I have a front wheel drive Ford Escape, 6 cyl.model, and I have found that towing with the fresh water tank full reduces tongue weight. I get absolutely no sway at highway speeds. Reducing tongue weight on front wheel drive vehciles is the way to go.
I forgot to mention that the tongue on our trailer holds a very heavy group 27 battery and 2 LP tanks. So, filling the fresh water tank reduces the heavy tongue weight some. I get no sway at all when towing. I do,stay 5-10 below posted speed limits too.
I have a 16' Scamp 21 years old. No sway at all at 70. I usually drive at 65. I am thinking weight much past the axle will give u sway. I would also think to fill the water would give you more sway because the tank on mine is in the back passenger corner.
Sway does not happen while driving nice and straight at any speed....... when that little doggie runs out in front of you or a big object suddenly appears in the roadway that's when the sway bar does it's job...... Weight distributed properly is a big help.(ie: 10% on tongue etc)
I did a test years back with a 16' Casita and a full sized four door pickup.... Got the rig up to about 60 and purposely gave the wheel a jerk maneuver with and again without the sway bar....... The sway differences where dramatically different and having driven semi's for thirty years I still had a rough time recovering without the sway bar in that maneuver so i don't suggest others to follow my stupidity :)
There was a woman on the casita site that literally chewed me out for doing that test and how her heavy chevy Avalanche didn't need it but about a year after that there was an object in the road in front of her and her husband who was driving had the trailer sway larger and larger until tires where coming off the ground...... she posted me back that she now runs a sway bar.
Many people don't use one and drive very carefully like you do so no big debate pro or con, just my experience and to go that many years means your a really good driver.
I've never pulled a 5th wheel but hauled many semi's and with the pivot point in front of the axle it handles very well. If someone else has more experience with RV 5th wheels maybe they can add more info
I have a front wheel drive Ford Escape, 6 cyl.model, and I have found that towing with the fresh water tank full reduces tongue weight. I get absolutely no sway at highway speeds. Reducing tongue weight on front wheel drive vehciles is the way to go.
<p>Doug Allen 2016 Ford F-150 2018 Lance 1575</p>
I forgot to mention that the tongue on our trailer holds a very heavy group 27 battery and 2 LP tanks. So, filling the fresh water tank reduces the heavy tongue weight some. I get no sway at all when towing. I do,stay 5-10 below posted speed limits too.
<p>Doug Allen 2016 Ford F-150 2018 Lance 1575</p>
I have a 16' Scamp 21 years old. No sway at all at 70. I usually drive at 65. I am thinking weight much past the axle will give u sway. I would also think to fill the water would give you more sway because the tank on mine is in the back passenger corner.
Marty
Marty,
Sway does not happen while driving nice and straight at any speed....... when that little doggie runs out in front of you or a big object suddenly appears in the roadway that's when the sway bar does it's job...... Weight distributed properly is a big help.(ie: 10% on tongue etc)
I did a test years back with a 16' Casita and a full sized four door pickup.... Got the rig up to about 60 and purposely gave the wheel a jerk maneuver with and again without the sway bar....... The sway differences where dramatically different and having driven semi's for thirty years I still had a rough time recovering without the sway bar in that maneuver so i don't suggest others to follow my stupidity :)
There was a woman on the casita site that literally chewed me out for doing that test and how her heavy chevy Avalanche didn't need it but about a year after that there was an object in the road in front of her and her husband who was driving had the trailer sway larger and larger until tires where coming off the ground...... she posted me back that she now runs a sway bar.
Many people don't use one and drive very carefully like you do so no big debate pro or con, just my experience and to go that many years means your a really good driver.
Joe & Linda
New River, Arizona
2013 Casita SD 17'
Do they make any sort of sway bar for the 19?
I would think that it is pretty stable, but if there is a cheap way to make it more stable I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks.
The 19' is the 5th wheel?____
i could be wrong but with the pivot point in front of the axle in the bed of the truck,i don't think it is needed
Joe & Linda
New River, Arizona
2013 Casita SD 17'
Yes, the "5th Wheel".
I didn't think it would be needed, but I thought I'd check.
I've never pulled a 5th wheel but hauled many semi's and with the pivot point in front of the axle it handles very well. If someone else has more experience with RV 5th wheels maybe they can add more info
Joe & Linda
New River, Arizona
2013 Casita SD 17'
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