coolbreeze01 wrote:
From etrailer.com:
Do's - Good Towing Practice
Gradually reduce speed
Steady the steering wheel - sudden turns can cause more sway
Apply only the trailer brakes to help reduce trailer sway
Don'ts - NOT Good Towing Practice
Do not slam on the brakes - jackknifing could occur
Do not attempt to steer out of a sway situation
Do not increase speed - trailer sway increases at faster speeds
Do not tow a trailer that continues to sway
They gave good advice, but they should have been more clear on the "Gradually reduce speed" answer. To some, that would mean applying the service brakes slightly. Which is also the impulsive response to the inexperienced. And IMO, using any amount of service brake is the wrong way to stop sway.
What you want to do is straighten out the string. Pulling from each end, so to speak. Applying trailer brakes only is the most effective way, and I would have put that at the top of the "DO" list.
However, I have towed many thousands of miles with a small utility trailer that did not have brakes. And if I didn't load it properly, it would want to sway on me, especially on downgrades. I can say from experience that, in that situation, increasing speed straightened out the string. Using any brake, which I quickly learned, would only make it worse - fast! Luckily I survived the experience and learned from it. Also learned to load properly - heavy up front - plenty of tongue weight.
It only takes a little acceleration to stop the sway, and then you want to very carefully, with minimal steering corrections, pull over and correct the situation. Obviously you cannot accelerate forever.
