Weight Distribution, Sway, and Tongue Weight

[djsamuel]

[quote source="/post/7201/thread" timestamp="1424903909" author="@cadman70454"]What do you guys think about this electronic sway control?

http://www.direclink.com/swaycontrol.html[/quote]Looks like Dexter is coming out with the same system:


[a href="http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6149609/f/Dexter_Launches_Dexter_Sway_Control_press_release.pdf"]Press Release



[a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bf8ImtKqshw?rel=0"]Video[/a][/a]

[daplumbr]

My initial reaction is that electronic sway control needs to be trailer/TV specific to work properly. If there is way to customize the algorithm for your setup, maybe it would work? Great concept; I'm not sure a one size fits all approach works for this application.

[gnies]

[quote timestamp="1424907752" source="/post/7202/thread" author="@djsamuel"]

What do you guys think about this electronic sway control?

http://www.direclink.com/swaycontrol.html

Looks like Dexter is coming out with the same system:


[a href="http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6149609/f/Dexter_Launches_Dexter_Sway_Control_press_release.pdf"]Press Release



[a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bf8ImtKqshw?rel=0"]Video[/a][/a][/quote]To be honest both systems looks to be the same one (dexter and direct link), anyway they use almost the same wording.

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/product_flyers/Sway_Control.pdf

[djsamuel]

[quote source="/post/7219/thread" timestamp="1424959304" author="@paul"][quote source="/post/7202/thread" timestamp="1424907752" author="@djsamuel"]Looks like Dexter is coming out with the same system:


[a href="http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6149609/f/Dexter_Launches_Dexter_Sway_Control_press_release.pdf"]Press Release



[a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bf8ImtKqshw?rel=0"]Video[/a][/a][/quote]To be honest both systems looks to be the same one (dexter and direct link), anyway they use almost the same wording.

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/product_flyers/Sway_Control.pdf
[/quote]I was thinking the same thing.  I know direct link was first, and I'm assuming Dexter licensed it from them.

[david]

It sounds like a neat idea. I looked for installation instructions on the website and couldn't find it. Presumably it mounts in the trailer and has an accelerometer that senses yaw in the trailer. It probably is powered from the trailer's battery system and applies left or right brakes to correct a yaw. The TV's brake output is presumably applied in parallel with the left/right yaw correction.

David

[cadman70454]

The electric brakes operate as normal.  The unit is mounted in the trailer and has inertial detection capability to determine which side to apply the brakes.  The video link on the website shows a test.  They induce trailer sway with 0 tongue weight and swerving.  It seems to be seamless and works well in the test.

[solds88]

Check out this ALKO video [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yfis8Ch06M"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yfis8Ch06M[/a]  I also found a website which listed the price at $549. [a href="http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=5893&SEName=tsc1000-tuson-electric-sway-control"]http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=5893&SEName=tsc1000-tuson-electric-sway-control[/a]  Also, Dexter bought ALKO's North American Operations last year. This website also has the installation manual.       

[jtelles3993]

[quote source="/post/759/thread" timestamp="1398788435" author="@djsamuel"]You can view a video that provides a good description of the Andersen Hitch here:

that is a pretty slick product... should I need one, I'll definitely consider it!
[/quote]
With the upcoming cross-country trip, I've decided it'd be safer to have some antisway with my combo. Don't really need any WD, but would be nice to have a little available just in case. Just ordered the Andersen 3343.

[jtelles3993]

****DO NOT ORDER THE 3343***

The 4-3/8" frame brackets are too long. If you decide to get an Andersen, you will need the universal brackets for our aluminum frames. Mine are going back to Tweety's tomorrow.

Edit 4/14... got on the phone yesterday with Andersen and Tweety's - we've all agreed to swap my brackets for universal brackets.

[kycamper]

I am VERY interested in an anti sway setup like the Andersen mentioned in this thread, but I have one nagging question....
I intend to find a commercial scale to determine my tongue weight.
After installing a rear bumper bike rack, I may discover that I am tongue weight shy. HOW DO YOU ADD TONGUE WEIGHT???

