Interestingly enough, I have been reading my online owners manual, and it has a section on how to handle the trailer, including a full section on sway and fishtailing, and it confirms what I was taught in CDL classes and Skid Pad.
The moment your trailer shows any tendency to sway,
you should slow down immediately by removing your
foot from the accelerator. Avoid strong or hard tow
vehicle braking unless there is a danger of collision.
Reduce speed gradually whenever possible. Apply the
brakes gently and progressively. A properly adjusted
brake controller will apply the trailer brakes first. If
you can do so safely, use the brake hand controller to
gradually apply the trailer brakes. This will help to keep
the vehicles aligned. If you apply the tow vehicle brakes
only, trailer stability will be reduced, and skidding the
tow vehicle tires can cause loss of control and jackknif-
ing.
If you have enough reserve power, and the sway is not pushing the TV, a burst of speed could overcome it, but it could also overwhelm the TV since the front end will pick up, making the steer tires light, and if a wind gust hits you at just the wrong moment, you could very well lose it. I know there is a huge difference between an 18 wheeler weighing in at 80,000# vs a small pickup with a tag along behind it, but physics is still physics no matter what the size. The heavier trucks are less prone to sway than the tall light trailers we tow, but an empty van does the exact same thing on a windy day.
I found the best way to beat sway is to drive slower on a windy gusty day. I just got back from a 3 day trip with my 6x12 Enclosed trailer, and both drives were with heavy winds, and I felt it hitting the trailer, but since it is small, only 8' tall, and well balanced, it wasn't causing any TV issues, but the Coleman I have, that one would have been a handful on this trip. One thing I do know, if the trailer has a low center of gravity, they fair much better on a windy day. I used to pull my 7000# horse trailer with a 97 Ford Explorer, and while it had plenty of power, it was short coupled, and passing semi's always sent me moving, but the trailer remained rock steady in cross winds. It never ever swayed on me. It was only when the semi got to my rear bumper of the Explorer that I got pushed over. When I pulled it empty with a 2001 F150, didn't even feel it back there, all the weight was centered just above the axles. With 2 horses it was fun, you could feel them moving back there while driving.
