Towing a trailer often takes getting used to. Instead of just having to worry about your vehicle, you also have to take into account what you’re towing behind you. This means you have less control, which can frighten people.
Especially when you consider the weight you’re likely to be towing – which can be upwards of 10,000 pounds – you need to stay in control of the vehicle. This allows you to avoid damages that can cost a significant amount of money, or even endanger other people.
In this article, you’ll learn a few tips for dealing with trailer sway. As well, you’ll learn what to do if you need to get your trailer repaired or replaced.
What Causes Trailer Sway?
Your truck and your trailer are connected by your trailer hitch. It’s vitally important that you purchase the appropriate hitch and install it correctly, because other than the safety chains, this is all that’s keeping the trailer and truck from disconnecting.
To buy the right hitch, you can check the manufacturer’s website. If you’re having trouble installing it, a trailer dealership will be able to help you.
Assuming you’ve purchased the right hitch, installed it correctly, and you’re not carrying more than the maximum weight for your trailer, truck, or hitch, there are a few other things that may be causing the issue.
One, you need to be ready to compensate for weather conditions. Crosswinds or ice can often cause problems: you already have less control over the trailer than you do your truck, so wind or ice can cause you to lose further control.
Two, you need to be aware of what driving maneuvers you’re making. The faster you’re going, the more sway you’re likely to experience. Combined with quick braking or sharp turns, the way you drive can cause significant, dangerous sway.
How Can You Avoid It?
Often, the biggest problem causing trailer sway is sometimes just inexperience. An experienced driver will often be able to compensate for weather or driving conditions. Alternatively, they’ll understand when they need to pull over.
If you need practice driving the hitch, you can either have a more experienced driver accompany you on a few trips, or you can practice in a non-populated area. This allows you to understand the speed at which you can safely tow your trailer.
Along with the actual driving, this may be a good way to learn how you can pack your trailer to lessen sway. Generally speaking, you should try to place more weight towards the front of the trailer than towards the back.
If this is more than just an issue of an experience, you may want to look into buying a sway control hitch. As the name suggests, these hitches are designed to reduce sway. We recommend speaking with a trailer dealership to determine the best control hitch for you.
Looking for Trailer Repair in Arkansas?
If so, Silver Moon Trailers has what you need. For years, we’ve been helping people in Arkansas and even across state lines get the trailers they need. Because we offer so many trailers, we also have access to a wide variety of trailer parts.
If you’re looking to buy new trailers in Arkansas or get yours repaired, call us today at (870) 330-9133. You can also visit our physical address at:
1802 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401