When you are hauling a trailer, the last thing you want it to do is sway. Not only can a semi-hinged or unsecured trailer pose hazards to surrounding drivers, pedestrians, and structures, it can also put your cargo at risk of being damaged. So, if you’ve experienced problems with trailer swaying in the past, it is important to review some of the top trailer towing safety tips before hitting the road again.

To operate at your safest, you must know how to both prevent and stop trailer swaying. Continue reading get started.

Indianapolis 24 hour Towing 317-247-8484

Trailer Swaying Prevention

In order to prevent your trailer from becoming a sway hazard, there are strategies to implement both before you hit the road and while you’re on it. First, you must check with your towing vehicle’s owners’ manual for information about proper towing capacity, recommended towing gear, and related towing specifications. When you are hauling too much weight for your particular make and model vehicle, you risk damaging your vehicle, the trailer, and everything its hauling. Furthermore, you are a much higher risk for trailer swaying.

Another vital preparation to make in order to prevent trailer swaying is to have your tires serviced. Be sure both your towing vehicle tires and trailer tires have proper inflation. Also be sure your spare is in good condition and properly inflated. To prevent trailer swaying, always load your trailer evenly. Proper weight distribution is key to maintaining full control over your trailer.

If you have too much weight on one side, your trailer can sway, shift, or ride lopsided, all of which can pose several dangers to others. Another effective safety precaution to prevent trailer swaying is to avoid driving in bad weather. Rain, snow, ice, storms, and especially heavy winds can cause trailer swaying no matter how many additional precautions you’ve taken. Avoid using your trailer during times of inclement weather.

When on the road, there is also a lot you can do to prevent trailer swaying. First, do not come to any sudden stops. Give yourself plenty of time to brake slowly and stop in full control. Most importantly, do not speed. In fact, slow down a bit, and drive at a speed just below what you would normally drive at. This will give you more reaction time and control.

How to Stop Trailer Swaying

You never want to look in your rearview mirror and witness your trailer fishtailing, or worse, detaching. If this does happen, there are some maneuvers you can do to help gain back control and prevent any accidents. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommendations, if your trailer starts to sway while you are driving, you should immediately activate the manual brake control override by hand.

DO NOT APPLY THE AUTOMATIC FOOT BRAKES! Using your foot brakes to stop a swaying trailer is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. Unless you are in imminent risk of colliding with something or someone, do not use your brakes to stop a swaying trailer. Other times, if a vehicle passes you on the road too closely, or you get hit with sudden crosswinds, it can cause a bit of swaying. When this happens, just keep a firm foot on your accelerator and tight grip on your wheel until the swaying is finished.

24 Hour Towing Service in Indianapolis

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for affordable Indianapolis towing and recovery services in you can trust. Our licensed and insured wrecker operators provide punctual and prompt tow truck services throughout all of Central Indiana, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We also provide a wide range of municipal services, roadside wrecker and recovery services, and much more. Request a free estimate, anytime.

Use the Proper Set Up

The most important tip for towing is to use the right towing set-up. This means matching the load weight with the right capacity trailer hitch, and using the right type of vehicle for the tow. There is a reason why towing capacity exists. There are several consequences to ignoring a vehicle’s towing limit. This includes safety hazards, mechanical damages, and more. The most dangerous, and common, consequence to exceeding a vehicle’s towing capacity is losing the ability to brake. So be sure your car or truck is capable of towing the weight you need to haul. If you need to tow loads up to three thousand pounds, then be sure to purchase a vehicle that can tow that weight.

Safety Chains are Not Optional

One rule to always get right is to use safety chains, and good quality ones that are in good condition. Follow all the instructions laid out in the manufacturer’s manual for assembly and operation. Safety chains are not an option, they have to be used for any type of tow. They should cross in both directions underneath the trailer tongue. This way, if it detaches from the tongue, the hitch will not drop the load. Safety chains should never be attached to a bumper under any circumstances. There should also be enough slack in the chains for turning, but not so much that they drag on the ground. This is a commonly overlooked detail when assembling safety chains for a tow.

Always Double Check Your Lights

Before taking off on the road, always check the lights on the car or truck, as well as, the trailer. Be sure the brake lights are working, the flashers are functional, and the tail lights all work. Most importantly, the lights of the towing vehicle and the vehicle being towed are all in sync with each other. This is actually required by law and you will be pulled over, sited, and fined for failure to have working lights on your vehicles. For this reason, it is also important to know your towing laws, especially since they can change at any time. See our blog, “Know Your Boat Trailer Laws” just to be sure you are up to speed.

Know When You Need Help

Safe towing truly requires experience and practice. There are so many potential dangers and complications that can arise during a tow, so you can never have too much practice. But if you are ever in doubt about a certain tow, or do not feel confident that you can manage it on your own, it is strongly encouraged to consult a professional for advice or assistance. A licensed Indianapolis towing company can tell you whether or not your vehicle meets the tow capacity for your haul, give you professional advice, and even provide the tow service for you.

Towing, Auto Parts, Metal Recycling & Cash for Cars

Tag Archives: towing safety tips

Trailer Swaying Trouble Shooting Tips