That accident sway video ... question

I've had it happen pulling our old pup. Doing about 70mph around a curve and it started a strong sway that had the whole SUV moving alot. It was a 3500lb pup and we were pulling it with a Tahoe. Now we pull a 25' TT with a WDH and it is perfectly solid. LT tires on the Tahoe made a big difference too.
It gets scary quick when it happens.

path1 wrote:
OK that video that is making the rounds here. I'm sure most have watched it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INyiMA3hfto&feature=youtu.be

This is 3 or 4th time this video has been posted on this forum and has many remarks. So makes me wonder.

I've towed several trailers over the years and about 35 years of towing freight trailers, but they are a different type of set up. Our latest travel trailer came with a very cheap "Ezy lift" hitch. 8,000 pound trailer and I use 1,000 WDH bars. Trailer just follows along, no problems. I was going to upgrade to better hitch, but it's very low on the shopping list.

Last friction sway bar that I used was probably around year 2000. I have never had a sway problem. All my set ups have always had at least 10% "reserve capacity" or the percent distance between what the max rating is on something and how much weight (or stress) I actually put on it. I don't like stressing anything to the max or even close to it, maybe just me. I'm at 13% tongue weight. I usually drive 57-62, been a couple of times made it to 68 MPH by mistake as I've always had ST tires. Biggest sway I get is from big tour buses, as they pass when I get a slight wiggle as I catch their "bow wave"


So here is the question... Have you ever had the type of problem that the guy did in the video?

I wonder if I've only been lucky up to this point?

To answer your question, yes. Towing a 1968 single axle Monitor 19 foot TT. Light trailer and only had friction bar. Not enough tongue weight, my fault. Wind pulse and speed induced. Recovered by backing off throttle before having to use trailer brakes.

Twice I have had to swerve to avoid another driver at 55 mph or so. Both times the TT sway dampened out as I let off the gas.

I also had a hard stop to miss a doe and fawns with no difficulties.

I have an F-150 towing a 25 ft. Dutchmen with a Blue Ox hitch. I believe the TV may have some sort sway control feature but I am not sure.

Perhaps the biggest issue is speed. I keep it below 60 mph.

Have not had it happen. Have had it start to happen, and I controlled it by use of the trailer brake. My brother insisted that I handled the sway of a blowout on a single axle TT, but I think my mom was driving at the time. Either way, it was doing the right thing at the right time that got us back into control.

On my trip last weekend Michigan to Oklahoma saw it happen, brand new "lightweight" TT being towed by a midsize SUV. Made a mess, destroyed the TT, but SUV stayed upright and nobody was hurt. 55 mph speed limit on two lanes in Indiana, but everybody runs faster, 20-30 mph faster for overtaking moves. What might work in a mid-size sedan can be disaster for a small SUV towing.

Friends in my RV club have had a medium size (24 foot, 6000 pound) TT flip their 3/4 ton pickup, a sudden avoidance move (motor coach coming down on on ramp moved into them) setting off an accelerating cycle of sway. Totally destroyed the TT, totaled out the truck.

Son-in-law's father lost his TT to an accelerating sway induced by a wind gust.

The incidents I know about, all were at or above speed limits for single vehicles, and speed vs hitch to axle distance on a trailer is really critical for stability. The rig in the video was passing somebody (guy with the camera) so probably way out of the safe speed envelope.

Many countries limit recreational tows to 50-55 mph, and balance weights of tow vs towed vehicles by licensing, but we tend to be anything goes.

You are probably not just lucky, you've been driving in the speed ranges for which your combination is most of the time stable, although an occasional wiggle means you are at the limit. Aggressive drivers, needing to be at the front of the pack, running at the highest speed, first in line at the next red light, they will get into trouble.

Also, on high speed limited access highways, running at light vehicle speed limits will get you into trouble while towing RVs. Big rigs get into trouble, trying to keep up with cars where speed limits are 70-75-80 mph and running speeds are somewhat higher. Doubles and triples are particularly a problem at high speed, but cruising a bit below speed limits, I see even single semitrailer rigs struggling for control after they whip around me and cut back in.

