CHEWY51099
Salem, Mass
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Joined: 06/25/2005
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As I learned the hard way, take it off. If you have to swing sharply it WILL bend. I thought that I'd be OK. I thought wrong.
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threebeachboys
NC
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Joined: 02/20/2006
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I always remove ours. In fact, the kids are trained to ask "mommy did you take off that sway thing?"
I wouldn't worry about taking a few extra seconds; most folks will wait. Plus, when I finally do back up, I'm sure I make up for it in the good laugh they get out of my ineptness at backing up.  ).
Pam
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NCfun
NC
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Joined: 06/14/2008
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AAAHHHH, this is always the "Did you.." "No don't need to" of all our trips. He has removed it once only because it was a jack knife deal but otherwise it is left on and so far he remains lucky!
Jim & Heather
Two Southern Boys '95 & '06
'07 Fleetword Utah
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_4Franklins
Irmo, SC
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Joined: 09/08/2008
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This one is easy to check in your driveway. Take off your sway bar with your trailer hitched up and start backing towards a jacknife angle. Then check to see if you can still install the sway bar with it pushed all the way in. A little trail & error will tell you the angle at which the sway bar would be damaged if it were on. Take a good look at the angle from inside the tow vehicle and you'll know what to avoid.
Or just take it off while your spouse checks into the campground.
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SoCalRailFan
Riverside, CA
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Joined: 04/02/2008
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I seem to backup with it on all the time because I forget to take it off. I'm probably at backing with it on at 75% right now, no problems. I always get done and say "S**T not again!".
Thanks,
Dave
www.SoCalRailFan.com
2006 Jeep Wrangler Umilimited, 2008 Fleetwood Westlake
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Hornet28BHDS
Parker, PA
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Joined: 01/29/2007
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Definately remove it while backing up!
2006 Hornet 28BHDS-Bunk House, Dual Slides
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 HD
5.7L Hemi, Factory Towing Package
Reese Brake Controller, WD Hitch and Sway Bar
Life is short, why not spend it in an RV!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
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Paddle on the crow
MN
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Joined: 12/30/2006
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This is the first time I've heard of this. Seems kind of silly. Of course if you turn one way or another too sharp (Forwards or backwards) it could cause damage. So could a lot of other things- like running into the roof of the camper (Leaving a big dent)  with your canoe while carrying it! or better yet, anyone ever lock their keys in the vehicle while getting out to hook up your camper, just before leaving for home - When everyone is hot and crabby&! - Oh, and then having to walk 1/2 mile to the camp office when it is 97 degrees out to use the phone only to have On-Star tell you that they would be happy to open the doors...all I had to do was press the blue button to activate my subscription! HELLO! The doors are LOCKED LADY! ...at least I got a hold of someone that could leave right away and they were only FORTYFIVE MINUTES! AWAY!! .....(did I mention the vehicle was running.) Now I know what your thinking, how could that dammage the camper? Right? Right. It wasnt until the nice gentalman broke into my car in less time than it took to accidently bump the door lock. (He only charged me $40 which I thought was pretty good being he had to drive so far.) Anyway after he left, I was in such a hurry to pick up the wife, our 1 year old son (Who by the way was suppose to have been in his car seat when all this happend) and dog who were waiting at the camp office. that I forgot to hook up the front of the sway bar, so when I took off down the road it fliped off and hit the ground causing it to rip away from the other end leaving it laying in the road. At this point I didn't really even care so I procedeed to make a U-turn in the middle of the road and coudn't quite make it, so I backed the camper into the ditch and ripped off one of the rear stablizers while exiting.
Not sure what the lesson is here folks, but I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we sure like talking about little details and decisions that will probalby never be an issue in a "normal "situation....(Like removing the sway bar when backing up)
POTC
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the hangman
Green Bay, Wi
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Joined: 05/09/2005
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Someone here on the forum made some kind of bracket on the trailer tongue so they could just disconnect the anti sway device from the tow vehicle, pivot the antisway unit 180 degrees and set it on the bracket. Easy to do and less likely to misplace the little clips.
Jeff
2005 Fleetwood Valor
2007 Nissan Pathfinder
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bud121156
Shelby, North Carolina
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Joined: 04/15/2007
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That bracket would be a big help....... thing about taking it off before backing is ....what ya gonna do with it??? back of a pickup truck-no problem. What if you don't tow with a truck? ... lay it on top of the camper??? .... on top of the SUV?? ... on the ground??
Donnie and Cheryl
Shelby, North Carolina
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the hangman
Green Bay, Wi
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Joined: 05/09/2005
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bud121156 wrote:....... thing about taking it off before backing is ....what ya gonna do with it???
Especially if you put greese on the little balls and cups like the manufacturer recommends.
Jeff
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