NC F150

YouTube trailer sway and you'll see many examples of trailers beginning to fishtail then progressively getting worse and worse. Had the drivers applied the proper technique, it could have been safely rectified and ended without making YouTube highlights.

I've always been taught that if your trailer begins to sway, gradually apply trailer brakes and that would straighten your rig out so you can regain control. Do not apply vehicle brakes until you rectify the trailer sway first.

Just offering this up to hopefully prevent this from happening to someone else.

Gladehound

Applying the trailer brakes only certainly does work to straighten it out. I've even on occasion stayed on the gas while holding the trailer brakes on when crossing a gusty bridge. That was back when towing with the Jeep. I've never had sway with the F150.

LOCO LAPTOP

I never had to worry about sway in my F350, but both of you are correct. However a properly loaded trailer will lower the risk of trailer sway.

Gladehound

I nearly wrote the same thing. It's extremely important to note that a proper combination should self correct if sway is induced by an outsider force. If someone has a sway issue, they need to fix something about the combo or simply slow down.

schmenke

Yep, this.
I too have never experienced pronounced sway with my F150 but from what I understand excessive speed certainly contributes to it.

i2oadi2unnei2

I concur with...slow...down...and do not go back up to the speed you were going where it started whatever may have caused the sway. Speed contributes to the matter but for some that never experience sway wouldn't know how to react when it happens as you got secs to 'think' what to do. I personally have my trailer brake within less an arm away and IF I see sway, "let go of the gas and manually apply TT brakes" to tighten the line so to speak. I keep that mantra in my head every trip we go as I've got precious cargo in my truck, totaling my TT is my least concern. Safe travels everyone.

NC F150

Good points by all. Properly loaded trailers, sway control hitches, slowing down can all help prevent sway.

However, should you experience it unexpectedly, it's good practice to rehearse applying proper braking techniques before it becomes a panic situation. Muscle memory is invaluable in high stress situations.

acdii

Spot on to all. Back in 2002 or 2003 I had an 01 F150 that I used to pick up a rental dump trailer. On the way home with it, the county road I drove on undulated, which caused the trailer to start to sway. Being that I drove an 18 wheeler for years and had extensive training that included skid pad, I knew immediately what was happening and instinctively reached down and tapped the trailer brakes. Pulled it right inline.

This wasn't a case of speed, or setup, it just happened that the road wobbling back and forth got the trailer upset, so even a well setup, balanced trailer can experience some sway under just the right (or wrong) conditions. If the trucks front wheels dip left while the trailers dip right and that happens to happen a few times in a row, well, hello sway, how you doin.

UnkLeRaRa

I was pulling a tandem dump trailer full of dirt with a small dump truck, also full of dirt, on the highway, and had the 2 drivers side trailer tires blow out on me.

Thanks to my boss who loaded the trailer and truck with dirt, we were WAY overloaded.

The trailer obviously started to sway, and I instinctively reached for the trailer brakes which helped keep the trailer straight, and slow me down safely.

It's amazing how many people are out there driving around with trailers, especially overloaded ones, and don't have a clue about the trailer brakes.

Ricktwuhk

How many don't have a clue about trailers, PERIOD.