Community Forums

JF · 06-13-2006, 03:00 AM

Hi all, I just bought a 2003 Jayco KIWI 18F and there's a hydraulic break on tongue system. Jayco web site said that those breaking system are installed on 17 feet model, so I don't know why it is on mine, anyway. Anybody have some info on that system like maintenance, ajustement, web site etc... Secondo, can I install my friction antisway whit that system ?

JF · 06-13-2006, 03:00 AM

Hi all, I just bought a 2003 Jayco KIWI 18F and there's a hydraulic break on tongue system. Jayco web site said that those breaking system are installed on 17 feet model, so I don't know why it is on mine, anyway. Anybody have some info on that system like maintenance, ajustement, web site etc... Secondo, can I install my friction antisway whit that system ?

charliez · 06-13-2006, 03:47 AM

Sounds like a surge brake. Works like a car braking system. The tounge has a spot that slides forward a bit to act as the foot pedal and apply the brakes. Maintain them as you would any brake. Adjust shoes as needed. Add fluid. Keep it clean and lubed where it slides.

I don't think a sway control is a good idea with surge brakes. It may keep them from being activated.

powerboatr · 06-13-2006, 04:43 AM

surge brakes are actually pretty good, keep the adjustments up and dont use a sway contril and you should be fine.
had em on my disc brake boat trailer for years, zero issuses

JF · 06-13-2006, 05:57 AM

Thanks guys but what kind of sway control can I use ?

charliez · 06-13-2006, 07:54 AM

Use NO sway control. It will keep the surge brake from working. You will have to redistribute weight to the front towards the hitch. Do you have a battery and propane on there? Maybe take some weight off the rear.

JF · 06-13-2006, 09:45 AM

charliez, are you saying that I don't need any antisway ? My tow vehicule is a Montana long body 2005. I had a conventional 24 feet whit a Suburban before that, and no way I won't let home whitout an antisway.

powerboatr · 06-14-2006, 03:13 AM

sway control arms with surge brakes tends to STOP the braking action, or severly redice it.
I believe there are kits out there designed to work with surge brakes but i coulndt find any this morning
17-18 feet it shouldnt be moving around if it loaded correctly,

charliez · 06-14-2006, 04:13 AM

If you have a surge brake, and you add a sway control, the sway control will keep the brakes from being applied. The surge brake works by having a two peice tounge. When one peice slides past the other one of the moving peices pushed the master cyninder just like someone stepping on a brake pedal. The vehicle you pull your trailer with has no impact on making your trailer sway. [If it's not capable to overcome the sway induced upon it, well that's another topic]

Sway is caused by not having the tounge weight high enough. You need at least 10% of the overall weight of the trailer on the coupler. So if you have a 1000# trailer, you need 100# on the hitch. If you have a 4400# trailer, you need at least 440#'s on the hitch. You need to weigh your rig to really find out what you need. Your sway could be caused by too much weight behind the axle. In most cases, sway can be fixed by simply changing where you load things. In other words, if you carry heavy ice chest, place them up front for travel. If you cary a heavy tool box just in case something happens, don't carry it behind the axle. It's all simple.

As far as the vehicle is concearned, make sure you have good shocks, and don't use cheap, wimpy tires with little sidewall support. The longer the wheel base, the easer it is for a trailer to get a mechanical advantage over the tow vehicle.

JF · 06-14-2006, 04:45 PM

Thanks all for yours infos, as a new TT that I bought one week ago I just bring it home from the dealer and I had my friction sway control installed. I notice that the motor was working a lot so maybe you're right by saying that the sway control create the brake applie a lite. I will try it this week end whitout sway control whit the load more on the tongue. But I won't bring my wife whit me because she had a bad experience whit sway before so that why I need information because if it sway once and I said once this TT is for sale. I surf on the web for several site that talk about surge brake and nobody's talking of sway control. I'm thinking of dual cam sway control but I don't want to spend money for nothing.