Sway / Weight distribution needed yes or no

[FastEddieB]

Here's the first link that came up for "Husky Sway Control":

https://accessories.lazydays.com/husky-37498-left-handed-adjustable-sway-control-kit-14-1254?cid=52-0013-05&gclid=Cj0KEQjwrYbIBRCgnY-OluOk89EBEiQAZER58rb9vp1dskn7quf82p-owZ_5je44y6l9YZjtw5I17gMaAkE38P8HAQ

To avoid drilling, this is the clamp-on ball you need (which looks like it would work with any sway control using the same sized ball):

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA3SR2J48189&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-AT+-+RV+%26+Trailer+Covers-_-9SIA3SR2J48189&gclid=Cj0KEQjwrYbIBRCgnY-OluOk89EBEiQAZER58us4e4qC7bcq8Re5hHJhewTseVg-Ber4O4RrBE4TDNsaAo6g8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

I ended up with the Husky, and not the EAZLift sway control, at the recommendation of Andy at CanAm RV. He said they were all very similar but that he slightly preferred the Husky.

[MikeT]

Thanks for the links, checking into them now

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[Fatdog2]

My tow vehicle is a 2014 Ram 1500 crew cab with camper shell and I installed Air Lift 1000# in coil springs last month, towing 21 BHS with no WDH or Sway control bar. I usually have 5 gal's of water in Black and Grey water tanks, and 1/4 full of fresh water. The dealer recommended having F/W tank pretty full to add weight over the axles. Too much water is just added tow weight IMO.  I haven't notice any significant sway from passing trucks or cross winds. Installing the air bags with 30 PSI of air pressure (which I can fill up with my bicycle pump) it helped take out the squat in the rear of the truck when loaded down with gear and trailer. When not towing or hauling I drop the air to 7 PSI and rides nice. That's my set up and it works for me.


https://www.amazon.com/LIFT-60818-1000-Air-Spring/dp/B001OMVCIC/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1494341277&sr=1-1&keywords=air+bags+for+trucks

[LivinLite AZ]

Hello All. I'm new to this forum, having just purchased our 'new to us' 2014 CampLite 13QBB from a dealer in Phoenix. Forgive me for making my introduction using this thread, but I promise to address the topic at hand...

My wife and I have enjoyed the heck out of our lifted 88 Coleman popup for the last eight years, dragging it to remote places it had no right to be. But eventually I was tired of hearing myself complain when it was time to execute the jigsaw puzzle exercise of repacking the popup and shuffling all of our gear around so we could could get back on the road. After a few years, we started contenting ourselves with staying in one place on our usual 5-7 day trips, instead of seeking our next 'perfect' campsite each day.

Living in Sedona for the last 26 years, so near the four corners, we tend gravitate to southern Utah and Colorado to get away from our touristy hometown hustle an bustle. It's hard to top Sedona for its magical beauty, but it is futilely restrictive to camp here. But between Zion and Moab UT, there is a gluttony of mind blowing scenery, and hundreds of miles of traversable off pavement splendor to behold. We are not campground types.

Enter the CampLite. Queen Bed, AC, Fridge, Toilet, and since it practically packs itself, we could easily camp in a new spot every night. Needless to say, the Coleman popup just got a for sale sign stuck to it. However, now that we're growing up (a little bit), with the 13QBB, I have new concerns... like seeing what's behind me, and invisible tree branches. Oh, and a slew of necessitated  upgrades for our Jeep. I just finished the 4.55 axle gearing and a HD 242 Transfer Case last week. So, knowing that we can tow is great. But our lifted 4500 pound, relatively short wheelbase tow vehicle has had some unnerving sway issues with the 13QBB in strong winds and when rounding long bumpy sweeping turns at highway speeds. I assume the light weight compared to the CL camper's surface area plays a role here. Quite a departure from towing the old popup which was easy to forget was even there.

My CampLite conundrum revolves around those tiny aluminum frame rails. We initially purchased the well reviewed 400Lb Husky Centerline TS WDH/anti sway system, but fitment was not working out very well. First, I had to move the propane tanks forward enough to clear the rear sway bar brackets. Then when I had that sorted, the lower bolts on the brackets for the anti sway bars had nearly 3 inches of daylight between the bottom of the frame rail and the top of the lower bracket bolts. I knew if I tightened everything to spec the lower part of my tiny aluminum frame rail could crush with all the off center leverage.

