13' Scamp..do we need sway bars?

[deryk]

Ive read more then once to disconect an anti swaybar if backing up


deryk

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Otters

Huh? Seriously? you can't back up with a sway bar???

Yeah seriously. No problems backing straight, it's when backing into a site... the bar might bind then bend. I think this falls into the "better safe than sorry" category.

[deryk]

I would have to carry a spare then lol since I often overshoot driveways if Im not 100%paying attention and they are poorly marked... well my suggestion is take your trailer out and put some miles on it and see how it feels. I did 3900 miles last year on my little red homebuilt gypsy caravan and didn't need it...so who knows?


deryk

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by glamourpets

............
Here is another one thats only $22.

FRICTION RV POP UP CAMPER TRAILER HITCH HEAVY DUTY ANTI SWAY CONTROL NEW | eBay

$50 shipping

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Lora

In looking at my Sienna's documents, they state the following:
"If towing a trailer and cargo weighing over 907 kg (2000 lbs), it is necessary to use a sway control device with sufficient capacity."

Yes, I noticed that too. In 2004 or 2005 I called Toyota Canada customer service for clarification of what they might mean by "sway control device", and their response was that it didn't matter because they had since withdrawn that direction.

I also note that the same manual includes three directives which are generally common to Toyota manuals and are either unreasonable or unrelated to the specific vehicle (as my notes indicate)

• do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) while towing [seriously?]
• do not attach a hitch to the axle [this refers to a live axle which most models don't have]
• remove the hitch when not towing, sealing any resulting holes in the body [this was written for fixed ball mount hitches used before the receiver type became common; removing the receiver from a Sienna doesn't leave any holes anyway, because the hitch mounts to a structural box where Toyota provided nuts welded into the structure for this purpose]

I don't use a friction-type sway control device - or any of the other things that might be called "sway bars" - to tow our 17' 3000 lb (when loaded) Boler; it does not sway at any speed I have reached (which includes well in excess of any Canadian speed limit), or any road (which includes the major highways of the Alberta and B.C. mountains).

The configuration of your rig is your responsibility.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I don't use sway bars and it's worth noting that they're virtually unknown in Europe..

This is strictly true; however, European towing equipment companies do offer friction-type sway control devices, which appear to be commonly used, especially by those towing at higher speed. Instead of a crudely-constructed sliding bar, these devices incorporate friction pads into the coupler; an example is described in a web page by Witter; they are not usable with the stud-mounted balls typically used in North America.

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Sway is a mostly predictable function of loading, tires, and speed.

If "loading" means the distribution of the mass of the trailer and contents, (not just the fraction carried by the hitch), and you add trailer geometry (such as coupler-to-axle distance) then I agree.

[Rod P]

Originally Posted by Ric

we're rookies with a new 13' Scamp..do we need to worry about sway bars?

I read through the postings and did not see what is the towing vehicle and capacity.

I have a 13 foot Scamp and tow it with a 4x4 Toyota truck, manual 5 speed. I keep my speed to around 60 mph. I can hardly feel it behind me. I pull my 2000 lb boat with no problem either, though my engine is underpowered on large inclines. It could not hurt to have the sway bar but with a pickup truck and a small trailer it seems like a bit of over-kill.

Brakes are another story. I think the brakes are more important in an emergency. Even though my truck has oversized brakes there is nothing like stopping in a hurry when you come over a hill and the traffic is backed up and stopped. It happened to me once and it is the closest I have ever come to rear-ending someone. My tires were squeeling and I stopped less than a foot from a mini-van. That extra weight made a big difference in stopping distance.

If you are pulling the trailer with a small car - get the sway bar and brakes (if not equipped), IMO. Make sure you have adequate tongue weight too.

Regards.

[MC1]

Hey Ric.... what are you using for a TV?

thnxs

[Otters]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Yeah seriously. No problems backing straight, it's when backing into a site... the bar might bind then bend. I think this falls into the "better safe than sorry" category.

