Sway bar bending mount plate?
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Printed Date: 05 May 2024 at 6:50am
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Topic: Sway bar bending mount plate?
Posted By: TylerK9
Subject: Sway bar bending mount plate?
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 8:47am
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Just returned from an Easter weekend camping trip at Bear Creek Lake Park outside Denver. That's about 350 miles each way, and by the time we got back to the New Mexico border, the Curt sway control bar had bent the mounting plate as shown below. Forunately we had an extra ball mount with us! Towing an RP-180 with a 2006 F-150. We did hit some high winds (25 MPH) on I-25 near Raton, but I would think a sway control should be able to handle that easily. Am I using it incorrectly? Any thoughts on what might cause this? Thanks!   |
Replies:
Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 9:00am
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Mine did the same thing, I was able to use my buddies hyd press to straighten it back to normal. Twice!!!!! I backed up with out unhooking the sway bar,no problem since Moe ------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150 
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
Posted By: TylerK9
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 10:36am
| Thanks Craneman. I'm concerned that the degree of bending may have compromised the integrity of the metal plate to the point where it could shear off. I wound up ordering a different mount ( https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Draw-Tite/7390.html?feed=npn&gclid=CMuxnpqprtMCFYO1wAodrUwJSw - link ) that looks a bit sturdier than the setup I had before. My challenge has been finding a sway-control mount that has the 3" rise I need, since most (including our backup mount) seem to feature a drop, which has us towing with the trailer nose down more than I'd like. |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 10:58am
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I would NOT straighten that, and put it back on!!. That metal is fatigued now, and surely has stress cracks in it. It appears the weld on the small gusset underneath the sway ball has failed. Did you back up with the sway bar on? I cant think of a reason that should have happened otherwise. It took alot of force obviously, and unless you were in hurricaine winds, you sway bar should not be exerting that much force. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 2:12pm
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Looks like what happens if you back up with the sway bar on. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 2:37pm
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TylerK9,
The hitch from etrailer is excellent, I have a couple of tow vehicles and it makes it easy to move from one to another with one hitch, also you are correct the sway bar mount is heavy duty. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: TylerK9
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2017 at 3:08pm
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Yeah, mjlrpod, there's no way I'm putting that back on! (My wife said she'd take an Uber to our next campground if I did!) We did back up once with the sway bar on, but that was a couple days ago when we arrived and everything seemed fine when I hitched up after that for the drive home. We did have to take a couple VERY sharp turns navigating a crowded gas station, but no backing. Lesson learned: don't cheap out on your hitch equipment. The one that bent was a relatively inexpensive model I bought on Amazon. Glad to hear from Mike Carter that the replacement one on order is worth the additional cost!
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Posted By: fonseca179
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 7:54am
Posted By: fonseca179
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 7:55am
| If you didn't back up with it than it was most likely too tight. I over tightened mine once and bent it just like that. I replaced it with a new. |
Posted By: mtdave
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 5:00pm
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I have this ball mount with sway control tab. I haven't had it long but have made one 1,700 mile trip with it and it worked great. https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Draw-Tite/7390.html - https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Draw-Tite/7390.html ------------- 2011 R-Pod 176 2009 Chevy Suburban 1500 |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 5:00pm
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Good input, I think on a very hard turn, there is possibility the extension length was maxed out, which could mean the trailer mount is out of tolerance or in what you experienced it was too tight. I know when I set my sway bar, I use my fingers to wiggle the bar up and down, then adjust till it stops wiggling and add 1 turn. That is where I start. If everything else is correct - tongue level or slightly down, etc, I will add tension but never to max. I know I can tighten mine to where it makes noise when extending I can hear in cab of tow vehicle. Too tight. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: TylerK9
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 5:43pm
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Well, you learn something new every day! I didn't realize it was possible to overtighten a friction sway control--so I've been stressing and straining to crank the lever absolutely as far as I can. And I could definitely hear all sorts of creaking and moaning on every tight turn. Hopefully between the new, sturdier ball mount I have on order and a newfound sensitivity to over-tightening, I can avoid a replay on our next trip! Thanks to everyone who replied.
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 5:50pm
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TylerK9, live and learn, we all started somewhere. You know that old saying, a lot of good judgement comes from bad decisions:) ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 6:00pm
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Well now I have read a lot of personal opinions on how to adjust the sway control arm, but no one said what the instructions from the manufacture said. I got mine with the trailer so no instructions,just verbal from previous owner Moe ------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 6:09pm
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Well Moe, mine is a CAMCO, it said adjust to stop, but there was no stop I could keep tighten until I couldn't tighten anymore, and then it said use the screw adjust to add to tighten, made no sense. So I went to a RV pro who gave me the slack no slack method and place to start. When it is making noise, it's too tight. Something has to give. They have install instructions and YouTube has videos. etrailer is another good place for install videos. All about research. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 6:17pm
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Here you go Moe.
1. SWAY CONTROL CANNOT BE USED ON TRAILERS WITH SURGE BRAKES. DO NOT USE SWAY CONTROL ON CLASS I OR II HITCHES. USE ON CLASS III OR IV ONLY. 2. Trailer loading: Proper trailer loading is your first-line defense against dangerous instability and sway. Heavy items should be placed on the floor in front of the axle. The load should be balanced side-to-side and secured to prevent shifting. Tongue weight should be about 10-15 percent of gross trailer weight for most trailers. Too low a percentage of tongue weight can cause sway. Load the trailer heavier in front. 3. The handle is an on/off device. The bolt below is for adjustment only. 4. When towing during slippery conditions such as wet, icy, or snow-covered roads or on loose gravel, turn on/off handle counterclockwise until all tension is removed from unit. Failure to do so could prevent tow vehicle and trailer from turning properly. 5. Do not speed up if sway occurs. Sway increases with speed. Do not continue to operate a swaying vehicle. Check trailer loading, sway control adjustment and all other equipment until the cause of sway has been determined and corrected. 6. Never paint or lubricate slide bar. HOOK-UP a. Lubricate both balls with a small amount of grease, place socket of slide bar over ball and secure with clip. Loosen handle until the slide bar can be moved. Extend sway control assembly and place socket over ball on trailer, secure with other clip. b. Retighten handle until it stops (handle should be in its original level position). The sway control assembly is preset at the factory with a tension suitable for most light trailers. c. 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 thought contact will be made or the sway control will bottom out then the sway control must be removed before backing trailer. ADJUSTMENT a. Trailer configurations and loading, road and weather conditions, towing speed, tire condition and pressure, and center of gravity of trailer all affect towing. To get maximum benefits from the sway control assembly, a series of road tests should be taken with the loaded trailer. During the first road test try the sway control at the factory preset force. On subsequent trips increase or decrease tension by turning the adjusting bolt in 1/4 turn increments in the direction shown on the label until the desired control is achieved. For large trailers, it may be necessary to install a second sway control unit. b. After about 1000 miles of towing, remove the slide bar from the sway control and clean the friction surfaces with a wire brush. Repeat this cleaning procedure about every 10,000 miles. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2017 at 6:48pm
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Thanks Mcarter first time iv'e seen those inst, will set mine up tomorrow Moe ------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |