I am purchasing a 94 BP Merhow this weekend, straight load with a small dressing room. It is in decent condition and I am getting a great price on it. This will be my starter trailer- I'm very excited!
My question is about the anti-sway bars. The seller is including them, and I believe they are original equipment.
I have a 2001 F250 V10. Since I need to get a ball receiver for this trailer, am I wasting my money if it is part of the anti-sway bar hitch? When I look at the kits online it looks like the receiver is part of the kit. If you have an older Merhow, perhaps you might know?
Posted 2010-02-26 9:16 AM (#117028 - in reply to #117005) Subject: RE: Anti-sway bars
Elite Veteran
Posts: 807 Location: Tenn/Ala.
I assume when you say "sway bars", you are referring to a "weight distribution hitch", or WDH for short. A WDH comes as a kit, with the "head" being the part that slides into the truck's receiver. On the head is where the ball goes, and the two spring arms pop in on each side. Once you hook the trailer up, the arms will have chains that attach to a saddle located on each side of the trailer's tongue.
I don't know of a trailer that has a WDH as standard equipment, but many have had them installed. If you get the whole package from the buyer, you'll have everything you need. Do be aware, that a WDH has to be adjusted for each vehicle it is used on. So while it is set for his truck, may not fit yours without being adjusted. Adjustment can require some wrenches, hammer, tape measure, flat surface, and time. But with a F-250, I can't imagine that you couldn't at least pull it home (without the bars installed) before you fret with all of that. Frankly, I can't really forsee that you'll have need of a WDH behind a F-250 anyway. But that's just my thought. Call the seller and make sure of what he's giving you and avoid any surprises. Feel free to email me Richard@Selecttrailer.com if you need anything else.
Posted 2010-02-26 12:29 PM (#117031 - in reply to #117005) Subject: RE: Anti-sway bars
Regular
Posts: 78
After one trailer without a WDH or sway bars, I won't tow without them. They help with bucking and give the rig more stability. A lot more. I had a nice straightload BP with Dr as well, and the WDH made towing soooo much better. I had the dealer throw in a WDH as part of the deal on my new 3H trailer.
Both my WDH's were easily adjustable by lengthening or shortening the chain on the bars. It's simple to see where to adjust. Just pull the rig without the chains and bars connected to a level surface and see how much the back end of your truck dips in comparison to the trailer. Then add the chains and bars, count the links you need to use to level out the rig. Both of mine used the fifth link from the bar; that was with a 1/2 ton chevy and now a 3/4 HD chevy.
If you don't have a dip w/o the WDH connected, you can still use the hitch and adjust so the rig remains level.
Anti-sway bars
