 1500 p/u I had Reese WD hitch & bars with duel cam sway control and a after market brake controller. On my new truck which I got in 2008 has the brake control wiring installed and all I had to do is when I picked up the new truck is go down the street to the trailer dealer and have it installed which only took 1/2 hr.

If your talking about brake control, I don't know if the manufactured installed one has the ability to be adjusted or maybe it has some sort of sensors to detect sway and then activate when sensed. Just don't know.

Not enough information, please post a link so we can go see exactly you are talking about.

[timarti]

Here is the info from Ford. I have it on my F-150.

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/T..._SuperDuty.pdf

There are also videos online that show it in action, but it looks like things would have to be pretty hairy before it would kick in, thus I have two friction bars on my WD. Don't ever want to get that far! On the tow/haul package the TV ABS brakes and trailer brakes are integrated, making them both ABS. No extra brake controller required. Plug and play!

[asquared]

Use both. From what I understand it takes a lot before the truck's built in sway control does anything. Think of it as extra insurance.

[SPPD]

You have to ask yourself the following question.

Is it worth little if any increase in mpg to disable a safety feature on your truck?

I have the electronic sway control on my F-150 and will never turn it off even though I have a mechanical anti-sway device on my hitch.

SPPD

[Area 52]

Thanks for the replies. I kind of thought I should leave the truck sway control turned on but this is my first new technology vehicle and wanted to make sure. (new to RVing as well)

[Chunky2]

Wow, that's very cool. Hopefully when I need to replace my current TV, that should be standard on all trucks.

We started camping in 1997 in tents until 2000 when we got our 1st trailer a 2001 32 ft. Fleetwood Prowler Quad Bunkhouse until 2010, toad by 1994 Chevy Silverado 1500 Ext. Cab p/u until 2008, changed tires in the spring several years prior to SUV style which was way too soft, towed twice, bad move sway issues also something just didn't feel right as way to different than normal. Had appointment to exchange tires but not until after next trip. Next trip up to Ludington, MI., went OK with small sway issues. Return trip was another story though, about 25 mi. S. of Ludington, going down a hill all of a sudden a gust of wind in an open area and luckily no one behind or beside us TV went one way and trailer went the opposite at 65 mph (white knuckle and white as a sheet). Could not drive rest of the way home. As we camp with our neighbors as a tight knit group, had one neighbor drive my rig the rest of the way home. Got home and had tires replaced at no charge except for upgrade for changing tire rating from either B or C to D. I then went to nearest trailer dealer down the street to talk to the service depart. and what did they discover, was that I had a crack on the left side of the head on the trailer receiver. Since it was a Reese, it was covered under the lifetime warranty. When the replacement part came in went back up and exchanged it. Lessened learned, if something doesn't feel right, pull over and check carefully.
The only thing I could think of at the time was apparently when backing into my site at the campground I was turning to sharply and the pressure from the left WD bar caused the head to crack. Since I had such an old truck at that time the towing packages were very light.

[sox]

What is everyone's opinion about using dual sway controllers? I tow a 32' Rockwood 8325SS, and while it's not bad, at about 65 MPH and up the unit starts to sway. Now, it's tough to go real fast anyway, but if you're on a nice straight piece of highway and can go 70 MPH, do you think dual sway controllers would help?

[pwrstroke2012]

Area 52...I have always left my sway control on while towing, if they put it on for safety, why turn it off just for MPG? I have had 2 Ford's with the sway control and not once has it activated while towing, however there is always the what if.

Sox..I would use 2 for sure or upgrade to a better WD with sway control.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by sox

Now, it's tough to go real fast anyway, but if you're on a nice straight piece of highway and can go 70 MPH

i hope you know that your tires are only rated to a max of 65mph.
and pulling a 32' TT with cheap friction anti-sway bars, over 65mph, is not something anyone should be doing.
plus you're only killing your TV's gas mileage by driving that fast. do some research at how pulling a full-height TT at those speeds, really lowers your mpg, versus driving 55-60mph.

[jlgail4309]

They do sell speed rated tires. The cheap trailer tires that come from the factory will blow. You have to run at max pressure and max speed is 65. Put the two max's together well blow out at 65 not good. A good tire will help with the sway also. Might check out a

Hensley Mfg., Inc. - Trailer Sway Eliminated - Guaranteed



Trailer Sway Control Hitch Guaranteed to Eliminate Trailer Sway - ProPride 3P

[asquared]

sox- friction sway control is for under 26'. over 26' you should have integrated sway control...... ie Reese dual cam, equal-i-zer, or something of the like.

[tanddc]

I am confused as to why the Ford sway control would reduce MPG. I have the same sway control on my Explorer and there is no reduction of MPG (unless it has to engage which mine never has). Perhaps I am missing something (it is Monday and I was camping all weekend)

[Ditchooker]

Originally Posted by timarti

! On the tow/haul package the TV ABS brakes and trailer brakes are integrated, making them both ABS. No extra brake controller required. Plug and play!

Just to clarify, because the trailer brake actuator is integrated with the truck, and the truck has ABS(anti-lock brakes), does not mean the trailer also has ABS, however the ABS may control the brake actuator to assist in an ABS event, that still does not mean the trailer brakes have ABS. The hard parts required to do such a thing are not installed on the trailer. (unless of course you have installed an independent ABS system)

I honestly believe that ABS on a RV trailer is a wonderful thing, (the newer commercial trailers with air brakes have them standard now) But the truck alone does not make the trailer have ABS.

Not to be picky, but I am worried that someone maybe confused into believing that buying an F-150 ecoboost with the tow package (which is a nice truck BTW) will make someone's trailer with electric brakes have a perceived safety device that is not there.

[BigBaron]

After seeing a Hensley in person on our trip, I'm sold. Expensive, but worth it. They had a big Airstream. Never a problem with sway.

[Lucky Enough]

We have a Windjammer 3008W. First time we towed was less than 300 miles. Talk about white knuckles with a regular WD set up, I had 'em! Next trip to Florida was over 600 miles. We had installed a Hensley, expensive, but worth it. Final "tweak" was Roadmaster Active Suspension helper type springs. I will gladly tow our unit anywhere, even in high winds. I tow with a 2013 F150 Eco boost. 3:55 rear.
Hope this helps.
Remember...
If you are lucky...You are lucky enough !