A poll on WDH w/sway control |
Post Reply | Page <1 3456> |
Author | |
GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2628 |
Topic: A poll on WDH w/sway control Posted: 07 Mar 2020 at 4:26pm |
The trunnion has a little bit more clearance under the hitch, so if you have limited clearance at the back of your tow vehicle, it might be the better choice. We have the round bar version.
|
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
|
CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 07 Mar 2020 at 7:17pm |
Round bar E2 600/6000 here. Glue Guy is right about ground clearance but that's seldom an issue.
|
|
Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
|
Wirat
Groupie Joined: 31 Jan 2020 Location: Florida Online Status: Offline Posts: 67 |
Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 6:23am |
Hey cool thanks for the responses. I can read about the differences on the websites that sell them, but those differences, clearance, installation time, etc. don't really mean as much to me as feedback from people like you actually using them with our particular type of trailer. I think I will go for the round bar version too if it's cheaper and seems to work with the R-pods as well as the trunnion does.
When I first bought this camper my neighbor (who has 30 years RV experience) told me I should get a WDH for safety reasons even though the trailer is light compared to others. I don't really see people here using them much on small stuff. I called Etrailer and the guy there told me for the R-Pod it would be a waste of money and would not make a difference until I was towing around 7,000 lbs. But then, my truck is only rated at 6,200 lbs max, so I think the Etrailer guy was missing the "big picture". To me it seems the physics should be the same just on a smaller scale...
When I read "installation" is easier for the trunnion style, do they mean each time you hook it up, or are they referring to the one-time installation when you first bolt the parts to the frame? If it's the one time initial installation they are referring to that's not a big deal to me.
|
|
mjlrpod
Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1214 |
Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 9:26am |
I use the E2 system also. I have the 600/6000 square friction bars. I don't understand why anyone would say using wdh is a waste of anything. Making sure your vehicle is somewhat level, and each wheel, front and back, is firmly planted against the road to assure the best possible control is not a waste. I also feel that having at least some sway control, is much better than no sway control. It's like stating that you should never ever wear a seat belt, because you'll probably not get into an accident today. Unless you buy a wdh that is guaranteed easy to install while your camper sways violently out of control as you drive down the highway, I would say it's not a waste.
|
|
2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
|
GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2628 |
Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 10:42am |
+1 I agree that hooking up a WDH is no big deal. Once you understand the dynamics, it only takes a few minutes to hook or de-hook as it were.
|
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
|
Wirat
Groupie Joined: 31 Jan 2020 Location: Florida Online Status: Offline Posts: 67 |
Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 11:46am |
Yeah and it seems from conversations here that WDHs DO make a big difference even on a lighter trailer, so I don't know why the Etrailer guy was so adamant about not needing one under 7k. He must not have had his coffee yet...
|
|
CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 1:01pm |
One additional point. There is a difference between "need WDH" and want WDH". Needing a WDH for safety reasons is a much debated subject involving weight of TT, weight of TV, location of hitch, wheelbases and trailer loading. This may explain the E-trailer response, particularly since the advertised weight of Rpods is grossly understated. However, you definitely will want the WDH. A properly installed and adjusted WDH will greatly improve the ride and feel of the rig. In addition to returning weight to the front axle it almost eliminates porpoising. Bounce up and down? Yes; that's the road and you can't do much about that. Feel like you're on a rocking horse? Not with the WDH. Great for relieving stress and calming your co-pilot.
|
|
Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
|
TheBum
Senior Member Joined: 26 Feb 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 1407 |
Posted: 09 Mar 2020 at 12:01pm |
We use the round bar version of the E2 with our 179 and Durango. The Durango has load leveling shocks on the back, but the ride is much smoother and more controlled with the WDH. The WDH reduces bounce at the coupler as well as providing better traction for steering.
|
|
Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod" 2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4 Three cats |
|
alohapad
Newbie Joined: 09 Feb 2020 Location: Canton MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
Posted: 19 Jul 2020 at 3:06pm |
Can see that everybody has a favorite, and I'm HOPING I made the right choice for my needs, but I picked the Anderson 3324 Sway WDH. It's kinda pricey ($499), but it's under 60lbs, and looks to be the bee's knees. My Jeep is rated 350/3500, and the 178 is at about 270 on the hitch, so my math says I snuck in just below. No lift kit, running 33's, so hoping the height is gonna be OK too.
|
|
StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Posted: 19 Jul 2020 at 3:49pm |
I say this to say that you will want to be careful with that Jeep. Its high center of gravity and short wheelbase (relatively so) means that any issue with trailer sway could get out of control faster than you can imagine. If you do not already have a lot of experience towing, I would recommend that in addition to the Andersen hitch, you look into one of the electronic sway control devices such as the Hayes Sway-Master, the Tuson Sway Control, or Lippert Sway Command. It will be able to react to conditions faster than you can and help prevent a potential sway situation from getting out of hand. I would recommend one of these, especially if someone has a vehicle that he/she thinks does not need a WD/sway control hitch.
|
|
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
|
Post Reply | Page <1 3456> |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |