Which is the right move in a split second decision?

[temccarthy1]

After reading many instances on this site and seeing terrifying videos of TT crashes caused by sway getting out of control, I have seen many comments saying to accelerate if it starts to sway out of control to regain control as well as many saying to apply the trailer brakes from the brake controller... Which is it? Those are 2 opposite moves . Which do most experienced trailer drivers recommend? What have been your experiences with either?
Obviously if this situation happens, I need to know what will best correct it so I can regain control and will not have time to think about it.
your experiences and opinions are very important to me. Thanks in advance!

[time2roll]

Trouble is you got to hold the wheel and reach for the lever. Could be you need both hands on the wheel. I recommend ease off enough on the throttle to begin losing speed and holding the wheel in a fixed position. Easier if going straight on a straight road. But you can hold in a curve and make very small adjustments to stay. The biggest issue is trying to compensate or steer out of the sway. It is unnatural motion that cannot be compensated. If the vehicle can remain straight the natural friction will begin to reduce sway.

I had read this and have used it. Was getting pushed out of my lane and this brought me back into control a few times.

Yes give the trailer brake a manual squeeze if you can spare a hand off the wheel. Or have your co-pilot trained to apply gently on command.

[coolmom42]

myredracer wrote:
I've sometimes read some say that using the brake controller when you start to get bad sway is the thing to do. But in the OP's "split second" it takes to be involved in serious sway and possibly a catastrophic accident, how would you be able to find and activate the BC? I haven't adjusted ours and have rarely looked at it in years and wouldn't know where the SOL button is even if I had seconds to find it. I've gone to a lot of effort and expense to set our TT & truck up to prevent sway and it's never a problem. I wouldn't be towing at a speed that could result in bad sway to start with and would say it's partly about knowing the limits and capability of your particular TT and TV setup.

I encountered strong gusting side winds once which was kinda scary and was like driving on marbles and had to slow waay down to maintain safe control before pulling into a nearby rest stop for a while. Not the same thing as getting into a sway situation and should be towing at a much lower speed, if at all and def. not hitting the gas. TT blown over vid - RV crash to remember.

You should practice doing it before you need to.

[aguablanco]

myredracer wrote:
I've sometimes read some say that using the brake controller when you start to get bad sway is the thing to do. But in the OP's "split second" it takes to be involved in serious sway and possibly a catastrophic accident, how would you be able to find and activate the BC? I haven't adjusted ours and have rarely looked at it in years and wouldn't know where the SOL button is even if I had seconds to find it. I've gone to a lot of effort and expense to set our TT & truck up to prevent sway and it's never a problem. I wouldn't be towing at a speed that could result in bad sway to start with and would say it's partly about knowing the limits and capability of your particular TT and TV setup.

I encountered strong gusting side winds once which was kinda scary and was like driving on marbles and had to slow waay down to maintain safe control before pulling into a nearby rest stop for a while. Not the same thing as getting into a sway situation and should be towing at a much lower speed, if at all and def. not hitting the gas. TT blown over vid - RV crash to remember.

Practice makes perfect. One should already know where the controller is and have practiced reaching for it well before an incident occurs. I practice this maneuver at least a couple of times a day whenever I am towing. I even do it when I am not towing if I remember. I would never use truck acceleration to get rid of sway on a trailer as large as most of us pull. BTW, no matter how well the rig is set up sway can happen in a heartbeat, think microburst or sudden shear winds when entering or leaving a canyon.
RichH

[nohurry]

Ditto to the above. New trucks with built in Trailer brake controller are often also equipped with anti sway. The computer somehow senses sway and apllies, you guessed it, the trailers brakes.

[delwhjr]

toedtoes wrote:

Chuck_thehammer wrote:
my advice... an old trucker..

steady on the power.. and using the hand brake paddles ..light on the trailer brakes..

this will burn off the sway.

like a jump rope and pull from both ends.. stops the movement.

my opinion.

That's how I was taught. Basically no extreme changes to your speed which will cause more issues. Worst thing I was told was to hit the brakes or gas hard - slow and steady works.

X3
Accelerating just accelerates the problem. DO NOT touch the TV brakes. Engage the trailer brakes with the manual control and after sway has reduced, slow down.

[myredracer]

I've sometimes read some say that using the brake controller when you start to get bad sway is the thing to do. But in the OP's "split second" it takes to be involved in serious sway and possibly a catastrophic accident, how would you be able to find and activate the BC? I haven't adjusted ours and have rarely looked at it in years and wouldn't know where the SOL button is even if I had seconds to find it. I've gone to a lot of effort and expense to set our TT & truck up to prevent sway and it's never a problem. I wouldn't be towing at a speed that could result in bad sway to start with and would say it's partly about knowing the limits and capability of your particular TT and TV setup.

I encountered strong gusting side winds once which was kinda scary and was like driving on marbles and had to slow waay down to maintain safe control before pulling into a nearby rest stop for a while. Not the same thing as getting into a sway situation and should be towing at a much lower speed, if at all and def. not hitting the gas. TT blown over vid - RV crash to remember.

[toedtoes]

Chuck_thehammer wrote:
my advice... an old trucker..

steady on the power.. and using the hand brake paddles ..light on the trailer brakes..

this will burn off the sway.

like a jump rope and pull from both ends.. stops the movement.

my opinion.

That's how I was taught. Basically no extreme changes to your speed which will cause more issues. Worst thing I was told was to hit the brakes or gas hard - slow and steady works.

[CarnationSailor]

From experiencing a TT on the verge of swaying out of control, apply the trailer brakes. I did it immediately upon sensing the trailer sway becoming excessive, and it stopped the sway right away. I didn't have to think about what to do since I had thought about it years before and was ready to react.

[mike-s]

They're not opposite, they're the same, only from different angles. Both methods work to pull the vehicle and trailer into alignment. Hitting the accelerator is faster than reaching for the brake controller, but the additional speed can also work to make things worse, so gaining control may be temporary.

Chuck offers the best advice.

[Chuck_thehammer]

my advice... an old trucker..

steady on the power.. and using the hand brake paddles ..light on the trailer brakes..

this will burn off the sway.

like a jump rope and pull from both ends.. stops the movement.

my opinion.

[_tpc_]

From everything I've been told and have read, accelerating only makes it sway more, not less.

I've never had sway get out of control so I cannot comment on that, but in situations where I felt the sway was uncomfortable, I've taken my foot off the gas and let everything slow down, and or applied the brake control manually.