Clug...clug...clug... goes the sway bar

Bclarke

Hello... I am towing my 2021 320 ... after about 1600 miles, when I turn a corner (eg to get into the gas station) my sway bar is very loud.  I have NOT backed up ... however I also noted that the connection on the front has been bent upwards.   We have had very strong winds today.. I have tried tighten the tension as I thought it was slipping.   Any ideas?   

MuttonChops

Bclarke said:

. . . noted that the connection on the front has been bent upwards.

. . . Any ideas?   

1)  Sway Bar mounting point on trailer is less than 24" from the center of the trailer hitch ball as
     defined in the installation instructions.

2)  Sway Bar tension is set way too high for weight of T@B

3)  Sway Bar 'slider' is damaged/dirty and is not sliding.  Installation instructions note the slide bar must
     be cleaned after first 1K miles and then every 10K miles to insure smooth operation.

Side Note:
   Since most T@B 320 owners do not use aftermarket sway control devices it would be helpful to know your tow vehicle type (short wheelbase vehicles increase trailer sway).  And why you decided to install sway control; i.e. bad experience towing T@B?

Disclaimer:
  I have no direct sway control device experience.  Prior to owning a T@B past trailers used
  surge brakes which can't use friction style sway control.  While present TV has long
  wheelbase and computer controlled trailer-anti-sway feature so my T@B tracks 100% fine
  under all conditions (so far)

Your brand/model Sway Control seems to get positive reviews so installation, usage, or maintenance are your most likely issue. IMHO

Bclarke

@MuttonChops thank you for your reply.  This was a dealer installed sway bar.  And of course like most dealers I received little instruction other than to tighten as much as I can.  Hmmmm.   

The TV is a 2021 Telluride.  We drive I94 / 90 from IL to MT (mountain passes / high winds) a few times a year.  This was is our return trip from our maiden voyage with the T@B. I had a very bad experience a few years ago with a cargo trailer when I was hit by strong gusts while alongside a semi... so much so that I am petrified to have it happen again. But maybe this is overkill. 

Other than this issue pulling it has been a dream!

MuttonChops

@Bclarke
If your installation dealer did not provide any documentation.
Attached PDF-File is the Installation Instructions I was referencing in my reply.

MuttonChops

Bclarke said:

. . . TV is a 2021 Telluride. 

Other than this issue pulling it has been a dream!

On paper Telluride looks like a nice TV match to the T@B 320.

Good wheelbase length, extra towing capacity, twice as heavy as a fully loaded T@B 320.

Expect a correctly loaded trailer will not sway, while having a sway bar won't do any harm if it is installed / adjusted / maintained correctly.

Denny16

On the other hand, a sway bar is not really necessary with yournTV and a TaB320.
cheers 

Dalehelman

If you decide to leave it on. Don’t forget you must disconnect it before backing up. Serious damage can be done to your trailer tongue. If your trailer is loaded properly. Proper tongue weight and not to heavy in the back it is not really needed. Our tongue weight is usually between 250 and 300 lbs. with never any sway issues. Even at speeds of 70 mph. With Trucks passing in the opposite direction.

dsfdogs

@Bclarke I have the same sway control. My dealer said to hand tighten,  but definitely not as tight as you can. Mine is "snug" but would allow some movement. I also measured the point of install on trailer and it's 24 1/2" from coupler. My tongue weight is heavier now that I've added a platform and side boxes of gear, plus the spare (but still well within 10-15% range), and still, I like having that sway bar for highway driving. It gives me peace of mind, just like my TireMinders. My hitch and attached sway looks different than yours. The original dealer did not install it correctly (upside down and not soldered) and it bent somehow, similar to yours. My new dealer fixed it.

I notice in your top picture, the nut holding the ball mount appears crooked? Another fix my new dealer did, was use a longer bolt so I have more threads showing below the nut.

@MuttonChops thank you for the pdf as I did not receive anything either!

AirBoss

I use a Curt anti-sway and find it works very well and does give a bit more peace of mind. A bit of a belt and suspenders approach yes, but if used properly a welcome addition.

Agreed...it should not be tightened unti you can't tighten it further. With the tension handle completely loose, turn the handle until you feel start to feel some tension, then go approximately one to one and one-half revolutions more. That's it. Snug but not battened down. 

As for backing up it's really not always necessary to remove the bar. Think about it...you're driving along and must make a somewhat sharper than normal turn, say into a filling station or a city intersection. Do you get out and remove bar before making that turn? No. Then why do so when backing? The bar doesn't know the difference in your direction of travel.

If you're backing into a spot and you've prepared for your backing maneuver such that you're not going to get your rig into a situation where the angle between your TV and the T@B is around 45 degrees or so, there's really no need to remove the bar.  Obviously if you're going to have to put the rig into a virtual jack-knife in order to make the swing then yes, it's best to remove the bar.  

GatorEgg

I towed a 320 Boondock with my 2019 Tacoma.  Though mechanically it didn’t need it, it towed fine.  My trucks Owners Manual specified sway control device for any trailer over 2000 lbs.  I figured $35 and a half an hour of my time was good insurance in case of an accident.
  Sounds like yours needs loosened and or cleaning.

AZGal

I bent 2 plates before I figured out that I tightened it (as did shop and others) too much. Just snug it so it can slide out for turns. I also parked fine with it on. I was pulling an Aliner about same as 320. I bought it after experiencing fishtailing (sway out of control). Never again!! Camper might tow fine (as I read here often) until it doesn't!

JabGopher

@AirBoss & @Bclarke

Sorry to bump this after a little while. Is the sway control setup used ones that are bolted onto the frame? or clamped on? Are bolting to the frame acceptable?

AirBoss

Mine is bolted. I used a heavier duty bolt to secure them. Does drilling potentially weaken the C channel, yes it may. I've been monitoring the mounting bracket and to date, no issues.