|
|
02-03-2016, 03:20 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 383
|
Proper way to get out of a sway event?
So I'm not asking how to avoid sway. I know you need the right TV, know your weights, know your distribution of said weights, properly inflated tires, properly adjust wdh etc. I'm asking, if for whatever reason someone was in an event that causes the trailer to sway drastically, what are the proper steps to straightening out your trailer? Obviously slowing down, but do you slow the TV? Brake hard? Use the trailer's brakes? Which is it?
__________________
2022 F250
2014 Rockwood Roo 233s
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 03:47 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
|
Hold on,PRAY,Accelerate/while hitting the manual Trailer brakes,then if still in control, Slowly slow down! Youroo!!
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 03:55 PM
|
#3
|
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Rockford Area
Posts: 507
|
X2..... accelerate slightly and slow down after fishtailing is over.
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 03:56 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 652
|
Youroo....I'm afraid I disagree....
Prayers always come first.... plus back when I first encountered this particular manifestation of trailering,....I found it difficult to hold on, steer, and hit the manual brakes at the same time. I only have two arms/hands, my feet were always in the wrong place, and my butt was grabbing......oh...I get it....hold on with your heinee....yeah... But i sure hope I don't have to try that, besides, DW says my bass is shrinking. oh crap...that's a fishing story..
ok, nevermind...back to the taxes ugh
__________________
2016 Ford F-350 Lariat CC, 4x4 SRW. B&W turnover with extender. 2015 CC Silverback 29RE, fitted with Reese Goose Box. Amateur Extra Class K5TS, 2016 nights camped 16
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 04:06 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Western, NY
Posts: 438
|
Seeing as your truck is so new...any chance it has the anti-sway breaking when a trailer is attached?
Hopefully that would help a little so you have more time to do the other 10 things that your 2 hands, arms and feet should be doing...your butt will do what it does best...
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 04:52 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 383
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Justice12t
Seeing as your truck is so new...any chance it has the anti-sway breaking when a trailer is attached?
Hopefully that would help a little so you have more time to do the other 10 things that your 2 hands, arms and feet should be doing...your butt will do what it does best...
|
Yep it sure does! I was just curious what's the proper way to get out of the situation should it occur. Hopefully won't ever have to implement it lol
__________________
2022 F250
2014 Rockwood Roo 233s
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 06:35 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,397
|
I've never had to stop a badly swaying trailer, but I've always been told to manually activate the trailer brakes with the controller which will reduce the trailer swaying and everything will slow down, getting you under control. It makes sense to slightly accelerate but I question being able to coordinate all the above while your poop hole is contracting.
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 06:49 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,167
|
I remove foot off accelerator, apply trailer brakes only and keep vehicle under control....this is on dry road......
Controlling Sway Causes of poor tow
__________________
Fonzie
2011 Rockwood 8319SS with ProPride 3P hitch/GoodYear Marathons/TST TPMS 507
2019 F350 Ruby Red 6.7l diesel 3.31 axle electronic locker
Yamaha 3000iseb generator:Progressive Ind. EMS-HW30C : Eastern Ontario
Nights Camped: 2014 (18) 2015 (18) 2016 (36) 2017 (32) 2018 (42) 2019 (28) 2020 (35)
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 07:07 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Oregon
Posts: 716
|
Praying is a waste of time. Apply moderate force with the manual trailer brakes. As long as the trailer tires have traction, it will stop the sway in an instant (assuming you're not talking about a hurricane and the like).
As a young adult in a pinch one time, I pulled my enclosed car trailer with a sandrail in it with a 1985 Toyota 4x4. It was WAY more trailer than that little truck was designed for (and did not have a trailer brake controller). At one point in a slight decline on the Interstate the trailer started swaying badly. To this day I am not sure how/why I didnt wind up on my side. This happened right before my exit and as I was stopped at the intersection a couple people pulled up beside me and applauded. Not really sure if it was the good kind or the bad kind. I never have and never will put myself in a position like that again.
__________________
'04 GMC Sierra 2500HD, CCSB, D/A, MaxBrake, B&W Companion, Retrax Pro, AR Power Steps
2021 Solitude 310GK w/FBP
1969 Camaro RS/SS Convertible
Dad's old 1968 Empi Imp (recently recovered from under 21 years worth of boxes/dust)
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 07:14 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 272
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by phillyg
I've never had to stop a badly swaying trailer, but I've always been told to manually activate the trailer brakes with the controller which will reduce the trailer swaying and everything will slow down, getting you under control. It makes sense to slightly accelerate but I question being able to coordinate all the above while your poop hole is contracting.
|
I believe those are called "Sphincter Tucks"....
