TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

RockyMtnRay · 02-29-2004, 06:54 AM

[quote author=ccc6588 link=board=23;threadid=1636;start=msg12099#msg1209 9 date=1077980099]
I don't have a stabalizer bar. Does this really help?
[/quote]

ccc6588....

As Chris says, a Weight Distributing Hitch is a necessity for smaller SUVs. A sway stabilizer bar on the WDH is not needed with a TM. Here's why:

Most travel trailers have their wheels fairly close to their center of gravity...this substantially reduces their tongue weight (a necessity since most such trailers are very heavy)...but it also causes them to readily want to pivot over those centered wheels (kind of like a top). That pivoting tendency...which manifests itself as sway...is made worse by the tall slab sides of a conventional trailer. Cross winds or the bow waves off of semi-trucks can make towing a conventional trailer a white knuckle experience. To help combat this nasty sway, a stabilizer bar is absolutely needed on the hitch.

By contrast, the wheels on a TM are substantially more toward the rear of the trailer. That rearward wheel location reduces the pivoting tendancy and puts a greater percentage of the trailer's weight on the tongue (feasible since TMs are so lightweight). Futhermore the low towing profile of a TM means there's not much side area for wind/truck bow waves to push on. The combination of these factors causes TMs to be inheritantly very sway resistant.

So not only is a stabilizer bar not needed, but TM actually recommends NOT using one because stabilizers can mask problems. For instance, you can destabilize a TM by lightly loading the front and heavily loading the back...say by hanging 4 heavy bicycles well behind the rear bumper. People who have done this kind of improper loading have reported they experienced some sway. This is the kind of problem that should be fixed by better distribution of load in/on the trailer rather than by trying to mask the sway with a stabilizer.

For two seasons I towed a 2720SL with a very short wheelbase Jeep Cherokee (only 103 inch WB). I did not use a stabilizer and not once ever felt the trailer sway...even in strong cross winds while meeting semis on a narrow two lane road.

Bottom line: you should not need a stabilizer bar to tow with your Pathfinder. A weight distributing hitch, yes; a stablizer no.

Did this answer your question?

02-29-2004, 06:54 AM	#9
RockyMtnRay TrailManor Master Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 816	Re:thinking of trailmanor. Need help! [quote author=ccc6588 link=board=23;threadid=1636;start=msg12099#msg1209 9 date=1077980099] I don't have a stabalizer bar. Does this really help? [/quote] ccc6588.... As Chris says, a Weight Distributing Hitch is a necessity for smaller SUVs. A sway stabilizer bar on the WDH is not needed with a TM. Here's why: Most travel trailers have their wheels fairly close to their center of gravity...this substantially reduces their tongue weight (a necessity since most such trailers are very heavy)...but it also causes them to readily want to pivot over those centered wheels (kind of like a top). That pivoting tendency...which manifests itself as sway...is made worse by the tall slab sides of a conventional trailer. Cross winds or the bow waves off of semi-trucks can make towing a conventional trailer a white knuckle experience. To help combat this nasty sway, a stabilizer bar is absolutely needed on the hitch. By contrast, the wheels on a TM are substantially more toward the rear of the trailer. That rearward wheel location reduces the pivoting tendancy and puts a greater percentage of the trailer's weight on the tongue (feasible since TMs are so lightweight). Futhermore the low towing profile of a TM means there's not much side area for wind/truck bow waves to push on. The combination of these factors causes TMs to be inheritantly very sway resistant. So not only is a stabilizer bar not needed, but TM actually recommends NOT using one because stabilizers can mask problems. For instance, you can destabilize a TM by lightly loading the front and heavily loading the back...say by hanging 4 heavy bicycles well behind the rear bumper. People who have done this kind of improper loading have reported they experienced some sway. This is the kind of problem that should be fixed by better distribution of load in/on the trailer rather than by trying to mask the sway with a stabilizer. For two seasons I towed a 2720SL with a very short wheelbase Jeep Cherokee (only 103 inch WB). I did not use a stabilizer and not once ever felt the trailer sway...even in strong cross winds while meeting semis on a narrow two lane road. Bottom line: you should not need a stabilizer bar to tow with your Pathfinder. A weight distributing hitch, yes; a stablizer no. Did this answer your question?