- Towing a travel trailer can be a hazardous endeavor, made more dangerous by the tendency of a trailer to sway. The most common point for a tow vehicle to hitch a trailer is about 4 feet behind the axle. This gives the trailer enough leverage to affect the movement of the towing vehicle, causing a back-and-forth movement that is known as sway, or fishtailing. A well-balanced trailer, with a proper hitch correctly installed, will easily correct itself in the event of a minor sway caused by wind or other external factors. The use of a sway bar will also improve the ability of a trailer to resume normal towing alignment after a minor sway.
- Trailer sway bars are installed by dealers by default and are relatively inexpensive. Sway bars come in pairs and rely on brake pads to supply the friction that helps to control the swaying effect of the trailer. They have tension controls that are tightened manually and must be adjusted to reflect road conditions. Over-tightening will result in the trailer having a reduced ability to follow easily through turns. Under-tightening will prevent the sway bar from functioning efficiently and will not reduce sway adequately.
- Sway bars mount to both the tongue of the trailer and to a ball next to the hitch ball. The bars go through the brake pads and provide resistance between the tow vehicle and the trailer. As the vehicle moves, the sway bar moves back and forth with the motion of the vehicle, allowing for wind and other forces and preventing the trailer from exerting force on the tow vehicle.
- Correct installation and adjustment of a sway bar will reduce the tendency of a trailer to sway. Proper installation of the trailer hitch, correct balancing of the load in the trailer and avoidance of abrupt steering maneuvers will assist the sway bar in maintaining the equilibrium of a trailer and tow vehicle.
