Are sway bars a part of a weight distribution hitch or is it something else? I understand what a WDH does, but what do sway bars do?

Are these items that have to be professionally installed or can my handy husband do it?

Thanks,
Cheryl

Sway control can be a part of the WDH or a separate bolted on piece, depends on the WDH that you buy.

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Rich
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(215TL) - 1995 21' TowLite
(2209T) - 2009 22' TowLite
99 Ford Explorer 4DR 4X4

Your handy husband should be able to install the WD bars and sway control if you "new" trailer doesn't have one.

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Les

2006 22ft towlite (replaces 97 21TL)
2006 Toyota tacoma pre-runner 4.0 L V-6 quad cab
w/ 98 chevy Powervision towing mirrors

but are sway bars part of the wdh? The trailer comes with the wdh and I am trying to figure out if we will have to spend money on sway bars.

Thanks,
Cheryl

Cheryl, WDH hitches can come with or without the anti-sway system. There are also several different anti-sway systems available. All do the job. Some anti-sway systems come as part of a WDH and some are a bolt on item.

A trailer, if designed improperly or if loaded improperly can begin to sway back and forth erraticly when in tow, to the point where it can cause the tow vehicle to go out of control and crash. A properly designed and loaded trailer won't sway however it can take only a few hundred pounds of stuff in the wrong area of the trailer to disrupt the towing charecteristics. An anti-sway device stops or lessons the swaying.

Hi Cheryl and Hubby!
As Fireballsocal mentioned there 2 types of wd hitches, I have copied and pasted a couple of amazon. com pages for yall to help you understand the 2 types of popular hitches...

Here are 2 popular weight distribution hitches with either add-on anti sway or built-in anti sway. Both of the ones I sent are good for 1000 lb tongue weight and 10,000 loaded trailer weight... Balls come in different weight capacities and shank size and length.... Amazon can often beat RV dealer prices if hubby wants to do it.... FREE SHIPPING and no tax if bought through them and super-saver shipping........ I did mine and the directions that come with them are good. Youtube videos are out there to help also!


Items 1 and 3 are used together in this type hitch. Item 3 is the anti-sway and it hooks up to a small trailer hitch type ball on the trailer tongue and another on the hitch on the same side..... Drilling and bolting or welding required for item 3 type anti sway...


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ea+z+lft+hitch


Below, you'll see another type of hitch which has anti sway built in via metal to metal friction. This brand hitch requires a particular ball with the length being critical to not interfere with the square w/d bars below the ball... No drilling or welding!!!!


http://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-90...0535651&sr=8-1

Welcome and good luck!!!! Bob (aka Bubbie)

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'11 Dodge Laramie 2500 Cummins Crew Cab
Past RVs: '69 Eldorado Slide-In, '78 Cruisemaster Class-C, '83 Prowler TT, '89 StarCraft P-up, '01Coleman P-up, '04 Campmaster Toy Hauler, '07 Raptor Toy Hauler, '07 HiLo 2807C. Current RV - Featherlite SURV Toy Hauler.

Thank you FireballSoCal, for the information. Thank you, Bubbie, for the information and great links.