Anti-sway bars for improved towing?

[AdamB]

What would an upgrade to the anti-sway bars do for towing a travel trailer? I had a shop recommend I upgrade mine for "better towing in general", but aside from the body roll in the Explorer, what else does it do? Or is it just this stopping the body roll that's the real improvement to the towing characteristics? Sorry for the probably dumb question, but while I know a ton about cars, suspension is that one area I'm pretty ignorant

Side note - It doesn't look like a very expensive upgrade. I found a set of Belltech anti-sway bars (Part Number 9932) for $264.69.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

The anti sway bar you posted is one that mounts onto the vehicle's axle and frame. For towing, you are going to want to look at trailer sway control systems, i.e.

 

[colintrax]

The anti sway bar you posted is one that mounts onto the vehicle's axle and frame. For towing, you are going to want to look at trailer sway control systems, i.e.

A thicker sway bar on the explorer helps as well.

OP how much does this trailer weigh?

 

[wifes2011xlt]

A thicker sway bar on the explorer helps as well.

OP how much does this trailer weigh?

Vehicle antisway bars won't do much to prevent trailer sway, but yes, I agree that once the trailer starts to sway, the thicker sway bar on the tow vehicle will help in responding to sway. I just didn't want OP thinking that vehicle sway bar was the only way to go...

 

[AdamB]

Thanks wifes2011xlt. The hitch setup I have is a weight distributing hitch with sway control. What I'm looking to do now is modify the truck suspension for all around better stability and control. Towing today is a little sloppy, and it feels like the trailer is doing most of the driving and pushing/pulling. Sway bars on the Explorer is just going to be the start. Future improvements, like quick struts, springs, or airbags, I'm still learning about and looking into.

Colintrax, the trailer is about 4000 lbs. My Explorer is an '04 Limited with 3.73 rearend, V8, and factory tow package. On paper, that's more than enough, with a listed towing capacity of about 7100 lbs. But, that's on paper of course!

 

[wifes2011xlt]

How long is your trailer?

 

[AdamB]

How long is your trailer?

Ball-to-bumper, 24 feet.

Unrelated to the sway bar, but is there any reason to not just replace the rear strut/spring assemblies without also doing the fronts? My heart wants both, but my wallet told me no. As these go, I'm leaning towards the Monroe 171322 Rear Quick-Struts.

 

[96firephoenix]

Unrelated to the sway bar, but is there any reason to not just replace the rear strut/spring assemblies without also doing the fronts? My heart wants both, but my wallet told me no. As these go, I'm leaning towards the Monroe 171322 Rear Quick-Struts.

I would recommend this before you look at replacing the rear sway bar. If you have worn out rear shocks, a new rear sway bar is going to be a bandaid for a bullet wound as far as trailer control is concerned.

I've done some looking, and it doesn't seem that anyone makes load-assisted shocks for the Ex. I don't think that load-assisted coilover shocks exist (thats what we have, not struts, if you want to get technical, but everyone calls them struts).

You're on the right rack getting the weight distributing sway-damped hitch. I'd say replace the worn out rear shocks before you drop for the sway bar set, and you might find that it is adequate enough that you don't need to buy sway bars and can afford to buy front shocks as well.