Curt sway bar

[mikevet]

Anyone using a curt sway bar? Do you like it? Dies it work? Hints?

I built my 12 foot ham on a 12 foot karavan trailer.

At 50-60 mph it sways (sometimes). On great roads, it dies pretty well. Not so great highways, it sways.

I did all the sway issues checklist. Inflated tires correctly, I have 18% tongue weight. Weight is balanced in from of wheels, etc etc etc.

I think it sways from bouncing on bad roads, wind, trucks and I also carry my kayak on the roof. The kayak is at a slight angle and I think it’s trying work as a weather vane at higher speeds.

I hope the curt sway bar helps this.

 

[KCStudly]

Easy to experiment with and without the kayak. Even if the kayak is dead center and dead straight the phenomenon might not be weathervaning, it might be lift. If the kayak is acting like an air dam, parachute or airfoil, it could be creating lift and upsetting the effective tongue weight. I'm assuming you load the kayak keel side up. Try flipping it over or on its side and see if that makes a difference.

 

[KCStudly]

Also be sure your tongue is level or pointing down slightly. A high tongue can also cause sway issues.

 

[DaveJ in 98092]

Lift is a huge problem when you build an airfoil shape. If the air flow splits with it going under slower that over it will cause lift. The trick is to somehow muddy up the air flow going under some, like lowering it or splitting the air from under the car/truck with mudflaps.

Can you post a picture or 3 as it sits road ready?