Towing Safely: What "sway" looks like.

[ctbailey]

You guys won't hear any disagreement from me regarding weather. But when you start pulling at 60deg and then hit a freak squall after the temps dropped to 30, and your on a limited access highway... What are you gong to do? Those with the "don't pull in weather rule" will have a conundrum. The best thing is to not pull in weather. Check. But if you get caught with pants down, a little experience is a good thing.

Someone mentioned needing a license to pull a 5er. You can't get sway on a 5th I thought. And this thread is about how to handle sway.

[StevL]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

The importance of correctly matching a TV to a TT, HTT, PUP, etc., will always be a subject of discussion. A sway event can happen even with the best TV/TT, HTT, PUP, etc., combinations...., but would you know "instinctively" what to do if you had to handle one?

It calls for full throttle and start manually braking the trailer till the sway is under control. The tow vehicle must out run the tow.

Looked like not enough tongue/pin weight.

Steve

[StevL]

This is a wonderful video demonstrating weight distribution while towing.

I think it should be a sticky.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4jk9H5AB4lM

Steve

[StevL]

looking for another link

Try this

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4jk9H5AB4lM

[norty1]

Thanks


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[Halbert]

Hi, I'm new here and the only towing experience I have had so far is driving a UHaul truck and car carrier trailer cross country from San Diego, CA to Missouri and from Missouri to Florida. My wife and I looked at a Feather 7 16XRB we really like so I've been looking for information.

But the reason for this post, and what has been posted here is correct. I don't know all the technical terms but what is being talked about is center of gravity. For a balanced vessel...er vehicle you need the center of gravity between the wheels. So far I'm more experienced with sailboats, but the principle is the same. if the center of gravity is too far off you will capsize your boat/flip you rig.

Which means the heavy stuff as low as possible and the lighter stuff higher up. and what has already been said.

But the first thing that came to mind watching the video, is, "that fool is driving too fast for that rig..." I've seen these idiots on I295 passing me while I'm driving a minivan @75mph. It's better to arrive late than not at all.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Halbert

snip...
But the reason for this post, and what has been posted here is correct. I don't know all the technical terms but what is being talked about is center of gravity. For a balanced vessel...er vehicle you need the center of gravity between the wheels. So far I'm more experienced with sailboats, but the principle is the same. if the center of gravity is too far off you will capsize your boat/flip you rig.

Which means the heavy stuff as low as possible and the lighter stuff higher up. and what has already been said.
...snip

Welcome to the forum and happy trailer shopping. BTW, since you don't have your trailer yet, you'll need to know your tow vehicle's capabilities (especially the PAYLOAD) before you buy.

Sway is a complex topic. Certainly weight and loading are a part of it, but tires, speed, wind (aka 'sailboat fuel' ), etc. also are part of it as well. There are expensive hitches and friction methods to prevent or dampen sway. If you search the forum posts, you'll find lots of information.

If you have questions on payload or sway, just let us know and we'll try to help.

[Halbert]

Thanx oldmanAZ,
My wife is from Phoenix. I was going to mention sail area, but was trying to keep it simple.

We have a 2005 Buick Terraza with 3500 lbs max. I plan taking out the third row seat we don't use to reduce the weight of the TV, and when we buy a trailer, to look at how to keep the weight down and balanced. Things like maybe building a li-ion battery pack instead of lead-acid, don't really need a microwave oven...

[jay67]

That video is scary.My old travel trailer was a Wilderness XT-1 about 23 ft long and I towed back in those days with a Ford Expedition. Even with sway control it was a touchy rig and very sensitive to where the weight was loaded. The camper had these tiny 13" tires and the Expedition was short wheelbase and high center of gravity. Not sure how the new rig will pull behind the F150.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by jay67

snip..... Not sure how the new rig will pull behind the F150.

Jay67,

Welcome to JOF

For piece of mind take your TV/TT combination under loaded conditions to your local CAT scale for a weigh-in. The CAT scale results will confirm all your weights including axles, tongue weight, weight distribution, etc...., and confirm that your WDH is sized/adjusted correctly.

A properly sized and adjusted WDH will optimize your TV's towing characteristics, especially in less then desirable towing conditions (weather, road conditions, etc.).

CAT Scale how-to: http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...v-tt-3871.html

If you have any specific questions in respect to your TV/TT combination, feel free to start a new thread.

Bob

[jay67]

Thanks, honestly I wish these forums were around in the 90's when I bought my first travel trailer. Back then you relied on what the dealer or other people told you. When I first did that Wilderness I just relied on the manual,luckily I met a coworker who was a lot more knowledgeable and after he showed me a few tricks on setting up my hitch and sway control I was better off. Taking to Cat Scales never occurred to me . It will give you an accurate total weight of vehicle and camper. I just read the procedure to weigh at the CAT scales and there is two scales close to me in Syracuse and Parish.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Hey jay67...you are real close to me! I use the scales near Maple View.

[2liter]

Picking up a Jay Flight 174bh on Friday. I have a 1500 Silverado, do I need sway control?

[Rustic Eagle]

2liter,

Welcome to JOF

I would recommend at least a standard Friction Sway Control Arm because light/single axle trailers can be effected by less then ideal towing conditions (weather, sudden maneuvers, etc.) just like the bigger/heavier trailers.

Bob

[2liter]

Thanks!

[vcbice]

If you already have a TT then please do install sway control and know how to set it up. Practice using the trailer brakes. A friend of mine always uses the manual control for normal stops (he started towing when brake controllers were horrible). So, when a sway hit him one time he was already in position to stop it (trailer was loaded by his kids, he never did that again either ).

I won't own a TT. But, even a fiver can get sideways on ice or such.

Learn emergency driving procedures. Most of us let up on gas and hit the foot brakes in an emergency. Not a smart thing to do with low traction and trailers.

PS I don't think any of us set out to drive our RV's in snow and ice. But, we can get caught in it at times. Have had it happen a few times. Not fun but you can survive.

[Rustic Eagle]

This video clearly shows the progression of a TT sway event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miE3MOcqn7E

Bob

[EvilDoer]

Originally Posted by vcbice

PS I don't think any of us set out to drive our RV's in snow and ice. But, we can get caught in it at times. Have had it happen a few times. Not fun but you can survive.

Some of us do tow more on ice and snow than we do on dry pavement, it requires a lot more focus.
Not so much with my Jayco x23b, but with the Ice Castle RV Edition. https://youtu.be/Tqk_q6H6KYg

[Scott]

Here is another good video about having the proper tongue weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Dgxe584Ss

[Rustic Eagle]

Another classic "sway event" example.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INyiMA3hfto

Bob