One day, I MIGHT install a generator over the hitch, but there are LOTS of stuff on the wish list ahead of that.

What do you do to add tongue weight???

Thanks, guys. Happy Trails........

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/7751/thread" timestamp="1426207541" author="@gleamb"]I am VERY interested in an anti sway setup like the Andersen mentioned in this thread, but I have one nagging question....
I intend to find a commercial scale to determine my tongue weight.
After installing a rear bumper bike rack, I may discover that I am tongue weight shy. HOW DO YOU ADD TONGUE WEIGHT???

One day, I MIGHT install a generator over the hitch, but there are LOTS of stuff on the wish list ahead of that.

What do you do to add tongue weight???

Thanks, guys. Happy Trails........[/quote][font size="3"]Keep in mind the ratio of rear bumper weight to tongue weight on the 21 is about 2:1. That is 10# added to the bumper will only subtract 5# from the tongue. The first things you put on the tongue are two 20# propane tanks and two six volt GC2 batteries. My 21RBS with these items on the tongue and two bicycles with rack on the bumper presents a tongue weight of 525#.
[/font]

[pinstriper]

One of the thoughts that attracts me to the AWDH is the memory of my maiden voyage coupler problem and the thought, right or wrong, that the Andersen's mechanics would tend to lock the coupler onto the ball and keep it there via chain tension even if the coupler was buggered somehow.

I dunno if that holds any water, but it's in my mind. Whether it reduces sway or to what degree is secondary. And of course I'm not pulling anything heavy enough, nor near enough to spec limits, to really care a whit about actual weight distribution (at which the AWDH is marginal anyway - or is it anyhoo ? These grammar things can mess you up if you overthink them).

[jtelles3993]

[quote source="/post/7751/thread" timestamp="1426207541" author="@gleamb"]I am VERY interested in an anti sway setup like the Andersen mentioned in this thread, but I have one nagging question....
I intend to find a commercial scale to determine my tongue weight.
After installing a rear bumper bike rack, I may discover that I am tongue weight shy. HOW DO YOU ADD TONGUE WEIGHT???

One day, I MIGHT install a generator over the hitch, but there are LOTS of stuff on the wish list ahead of that.

What do you do to add tongue weight???

Thanks, guys. Happy Trails........[/quote]The first step of the Andersen install is setting up the TT coupler and TV hitch properly - which you have to start with a perfectly level TT - the end result (correct ball height) is getting the front of the TT 1" - 1.5" lower than the rear of the TT with full TT weight on the TV. I set my ball height to get 1.5" drop and could have set it to drop much much lower. Once you get that set, then you begin to install the chains and brackets - which is where I discovered I had the wrong kit (above post).

I said all that to say this - I plan to travel with my Honda EU3000i generator mounted on the back (I have the "deck" model) - so I mounted it before trying to install the Andersen to make sure it's weight was calculated into the set up. It was very obvious from the above process that the front end of my CL is significantly heavier that the back. Also, before installing my Honda (172# fueled up) I measured from ground to rear bumper before and after - the bumper only dropped 1/8" from the added weight. Last and most importantly, I did not notice any change at all in how the CL towed - with or without.

[jerrybeaird]

I just had an Andersen delivered to my door after reading this thread and a gazillion others it seems.  I have read that some people have had their brackets slide and used a bolt of some sort instead of the set screw ( after drilling a hole).  

Has anybody done this or has it been a problem?  I will be installing the hitch when I am back in town and I am also wondering if the recommended 90 lbs of torque on the bolts on the brackets is too much for the aluminum frame and did everybody use the set screws or actual bolts.

Any thoughts?

I am also thinking of adding the 1/2 inch bolts to the trailer hitch like charliem did to be on the safe side.

Thanks!

[jtelles3993]

Finally got the hitch set up and fine tuned today. Loaded up the CL, full fresh tank, etc and went for a long ride and I really like the improvement. Porpoising and bounce is basically gone and the truck/trailer combo feels real tight with sudden side to side maneuvers. Not much wind today here, and still haven't seen any action around tractor trailers yet, but I'm sure it's gonna help a lot.

I'll keep an eye on the measurements to see if there is any slippage..