How to Install Draw-Tite Sway Control
Towing an improperly secured trailer can lead to disaster on the highway. Trailer sway, the side-to-side movement of the trailer due to sudden wind or steering shifts, can cause the trailer to overturn, become unhitched, or cause the towing vehicle to crash. For this reason, many trailer manufacturers developed sway control mechanisms, such as the Draw-Tite sway control, which inhibit the sway that trailers can sometimes experience. The Draw-Tite sway control may be added to a towing setup with the right technique.
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Things You'll Need
- Towing vehicle
- Trailer
- Draw-Tite sway control
- Torque wrench
- Tape measure
- White grease pencil
- Center punch
- Power drill
- 11/32-inch drill bit
- 9/32-inch drill bit
- Driver bit
Instructions
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1
Attach a trailer to a tow vehicle and park them so the vehicle and trailer are in a straight line.
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2
Attach a Draw-Tite sway control's mount control ball to the end of a trailer hitch with the included nut and lock washer. Tighten the nut to 100 lb/ft with a torque wrench.
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3
Measure 24 inches from the sway control ball down the trailer's passenger side trailer tongue bar with a tape measure.
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4
Mark the location on the outside of the passenger side trailer tongue bar with a white grease pencil.
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5
Hold the ball/plate assembly against the white grease pencil mark and center punch the four hole locations in the assembly into the passenger side trailer tongue bar.
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6
Drill four pilot holes in the center-punched locations with a power drill and 11/32-inch drill bit for thicker metal or a 9/32-inch bit for thinner metal.
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7
Hold the ball/plate assembly in place and drive the six included screws through the plate and into the trailer tongue with a power drill and driver bit.
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8
Lubricate the sway control ball and ball portion of the ball/plate assembly with a small amount of grease.
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9
Slide the socket of the slide bar over the ball of the ball/plate assembly and secure it in place with a clip.
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10
Rotate the handle counter-clockwise until the slide bar may be moved.
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11
Extend the sway control assembly until the socket may be placed over the mount control ball, place the socket over the ball and secure it in place with a clip.
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12
Rotate the handle clockwise until it stops in its original position.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Do not use the Draw-Tite sway control on trailers with surge brakes. Do not use the Draw-Tite sway control on Class I hitches.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit blue trailer image by Diana Mastepanova from Fotolia.com
