trailer sway mitigation TSM

Anyone has experience towing a trailer with a car with the trailer sway mitigation installed?

princiar wrote on 12/16/2019 12:02 PM:
trailer sway mitigation

Are you asking about an electronic system installed in some cars, and do you have
specif car in mind? Or mechanical friction/load distributing devices that connect
to the trailer tongue?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

If you trailer sways, it has ball loading issues.
Fix the problem not the symptom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fkOVHAC8Q

I've rigged, fitted, towed, and modified a bunch of trailers. These are the things I have done to mitigate trailer sway (in order of effectiveness):

1. Longer trailer tongue. Longer is always better at reducing sway. Unfortunately it also increases trailer overall length, tripping hazard, etc.

2. Mass and CG management for trailer. Move weight out of the tail, but maintain modest tongue weight (~5-10% of trailer mass). A single-seater trailer shouldn't weigh more than about 900 lbs.

3. Stiffer tow car rear springs and shocks.

4. Stiffer tow car rear tires.

5. Stiffer trailer tires.

Things that are generally more trouble than they're worth:

* Supplemental sway dampers--They're a pain in the ass bandaid for other trailer issues, and you can't depend on random crews to rig them properly.

* Tongue weight over 10% of trailer mass--Deteriorates car handling more than it improves trailer handling, and makes your trailer a pain to rig and tow.

* Dual trailer axles--Maybe OK for a two-seater, but generally makes your trailer a pain to handle without a tow car.

--Bob K.

Good shocks seemed to have the biggest effect in my experience.
Look out when moving trailer weight forward... Never exceed the maximum tongue weight!
Jim

JS wrote on 12/16/2019 4:43 PM:
Good shocks seemed to have the biggest effect in my experience.
Look out when moving trailer weight forward... Never exceed the maximum tongue weight!
Jim

Sometimes, moving weight forward is not easy. An alternative is to move the axle
back a few inches: that effectively lengthens the tongue (as Bob suggested) and
puts more weight on the hitch.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Monday, December 16, 2019 at 4:43:23 PM UTC-8, JS wrote:
Good shocks seemed to have the biggest effect in my experience.
Look out when moving trailer weight forward... Never exceed the maximum tongue weight!
Jim

Also tighten up the hitch in the receiver with one of these: they take out the slop that can add to sway, and quiet down the rig

Maximum allowed tire pressure in trailer and rear tow vehicle axle.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 8:06:29 AM UTC-8, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
On Monday, December 16, 2019 at 4:43:23 PM UTC-8, JS wrote:
Good shocks seemed to have the biggest effect in my experience.
Look out when moving trailer weight forward... Never exceed the maximum tongue weight!
Jim

Also tighten up the hitch in the receiver with one of these: they take out the slop that can add to sway, and quiet down the rig

I found once I stopped towing with a Jeep Grand Cherokee I had no more sway problems.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 10:15:29 AM UTC-7, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
On Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 8:06:29 AM UTC-8, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
On Monday, December 16, 2019 at 4:43:23 PM UTC-8, JS wrote:
Good shocks seemed to have the biggest effect in my experience.
I have used three different model year Jeep Grand Cherokees as tow cars for over 35 years. Nelson Funston (JN) is a tire and trailer expert with big heavy trailers. With my first Jeep, told me to do three things in following order:
-Move some weight forward,-stiffer sidewall trailer tires at max pressure, -vehicle tires at max pressure. Ancillary advice, maintain Jeep shocks... We have some interstate speeds of 80 mph in Idaho. No sway!! All my Jeeps were the 8cyl model so heavier than the old 4cyl and most currently available 6cly on the road. Also all had 4 wheel drive and the off road accessory that has different suspension and road clearance. Boise Pilot




Look out when moving trailer weight forward... Never exceed the maximum tongue weight!
Jim

Also tighten up the hitch in the receiver with one of these: they take out the slop that can add to sway, and quiet down the rig

I found once I stopped towing with a Jeep Grand Cherokee I had no more sway problems.