A recreational vehicle will sway from side to side when traveling down a road. The motion makes it difficult to control the vehicle and creates an unpleasant ride. Affixing anti-sway bars to the vehicle's suspension system or hitch will help stabilize it and reduce the swaying motion. Passing trucks and gusts of wind will no longer cause the RV to move back and forth.

Function

Anti-sway bars use the weight of the RV to create stability. You install the bars to the vehicle's frame and chassis. Anti-sway bars designed for a trailer's hitch and tongue also work similarly. They help reduce the vehicle's side-to-side motion by bracing the weight of the vehicle's axle against the chassis. The anti-sway bars distribute the recreational vehicle's weight evenly. The bar on each side effectively holds the vehicle when a gust of wind hits it.

Turning and Passing

Wrestling the steering wheel back and forth to control the RV's swaying will wear you out. Trying to make the recreational vehicle curve on a winding road is dangerous and presents risks of swaying. Anti-sway bars stabilize the vehicle on every curve and keep it from swaying. They give the RV more maneuverability, especially when passing other vehicles on the road. Preventing ongoing sway will help keep the recreational vehicle's structure stable and prevent unneeded wear and tear. Continuous sway of the RV may cause the structure to become compromised and leaks to occur.

Varieties

Several varieties of anti-sway bar systems exist; the type you need depends on the size of the recreational vehicle and its use, such as fifth-wheel trailers, pull trailers or motorhomes. A dual-cam sway control system works on large, long pull trailers. The bars attach to your trailer's swing bars and A-frame, right beside the hitch. The cams hook on either side of the trailer and help prevent sway before it begins. The cams unlock when the trailer turns to allow it to move but still prevent intense swaying. Hitches with attached anti-sway bars work on small tongue trailers.

Anti-Sway Bars on Hitch

A weight distribution hitch has anti-sway bars attached to it; the bars help to stabilize the trailer. They prevent swaying by transferring the trailer's weight to the rear of the trailer and its rear axle. If the trailer weighs more than 50 percent of the pulling vehicle's weight, it should have a weight distribution hitch, according to eTrailer. The hitch's anti-sway bars have a spring system that helps to distribute the weight and alleviate the swaying.