The bride and I just purchased a 1966 Aladdin 15 ft trailer.  Need to get new tires and check wheel bearings before our first outing in a couple weeks.  Friend at work said I should install a sway bar.  The drive home was around 40 miles on 4 lane and county roads, no problems.

Most of our time will be on 2 lane state highways and county roads, is a sway bar advised?

Thanks
Bruce

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I recently towed my 1960 Oasis travel trailer with my 1981 El Camino and when I drove above 45-50 mph I would almost lose control because of the sway and teetering the trailer was doing. I'm in the process of searching for a sway bar set-up and may also install some sort of shock absorber system and sway bar set-up on the trailer frame also to help stabilize everything in the hopes that I will be able to travel faster than 45 mph.
Anyone else have idea's?
You can find sway bars at HarborFrieght.com
Bruce, I'm not sure about a sway bar, those are usually on the tow vehicles. I use a weight distributing hitch. It really makes towing more enjoyable and seems much safer. Is this what you are talking about? http://www.hitchesforless.com/Pro_Series_rb2_WD_hitch.htm

John
Thanks,
Our truck is a little over kill for the trailer - has a factory tow package which I understand has a load leveling hitch. The more I think, talk, and read about having a sway bar (anti-sway bar?) I am starting to think it is cheap insurance.
Thanks again for your help, talk at you later.
Bruce
Hey there Bruce,
Well, I have FLIPPED a 22 ft brand new trailer--it was so perty... I kept the danged thing in MY lane and NO one was HURT! No Sway bars... didn't know I needed them (the trailer was actually used... but nearly new...)
NOW, I have a 15 ft. 1969 Aladdin, and have had NO trouble with towing it with my SUV (same car that the other flipped from). The hitch is so much shorter-that they don't need them... at least that is what I have been told.

I just brought mine up to the Sumner WA area, from Larch Mt. WA (about 145 miles). Mountain driving, I-5 and in town, it towed great! (even through the construction areas which make me NUTS). Reason I mentioned the first trailer, is I was on the same highway going North with the same truck drivers going 80 and past me... with the Aladdin I was stable and fine. I stay in the slow lane...

I have no bathroom in mine--but did find if I keep the H2O tank nearly full, it evens out the weight of the fridge that is on the other side... and of course, I DO store all heavy stuff up front.

Coolest part of trip was the nice lady who stopped me and wanted me to show her my trailer (at the gas station!) -- I sent her here to see my photos, as I am on Grandbaby WATCH and was running like the wind to get up here! hahahha

Enjoy your trailer!
Barb G
I would love to see your pics Barb!
we own a 19 ft 1972 Wigwam and made our first pull without one... Moving it home was rough and we thought it was mostly from setting up for so long on bad tires.... after our work we pulled it for our first trip just a short distance and felt very uncomfortable.... after installing the sway bar and equalizer kit it pulls great... we have only had one problem since in New Orleans traffic when large trucks passed... reorganizing and moving a few things to the van fixed that...
I will be getting a friction tow bar. Low budget but better than nothing. Just looking forward to going on our first camping trip. trying to get set up for the first time has not been quick. Pack the wheel bearings, get new tires, finding a mattress.... The lock has been fun; the existing dead bolt dropped a screw and wedged the door shut. Drilled out the door handle and deadbolt, dis-assembled them from the outside piece by piece until we could see what was going on. In the end we just needed to pull a lot harder than we had been.
thanks again
Bruce
Well, started installing the sway bar but the kit I purchased required some welding to attach to the hitch on the truck. That was not going to happen in the time available. Fortunately our little trailer behaved very well.
Bruce

Could I learn more about what you are describing please? -Sandy

 

Sandy,

A trailer will sometimes start swaying back and forth behind the tow vehicle, sometimes it is just a little side to side movement.  It can get bad enough to flip the trailer or the trailer and tow vehicle (see pic above).  Once started it can compound into a bad situation.

 

A bunch of things can lead to it, or add up to lead to it.  A few that I have heard:

-too high of a travel speed.  A travel trailer isn't meant to go 70 plus mph.

-improper load balance.  Too much weight behind the trailer axles.  (Too much forward of the axles may cause similar issues.)

-strong side winds.  While trailers seem heavy, when you look at the amount of 'sail' they provide for the weight, there isn't a lot holding them down.

-other traffic.  Semi-trucks especially cause a lot of buffeting wind as they go by (same direction or opposite direction).  

 

Other possibles:

-tongue length?

-travel height, overall and ground to chassis?

 

Never did get the sway bar set up on the Aladdin.  Towed the trailer a couple hundred miles in April, cruise set at 75.  The Aladdin tows very well with no sway.  Unfortunately our little trailer has some serious rot issues, to us not worth repairing.  Found a 1987 Kit brand travel trailer that is in good shape and has all that we want in a TT at this time.

bruce 

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