SpencerPJ

So my truck has trailer sway controls, under towing and I can disable it. My WDH has an add on friction type anti sway. Do I want to run with both, or turn the trucks off?

Flamingtaco

In case the trailer overcomes the friction arm, it's best to have the truck's sway control engaged.

Except in a few rare instances where the sensitivity of the system does not play well with certain types of WDH's (and in at least two cases where it didn't play well with the truck), you should leave it on.

Drive with the truck for about an hour with sway control turned off, then measure the temperature at both rear wheels. Turn it on, drive for at least 30 minutes on the same terrain and in the same conditions, then check the wheels again. If the average temp between the two wheels is not significantly different, your sway control sensitivity is fine and it's not engaging the brakes unnecessarily.

llr

I am a firm believe in using it as it engaged a few times on my prior TT before I could get it under control, at least for me it was bad before it engaged.

What size trailer are you towing? Unless it is way under the trucks limits I also suggest a hitch with built in sway control instead of the friction pad.

SpencerPJ

Thanks, I have always left it on, it's a 21" TT probably 6k loaded, tops. I was in a rather windy pull last time, I read somewhere you shouldn't use both anti sways. I do monitor my tires, never have felt the rears were even kinda warm, let alone hot so I really doubt if the system has ever kicked in. I would rather have an e4 set-up, really can't justify the cost when my Reese Trunion style is adequate.

Mister C

Good topic for discussion.

I believe that BlueOx is the only manufacturer that advises in their manual (TrackPro and SwayPro) to turn off factory sway control features. Since the OEM system is designed to mitigate sway AFTER it starts, I'm wondering how this OEM system could possibly interfere with any sway control 'built in' on a hitch. I used an Equal-i-Zer with my F150 and now with my F350 and there is no such statement in their manual.

I know from past threads that some swear by disabling factory anti-sway and others blow it off......curious to hear both sides of the argument.

MikeD134

It would be nice to see some testing done on a track to see what the true answer is.
Otherwise, it's a bunch of folks debating over beers.

Flamingtaco

The answer probably lies in consumer experience. If you've just put on your first WDH, and during a strong gust of wind the truck starts to veer a bit, then it kicks hard once and straightens out, would you know if it was the WDH or the truck's sway control that caused that white knuckle kick? It's easy for those of us that have followed these discussions for years to know that a WDH doesn't behave like that and it was the truck's sway control kicking on the brakes on one side to bring the truck back in line. We are in the great minority of people that call up their WDH manufacturer to try to figure out what the hell happened.

llr

I have the Blue ox sway pro and at least on my truck and prior TT the truck sway control worked well when it got too bad for the hitch. I suspect there is some brand and configuration of truck that may not play well together. The reality is if the WDH sway control is doing its job the truck sway control never comes into play.

The 3 times mine came on I was lucky no one was next to me as I probably would have hit them as I could not stay in my lane. If the truck sway control comes one and it is not an extreme wind issue you have other issues that need to be solved. Mine was needing a smaller trailer for the truck. If it is wind slow down and find a safe place to wait it out.

Edit: On my truck there was no question it came on, you can feel it and a message came up on the dash, I did not take time to read the message

Flamingtaco

LOL. A bunch of folks debating stuff over beers is how we've ended up with most of the tech we've got today

There have been a few members to actually report sway control fighting their WDH, with turning it off resolving the issue. There have also been a few members that were experiencing lower than expected mileage that resolved also when turning off sway control. Not anything to debate there, some truck are oversensitive, and the best action is to check your rear brakes to see if they are running hot when a trailer is hooked. If they are, and turning off SC relieves that, you have your answer, no debates or beers required.

MikeD134

How would you check your brakes? You'd need to run at highway speeds for perhaps 50 miles? Then stop using only the trailer brakes otherwise any temperature checks would be worthless. Should be a cloudy day so there is no heating from the sun on that side. Then repeat with the sway controls turned off. Plus you should jack up the truck spin each wheel to check that each caliper lightly drags the same amount. Doing it any other way just becomes another discussion over beers.