Best Emergency Sway Stop Procedure

[deepseadan]

I used to have sway events and hand applying the trailer brakes helped.

This may be a little off topic, but stop sway before it can even start. Get a Hensley or propride hitch. With Hensley or propride sway is impossible and will never happen. It’s all physics. I bought one and it’s a game changer when towing.

This topic “best emergency sway stop procedure” wouldn’t even exist.

[Chuck_S]

Had no idea it was impossible. And that sounds like a challenge.

Trailer fishtailing (to use the real, scary term) is primarily poor weight and balance. 10% to 15% of the trailer weight must be on the ball. Not knowing your tongue weight is no excuse.

-- Chuck

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

Trailer fishtailing (to use the real, scary term) is primarily poor weight and balance. 10% to 15% of the trailer weight must be on the ball. Not knowing your tongue weight is no excuse.

-- Chuck

Or not having the right tow vehicle to do the job at hand...

[PenJoe]

What I am seeing here is that if you have the proper TV, the proper weight balance on the trailer, the best WDH, and the best sway bars, there will never be a sway event. Sorry, folks, but no matter how great the setup is, there is still a strong chance of a sway event when least expected. Cross wind, flat/blow out on the TT or TV, hydroplaning, road conditions, collisions, collision avoidance-I may have missed a few. Be prepared and never say never.

[JohnD10]

I have a 5'th wheel now, but am thinking of possibly downsizing in the near future.

Even if 'numbers' say that I won't need a WDH setup with my 2500HD...I'll still tow with a WDH setup.

Just like I did before I went with the 5'ver!

[deepseadan]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

What I am seeing here is that if you have the proper TV, the proper weight balance on the trailer, the best WDH, and the best sway bars, there will never be a sway event. Sorry, folks, but no matter how great the setup is, there is still a strong chance of a sway event when least expected. Cross wind, flat/blow out on the TT or TV, hydroplaning, road conditions, collisions, collision avoidance-I may have missed a few. Be prepared and never say never.

Sway happens because there’s a pivot point between your tow vehicle and trailer. With a Hensley or propride hitch that pivot point is eliminated and the trailer cannot affect the tow vehicle. Like I said before, it’s all physics. A Hensley or propride essentially turns your tow vehicle and trailer into a school bus. A school bus can still be affected by wind, but it won’t sway. There are other benefits of a Hensley. My dad accidentally locked up his trailer brakes in the rain getting off the freeway down a hill. Because of the Hensley the trailer and his TV stayed perfectly straight and his antilock brakes did what they’re supposed to and brought it to a clean stop.

Also for me having a toy hauler loading is never the same. Sometimes I have 275 lbs behind the rear axle and other times I have upwards of probably 900. Depends on what I’m hauling. That really affects handling and tongue weight. With my Hensley all I worry about is my tow vehicle and that both axles are loaded properly. That’s easy with the wd screw jacks. The Hensley doesn’t care where the weight is in the trailer. The 10-15% means nothing cause sway isn’t possible. Obviously you still want some tongue weight though like any other hitch.
Check out Hensley YouTube videos or they’re website. And I’m just a Hensley owner who loves it.

[VernDiesel]

deepseadan, That is an interesting post. I did not realize the tongue weight did not matter or effect them or rather the truck and trailer. Can you point to where HA or PP explains this?

I've used someone else's PP & trailer (a wet 30' Airstream Classic) with my truck and a buddys truck before getting it returned to the owner. I did scale it and it was easier and more precise as to adjusting my drive & steer weight. But at the time I wasn't so much focused on the tongue weight although if I still had the weight slips I bet it did change according to the scale slips.

On a side note one of the PP jacks broke if you will and after sending pics of it the owner just sent us another. No hassel no paperwork no charge.

[deepseadan]

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

deepseadan, That is an interesting post. I did not realize the tongue weight did not matter or effect them or rather the truck and trailer. Can you point to where HA or PP explains this?



I've used someone else's PP & trailer (a wet 30' Airstream Classic) with my truck and a buddys truck before getting it returned to the owner. I did scale it and it was easier and more precise as to adjusting my drive & steer weight. But at the time I wasn't so much focused on the tongue weight although if I still had the weight slips I bet it did change according to the scale slips.



On a side note one of the PP jacks broke if you will and after sending pics of it the owner just sent us another. No hassel no paperwork no charge.

Your best bet would be to call and talk to Terry at Hensley and he can explain how they work in accordance to tongue weight. I’m not very good at posting internet research or numbers.

Obviously I’m sure you understood but just in case others didn’t I’m not implying to have 2% or 30% tongue weight when you use the Hensley. It’s still a good idea to shoot for the 10-15% but with my toy hauler that’s not always possible.

My toy hauler empty to a campground usually has around 18% - ish tongue weight and fully loaded with all the load at the back of the hauler around 8%- ish. Crazy as it sounds my TV and TH feel better at 8% tongue weight. Also for me it doesn’t matter if the trailer is slightly nose down, level or nose up. It all feels the same.

It’s a great hitch. I wish every trailer came from the factory with one. There would be a lot let sway accidents. Of course you’d probably still get the people who have no idea what they’re doing and incorrectly install or maintain it, or think they can tow a 10,000 lb trailer with a Camry. Again call and talk to terry at Hensley.

