Re: anti-sway hitches

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

The aliens commander decided Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided> would make a
perfect specimen for dissection, and he yelled...

>What's the basic setup of an anti-sway hitch?  Can I replicate it
>myself?

Tom,

Anti-sway devices for trailer hitches are essentially a friction braking
device that makes it difficult for the trailer hitch to turn from side to
side.  It's usually an arm of sorts coming off the tow vehicle's hitch to a
set of friction braking pads on the trailer tongue.  The friction is user
adjustable for the desired dampening effect.  Of course, during a turn, the
sheer power of the vehicle and trailer overcome the friction and the arm
slides through the brake.  But straight ahead the friction is enough to
more or less "unite" the tow vehicle and trailer together to dampen or
eliminate swaying.

John L.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
jlandry AT halcyon DOT com      | 
Conservative Libertarian        |  "The road to  tyranny, we must never
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Commercial Helicopter - Inst.   |                     William J. Clinton
http://www.halcyon.com/jlandry/ |    10-15-95, speech at the Univ. of CT