Controlling Sway When Driving Your Travel Trailer

Whenever you drive while towing a travel trailer, you need to be mindful of the risk of trailer sway. Swaying occurs when the trailer begins to move back and forth at the hitch point, and it can become very dangerous when the trailer sways into other lanes of traffic or into obstacles. 

Trailer sway can happen due to high winds, unbalanced cargo weight, or reckless driving, and it’s important to get it under control as soon as you notice it happening. Try these tips to cut down on trailer sway so your drive is as smooth as possible.

Preventing Sway

Sometimes, there are things you can do to prevent sway from happening in the first place. Inspecting both your travel trailer and your towing vehicle before you depart can help you to spot things that might impact how each vehicle functions on the road, such as low tire pressure. 

You should also ensure that you’re placing equal weight on either side of the trailer and avoiding putting more than 10% of cargo weight on the tongue of the trailer. Take your travel trailer to a commercial truck weighing station to weigh the trailer so you can adjust weight accordingly. Put the heaviest cargo towards the front of your trailer, too. Tying down cargo to keep it from shifting can also be helpful.

Trailer Upgrades

There are some upgrades that you can make to your travel trailer to help reduce sway. There’s a friction sway control device that puts resistance on the trailer and your towing vehicle to reduce the impact of gusts of wind and turns.

Dealing With a Storm

When driving through plains regions, particularly in the spring and summer, thunderstorms with high winds are more likely to occur. Wind is a very common cause of trailer sway, and if you notice it picking up as you’re driving or you have to keep driving to get to a safe point, there are some strategies you can employ to keep yourself and other drivers safe.

First, don’t slam on your brakes. This will only cause problems. You should slow down gradually and apply your trailer brakes first. Try to keep your towing set-up in a straight line and avoid jerking or turning the steering wheel to one side or another. In very high winds, you may simply need to choose an exit and find a place to stop until the winds die down.

We hope these tips help you make your drives safer. Stop by our Richland, WA, dealership to check out our fine selection of new and used travel trailers for sale. Horn Rapids RV proudly serves our customers in nearby Kennewick, WA.