DE88ROX
West Michigan. The other West Coast
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Thanks for the in depth explanation John. It was very helpful!!! There are a few large parking lots close by that I will visit after I install the bar to find out just what my limitations will be.
I'm glad im not the only TT newbie with this question and that the answer helped others as well.  )
TV- 2010 GMC Sierra Z71 EXT. cab
TT- 2012 Starcraft Autumn Ridge235fb
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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An individual friction bar will work will for small trailers (manufacturer usually recommends up to 26 feet in length and nearly all of them recommend removing when backing. As long as you are GOOD at backing and not in danger of ever over extending or compressing the bar beyond it's limited movement then removal is usually optional rather than mandatory. It would end all concern if you had opted for an integrated anti sway system which exerts MUCH more force to dampen any sway and there is no need to concern yourself about backing or removing it for special circumstances. You DO have to pay for that convenience and increased control however.
Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
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SWD
Land of Living Skies
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Great pictures and they show quite clearly what happens when extreme angles are encountered, as you mention, its always good to have a spotter especially when backing up into tight places. Like you said by the time the hitch reaches the angles you have shown you will have successfully connected the TT with the TV on either side.
* This post was
edited 03/24/12 12:04pm by SWD *
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halibutman214
Oregon
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The following quote came from the manufacturer of my sway bar:
On some installations, damage to the sway control may occur during extremely sharp turning maneuvers. This can be checked by slowly
backing vehicle into a jackknife position while someone is watching. Do not allow slide bar to contract completely (bottom out) or
bumper to contact sway control. If it looks as though contact will be made or the sway control will bottom out then the sway control
must be removed before backing trailer.
I will have long since jack knifed before this ever happens but this was good info to know. Thanks for the post.
2008 Dodge Ram 6.7 Laramie SRW SB
2012 Keystone Passport 26BHWE
2009 Lance 830 with Tent foldout
20' North River Seahawk Boat
2005 Honda VTX1300
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Huntindog
phoenix arizona USA
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For many years I did not think it was possible to cause damage when backing with a friction device...Simply because it wasn't possible with any of my TV-TT-Drawbar-tounge length combinations. I did one time have the rear corner of the TV make contact with the front of the TT, but the hitch was unharmed. This was going forwards making a tight U turn.
Then John came along and illustrated that it is posible, and now with the best written explanation that I have ever seen.
So the bottom line is to know your Combination and it's limits.
As a side note, If any of my combos had required removal prior to making tight turns,,,I would have quickly made changes to rectify the problem. Having to do that would have peeved me to no end.
Huntindog
2010 Palomino Sabre 30BHDS
TWO bathrooms...No waiting!
MICHELIN XPS RIBS LRE
2011 Silverado Big Dually 3500 4x4 CC D/A
EQUALIZER Hitch
100% BOONDOCKING
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MitchF150
Washington, the State
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Joined: 07/13/2002
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Glad I don't have to bother with one of those at all.. 
Mitch
*Anything I post is for entertainment purposes only and what usually works for me.. Your Mileage May Vary.. 
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jerem0621
Sequatchie, TN
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Joined: 05/17/2009
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Just to affirm what John said.
Friction is unable to discern going forwards or backwards. IF you turn too sharp for your TT going forward OR backwards, you will crash the bars into themselves, or to the tongue.
If you crash the bar into itself you are essentially pinching the bar between the TV and the TT.
For those who have "never had a problem" I wanted to show you that given the right circumstances, it can happen.
Here is my TT mount for my left side sway bar.
This damage was done turning LEFT going forward, pulling out of my driveway onto our side road.
The sway bar ironically, is undamaged.
Be Careful out there and like John said, Know your trailer.
p.s. There is no friction sway control on my TT now. I went with Reese Dual Cam and if it is at all possible, I will never have friction sway on my TT again. The difference is amazing.
Thanks!
TT: 1995 Layton 2910
Tow Vehicle: 1999 F-350, v10, 2wd, Crew Cab, Dually
Hitch: Draw-Tite Trunnion WD Hitch
Sway Control: Valley dual friction sway control
Brake Control: Tekonsha Voyager
"It's Kind of Fun To Do The Impossible"
~Walt Disney~
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Huntindog
phoenix arizona USA
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jerem0621 wrote:Just to affirm what John said.
Friction is unable to discern going forwards or backwards. IF you turn too sharp for your TT going forward OR backwards, you will crash the bars into themselves, or to the tongue. This is not an absolute. There are many different combinations of Tounge lenth, drawbar length, TV, and TTs available. On the ones that I have had, the TT and TV make contact before a hitch problem can happen.
If you crash the bar into itself you are essentially pinching the bar between the TV and the TT.
For those who have "never had a problem" I wanted to show you that given the right circumstances, it can happen.
Here is my TT mount for my left side sway bar.
This damage was done turning LEFT going forward, pulling out of my driveway onto our side road.
The sway bar ironically, is undamaged.
Be Careful out there and like John said, Know your trailer.
p.s. There is no friction sway control on my TT now. I went with Reese Dual Cam and if it is at all possible, I will never have friction sway on my TT again. The difference is amazing.
Thanks! Not really all that amazing. IMO having run a single friction and a double friction and now the EQUALIZER, two friction controls are really close in sway control to a EQUALIZER or DC hitch....There have been actual calculations posted in the past that bear this out. Of cousre a single friction will be less that a EQUALIZR or DC
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LBL 1206
Land Between the Lakes, TN
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JBarca, thanx for the excellent explanation. I had never heard of the wet road issue before today. It doesn't matter how many miles or under what conditions and never had a problem before, there is always that proverbial first time. Your explanation has given me info I didn't have to a possible problem I didn't know about. Again, very excellent and thank you.
To the OP, thanks for starting this thread topic.
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tmprkswyo
Southwest Wyoming
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Great explanation and information. Thanks!
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