How To Install Curt Sway Control Kit

How to Install a Sway Control on a Travel Trailer

by John Cagney Nash

camping ground,trailer image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

A sway control is a dampening device that is fastened at one end to a tow vehicle and at the other to a trailer tongue. Information technology'southward designed to reduce uncontrolled, side-to-side movement of the trailer. Sway is uncontrolled swiveling on the tow packet ball caused by momentum as opposed to towing forcefulness; such momentum is prevalent when cornering. Because of their high, apartment, sail-like side profiles, and because most of their weight is in their lower 3rd, travel trailers are susceptible to sway when subjected to side-winds, including those caused by passing trucks.

Step one

Park the tow vehicle and trailer on a level surface. Exit the trailer tongue continued and locked onto the tow package.

Step two

Position the sway control ball attached to a shaft and then that its shaft aligns with a hole combination through the tow vehicle's tow bar. Tow bars are ordinarily adjustable in length; there are several holes in the outer sleeve and several holes through the inner rod, merely ane combination of which is occupied past the tow bar's ain locking pin. Pass the shaft of the sway control ball through a vacant combination, so use a socket gear up to secure it in place by tightening the supplied lock washer and nut.

Pace 3

Use a permanent marker pen to scribe a mark on the trailer natural language, having used a tape measure to measure out backward from the coupler every bit directed by the sway control'southward instructions. The usual distance is between 20 and 24 inches. Make the mark on the side of the tongue respective to the side of the tow vehicle'south tow bar where the sway control ball is now fitted. Offer the sway command ball fastened to a plate upwards to the mark and use the permanent mark to make dots through the plate's 4 fastener holes.

Stride 4

Drill holes through the natural language track at the four marks. The advisable drill bit to adapt the supplied nut-bolt-washer combinations will be specified past the installation instructions; typically a iii/eight-inch scrap is adequate. Use a socket set up to secure the sway control brawl fastened to a plate in identify with the supplied fasteners.

Step 5

Apply a lubricating grease to both sway control balls if supplied or recommended by the manufacturer, then locate the receiver at either end of the sway control bar over the two balls and press them downwards until they engage. Lock them in position as instructed by the documentation; usually two cotter pins are provided.

Follow the manufacturer'southward instructions to calibrate the sway bar; typically this is done by hand-tightening an external locking band or an on-off handle, driving the tow vehicle a short altitude with the trailer still located, then retightening the ring or handle.

References

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Warnings

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