Edit- oh and the screw jacks. One of my Hensley screw jacks did loosen up internally. It was because I was using an impact driver to lower and raise them. The impact drivers impacts caused the internal hardware to loosen up. Not that you were using one but I thought I’d throw that out in case anyone is.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by deepseadan

My toy hauler empty to a campground usually has around 18% - ish tongue weight and fully loaded with all the load at the back of the hauler around 8%- ish. Crazy as it sounds my TV and TH feel better at 8% tongue weight. Also for me it doesn’t matter if the trailer is slightly nose down, level or nose up. It all feels the same.

If your truck pulls better at 8% tongue weight...that sounds to me like you need more truck as you are using the trailer to take weight off of the truck.

[deepseadan]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

If your truck pulls better at 8% tongue weight...that sounds to me like you need more truck as you are using the trailer to take weight off of the truck.

Yeah I think a bigger tow vehicle is always a good thing. Honestly it tows great either way, it just feels better balanced with less tongue weight. It was the opposite before I had the Hensley.

Since I bought the Hensley I’m a completely different traveler. Pre Hensley I used to continually adjust my equalizer hitch, load differently, and try and new things to help with sway. I hated it when semi trucks would fly by me and hated driving in high winds. Just never felt fully safe and one day a semi passed me during our so cal Santa Ana winds. It caused me to have to grab the trailer brakes and straighten me out.

Since Hensley I’ve traveled in crazy high winds, had trucks pass me at 75mph and I don’t even think twice. It’s that good. I’m sure other with Hensley’s or PP would also agree.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by deepseadan

Since I bought the Hensley I’m a completely different traveler. Pre Hensley I used to continually adjust my equalizer hitch, load differently, and try and new things to help with sway.

Not sure if you had the actual 4 point Equal-i-zer or are calling a generic WDH a "equalizer".
I've towed my trailers all over California and the West with my 4pt Equal-i-zer and NEVER had any white knuckle experience.
But I tow with vehicles way capable and over spec'd for the trailers I tow.
If I had a marginal tow vehicle, I would definitely consider a Hensley or PP.
But I don't need them since I have an overly capable tow vehicle. My Equal-i-zer WDH works like a champ and cost me $400 new.

[deepseadan]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Not sure if you had the actual 4 point Equal-i-zer or are calling a generic WDH a "equalizer".
I've towed my trailers all over California and the West with my 4pt Equal-i-zer and NEVER had any white knuckle experience.
But I tow with vehicles way capable and over spec'd for the trailers I tow.
If I had a marginal tow vehicle, I would definitely consider a Hensley or PP.
But I don't need them since I have an overly capable tow vehicle. My Equal-i-zer WDH works like a champ and cost me $400 new.

I originally had the 2 pt which was horrible. Went to 4pt equalizer and it was much better, just allowed some sway and I really wanted to stop it all together. Something else I forgot to mention is my TH is a 5,500 lb single axle. Comparing my single axle and old dual axle trailers, the dual axles sway a ton less. Like the 4pt was much better than the 2pt, the Hensley is worlds ahead of the 4pt.

I’m not trying to convince the world, just letting the op know if he’s having major sway events, a Hensley will for sure fix the problem.

[myxkp]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Not sure if you had the actual 4 point Equal-i-zer or are calling a generic WDH a "equalizer".
I've towed my trailers all over California and the West with my 4pt Equal-i-zer and NEVER had any white knuckle experience.
But I tow with vehicles way capable and over spec'd for the trailers I tow.
If I had a marginal tow vehicle, I would definitely consider a Hensley or PP.
But I don't need them since I have an overly capable tow vehicle. My Equal-i-zer WDH works like a champ and cost me $400 new.

Aren't the Hensley hitches around 2,400?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by myxkp

Aren't the Hensley hitches around 2,400?

Whatever Hensley or ProPride cost, it's way more than the $400 I paid for my Equal-i-zer.

[2rad4u]

This thread became a Hensley sales ad...

[deepseadan]

Originally Posted by 2rad4u

This thread became a Hensley sales ad...

Really? Why is there always someone who gets offended when people talk about how good there Hensley is or their experiences with them?

This coming from the guy who tells someone who’s in a potentially deadly situation to accelerate when their vehicle is ready to be thrown out of control? 🤷🏼*♂️

[Seachaser186]

I use to dread towing my camper too. One time it swayed enough to activate my trucks sway control, not a good feeling. Windy days on the interstate weren't fun either. Since the addition of the Propride I don't worry about it anymore. At first using it, I would anticipate some of the same movement but it just towed straight and easy. It was definitely worth the money for me.

[RobinDella]

Originally Posted by Bluepill

It works well for me also. I have been told that accelerating with the tow vehicle at the same time as applying the trailer brakes helps even more, but so far the brakes-only method has worked fine.

As a retired trucker for 35yrs and 3 million plus miles. That is the procedure
taught in trucking schools

[Herk7769]

Accelerating an out of control rig seems counterintuitive.
Like racing to get to the crash site.

I still think that braking the trailer with the brake controller first; then slowing the combination when straight, is the right thing to do (and more likely to be remembered in a stress scenario).

[Archicamper]

I would also suggest practice reaching for your break controller while driving under normal circumstances so that you have a level of comfort doing this maneuver should the need arise.