Posted 2019-03-17 7:49 AM (#172251) Subject: sway bars needed? 4 Star 2 horse slant with dressing room
New User
Posts: 2
I have had my '97 4 Star 2 horse with dressing room for a number of years. I haul with a 2014 RAM 1500 hemi v-8 full size quad cab short bed. My trips are usually on rural, flat Illinois roads and take under 60 minutes.
I have two long haul trips coming up and am wondering if I need/would benefit from sway bars and/or weight distribution hitch. One trip I will be hauling a medium pony 12 hours from Chicago to Oklahoma. The other will involve two 16.2 hand horses 9 hours from Chicago to Nashville. Both trips will involve the interstate with some hills, no real mountains. Until now I have avoided interstate driving with my trailer. My trailer hauls great on rural roads and I have never noticed it sway. My concern is all of the big trucks on the interstates. I want to be safe and have my horses be comfortable. While I know that people travel double that distance, for me, these will be "long trips."
Note: my trailer gets annual maintenance and a safety inspection every six months. All new tires in 2015.
Posted 2019-03-18 12:40 PM (#172256 - in reply to #172251) Subject: RE: sway bars needed? 4 Star 2 horse slant with dressing room
Veteran
Posts: 183 Location: riverside ca
I would say you probably would be happier with weight distributing bars. They will help transfer more the weight of the trailer to the front wheels of you truck. 1/2 ton trucks are notorious for having soft springs so they ride better. I personally dont run sway bays on a horse trailer that short, just make sure you have electric brakes and they work well. you can always hit the manual control if you get in a sway situation, which you probably wont because of the toungue weight added by the dressing room.
Posted 2019-03-18 4:07 PM (#172258 - in reply to #172251) Subject: RE: sway bars needed? 4 Star 2 horse slant with dressing room
New User
Posts: 2
Thanks, House! I appreciate your suggestions. You are right, my trailer is not that long and does have good, functional brakes, plus the brake controller in the cab of the truck. This truck is not so much a soft luxury ride but I may think about the weight distribution hitch anyway. I do feel as if the truck is tipped back a bit when fully loaded.
sway bars needed? 4 Star 2 horse slant with dressing room