I called eTrailer support, the guy asked "How much does your trailer weigh?". Following my answer he said "Don't tighten those bolts! and Why do you need a WDH?" I replied "One of your associates said it was the way to go." He told me to pack up the Husky and emailed me a return label. I then asked how to fix the sway problem. He said to get the Pro Series 83660 Sway Control Bar, and the required 2" receiver bracket - LINK - https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=Pro+Series+83660 . Thanks for saving me $300 : )

I just got the Pro Series yesterday and I am so glad to be rid of 100 pounds of Husky hitch weight and reclaim 8 inches of ground clearance under my hitch. However... my CL frame rail is only 2w" x 3h" and the Pro Series anti sway bracket is about 8w" x 3h" and comes with six 3/8" self tapping mounting screws that are made of an unknown steel (no markings). I like that this unit is very light and only needs to be installed on one side of the frame (see attached images) But I am more than nervous about what drilling six 3/8" holes in my petit aluminum frame rail could mean structurally, and then reaming it together with dissimilar metals (galvanic corrosion anyone?).

Needless to say, I walked away from this project yesterday without drilling a single pilot hole. I spoke last night with a friend who does fab work and he said that I could get away with using 316 Stainless coarse thread hardware and he recommended not using self tapping anything, but rather to drill through the entire width of the frame rail so the nut would be on the inside of the rail and to use locknuts and nylon washers. Also he said to wrap or back any surface using PVC tape where the AL & SS metals could make contact. This all sounded great, but the thought of now drilling twelve 3/8" holes in my pristine CampLite frame is giving me shivers.

Have any of you been down this road? I talked to Amy at CampLite today and she could not definitively say if or how much these holes would have a negative structural impact, and suggested I contact a qualified RV service center. Since I need sway control regardless, I have considered gusseting the frame rail to add some rigidity to this pending installation, but I am hesitant to mess with the work of engineers. For instance, would gusseting the one rail transfer more stress to the other one? Any opinions?

At any rate, I would like to thank all of you who contribute to this wonderful online community. We have many mods planned for the 13QBB and will likely lean on you guys for support and encouragement. Hopefully we'll have some answers to share to balance out our inevitable questions before too long.

Best to all.
      S

[DavidM]

I would first measure the tongue weight of your rig using a bathroom scale. The loaded weight of your trailer is probably 3,000-3,500 lbs and you need at least 10% on the tongue. If you have less, move some stuff forward and see if that helps.

How much does your TV's rear end sag when you drop the tongue on it. Should be less than 2". If more then you probably do have more than enough tongue weight and you probably do need a WDH to reduce rear end sag.

I looked at sway control systems on eTrailer. They all have self tapping screws rather than clamp on attachments. Personally I don't think self tapping will hurt anything and I would rather do that than through bolt. Remember the screw doesn't carry the load, it just provides tension between the plate and the frame so that friction will carry the load.

We use a lot of stainless steel screws tapped into aluminum (masts, etc) on boats. Most people don't worry about it. But there is a product called Tuff-Gel that you put on the threads which insulates the ss from the aluminum. Put some under the attachment plate as well to insulate it all.

If you want to you could use a steel backing plate on the inside and temporarily clamp the attachment plate to the aluminum frame using a couple of C clamps and try it out on the road to see if it reduces sway. The force on that attachment plate isn't huge, maybe about 100-200 lbs when you turn sharply and a couple of C clamps should handle it if you are careful.

Finally, the long clamp on attachment plates on your original WDH are there for deeper frames. But you can cut them off so that you don't have that long lever that potentially could crush the LL's frame and drill some new holes for the bolts.

Keep at it. There is a way for your 13 to tow nicely.

David

[Pinstriper]

Jeep made a lot of vehicles. Which one is this ?


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[LivinLite AZ]

Keep at it. There is a way for your 13 to tow nicely.

David

Thank you David for the excellent advice!

The 13QBB weighs 2300 dry, with a max weight of 3000. My TV has adjustable air springs that provide up to 3" of lift and can be adjusted separately F/R. The shakedown trip gave me a chance to test everything with a typical load. With about 500lb added of water and gear the bathroom scale said 316lbs, so tongue weight appears to be in the sweet spot. Thought about the clamp idea for a test run, but then...

Funny, I was just looking to buy some Tuff gel when I came across and bought this with some 3" 5 mil PVC tape to prevent any metal to metal contact:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VASX0A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Should be here Saturday. No need for drilling (if it actually stays in place). If it gets wiggly, I bet I could drill a hole through the inner frame side of the new bracket and use one of the self tappers provided with the Pro Series kit (liberally gelled up, of course).

I can also play with various F/R air spring ride height scenarios as well. I haven't played with lowering the front suspension yet, as I was using my typical height for towing the Coleman on our short test run.

I'll post my findings after I get the new widget on Saturday.

