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Do I need sway control on my trailer if my truck has TSC?

road_freedom
Explorer
Explorer
My 2019 GMC Canyon has TSC (trailer sway control) as part of the StabiliTrak system. I'm curious as to whether it will be sufficient for my needs. I'll be towing about half my tow rating and about 75% of my TV mass.
Is anyone's TV with these TSC's (they're common across all manufacturers) using sway control on their trailers as well?

Thanks
Steve

2020 Silverado
2020 Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB
10 REPLIES 10

road_freedom
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks to everyone who replied. I'll be using my Equal-i-zer WDH with sway control for sure.
Steve

2020 Silverado
2020 Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB

Retired_JSO
Explorer
Explorer
I turned my trucks sway control off on my 16, F250. I found it over reacted when I was towing our old 30WB work and play while using the Blue Ox sway hitch.

mooky_stinks
Explorer
Explorer
Bobbo wrote:
The truck's TSC is NOT a substitute for true sway control. If the truck's TSC activates, sway has already gone WAY too far.



X2
2020 F150 XL Screw 4x4 6.5โ€box
3.5 ecoboost Max tow HDPP
7850 GVW. 4800 RAWR
2565 payload

2020 Cougar 29RKS 5th wheel

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Bobbo wrote:
JIMNLIN wrote:
The only way to know what one needs for the tow vehicle is hook the trailer up and make a short run camp trip. Then decide if something is needed.

This is not true for safety equipment, like sway control. Sway control is for when things get dicey. Things may not get dicey on "a short run camp trip."


Huh? You can see how the trailer reacts to induced sway or a semi in short order if thatโ€™s the purpose of the โ€œtrip.โ€
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Canโ€™t imagine putting a wdh and sway on a 2 ton trailer behind a new Colorado but instead of asking why not just take it for a drive and form your own opinion.
Opinions here will be everything from youโ€™re fine as is to you need a dually with a Hensley arrow.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
JIMNLIN wrote:
The only way to know what one needs for the tow vehicle is hook the trailer up and make a short run camp trip. Then decide if something is needed.

This is not true for safety equipment, like sway control. Sway control is for when things get dicey. Things may not get dicey on "a short run camp trip."
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
The truck's TSC is NOT a substitute for true sway control. If the truck's TSC activates, sway has already gone WAY too far.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
My 2019 GMC Canyon has TSC (trailer sway control) as part of the StabiliTrak system. I'm curious as to whether it will be sufficient for my needs.

The only way to know what one needs for the tow vehicle is hook the trailer up and make a short run camp trip. Then decide if something is needed.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

Rover_Bill
Explorer II
Explorer II
Depends on how much instability you are willing to tolerate. The TSC system REACTS to sway as soon as it senses it. It takes the computer just a few milliseconds to identify the sway and then to apply corrective braking. The sway control on a WDH tries to PREVENT sway from starting in the first place so the TSC doesn't have to REACT to it. After pulling my TT with my Canyon for 30K miles in 4 yrs. I can feel that "uncomfortable" instability whenever I'm following a semi or in buffeting cross winds and forgot to engage the sway control on my WDH.

The TSC working with the sway control of my WDH saved my a$$ a few times when I had to do a high speed swerve to avoid road debris on wet roads. I strongly recommend you get a good sway control WDH to work with your TSC!
2015 GMC Canyon 3.6L V6 4X4 TowHaul SLE ExtCab Bronze
2016 Keystone Passport GT 2670BH
ReCurve R6 hitch, DirecLink brake controller
2005 Suzuki C50 2006 Suzuki S40

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
If it's the same as the F150's "sway control", then NO, it's not a substitute for a hitch WD/sway control device...

In my F150's case, it only comes into play when your truck really, really starts to sway.. Like see sawing the steering wheel kind of sway.

You will need at the minimum a WD hitch just to help level you out and put some weight back to your front axle.

Good luck! Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.