Well darn! I can't imagine when I get to a camp site to take the swaybar off. And as for backing straight. That never happens. I always back: oops, a little to far to the left, oops a little too far to the right, oops...
I'll do what Deryk suggests and give it some mileage and then see what I need. I'm a belt and suspenders kind of girl. I like to have all the protection I can get. However, I'm towing my '77 13' with a 2001 tundra. I don't have an issue with the weight. I just have to be sure I balance the weight in the trailer, as otherss have recommended. I'll look into getting brakes put on the Scamp.

[honda03842]

We use an anti-sway bar though we've towed 1,000s of miles without one. We consider it as an aid in emergencies.

On occasion when backing we have loosened the anti-sway bar's pressure pad but never remove it when backing. The anti sway bar should not be so tight that it doesn't slide on corners.

[Francesca Knowles]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Norm, but aren't you running a below average tongue-to-total weight ratio?

If so, use of a mechanical sway bar is probably necessary and certainly prudent.

Francesca

[honda03842]

Francesca
Our tongue weight with the Scamp is 200 lbs and with the Casita 230 lbs. (Scamp axle weight 2200 lbs; Casita axle weight 2570 lbs)

These were both fully loaded trailers with AC, water and one full propane tank for 7-11 months of travel. We find the tongue weight typically decreases by 10 lbs as we travel. Our tongue weight is about 9% of the trailer's axle weight

In both rigs we towed about 1500 to 3000 miles without anti-sway bars and never saw any sway.

We added an anti-sway bar at the suggestion of a couple of more experienced rvers. They said you'll be glad you have it in an emergency. They were right, proven by two emergency stops.

Heck an anti-sway bar is not much more expensive than a tank of gas and takes about a minute to connect and 30 minutes to first time install.

[Lora]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Yes, I noticed that too. In 2004 or 2005 I called Toyota Canada customer service for clarification of what they might mean by "sway control device", and their response was that it didn't matter because they had since withdrawn that direction.
The configuration of your rig is your responsibility.

Thank you for the information. Too bad they can't send something out to notify owners when something like that happens.
I fully agree with your last statement. It is hard though, sometimes, to find good accurate information.

[honda03842]

Francesca,

I should have read your post more closely, if it's tongue weight to total trailer weight we're more like 8% tongue weight.

Though I know this is a USA rule of thumb (10-15% tongue weight), it's obviously not the case through out the world. Practically all vehicles sold in Europe have tongue to trailer weights below 10%.

I've often wondered about the science behind 10-15%, not that it's a bad number but why is it the proper range.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Otters

Well darn! I can't imagine when I get to a camp site to take the swaybar off. And as for backing straight. That never happens. I always back: oops, a little to far to the left, oops a little too far to the right, oops...
I'll do what Deryk suggests and give it some mileage and then see what I need. I'm a belt and suspenders kind of girl. I like to have all the protection I can get. However, I'm towing my '77 13' with a 2001 tundra. I don't have an issue with the weight. I just have to be sure I balance the weight in the trailer, as otherss have recommended. I'll look into getting brakes put on the Scamp.

With a tundra and a 13', I doubt you will see a need for one if its loaded right.

Brakes, definitely a good idea.

As for to tongue weight, it's all preference. I prefer to stay around 15%, I think they tow nicer there.

Honestly, with the vastly different vehicle setups/driving styles on here, it makes it harder to say anything for towing recommendations, than it would otherwise.

[Evergreengirl]

Norm is right - you don't normally need to disconnect an anti-sway bar when backing up, but you do need to loosen it. Putting the anti-sway bar on and taking it off is really simple too.

[Donna D.]

And it's ALL about what angle you're backing into. Some sites in some campgrounds are literally 90 degrees. I'd disconnect the sway bar rather than risk damage. I'm cheap and hate to replace stuff due to my own fault. If it required power tools to disconnect the sway bar, that might be different. It only requires 30 seconds and two hands. What's your time worth? I believe in doing this as a habit rather than wonder if....

YMMV

[honda03842]

Curt anti-sway bar on Amazon with all pieces needed for installation under $50

[Ric]

Originally Posted by MC1

Hey Ric.... what are you using for a TV?

thnxs

:>) we don't rush the important decisions.....

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Ric

:>) we don't rush the important decisions.....

So- is this whole convo theoretical, or what???

Francesca