Thanks again,
   S

[LivinLite AZ]

Jeep made a lot of vehicles. Which one is this ?


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Howdy Pinstriper

It's a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited V8 with 33s and 6" adjustable lift. Pics...

[DavidM]

Hmmm! Try dropping the front end and see if that doesn't solve your sway problem.

Your Grand Cherokee is probably heavier than my 2013 Nissan Pathfinder which tows my dual axle 16TBS just fine. The 16TBS is at least 500 lbs heavier than yours and the tongue weight is right at 10%. The dual axle helps with sway though.

That is why I am thinking that your sway problem could be more related to how the GC is set up.

David

[Capt J-rod]

I use a husky centerline on my 21. Is it needed? nope. Is is a good idea? I say yes. It helps a heavy wind, or a sudden lane change. Mine required no holes, however I did put a piece of rubber between the steel and aluminum for corrosion. I also had to notch my plastic propane tank cover to accommodate the brackets. On my sequoia it is no big deal, on my tacoma it makes a huge difference.


https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Husky/HT32218.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAjw_dTMBRBHEiwApIzn_JdB5TzRSAJ-2aBdBz6fNG6IR6Hx-QAIcF2QbTqCgIhCZMzB3QP0LxoCc_wQAvD_BwE

[LivinLite AZ]

Hmmm! Try dropping the front end and see if that doesn't solve your sway problem.

Your Grand Cherokee is probably heavier than my 2013 Nissan Pathfinder which tows my dual axle 16TBS just fine. The 16TBS is at least 500 lbs heavier than yours and the tongue weight is right at 10%. The dual axle helps with sway though.

That is why I am thinking that your sway problem could be more related to how the GC is set up.

David

I'm going to test some F/R height variations tomorrow, before I actually mount the anti sway. I figure that I should get everything as stable as possible before adding it, so I'm not just masking an underlying issue.

Do you recommend 10% over say, 12% tongue weight? People say 10 - 15, so I was kind of shooting for the middle.

Will let you know...

Thanks David : )

[LivinLite AZ]

I use a husky centerline on my 21. Is it needed? nope. Is is a good idea? I say yes. It helps a heavy wind, or a sudden lane change. Mine required no holes, however I did put a piece of rubber between the steel and aluminum for corrosion. I also had to notch my plastic propane tank cover to accommodate the brackets. On my sequoia it is no big deal, on my tacoma it makes a huge difference.


https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Husky/HT32218.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAjw_dTMBRBHEiwApIzn_JdB5TzRSAJ-2aBdBz6fNG6IR6Hx-QAIcF2QbTqCgIhCZMzB3QP0LxoCc_wQAvD_BwE

Hi Newbie!

The husky was overkill for my 13QBB setup. Sway was the only real issue. I'll let you know how Pro Series anti sway works after I install it on Saturday

: ) S

[FastEddieB]

Before you start drilling holes, Husky makes a clamp-on ball.

Flickr is down right now, but I'll bet if you search this site you can find images of mine, or just Google to find the Husky product.

Edited to add: see posts 13 & 15 in this thread.

[Paul]

Before you start drilling holes, Husky makes a clamp-on ball.

Flickr is down right now, but I'll bet if you search this site you can find images of mine, or just Google to find the Husky product.

Edited to add: see posts 13 & 15 in this thread.

Hi Eddie did you put something like rubber between the steel and aluminum clamp on? Is it necessary? I saw someone mentioning it

[Merlin]

Hmmm! Try dropping the front end and see if that doesn't solve your sway problem.

Your Grand Cherokee is probably heavier than my 2013 Nissan Pathfinder which tows my dual axle 16TBS just fine. The 16TBS is at least 500 lbs heavier than yours and the tongue weight is right at 10%. The dual axle helps with sway though.

That is why I am thinking that your sway problem could be more related to how the GC is set up.

David

I'm going to test some F/R height variations tomorrow, before I actually mount the anti sway. I figure that I should get everything as stable as possible before adding it, so I'm not just masking an underlying issue.

Do you recommend 10% over say, 12% tongue weight? People say 10 - 15, so I was kind of shooting for the middle.

Will let you know...

Thanks David : )

I think you're on the right track to follow David's thoughts about the effect of the JGC set up. A lifted vehicle is inherently less stable and may make sway worse (especially with a short wheel base)? I would get the JGC as low as you can and still clear the BFG 33s, then get the appropriate drawbar to achieve a level trailer going down the road. Anything over 10% weight on the tongue should be fine, but a bit more may be better in your case (with the lift). Your statement about getting things as good as possible before adding sway control is right on. Do you have good shocks on the JGC? Anything you can do to make the tow vehicle more stable is good.