JIMNLIN wrote:
Bumper pull trailers not set up properly/loaded properly may sway above a certain mph and gets worse the higher the speed. Only application of the trailer brakes will stop the sway until the vehicles speed gets below that point. Speeding up just made the sway worse.
The only place I've read speeding up to stop sway is on some rv websites.
It's kind of hard to apply trailer brakes on a trailer that's not equipped with any. This is actually common on smaller cargo and utility trailers. Obviously using the trailer brakes isn't the only way to pull out of a sway event since there are those who have pulled themselves out despite not having trailer brakes. The gas pedal method was taught to me a long time ago and it appears that others have been taught as well since I've seen others use it on the road on multiple occasions.
Just the other day on the way home from work I saw a poorly loaded utility trailer that was nose high being pulled by a Chevy Avalanche. The trailer was swaying pretty good and looked like it was getting worse. The truck was stuck riding behind a slower car and suddenly jumped over a lane and zoomed past the car. I'm not sure if he did this out of frustration or he was trying to stop the trailer from swaying. In any event, the trailer quickly straighten out and off he went. I was already going 65 MPH and he was pulling away from me at a good pace. The trailer never started swaying again as he pulled away. If done correctly then conditions will not get worse.
