How to Add Sway Control to a Boat Trailer that has Surge Brakes

Updated 03/12/2025 | Published 06/18/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Reese Friction Sway Control Kit - Economy - by Draw-Tite, Reese and Hidden Hitch

(486)

$74.50

2" Hitch Ball - 1" Diameter x 2-1/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 7,500 lbs

(1358)

$12.80

2-5/16" Hitch Ball - 1" Diameter x 2-1/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 7,500 lbs

(2620)

$15.90

Reese Pole-Tongue Adapter for Weight Distribution Systems - 14,000 lbs GTW, 1,400 lbs TW

(25)

$250.63

Reese Steadi-Flex Weight Distribution System w/ Sway Control - Trunnion - 6K GTW, 600 TW

(238)

$722.27

Question:

Hello, I am looking for a sway control system to help with pulling my boat with boat trailer w/surge brakes. My main concern is highway speeds. My boat is a inboard direct drive ski boat, so the engine is mainly over the axle. I believe the trailer to be pretty well balanced, but I will hit a bump in the road and the trailer will sway for a bit and if it is bad, I will have to get out of the throttle to settle the trailer down. I pull with a 2002 ram 2500, so my truck is well over sized for the boat I pull 3500lbs. I believe the main problem to be the trailer only has one axle.

asked by: Justin B

Expert Reply:

Typically you will experience sway from your trailer when the trailer isn't loaded properly. It is encouraging that your engine is mainly over the axle, but it would be best to verify that the tongue weight (TW) of your trailer is 10-15% of the loaded weight of your trailer. A properly loaded trailer is your first step into reducing trailer sway.

Since most boat trailers have a pole tongue you will need to use a pole-tongue adapter like part # RP58393 and a weight distribution (WD) system like the Reese Steadi-Flex part # 66557 (TW range of 250 lbs - 400 lbs) or part # RP66558 (TW range of 400 lbs - 600 lbs). These come with a shank but a 2" hitch ball # 63845 or a 2-5/16" hitch ball # 63847 is sold separately.

You want to choose a WD system with a TW range that the Total Tongue Weight (TTW) of your towing setup falls in the middle of. To find the TTW of your towing setup you will need to add the TW of your fully loaded and ready-to-go trailer along with the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle.

A Friction Sway Control Kit like the Reese # 83660 is not compatible with a pole tongue trailer so a WD system with integrated sway control like the Steadi-Flix is the way you need to go.

I have attached some review videos and helpful articles that you can also check out.

expert reply by: Jon G

James N.

3/12/2025

I recently purchased a curt friction control sway bar system that I want to install on my 2006 Ranger bass boat, problem I have ran into is the boat trailer has a swing away tongue and when I measure 24” back to mount ball on trailer it does nor go past my swing away tongue which is in line with my trailer ball. Any suggestions?

Jon G.

3/12/2025

@JamesN Unfortunately there isn't a way for you to add a friction sway control to your pole tongue boat trailer with the swing away tongue. If you have electric brakes on the trailer, then you can use something like the Curt True Course # C94VV which uses the trailer brakes to keep the trailer from swaying, but you'll have to mount it where it's safe from being submerged. Aside from that, there really aren't any other options for your setup.