What Should I Do If My Trailer Starts To Sway?

Regardless of experience, a driver can encounter a loss of control over their trailer at any time. Whether from a sudden and unexpected gust of wind or a simple steering wheel over-correction, a swaying trailer is a very scary situation that can cause serious accidents on the road. Fortunately, there is a particular course of action you can take if you are ever faced with a fishtailing trailer; furthermore, there are products available on the market that can help prevent trailer swaying altogether.

Continue reading to learn some common causes of trailer swaying, how you can prevent it, and how to stop it when it’s happening to you.

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484

Common Causes of Trailer Swaying

If your trailer is connected to a hitch that is located behind the rear axle of your vehicle, it is capable of swaying. Since the hitch is essentially the acting pivot point between the centers of gravity of the trailer and vehicle, any sudden force can send it into a swaying motion if it is stronger than the road tire friction for the drive wheels on your towing vehicle. This can lead to your vehicle to spin out of control or tip over. The same can happen to your trailer.

Additional Causes:

🗸 Crosswinds
🗸 Descending Hills
🗸 Incorrect Braking
🗸 Fast-Passing Large Truck Drafts
🗸 Over-Corrected Steering
🗸 Improperly Loaded Trailer
🗸 Unbalanced Trailer Weight
🗸 Exceeding the Towing Weight of the Hitch

What To Do if Your Trailer Begins to Sway

According to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), you should immediately engage your manual brake control override with your hands in the case that your trailer begins to sway. If you apply the towing vehicle or trailer brakes, it will only make the swaying worse, as will speeding up. Attempting to control the movement by turning the steering wheel can make it much worse as well.

Here’s What You Should Do:

Slowly remove your foot from the accelerator to gradually reduce your speed.

Hold on to the steering wheel to keep it straight.

Wait for your vehicle to slow down and for the trailer to reduce swaying motion.

Pull over to a safe spot and re-organize your cargo with more weight at the front.

Continue driving, but at a reduced speed.

Have your hitch inspected for defects and consider having it replaced with a weight distribution model.

Consider having your brake control system upgraded too.

Indianapolis Towing and Roadside Assistance

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for prompt and professional towing and roadside assistance, regardless of time or day. Since 1927, we have a provided a wide range of roadside assistance services in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. And for the past 90 years, we have earned a reputation for trusted service at a fair price! Our licensed towing and recovery division retains an extensive fleet of over 35 tow trucks and wrecker equipment, allowing us to assist drivers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, rain, snow, sleet, or ice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Towing a Trailer

Towing a trailer doesn’t have to be a daunting task. As long as you have the right experience, knowledge, and equipment, you can easily tow a trailer without any difficulties. It is always a great idea to review some helpful trailer towing tips before executing your voyage, especially when it comes to towing safety. Not only do you want to ensure you are protected on the road, it is important to do what it takes so that others are protected as well. In addition to your safety and the safety of others, you want to protect your cargo too.

Continue reading to learn some common questions and answers about trailer towing, and what options are available for those who are not equipped to tow a trailer themselves.

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

Should I Rent or Buy a Trailer?

Although you can choose to rent a trailer for towing needs, you also have the option of investing in one. In order to determine which avenue is most cost-effective, you must consider various factors, including trailer type, trailer cost, trailer storage, and most importantly, frequency of use. If you are going to use a trailer often and for many years, purchasing one would pay for itself overtime.

Which Vehicles are Suitable for Towing a Trailer?

You can use virtually any make or model car to tow a trailer as long as it is equipped to fit a hitch. Not all cars and trucks are built with hitch receivers. These vehicles, although rare, are not equipped for towing a trailer. Check the owners’ manual to confirm the trailer towing capabilities of your vehicle.

What Do I Need to Tow a Trailer?

There are six paramount parts you will need for any tow. These parts include a trailer hitch receiver, safety chains, pin and clip, ball mount, trailer hitch ball, and wiring harness. Although many towing guidelines will not mention safety chains as a “necessary” component for towing, they are actually mandatory under law.

Which Hitch Do I Need for My Trailer?

There are a variety of tow hitches available, so it is recommended to learn the different types before choosing one for your truck or trailer. Refer to your trailers’ manual to determine the tongue weight and trailer weight when empty. Then add the weight of the load you expect to haul. The total amount of weight of the trailer can help you determine which size hitch to use. It is a good idea to always get a larger setup then you actually require, so that you have room to change and adjust as you need.

Do I Need a Hitch Lock?

Hitch locks are meant to stop thieves from stealing trailers and the commodities they carry. They are lock a trailer hitch and hitch receiver together, which makes it impossible to lift the receiver and “un-hitch” a trailer. The trailer hitch can only be removed when the hitch lock is open. There are a few different hitch locks available for purchase, all with different features and qualities.

Do I Need a Permit to Tow a Trailer?

To tow a trailer, you do not need any special permits. You do, however, require a valid drivers’ license. On top of a drivers’ license, you will need to abide by your states towing regulations. All states will require safety chains, trailer lights, and a license plate light to tow a trailer legally.

Where Can I Find Reputable Towing Assistance in Indianapolis?

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for safe and affordable Indianapolis tow truck services you can trust. Our licensed and insured tow truck operators provide punctual and prompt tow truck services, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We also provide numerous community services, roadside assistance services, wrecker and recovery services, and much more. Call 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate, anytime!