labman1014
hattiesburg, ms
Full Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
 Offline
|
i am faily new to towing my PUP. we bought it in june 07 and it is a viking 2485st with a dry weight of 2800#. loaded i would say around 3300#. i have an 08 f150 4x4 3.73ls. truck tows it just fine. but my only worry is sway. about 5 years ago, i had an overloaded 5x8 trailer jack knife on my and scared the living poop out of me. the kind that you have to get a new car seat due to the crease you made in it. anyway.....i am so scared of sway and so i try to keep under 55mph on the highway. makes for a very long trip. i know the PUP is about half the weight of my truck, but still, when 3000# comes around you will go with it....will i benifit from some type of sway control and what type would you recommend? thanks in advance!!!
TV-2008 Ford F150 SCrew, 4X4, 5.4L, 3.73LS, Rear Camera
TT-2008 Surveyor SV-304LE
Just me, the wife, 3.5 year old, and 10 month old!!!
|
AZLetendre
Prescott Valley, AZ
Full Member
Joined: 03/18/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
with your vehicle/trailer ratio, I would simply get a friction sway, don't worry about the weight distribution part that some dealers recommend. I am getting one for my set up too, I understand completely.
Brian, Kristi, Scott, and Kevin Letendre
1998 Toyota 4Runner
2001 Coleman Utah TT
Arizona Christian Wheeler's
AZLetendre Photo Bucket
|
RetAF
Sumter, SC
Full Member
Joined: 08/10/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Yep, friction sway control is all you need. But first things first... make sure your PUP is properly loaded. Tongue weight should be 10-15% of total PUP weight in order to prevent sway. Once that is done, the sway control is good insurance just in case you do get some sway.
04 Mercury Mountaineer, V8, Tow Package
04 Fleetwood Sequoia
|
labman1014
hattiesburg, ms
Full Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
any certain brands that are good or any to stay away from? i see some on ebay pretty cheap.....thanks for the replys!!!!
|
lanerd
Ridgecrest, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/03/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
labman1014 wrote:any certain brands that are good or any to stay away from? i see some on ebay pretty cheap.....thanks for the replys!!!!
The friction bars are all about the same regardless of the brand. Go for the best price!
|
|
|
Fire Instructor
Upstate (Albany) NY Area
Senior Member
Joined: 06/17/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
What kind of brakes do you have? If you have hydraulic surge-type brakes, you may be very limited on the anti-sway systems available to you.
Fire Instructor
2004 Dodge 1500 4dr 4x4
2009 Rockwood 2607
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking!" General George S. Patton
|
labman1014
hattiesburg, ms
Full Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
electric standard on all vikings......single axle also if that matters.....which most PUP are...
|
Hornet28BHDS
Parker, PA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/29/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
It definately wouldn't hurt to have one.
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!
|
labman1014
hattiesburg, ms
Full Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
how fast do you tow your PUP????
|
Pete D
Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2005
View Profile
|
Quote:It definately wouldn't hurt to have one. Actually, it CAN hurt to have one:
1. If you have an underlying problem, like improper loading, then the friction sway control masks the problem and lets you get going faster to get in more trouble when you swerve...
2. If you don't read the instructions and use the control in slippery road conditions (rain, snow, ice or gravel), the control may cause a problem.
It's just another tool and it can be used wisely or unwisely. Fix other problems first and know the application limitations.
1998 Ranger 4.0 4x4
1991 Scamp 13'
|
|
|