__________________
Unencumbered By The Thought Process
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 07:23 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 409
|
You know you have a sway problem when the rear of the trucks starts sliding around . Then compound the issue with no trailer brakes . Been there and don`t care to go back .
|
|
|
02-03-2016, 08:26 PM
|
#12
|
Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
|
I had a sway event on the highway on my second tow with my pop-up. The only thing I was ever told was to squeeze the trailer brake lever.
It swayed. I squeezed and also let my foot off of the gas pedal. After the sway slowed down, I tapped the brakes and also slowed down.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 09:14 AM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,223
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by fonzie
|
That's a very informative article.
__________________
BIRDS AREN’T REAL
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 11:50 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 133
|
When I first got my dump trailer, the operator loaded 3 tons of gravel way too far in the back. As soon we hit the freeway at about 50 MPH it started swaying pretty bad, I let off the accelerator and luckily thought to apply the trailer brake. It took what seemed like an eternity but it finally stopped swaying. Immediately got off the freeway and took side streets all the way back to to the jobsite. Now I direct them on load placement and even had to dump one on the spot when they placed it wrong.
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 12:59 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Western AZ
Posts: 2,404
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by phillyg
I've never had to stop a badly swaying trailer, but I've always been told to manually activate the trailer brakes with the controller which will reduce the trailer swaying and everything will slow down, getting you under control. It makes sense to slightly accelerate but I question being able to coordinate all the above while your poop hole is contracting.
|
X2
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 02:04 PM
|
#16
|
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 2
|
Talking from experience
Last spring had a rear left wheel come off of TV at 100 KPH (55 MPH) while towing 28 foot 5th wheel. Trailer was swaying pin to pin. Instinct kicked in and I accelerated slightly, and gently applied trailer brake by hand Trailer came back behind TV quickly and from there I used trailer brake to bring the combo to a stop.. The wheel coming off broke my TV brake line and we had no brakes other than Trailer brakes.
Scary yes but not until everything get under control.
For minor sway situations I find that accelerating a bit to pull trailer into position followed by gentle braking will work to quickly regain control.
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 02:29 PM
|
#17
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 52
|
I agree. Experienced it. Heading down a large hill in eastern OH on I-77 N, traveling at 70 mph, trailer started pushing the truck up to 80 mph very quickly. Acceleration was not an option; let off gas and hit manual trailer brakes hard. It stopped the sway immediately, then I used truck brakes and manual trailer brakes, (mostly trailer brakes to slow both. Yes, pucker effect to the max. Traded 1/2 ton in for a 1 ton.
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 02:53 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 104
|
I can echo many of the replies so far, foot off the gas and apply the trailer brakes ONLY to straighten up and slow down. While I have never had any RV sway I have experienced trailer sway towing a 20 foot flatbed trailer with a Ford F150 tied down a bit too far back, but nobody thought it was when it was loaded. Going straight and uphills no problem, when I was going down a long grade was when it started to sway. Instant pucker factor +10!! It wasn't severe but it was quick and that was enough! After that it was very, very slow the rest of the grade. I have seen 2 almost disasters over the years, the worst was a pickup towing a full size van on a U-Haul trailer. It started to sway a little and the guy didn't get it and he just kept going 70 so it quickly started swaying more and more and everyone behind him including us slowed way down as the trailer pulled that truck across all 4 lanes and almost over but then just into a 180 before he got it stopped facing all the traffic in the wrong direction.
It can happen so fast you won't have any time to pray!
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 03:05 PM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 593
|
Best defense is best and largest anti sway bar setup. Accelerate and use trailer brakes. 5th wheel much more stable.
|
|
|
02-04-2016, 03:28 PM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Wisconsin/Florida
Posts: 1,905
|
Youroo is correct. Apply the trailer brakes manually while accelerating with the TV. Basically you are stretching the hitch point. That should help to pull the rig straight. Once you have regained control is the time to gradually brake. Braking with the TV will only only amplify the sway especially if the brake controller is set on the light side. You may also have to steer into the slide to keep the TV from coming around.
I have had this happen once on flat open land in Nebraska. I was pulling a single axle 21' camper with a HD everything 3/4 ton 4WD Chevy. It was set up properly with a WDH. A rouge gust of heavy wind came broadside on the driver's side. It literally heaved the camper sideways-and the back of the TV with it. If it had been really windy that day, I may have expected it, but it came out of nowhere. I used the brakes on the trailer, accelerate the TV method and it worked. Heart back in the chest and a little TP and we made it home okay. This is the only time it has ever happened. Phillyg, you can do this if your life depends on it.
Actually, this is something you should practice for because most often the brake controller is hard to reach and learning in a situation is not prudent. Ford is now putting the integrated brake controller at the top of the dash which really make sense. We will be putting one on our E-450 chassis.
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|