Proper adjustment to sway bar

[Gary Little]

I recently purchase a used Olympian sway control bar. I was not lucky enough to also get the installation instructions. What is the best way to set the proper friction for best control? I don't want to start out to tight but yet I do want the bar to be tight enough to work. Also, has anyone every used a Weight Distribution Hitch on a Toyota Highlander before?

Thanks,
Gary Little

[Frederick L. Simson]

I just pull mine as tight as I can without straining, until it stops. I check that I can loosen it by hand without having to resort to a wrench. I have never measured foot-pounds of whatever...

[Bill MacDermod]

We had a trailer hitch installer at Rock Crusher this year that said to snug it up then 1/4 of a turn

[Roger H]

The friction on the sway control bar is set using the bolt at the bottom. The handle at the top is used merely to employ the friction. The bolt and a wrench are used to increase the amount of friction as necessary. When the handle is tighted, you shouldn't be able to move the bar manually. It will, however, provide adequate friction for sway control. Tighten or loosen the bolt with a wrench for more or less control.

As far as using WDH with a Highlander, your car is a unibody. Unibodies are designed to accept stress in specific directions. Unless Toyota specifically designed the unibody of the Highlander to accept the stresses of a WDH setup, there is the potential of causing the unibody to buckle under stress. I'd contact Toyota to find out what their assessment is.


Roger

[Gary Little]

The friction on the sway control bar is set using the bolt at the bottom. The handle at the top is used merely to employ the friction. The bolt and a wrench are used to increase the amount of friction as necessary. When the handle is tighted, you shouldn't be able to move the bar manually. It will, however, provide adequate friction for sway control. Tighten or loosen the bolt with a wrench for more or less control.

As far as using WDH with a Highlander, your car is a unibody. Unibodies are designed to accept stress in specific directions. Unless Toyota specifically designed the unibody of the Highlander to accept the stresses of a WDH setup, there is the potential of causing the unibody to buckle under stress. I'd contact Toyota to find out what their assessment is.
Roger

Thanks Roger,
I will set up the sway control bar as you mentioned. That is great info on the WDH also. I did find in my owners manaul that Toyota does not recommend using a WDH. I'm sure it is because of the Unibody construction as you said.

Thanks again,
Gary Little

[Pete Dumbleton]

Here's a link to a PDF by Draw-Tite on friction sway bar installation and use:

http://p.hostingprod.com/@drawtite.com/N34...structions'

Here's a quote from that PDF:

QUOTE
4. When towing during slippery conditions such as wet, icy, or snow-covered roads or on loose gravel, turn
on/off handle (5) counterclockwise until all tension is removed from unit. Failure to do so could prevent tow
vehicle and trailer from turning properly.
END QUOTE