Hitch Bent Using Sway Bar 3rd Time, Why?

[lssmith]

Whenever I use a sway bar to pull my trailer I end up bending the tab that the sway bar attaches to. In the picture you can see the tab on the left bent upward. The tab on the right had no sway bar attached. This has happened previously while towing both of my tent trailers as well as the current 184BH.

The picture is after a 250 mile trip and I always disconnect the sway bar prior to backing up. Has anyone seen this before?

[Brownie]

I was using two sway bars; one on each side. I always loosened the bars before backing up. The left side ball kept loosening while I was towing. The tab bent, then finally broke off about two weeks ago. I'll be interested in seeing the responses to your post, to see if I can gain any insight about why mine broke.

[blderman]

It looks to me like the sway bar isn't setup correctly and is bottoming out when turning. Since something has to give the tab ends are being bent upward.

[Paintinfool3]

2 things could cause this to happen that I can think of. First if the sway bar mount is fastened to the trailer tongue too far forward .... They should have a measurement for how far back that ball is supposed to be from the ball mount. Second is if the trailer tongue is hittin the ball mount at the sway bar extension in turns .... T me it looks like the ball on the tongue is mounted too short a distance from the mount causing it to bottom against the back of sway bar bending the mount

[blderman]

Originally Posted by Paintinfool3

2 things could cause this to happen that I can think of. First if the sway bar mount is fastened to the trailer tongue too far forward .... They should have a measurement for how far back that ball is supposed to be from the ball mount. Second is if the trailer tongue is hittin the ball mount at the sway bar extension in turns .... T me it looks like the ball on the tongue is mounted too short a distance from the mount causing it to bottom against the back of sway bar bending the mount

X2. An easy way to check this is to remove the hitch from the truck and couple it to the trailer. Hook up the sway bar(s) and rotate the hitch each direction. If properly setup you should not be able to bottom out or overextend the sway bars.

[lssmith]

{X2. An easy way to check this is to remove the hitch from the truck and couple it to the trailer. Hook up the sway bar(s) and rotate the hitch each direction. If properly setup you should not be able to bottom out or overextend the sway bars.}

Thank you!!! When I ask at the local trailer supply (who did this work by the way on all my trailers) they are like "yep we have seen it a lot, don't know why!". I have two new Curt sway bars in the box so i am going to mount them myself to the trailer per the instructions and see how it goes! Thanks!!!!!!

[Rustic Eagle]

Appears prior posts about cover it...., root cause normally set-up/adjustment issues, or tight TV turn (forward or backing).

Bob

[lssmith]

As mentioned in a previous post the ball is not mounted far enough back on the tongue. I measured it at 22.5 inches. Most instructions I have seen on the internet, including the directions included with my Curt bar say to mount the ball 24 inches back on center. Thanks again to everyone for their help!

[Plowtoy]

Originally Posted by Brownie

I was using two sway bars; one on each side. I always loosened the bars before backing up. The left side ball kept loosening while I was towing. The tab bent, then finally broke off about two weeks ago. I'll be interested in seeing the responses to your post, to see if I can gain any insight about why mine broke.

When my folks bought their first tt back in the late 90's they were told by the dealer to always remove it before backing, just in case the turn is too tight and it bottoms out. The little ball can break off in that situation.

[herewego]

We always remove the sway ,when backing up.or setting up in a park...