Rear antisway bar on tow vehicle

NYBo

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My tow vehicle ('07 Dodge Ram 4WD) has a tow package. What it doesn't have is a rear antisway bar. I'm wondering adding one would affect towing either positively or negatively. Thoughts?
 

bruceb58

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I don't think it would matter one bit while towing. An anti sway bar controls the roll of your vehicle going around turns. Hopefully, you aren't going around turns very fast while you are towing!
 

ahicks

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Anti sway can help in heavy side winds, but is more noticeable making a vehicle feel less top heavy. No top heavy feel = not much need for a rear sway bar.
 

briangcc

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Adding one made a big difference on my '04 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 with tow package. Being passed by a semi towing was a non-event as trailer sway was minimal at worst, normally stayed dead straight. Even non-towing was better - I was taking expressway offramps much quicker with minimal body roll! Best investment on a truck that doesn't have one.
 

bruceb58

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A sway bar on the rear truck suspension is going to help minimally to prevent trailer sway. Just doesn't work that way. It prevents body roll of the vehicle. You could have zero truck body roll and still have trailer sway if a big truck goes past.
 

NYBo

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A sway bar on the rear truck suspension is going to help minimally to prevent trailer sway. Just doesn't work that way. It prevents body roll of the vehicle. You could have zero truck body roll and still have trailer sway if a big truck goes past.

Having the tow vehicle rocking side-to-side can't be good for trailer stability.
 

bruceb58

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Having the tow vehicle rocking side-to-side can't be good for trailer stability.
Like I said, it would help in turns but since you don't take turns at very high speeds when towing, it likely won't make a difference while towing. Over the years, been towing boats as big as 28' and never felt the need to add a sway/roll bar to the vehicles. Never had rocking side to side but maybe that is a Dodge truck characteristic.

Out of curiosity, what size boat/trailer are you planning on towing that you feel a roll/sway bar is going to help?

Not saying it's not a good addition to the vehicle, just saying I wouldn't think there is much advantage while towing. Just be careful. The factory set up your suspension for a certain handling characteristic. Adding a very stiff rear sway bar will increase your over steer. Typically, if you increase the rear stiffness, you do something likewise to the front.
 
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NYBo

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I was referring to TV sway from passing semis, not on turns.

I tow the two boats in my signature. No big deal as my truck is rated for 8200#.

I have been thinking about installing a rear bar without regard to towing. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a significant downside. I am aware of the need to balance the front and rear roll stiffness, having added antisway bars to other vehicles in the past. But thanks for the reminder. The last thing an empty pickup needs is more oversteer!
 

Stumpalump

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Hard to believe somebody would say they do not help. Dodge trucks sway and yes you would like one. The most important thing is tire pressure. Trailer tires all get filled to the max pressure listed on the sidewall regardless of load and the vehicle should be checked for max pressure listed on the door sticker when ice cold. I swapped my sway bar bushings to polyurethane and run e rated tires so it's rock solid. Pulled thru a haboob two weeks ago that had all the trucks and RV's parked on the side of the road.
 

bruceb58

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I tow the two boats in my signature. No big deal as my truck is rated for 8200#.
If those are the size boats you tow, you should not be concerned about trailer sway with your truck.

I think your reason for asking is if it would be a detriment and it won't be.
 
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mla2ofus

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Best thing for TV sway is an anti- sway brake that connects to your hitch or bumper and the trailer tongue.
Mike
 

bruceb58

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Best thing for TV sway is an anti- sway brake that connects to your hitch or bumper and the trailer tongue.
Mike
As long as you don't have surge brakes. It's possible to use those with an adapter welded on but haven't seen one of those in years.

I use one occasionally towing my 24' boat but my WDH really acts as a sway control already. I have Electric/hydraulic brakes on this trailer.

I assume you are talking about one of these:
http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Ca...Control-Screw-On-Right-Side-Camper-Trailer-RV
 
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H20Rat

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Trailer tires all get filled to the max pressure listed on the sidewall regardless of load and the vehicle should be checked for max pressure listed on the door sticker when ice cold..

Next time you have a tire off the vehicle, roll it through a puddle of water and then watch the footprint it leaves on the pavement. That is what you are doing when you inflate to max PSI with less than max load. You are operating the tire outside its operating envelope and you have very little lateral traction.
 

jbetzelb

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In my experience the sway bar does help with what is described. My truck has a factory sway bar. My truck went from a good, smooth straight tow rig to kind of loose and moving all over the road when I was under load both weight in the box and trailer on. I changed all 4 shocks and got nowhere. Looked closer and had a bushing in the sway bar pushed out of place. Replaced the bushing and got my smooth, straight tow rig back.
 

ahicks

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Hard to believe somebody would say they do not help. Dodge trucks sway and yes you would like one. The most important thing is tire pressure. Trailer tires all get filled to the max pressure listed on the sidewall regardless of load and the vehicle should be checked for max pressure listed on the door sticker when ice cold. I swapped my sway bar bushings to polyurethane and run e rated tires so it's rock solid. Pulled thru a haboob two weeks ago that had all the trucks and RV's parked on the side of the road.

Re: "Trailer tires all get filled to the max pressure listed on the sidewall regardless of load and the vehicle should be checked for max pressure listed on the door sticker when ice cold."

Absolute nonsense.

Re: "Pulled thru a haboob two weeks ago that had all the trucks and RV's parked on the side of the road."

Your boat, unless it was a REALLY big trailer boat, has NOWHERE NEAR the big flat side area an RV or truck presents to a cross wind. If it did, you'd be parked right there next to the others - rear sway bar or not. There's something about seeing those up wind trailer tires coming up off the ground that will have you considering the idea of pulling over.

The rear sway bar controls body roll only - not traction or sidewall flex. Unless there is some new type of hitch I haven't seen yet, it's very difficult to imagine the trailer is able to transfer body roll it's experiencing through that coupler into the body of the truck. The OP states clearly his truck is equipped with a trailer tow package, and further has the stiffer springs generally associated with a 4x4 suspension. I doubt seriously a sway bar would hurt anything, but will it improve his trailering experience to any noticeable level? The factory didn't think so, and I'd have to agree. My opinion, FWIW.....
 

Stumpalump

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Yawn. Blow your trailer tires up and slap on a sway bar. Tire pressure will stabilize your trailer and a bar your truck. The combo will be bliss.
 

ahicks

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Yawn. Blow your trailer tires up and slap on a sway bar. Tire pressure will stabilize your trailer and a bar your truck. The combo will be bliss.

Fine if you like your trailer to ride like a roller skate on a brick road.
 

bigdee

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Fine if you like your trailer to ride like a roller skate on a brick road.

....decrease air pressure so sidewalls flex and generate heat until they blow out. Trailer tires are supposed to be rigid and the leaf springs are what softens the ride somewhat. Unless your hauling passengers a rough ride is of little concern. The only way to safely smooth a trailers ride is to install shocks and passenger/suv tires. Doing this for a boat would be nonsense but some RV trailers do have shocks and softer springs. Also tire foot print and lateral traction is of little concern on a trailer since it follows the path of the tow vehicle.
 

bruceb58

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....decrease air pressure so sidewalls flex and generate heat until they blow out. Trailer tires are supposed to be rigid
See post #10...so you don't agree with these tire manufacturers?
 
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