New 5’er owner here
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati
New 5’er owner here
Just picked up a new ‘25 Flagstaff 378bh and looking for some sway bar input.
Currently running Bilstein 5100s all the way around including steering stabilizer, black sumos and a set of super sway stops for the overloads. Looking to add a rear sway bar for the rear to help keep it planted with the 2320+lbs of pin weight (20.5% of current total weight).
Would you guys suggest OEM or just step up to the bigwig from Hellwig?
Currently running Bilstein 5100s all the way around including steering stabilizer, black sumos and a set of super sway stops for the overloads. Looking to add a rear sway bar for the rear to help keep it planted with the 2320+lbs of pin weight (20.5% of current total weight).
Would you guys suggest OEM or just step up to the bigwig from Hellwig?
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 419
Likes: 137
From: South Texas
Of course, we don't know what truck you are using. Sounds like you have a lot of upgrades. Perhaps you have a F250? in which case I advocate for an upgrade to a F350. I know not everyone has the ability to upgrade. I had a F250 and pulled a 10K 5'er that never swayed but still felt under trucked. I have since upgraded truck and trailer and have no sway. New truck has a factory sway bar. Perhaps a good sway bar will help
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 987
Likes: 595
From: Middle TN
Just picked up a new ‘25 Flagstaff 378bh and looking for some sway bar input.
Currently running Bilstein 5100s all the way around including steering stabilizer, black sumos and a set of super sway stops for the overloads. Looking to add a rear sway bar for the rear to help keep it planted with the 2320+lbs of pin weight (20.5% of current total weight).
Would you guys suggest OEM or just step up to the bigwig from Hellwig?
Currently running Bilstein 5100s all the way around including steering stabilizer, black sumos and a set of super sway stops for the overloads. Looking to add a rear sway bar for the rear to help keep it planted with the 2320+lbs of pin weight (20.5% of current total weight).
Would you guys suggest OEM or just step up to the bigwig from Hellwig?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,117
Likes: 1,645
Sounds like you're running an F250 as mentioned above, but with no info in your sig we don't know for sure. We also don't know what suspension/spring packages you started with, or what your actual hitch (not just the pin) weighs in at.
My FIL had a 10k GVW 5'er that he pulled with his F250, but he has the SO 6.7 and the HD/heavy haul package, so his payload on his truck is 3300 lbs or so. He never had an issue with sway with a 100% stock truck. My F350 did better at pulling it though. (They have since decided to stop camping and sold the camper...we'll see how long that lasts).
With all the 'upgrades' you've thrown at this truck, it sounds to me like you should really be looking at a bit more truck, outfitted to tow. It sounds to me like you got an F250 that is a bit soft in the rear for the load you're throwing at it. While I understand (like mentioned above) that it's not always an option for everyone, it's really the better option.
Far too many people listen to the RV salesman instead of reading and learning about their truck's capabilities and what they're really getting into with an RV, and end up with too much trailer for their truck. It's always safer to be over-trucked than under-trucked.
My FIL had a 10k GVW 5'er that he pulled with his F250, but he has the SO 6.7 and the HD/heavy haul package, so his payload on his truck is 3300 lbs or so. He never had an issue with sway with a 100% stock truck. My F350 did better at pulling it though. (They have since decided to stop camping and sold the camper...we'll see how long that lasts).
With all the 'upgrades' you've thrown at this truck, it sounds to me like you should really be looking at a bit more truck, outfitted to tow. It sounds to me like you got an F250 that is a bit soft in the rear for the load you're throwing at it. While I understand (like mentioned above) that it's not always an option for everyone, it's really the better option.
Far too many people listen to the RV salesman instead of reading and learning about their truck's capabilities and what they're really getting into with an RV, and end up with too much trailer for their truck. It's always safer to be over-trucked than under-trucked.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,673
Likes: 373
What do you expect a rear sway bar to do for you?
I wouldn't buy a single aftermarket anything until you've towed it a while. At least wait and see if you need anything; that way you'll know if whatever you buy made a difference. Sway bars, I believe, prevent body roll...helpful for a slide in camper. I don't expect a fiver to cause body roll unless you're going way too fast around curves. The fiver hitch in your truck should pivot side to side at least a little so the fiver won't be able to transmit body roll to the truck.
I have two 3/4 ton trucks I've used for our fiver (just over 5 tons loaded). One has front and rear sway bars, the other has no sway bars....I can't tell the difference.
Btw, I ain't trying to make you feel bad for asking about sway bars. I can understand why you'd ask, some folks buy them without even testing before vs after and believe they're helpful with a fiver. And maybe they do help with some of the newer trucks that sit up high...but in that case, I'd guess the truck benefits from having a sway bar even when running empty.
I wouldn't buy a single aftermarket anything until you've towed it a while. At least wait and see if you need anything; that way you'll know if whatever you buy made a difference. Sway bars, I believe, prevent body roll...helpful for a slide in camper. I don't expect a fiver to cause body roll unless you're going way too fast around curves. The fiver hitch in your truck should pivot side to side at least a little so the fiver won't be able to transmit body roll to the truck.
I have two 3/4 ton trucks I've used for our fiver (just over 5 tons loaded). One has front and rear sway bars, the other has no sway bars....I can't tell the difference.
Btw, I ain't trying to make you feel bad for asking about sway bars. I can understand why you'd ask, some folks buy them without even testing before vs after and believe they're helpful with a fiver. And maybe they do help with some of the newer trucks that sit up high...but in that case, I'd guess the truck benefits from having a sway bar even when running empty.
Last edited by '65Ford; Today at 01:18 PM.
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati
Of course, we don't know what truck you are using. Sounds like you have a lot of upgrades. Perhaps you have a F250? in which case I advocate for an upgrade to a F350. I know not everyone has the ability to upgrade. I had a F250 and pulled a 10K 5'er that never swayed but still felt under trucked. I have since upgraded truck and trailer and have no sway. New truck has a factory sway bar. Perhaps a good sway bar will help
I pull right around 63mph on the highway. Looking to tighten up the rear but also could just be the expected feeling pulling the fifth wheel and nothing could be wrong at all. The higher the confidence, the less fatigue for long distance drives.
Last edited by GanglyGiraffe; Today at 02:19 PM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 987
Likes: 595
From: Middle TN
Sorry for not including that info - have a ‘24 F-250 CCSB 7.3 4x4. Truck has 3640lbs of payload and recently came from pulling a bumper pull. I’ve ran Bilsteins on all of my trucks and love the simplicity of the SumoSprings for helping any squat when loading heavy. Wasn’t planning on the super sway stops but grabbed them local for $75 and figured why not!
I pull right around 63mph on the highway. Looking to tighten up the rear but also could just be the expected feeling pulling the fifth wheel and nothing could be wrong at all. The higher the confidence, the less fatigue for long distance drives.
I pull right around 63mph on the highway. Looking to tighten up the rear but also could just be the expected feeling pulling the fifth wheel and nothing could be wrong at all. The higher the confidence, the less fatigue for long distance drives.
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