sway bars - R-pod Owners Forum

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jswann

Newbie

Joined: 06 Dec 2015
Location: Warren VT
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Posts: 9

Topic: sway bars
Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:28am

What are thoughts on sway- bars ? Needed or No need ?

Happy Tripping View Drop Down

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Joined: 27 May 2014
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Posts: 473

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 7:24am

Try an 'Advanced Search' for "sway bars". You'll get more than you want on this.

My 2 cents - If you have a heavy and powerful 'capable' tow vehicle, with R-Pods you don't need them, if you have a marginal tow vehicle, you absolutely need them, and if you are in between, .... well, that's where the arguments start.

Do the search and make up your own mind.

jswann

Newbie

Joined: 06 Dec 2015
Location: Warren VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 9:37am

Thanks for the info I have seen several forums on small campers about this .
I have a 2015 R Pod 178 I will be pulling it with a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder V - 6
6,000 lb towing capacity with air bag rear suspension added. Pulled it home with 3/4 ton Chevy and did not know it was even back there . But plan to use pathfinder to pull with.

Outbound

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 767

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 9:56am

For the first two years, I didn't have anti-sway and I really didn't think I needed it. The trailer was just fine; sure, there was the odd sway, and I'd get some movement while passing tractor trailers, but it was nothing that concerned me.

Then, on a short three-hour trip, we ran into constant strong, gusty winds. It was nothing out-of-control, but it was an exhausting drive and my shoulder muscles were cramped the entire weekend. I was also told that the ride from the passenger seat was unpleasant and that we should never travel in conditions like that again. After we got back home, I popped into my RV dealer and bought a simple friction anti-sway bar for somewhere in the $60-$80 range and installed it myself in about an hour. That simple anti-sway bar has made a tremendous difference in drive comfort and I highly recommend installing one.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

jswann

Newbie

Joined: 06 Dec 2015
Location: Warren VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 10:19am

Thanks Craig it sounds like a smart move .
I think I will get one it sure can't hurt.
I pull much larger trailers a lot with excavator and loader but that is so much easier then a single axel camper 😜.

Jeff

StephenH

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6285

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 1:26pm

I got the Equalizer 4-way sway control hitch when we bought our R-Pod. We are towing with a 2016 Ford Escape with factory tow package. I did not try towing without the Equalizer, and after our recent trip, I don't want to even try it. Even with our smaller vehicle, the R-Pod towed well and only when we had very high crosswinds did I notice any problems. I am sure that without the sway control (both that of the hitch and that of the vehicle's systems), we would have had major problems.

StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

jato

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Location: Kewadin, MI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3216

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:01pm

100% agreement with the above posts. When we picked up our 177 in March of 2011 we had significant snow on the roadbed and didn't think the sway bar was necessary. However, the first time we towed on dry roads with any crosswind we had problems above 45 mph with our Explorer. Once that was installed, no problems, even with significant cross winds.

God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

codycountry View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 26 Jan 2014
Location: Wyo
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 168

Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:40pm

I agree with Outbound. I went a couple years without a stabilizer, even when pulling on snow and ice I made it OK, and high winds are the norm here in Wyo where we live so I have had some interesting trips with full rudder. I pull with a F250 super duty super cab v10, so I have a lot of mass, length of truck, and a lot of horses available, but when I bought the friction anti-sway from Amazon for about sixty bucks, it was a noticeable improvement and now the pod really never wiggles back there. I also have the hitch a little bit below level nose down a slight touch, that helps some too with my rig. 177HRE. I always leave home with a full water tank. Anti sway: Better to have it and not need it than the other way around. IMO. Safe travels.

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 27 Jan 2016 at 7:50pm

Same as Outbound. Except I decided to get a WDH which included sway control to take care of 2 problems.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

jswann

Newbie

Joined: 06 Dec 2015
Location: Warren VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9

Posted: 28 Jan 2016 at 6:57am

You use WDH with a large TV ? Are you pulling with a full size Tahoe ?

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jswann Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2015 Location: Warren VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Topic: sway bars Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:28am
	What are thoughts on sway- bars ? Needed or No need ?

Happy Tripping Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 May 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 473	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 7:24am
	Try an 'Advanced Search' for "sway bars". You'll get more than you want on this. My 2 cents - If you have a heavy and powerful 'capable' tow vehicle, with R-Pods you don't need them, if you have a marginal tow vehicle, you absolutely need them, and if you are in between, .... well, that's where the arguments start. Do the search and make up your own mind.

jswann Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2015 Location: Warren VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 9:37am
	Thanks for the info I have seen several forums on small campers about this . I have a 2015 R Pod 178 I will be pulling it with a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder V - 6 6,000 lb towing capacity with air bag rear suspension added. Pulled it home with 3/4 ton Chevy and did not know it was even back there . But plan to use pathfinder to pull with.

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 9:56am
	For the first two years, I didn't have anti-sway and I really didn't think I needed it. The trailer was just fine; sure, there was the odd sway, and I'd get some movement while passing tractor trailers, but it was nothing that concerned me. Then, on a short three-hour trip, we ran into constant strong, gusty winds. It was nothing out-of-control, but it was an exhausting drive and my shoulder muscles were cramped the entire weekend. I was also told that the ride from the passenger seat was unpleasant and that we should never travel in conditions like that again. After we got back home, I popped into my RV dealer and bought a simple friction anti-sway bar for somewhere in the $60-$80 range and installed it myself in about an hour. That simple anti-sway bar has made a tremendous difference in drive comfort and I highly recommend installing one.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

jswann Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2015 Location: Warren VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 10:19am
	Thanks Craig it sounds like a smart move . I think I will get one it sure can't hurt. I pull much larger trailers a lot with excavator and loader but that is so much easier then a single axel camper 😜. Jeff

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6285	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 1:26pm
	I got the Equalizer 4-way sway control hitch when we bought our R-Pod. We are towing with a 2016 Ford Escape with factory tow package. I did not try towing without the Equalizer, and after our recent trip, I don't want to even try it. Even with our smaller vehicle, the R-Pod towed well and only when we had very high crosswinds did I notice any problems. I am sure that without the sway control (both that of the hitch and that of the vehicle's systems), we would have had major problems.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3216	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:01pm
	100% agreement with the above posts. When we picked up our 177 in March of 2011 we had significant snow on the roadbed and didn't think the sway bar was necessary. However, the first time we towed on dry roads with any crosswind we had problems above 45 mph with our Explorer. Once that was installed, no problems, even with significant cross winds.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

codycountry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Jan 2014 Location: Wyo Online Status: Offline Posts: 168	Posted: 26 Jan 2016 at 6:40pm
	I agree with Outbound. I went a couple years without a stabilizer, even when pulling on snow and ice I made it OK, and high winds are the norm here in Wyo where we live so I have had some interesting trips with full rudder. I pull with a F250 super duty super cab v10, so I have a lot of mass, length of truck, and a lot of horses available, but when I bought the friction anti-sway from Amazon for about sixty bucks, it was a noticeable improvement and now the pod really never wiggles back there. I also have the hitch a little bit below level nose down a slight touch, that helps some too with my rig. 177HRE. I always leave home with a full water tank. Anti sway: Better to have it and not need it than the other way around. IMO. Safe travels.

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 27 Jan 2016 at 7:50pm
	Same as Outbound. Except I decided to get a WDH which included sway control to take care of 2 problems.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

jswann Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2015 Location: Warren VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 28 Jan 2016 at 6:57am
	You use WDH with a large TV ? Are you pulling with a full size Tahoe ?