Only time I've ever had the sway problem was with a small open utility trailer I use for firewood, gravel, and other stuff of that nature. I had a load of firewood on it, and since the trailer has no brakes, my only method of recovery was to get off the go-pedal and steer carefully until the speed dropped low enough. I pulled over, threw some of the firewood from the back into the front of the trailer, and the problem was solved.

I've never had the problem with a trailer that has brakes, but I make sure I remind myself every time I tow one to make sure I know exactly where that little lever that applies JUST the trailer brakes is located and how it works. Just in case anybody doesn't know, if you start swaying like that, DO NOT APPLY the TV brakes, apply the trailer brakes ONLY and it'll straighten right out. Then, of course, you need to pull over and find out why it's doing that.

path1 wrote:
OK that video that is making the rounds here. I'm sure most have watched it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INyiMA3hfto&feature=youtu.be

This is 3 or 4th time this video has been posted on this forum and has many remarks. So makes me wonder.

I've towed several trailers over the years and about 35 years of towing freight trailers, but they are a different type of set up. Our latest travel trailer came with a very cheap "Ezy lift" hitch. 8,000 pound trailer and I use 1,000 WDH bars. Trailer just follows along, no problems. I was going to upgrade to better hitch, but it's very low on the shopping list.

Last friction sway bar that I used was probably around year 2000. I have never had a sway problem. All my set ups have always had at least 10% "reserve capacity" or the percent distance between what the max rating is on something and how much weight (or stress) I actually put on it. I don't like stressing anything to the max or even close to it, maybe just me. I'm at 13% tongue weight. I usually drive 57-62, been a couple of times made it to 68 MPH by mistake as I've always had ST tires. Biggest sway I get is from big tour buses, as they pass when I get a slight wiggle as I catch their "bow wave"


So here is the question... Have you ever had the type of problem that the guy did in the video?

I wonder if I've only been lucky up to this point?

Thing is. IF you set your TT / hitch up correctly, You won't have that kind of sway. IF a TT sways WITHOUT sway control. It is set up wrong. Pure and simple. A TT , and hitch has to be setup correct enough that is will not sway in normal driving. AFTER the TT / WDH is right. Then, and only then add sway control. Sway control is not designed to keep the TT from swaying in normal driving. It is designed only to help control the sway once it has been induced by an emergency maneuver. Like dodging a accident, deer, or anything like that.
My TT does NOT sway with out a sway bar. I have forgotten to attach my sway bar, and did not know it until I got home. Foutunatly I did not have a emergency to dodge, and didn't need to jerk the wheel. I use the sway bar just incase. That is what it is for.

Wonder if he was really proud that he never uses any kind of sissy sway control?

My brother and I used to race dirt track modified open wheel cars. On a not so good night, the front suspension got ripped off and the tow truck backed the car onto our open trailer. We left the track towing, not thinking much about it until a car blew past me at about 20 mph faster than I was going. The trailer really started to dance. Fortunately I got it under control and we continued much more carefully. It had never occurred to us that since the car was loaded backwards, the engine was now behind the trailer axles instead of in front. Tongue weight makes all the difference.

To the OP, no I've never had that type of sway shown in the video. My first wd hitch on my old trailer was the old EZ Lift hitch with single friction sway control you refered to, which I bought used off a friend for $100. The trailer towed fine and I never had any problems with sway. A properly loaded trailer should not sway regardless of the hitch use. Wind and passing big rigs is another story.

Yep.........

When I was a younger man and attempted to tow a 20' trailer on a bumper ball hitch with a mini van.
Every time I got above 50 mph trailer would start wagging.

It was a very long long white knuckle drive....both ways. That's right....was bound to go camping. The old saying ..Young Dumb etc.

Got it back home without incident....not because I was so good :S Blessed!

Now I might have been Young Dumb BUT wasn't STUPID
Next camping trip (and every one since) proper tow vehicle, proper WDH and proper set up (tongue weight/trailer loading/WDH set up correctly) PLUS I learned how to properly tow, what to do and more importantly what not to do when situation(s) arise.


In the video operator had a proper tow vehicle......but that's seems to be it.
Nothing else was correct.....set up/towing and or drivers ability/knowledge.