Dealer Installed sway bar ball plate

[nmcamper]

I posted this on the "dealer question" site, but repeating just to get the options covered. The selling dealer installed a "Husky" sway control plate on the tongue of my 2014 Camplite 16TBS travel  trailer. I have seen comments on the forum that the sway bars to be installed should not require drilling into the tongue. The installer did not drill completely thru the aluminum tongue, but did drill 6 holes to allow bolting the plate to the outside of the tongue. I have some concern, after reading comments on the Yahoo and Livinlite forums.  Any comments? Thanks, Wayne

[fasteddieb]

Karen and I are about to pick up a 21BHS. Andy at CanAm recommended the Husky for sway control.

Too bad they already drilled. Husky provides an alternative, which is the way we intend to go.

Part 38964 on this pdf:

http://www.huskytow.com/wp-includes/pdfs/Literature/H-1-A_HITCH_7.pdf

If you're really concerned, the most conservative action might be to have a reinforcing plate hell-arced over the drilled holes, then going with a clamp-on ball.

But I have no idea to what extent drilled holes on one side of the arm might weaken it.

[nmcamper]

Great suggestion.  I don't have any idea why the dealer elected to go with the Husky kit that required drilling.  According to the service mgr., Livinlite  approved the installation, but I think that I will have a reinforcing plate welded over the holes as you suggested, and order the Husky part #38964.  We do plan towing over some unimproved national forest roads, and it seems best to be conservative, particularly as we have two AGM batteries and  two propane tanks mounted on the tongue of the trailer. Wayne

[mdp]

Be careful about have steel and aluminum together.  this will create a galvanic reaction that will destroy the aluminum.  Unless the steel is coated or painted and the finish will not be destroyed during the welding process.

[fasteddieb]

I would a piece of rubber from an old inner tube or something like that could help in that area.

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/288/thread" timestamp="1395767503" author="@mdp"]Be careful about have steel and aluminum together.  this will create a galvanic reaction that will destroy the aluminum.  Unless the steel is coated or painted and the finish will not be destroyed during the welding process.[/quote][font size="3"][font face="arial"]A valid consideration but I'm not sure how bad it would be. There are other places on the stock CL where steel meets aluminum: the propane bottle carrier, the steps, the stabilizers, the ball coupler. And I think the reinforcement plate being discussed would have to be aluminum. I'm not sure, but I don't think steel can be welded to aluminum due to the different melting temperatures. [/font][/font]

[djsamuel]

The galvanic potential between steel and aluminum is fairly low, so while it should be watched for corrosion, it should be OK.  The brackets on the Andersen Hitch that I use are steel, and they are clamped onto the aluminum frame.  The brackets are painted, but the setscrew that gets tightened onto the frame is steel, That is the one area I will watch, where the set screw meets the frame.

[mdp]

<sub>[font face="comic sans ms" size="4"][font color="#e6198c"]I have just returned from my maiden voyage with my 21RBS, love it. Tows great with my Ford Explorer. I have a Husky sway control kit to install on it. I have noticed that my propane tank is at the 24" mark that Husky says the ball should be placed. I am gong to have a plate fabricated that be long enough to be clamped onto the tongue fore and aft of the gas bottle holder. I will have it painted and place a thin piece of rubber between it any the aluminum.

The galvanic action between aluminum and UNPAINTED steel is very rapid. I know from experience. The axles, gas bottle holder and other steel appliances are painted
I have just returned from my maiden voyage with my 21RBS, love it. Tows great with my Ford Explorer. I have a Husky sway control kit to install on it. I have noticed that my propane tank is at the 24" marked that Husky says the ball should be placed. I am gong to have a plate fabricated that be long enough to be clamped onto the tongue fore and aft of the gas bottle holder. I will have it painted and place a thin piece of rubber between it any the aluminum. [/font]







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