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07-12-2020, 11:06 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 7
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Turn off anti-sway in 2019 Ford F-150?
I have a 2017 Ford F-150 FX4 3.5 Ecoboost and use an Andersen "No-Sway" Weight Distribution Hitch to pull a 2019 Coachmen Freedom Express Ultra Lite 248RBS. The manual for the Andersen hitch says a should turn off the electronic anti-sway in my truck if it uses vehicle brakes as part of an electronic anti-sway system. The manual for the Ford F-150 says it applies vehicle brakes at individual wheels and, if necessary, reduces engine power.
Additionally, the Ford manual states "Ford does not recommend disabling this feature except in situations where speed reduction may be detrimental (such as hill climbing), the driver has significant trailer towing experience, and can control trailer sway and maintain safe operation."
I am brand new at owning a camper and the only towing I've done has been light trailers in the past. Should I disable the anti-sway in the Ford F-150?
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2019 Coachmen Freedom Express 248RBS
2017 Ford F-150
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07-12-2020, 12:18 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,413
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I have a '19 F150 pulling a 28' TT I leave the sway control on. If sway starts getting large enough that the hitch won't control it I'll take all the help the vehicle can offer. My 4pt Equalizer is silent in the instructions about disabling any vehicle safety controls.
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2019 F150 4X4 7050 GVWR 1903 payload
2018 Avenger 21RBS 7700 GVWR
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07-12-2020, 08:20 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: TN
Posts: 56
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I tow with a F-150 EcoBoost also have equalizer 4-point called the company they recommend turn off anti-sway on my Ford
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07-12-2020, 09:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,288
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike134
I have a '19 F150 pulling a 28' TT I leave the sway control on. If sway starts getting large enough that the hitch won't control it I'll take all the help the vehicle can offer. My 4pt Equalizer is silent in the instructions about disabling any vehicle safety controls.
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Usually the only braking you want in a big sway event is on the trailer itself. That's why the manual lever on the controller.
If sway starts, foot off brake and manually brake trailer.
The tow vehicle's anti-sway controll can just make things worse.
Don't you think the manufacture might have tested this at their facilities before making this recommendation?
Last fall I put a rather large "hickey" in my seat cover when i saw my trailer sides alternately showing full on in my right and left rear view mirrors. I had the presence of mind to just grab the lever and problem ended as quick as it began.
Eventually the seat cover went back to smooth. [emoji15]
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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07-12-2020, 09:56 PM
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#5
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from south Louisiana
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Crowley
Posts: 122
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Yes turn it off and remember every time you turn the truck off you will have to turn off again.
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2020 Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S
2018 F150 3.5 EcoBoost
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07-13-2020, 06:39 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,413
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanMike
Usually the only braking you want in a big sway event is on the trailer itself. That's why the manual lever on the controller.
If sway starts, foot off brake and manually brake trailer.
The tow vehicle's anti-sway controll can just make things worse.
Don't you think the manufacture might have tested this at their facilities before making this recommendation?
Last fall I put a rather large "hickey" in my seat cover when i saw my trailer sides alternately showing full on in my right and left rear view mirrors. I had the presence of mind to just grab the lever and problem ended as quick as it began.
Eventually the seat cover went back to smooth. [emoji15]
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I have yet to see it in writing from Equalizer, just internet urban legends. On the same note don't you think Ford has also tested the trucks sway control and it's abilities before installing and promoting it for use with trailers?
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2019 F150 4X4 7050 GVWR 1903 payload
2018 Avenger 21RBS 7700 GVWR
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07-13-2020, 06:56 AM
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#7
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Brake is on left
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,095
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If your WDH has sway conrtol then it is probably a good idea to turn it off. It will fight a vehicle DSC and can make the situation worse in the event of sway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike134
On the same note don't you think Ford has also tested the trucks sway control and it's abilities before installing and promoting it for use with trailers?
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Can't speak to Equalizer in particular but most WDH with built in sway control indicate disabling the sway control. There are a lot of trailers that do not utilize a WDH with built in sway control- horse, cargo, landscape, boat and car. Just to name a few. I turn sway control off with the TH but leave it on for all others.
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07-13-2020, 07:05 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 432
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Having just been through an avoidance event which put both the truck and trailer (w/ Reese sc hitch) in a b**** of a skid event, I wouldn't turn off the truck sway control on a bet.
Kudos to all of you who have the time and presence of mind to be able to reach the brake override and expertly apply it while trying to keep the tires on the pavement; I believe the vehicle computer can react better and faster than I in such situations.
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2023 Coachman Apex UL 243FKS, 2016 F150
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07-13-2020, 07:43 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Zephyrhills FL
Posts: 1,106
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I had a trailer that would start to sway once in a while, The Ford anti sway system applied the trailer brakes and released the throttle before I could start to react. It is a good system and I think disabling it while towing is a mistake.
