Trailer Sway--Dangers of towing a trailer

[Al F]

Great video about how hitch weight affects towing of a trailer. Bottom line, It is very, very important to have enough hitch weight for any trailer you are pulling. Even if it is a 5th wheel.

 

If you don't have the proper hitch weight, it is easy to get some sway of the trailer started, and it doesn't take very long for the sway to get out of control and you get into a nasty accident.

 

This was posted over in the HDT section. I'm not sure just why they didn't post over in the General RV Info or Beginning RV'ing, as well as the HDT section, so non-HDT folks would be more likely to see it.

 

 

 

 

[ronmon]

Several years ago while traveling through west Texas at my normal 60mph on a windy day, a Ford Explorer towing a much too large for it travel trailer, passed me going pretty fast. A few miles later we came upon a LOT of debris in and along the roadway & the Explorer was in the median. All that was left of the trailer was the steel frame, wheels & propane tanks, still hitched up.

Proper loading would likely have helped but towing a large trailer with a short wheelbase vehicle was quite likely the primary problem in this case.

Ron

[Kirk W]

Sway can be a problem when towing any trailer, even at times when you do have proper weight distribution. It is especially important with the lighter weight trailers and even more so with those that don't use an equalizer, but it can be a serious thing with all trailers. For travel trailers, and anti-sway device is a good idea with an equalizing hitch and it is a must if you don't use an equalizer. Our present trailer is not intended to be towed with an equalizer and at only 3800# it is very subject to cross winds and buffeting of trucks passing. As a result, our dealer only sells the lighter weight travel trailers with anti-sway as part of the package. We use one of the type in the picture.

[theeyres]

Way, way back...22 years old, honeymoon; pulling a Uhaul from OR to NJ through Canada: my wife is driving, crests a hill and hits the brake and the trailer starts wagging the car, big time. I yell at her "hit the gas, hit the gas." Her foot stays on the brake, I ram my foot over hers, off the brake and stomp on the gas. I think we are going 90 downhill before the trailer stops wagging. Cop behind us! Stops us and asks my wife where we are going. She tells him NJ and all he says is "Lady, I hope you make it." Right on the side of Trans Canada 1 he makes us repack the trailer. Lesson learned.

[rdickinson]

That very thing happened just up the road, same results vehicle on it's side and trailer blown up. I posted a question but got few responses.

[fly2low]

When I was towing, I used a Reese Straight Line weight distribution and sway control hitch plus a brake control device which allowed manual activation of the trailer brakes without activating the tow vehicle brakes. Never had to use it because the Reese always kept the trailer in place.

 

Also got one of these so I knew what my tongue weight was

 

https://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html

[pegwillen]

Sway can be a problem when towing any trailer, even at times when you do have proper weight distribution. It is especially important with the lighter weight trailers and even more so with those that don't use an equalizer, but it can be a serious thing with all trailers. For travel trailers, and anti-sway device is a good idea with an equalizing hitch and it is a must if you don't use an equalizer. Our present trailer is not intended to be towed with an equalizer and at only 3800# it is very subject to cross winds and buffeting of trucks passing. As a result, our dealer only sells the lighter weight travel trailers with anti-sway as part of the package. We use one of the type in the picture.

My TT is only 1800# (empty) and I use one of these too, I am a bit concerned about western winds, this being my first year of travel out that way, leaving 10/30 and beginning to get excited!

[freestoneangler]

Great post and info. That is a very illustrative way to see the effects of weight distribution. We definitely will look into a anti-sway system.

[Jimalberta]

I was travellling here locally on a 2 lane paved secondary road one day and a farmer coming towards me pulling a trailer loaded with equipment started fishtailing so violently that he took up both lanes of the road. I was ready to hit the ditch but he managed to just stomp the brakes hard enough to bring it all to a halt on the road.....trailer was tail heavy.

 

Trailers and airplanes do not like to be tail heavy.

[skp51443]

Applying the gas can help as can applying just the trailer brakes using the manual override on the controller.

 

Even a fiver not set up well can get a nasty case of the sways. We had a light 30 foot fiver with the fresh tank and holding tanks crosswise near the rear of the frame. Empty or full wasn't much of a problem but with both half full and sloshing the back end would kick back and forth a couple feet and give the truck a good shaking too.

[Pappy Yokum]

Applying the gas can help as can applying just the trailer brakes using the manual override on the controller.

 

 

 

First TT in 1975, followed by a couple more..

 

Even with good weight distribution & sway control, they are/were affected by tractor-trailer (semis) passing.

Learned early-on what Stanley is saying -

 

If I was moving along close to the speed limit - and was being passed, didn't want to increase speed.

A gentle manual application of trailer brakes.was the answer.

 

If I was considerably slower than the rig passing, a brief increase in power did the trick.

 

It became second nature - - - but *never* experienced the problem after the first 5er.

 

However......there is at least one experienced 5th wheel owner on another forum who experienced a "blow-over"

due to high winds in Wyoming (with pics). Not a pretty sight.

 

Situation awareness!

Ya gota know when to hold 'em (continue), and when to fold 'em (park & wait for calmer weather)..

 

.

[Ray,IN]

Right on Stan! That used to be common knowledge back in the 70's and 80's but somewhere it got lost, glad you reminded folks.

For others; virtually all trailer brake controller units have a manual over-ride, it's there for a reason.

[Kirk W]

However......there is at least one experienced 5th wheel owner on another forum who experienced a "blow-over"

due to high winds in Wyoming (with pics). Not a pretty sight.

 

Situation awareness!)..

I used to travel the highways of WY in my work and have seen many an RV in that situation, and not all were fifth wheel, even a few class A rigs. Lots more big trucks than RVs. One May we traveled between Laramie & Rawlins in such winds with a travel speed of 45 or less much of the way and a major case of white knuckles! Called it a day when we got to Rawlins and then waited out the wind before continuing.

[RV fan]

Friction sway controllers:

 

From Reese instructions;

http://www.reeseprod.com/support/installation/N26660.pdf

 

 

"When towing during slippery conditions such as wet, icy, or snow-covered roads or on loose gravel, turn on/off handle (5) counterclockwise until all tension is removed from unit. Failure to do so could prevent tow vehicle and trailer from turning properly.

 

I used a Reese dual cam weight dist hitch and never had any sway problems, wet or dry.

[skp51443]

Friction sway controllers are a lot like surge brakes in that they work well in dry, good traction situations but turn iffy when traction drops. All you can do is like was said above, dial them back and drive a lot more conservatively until things get better.

 

I have no real experience with the fancier pull-trailer hitches that try to control sway through design rather than friction but I've seen a good number of posts on them here if you want to go searching.

[Ray,IN]

There is a new product from Hayes Towing Electronics. It electronically detects trailer sway and applies the trailer brakes without input from the driver of the tow vehicle. Rather than try to describe it, please read the details on their website.

[Kiltedpig]

I towed my 30' trailer all over the West up and down the mountains in all kinds of weather and the only thing that kept control of the trailer was a Hensley Hitch. It was expensive but with that hitch there was never a sway or nervous moment. I've followed friends in their TT and watched their TT weave and sway in the high winds but mine was rock steady.

[duraduk]

I have used this hitch for over 30 yrs. on several trailers. I almost lost a trailer and truck early on when I was a inexperienced trailer hauler. No problems since I have used this one. Works in wet conditions. It is noisy but you get used to it.

 

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/