If you’ve spent any time researching a trailer sway control hitch, you’ve likely seen countless friction-based options promising “sway control.” They’re popular, affordable, and widely available. Many RV owners start with them.
But a large percentage of ProPride 3P® owners have one thing in common:
they upgraded after friction hitches failed to deliver real control.
This comparison explains why.
Friction-based anti-sway hitches rely on resistance to slow trailer movement. They typically use:
When the trailer begins to sway, friction resists the movement and attempts to dampen it.
The keyword here is reacts.
Friction systems do not prevent sway from starting — they only attempt to slow it once it has already begun.
Friction is not a reliable control mechanism for something as dynamic and forceful as a moving trailer.
In real-world towing conditions, friction is constantly changing, which means sway control is also constantly changing.
That inconsistency is why many drivers still experience:
The ProPride 3P® Hitch does not rely on friction at all.
Instead, it uses Pivot Point Projection™, a geometry-based solution that physically prevents the trailer from pivoting in a way that does not allow sway to begin.
This isn’t a stronger reaction — it’s a smarter solution.
With a traditional ball hitch, the trailer pivots freely behind the rear axle. This creates leverage that allows side-to-side oscillation.
The ProPride 3P® Hitch:
There is nothing to “slow down” because sway never starts.
This is why towing with the ProPride feels fundamentally different from friction-based systems.
Emergency maneuvers expose the biggest weakness of friction-based anti-sway hitches.
During:
Friction systems can be instantly overwhelmed. Once friction is exceeded, the trailer is free to sway — often violently.
The ProPride 3P® Hitch maintains control because:
This level of predictability can make the difference between a close call and a catastrophic loss of control.
Many ProPride owners say the same thing:
“I wish I had bought this first.”
Even when friction systems “work,” they still require constant attention.
Drivers often:
The ProPride 3P® Hitch removes that mental load. With sway eliminated, drivers report:
Friction-based hitches cost less because they use:
But lower cost also means lower capability.
A trailer sway control hitch should be judged by performance when conditions are worst — not when conditions are perfect.
If your goal is to reduce sway, a friction-based anti-sway hitch may help some of the time.
If your goal is to eliminate trailer sway, there is only one solution:
Control the pivot point.
The ProPride 3P® Hitch doesn’t manage sway.
It removes the mechanical ability for sway to exist.
For drivers who value safety, confidence, and true control, the choice becomes clear.