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(Previous) Coachmen Mirada Select 37RB
(Previous) Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS
(Current)2022 Grand Design Reflection150 226RK
2022 F150 Powerboost Hybrid.
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07-13-2020, 08:02 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Western Maryland
Posts: 25
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My experience has been that the computer in the truck (F-150 3.5 EB) thinks much faster than I can.
On two occasions sudden wind gusts created a serious sway condition. The truck cut the throttle and applied trlr brakes in the blink of an eye. Problem solved.
I no longer own the F-150, but I'm not sure the electronic sway control can be deactivated.
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2017 Chevy 2500HD, 6.0, 4:10 Gears
2019 Flagstaff 26FKBS
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07-13-2020, 08:14 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,413
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Underthedog
Having just been through an avoidance event which put both the truck and trailer (w/ Reese sc hitch) in a b**** of a skid event, I wouldn't turn off the truck sway control on a bet.
Kudos to all of you who have the time and presence of mind to be able to reach the brake override and expertly apply it while trying to keep the tires on the pavement; I believe the vehicle computer can react better and faster than I in such situations.
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I agree with you, unless you often have sway events so your well trained, your brain needs time to process what's happening and remembering the correct action to take. I'd guess a good 2 seconds, while the truck knows what to do and reacts in milliseconds.
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2019 F150 4X4 7050 GVWR 1903 payload
2018 Avenger 21RBS 7700 GVWR
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07-13-2020, 08:22 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 1,162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike134
On the same note don't you think Ford has also tested the trucks sway control and it's abilities before installing and promoting it for use with trailers?
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I like that point. It would be nice if Ford put a statement to that effect in the manual.
__________________
2007 Rockwood 2701SS
2017 Ram 2500 Granite Crystal SAP Laramie 6.7L
2014 Triumph Bonneville. NH Togas, tuned
1953 GMC 9314
1982 GoldWing Interstate
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07-13-2020, 12:19 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 89
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I have a Blue Ox WDH with a 16 F150 and it too states to turn of the sway control. I leave mine on and it too kicked in once and it reacted way faster than I could could. It was under control before I could say oh _hit.
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07-13-2020, 12:54 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: SoCal
Posts: 95
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We use the sway bar on our eaz-lift (camco) WDH and it doesn't say anything about shutting off the truck's anti-sway. I wouldn't shut it off if it did. The WDH anti-sway bar is friction to prevent sway. The truck's anti-sway is active and intended to correct sway. They work in tandem, in my opinion.
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Jim and Michelle + Family
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2020 Rockwood Roo 233S
2013 Ford F150 SCrew, 5.0L, tow upgrade
Old: 2003 Jayco Kiwi 23D
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07-13-2020, 01:18 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 528
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I have a 2011 F 150 with the anti sway system and NEVER turn it off. I have been in a couple of rough situations and the combination anti sway system of the truck and the hitch have saved my life.
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07-13-2020, 01:25 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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I have an E4. The vehicle's electronic sway control is going to stay on. I trust the engineers that designed the anti sway more than the guys that weld together a hitch. And speaking of that, if that was really their advice, you would think it would be in their manual which it isn't.
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07-13-2020, 08:59 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,037
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I turn off the F-150 sway. I tow with a Propride and am confident it will not let the trailer sway - been in enough situations where wind, semi's, etc should have caused something. All I've ever gotten is minor twitching. However, I've been in 3 situations where I needed to make a planned steering change - get into another lane quickly, chicane in a construction zone, etc. In these 3 cases the truck interpreted the forces as sway and cut power, applied brakes, and almost got me hit by a tailgating vehicle.
Ford may have tested trailers without good sway control, I seriously doubt they tested with a Hensley design hitch.
__________________
Al
I am starting to think, that I will never be old enough--------to know better.
Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Russian Novelist
S.E. Mich. Flagstaff 26FKWS / 2022 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost SCrew Propride
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07-13-2020, 09:02 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SailorSam20500
Ford may have tested trailers without good sway control, I seriously doubt they tested with a Hensley design hitch.
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So...what makes you think having the Ford anti sway on wouldn't still improve the sway avoidance?
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07-13-2020, 09:56 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: TN
Posts: 56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike134
I have yet to see it in writing from Equalizer, just internet urban legends. On the same note don't you think Ford has also tested the trucks sway control and it's abilities before installing and promoting it for use with trailers?
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Here's the number to the customer service of Equalizer hitch 1-800 478-5578 customer service call them they'll tell you the same thing they told me to turn off your sway control on your F-150
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07-13-2020, 10:07 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,413
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gdub2
Here's the number to the customer service of Equalizer hitch 1-800 478-5578 customer service call them they'll tell you the same thing they told me to turn off your sway control on your F-150
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Thank you,
I emailed Equalizer this morning asking about disabling the trucks sway control. Will update when I get their written response.
__________________
2019 F150 4X4 7050 GVWR 1903 payload
2018 Avenger 21RBS 7700 GVWR
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