Towing a trailer is scary. It’s full of potential dangers at every corner. The driver has to be ultra-aware at all times and ready for a worst case scenario. When you are towing a trailer behind your vehicle, a large gust of wind or a large semi-truck are all of the sudden your worst enemies.
The best thing for a driver to do is to stop the sway. Whether you are using a pickup rental or your own vehicle to tow the trailer, it is extremely important to always have both vehicles under control. Check out this information and follow these tips for the best experience when towing a trailer.
Why Do Trailers Sway?
There are many causes of trailer sway. To begin, strong crosswinds or air from quickly passing trucks are common culprits. Only the front of trailers is aerodynamic. Since the sides are not, it can create a side-to-side tipping force.
In addition, another common problem is putting too much weight on one side of the trailer. It is incredibly important to balance stuff out and make sure only a little weight is on the vehicle’s hitch.
How to Prevent It
The best way not to have the moment of sincere panic as you feel your trailer moving behind you is to prepare against it. Make sure to balance items evenly and distribute weight properly. In addition, you can use truck scale stops to measure whether everything is truly balanced or not.
You can even invest in certain brake control systems that will control the brakes not only on your pickup rental, but also on the trailer. Finally, always remember to leave more space between yourself and other vehicles.
What if It Happens?
If the unfortunate moment arrives when your vehicle is experiencing trailer sway, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests using the manual brake control override. It will not apply the brakes to the tow vehicle, which would only make things worse. Do not hit the brakes unless you have to.
As you prepare to embark on your next journey, be sure to use your pickup rental and trailer safely.
Sources:
https://blog.nationwide.com/rv-towing-tips-for-preventing-trailer-sway/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a9169/5-smart-tips-for-towing-a-trailer-15629324/
