Trailer towing

[Mavster Mechanic]

Owners should NOT turn off sway control unless they detect a problem with it.

Problems will be rare.

Turning it off "just because" is stupid.
Turning if off is like turning off your air bags.

Sure, 99% chance you will be fine.
But in case you're in the 1%
YOU'RE DEAD.

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[First Sergeant]

Sorry David,
I blew it on my post # 8
I got my graphics mixed up.
Trailer sway control always comes on at every key cycle as noted above post #11

Yeah, I looked it up after my coffee this morning. I need to quit reading so damn fast, as I miss things easily anymore. The thing I'm not sure about is why does trailer sway have to be on automatically every time vehicle starts? Most of us tow way less. Does sway control affect the Maverick at all without the trailer attached? I like having manual on most things like this. I do understand traction control being on all the time. Black ice and such where we live can be common and traction control will help with that. Tends to keep us going straight ahead. Did someone mention that there is a Forscan setting to keep trailer sway turned off?

 

[First Sergeant]

Owners should NOT turn off sway control unless they detect a problem with it.

Problems will be rare.

Turning it off "just because" is stupid.
Turning if off is like turning off your air bags.

Sure, 99% chance you will be fine.
But in case you're in the 1%
YOU'RE DEAD.

I never turned trailer sway off in my 51 GMC. Never got dead and towed a lot. Kidding, of course. That said, why is trailer sway required if you don't tow a trailer?

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I never turned trailer sway off in my 51 GMC. Never got dead and towed a lot. Kidding, of course. That said, why is trailer sway required if you don't tow a trailer?

Anti sway and traction control help if some Gang member tries to PIT you.

 

[Ecorydr]

Let me be clear-

Towing 3200 lbs. with my Maverick with a standard ball and no mechanical sway control works beautifully.

The electronic sway control had activated ONE TIME in 15,000 miles of towing a heavy high profile camper and was very brief (1 or 2 seconds). It happened when I made the mistake of taking my hands off the wheel to open a can of soda. I also had lane keep assist on.

Lane keep assist made the truck swerve a small amount.

TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MAVERICK owners should always have anti-sway TURNED ON.

It will not harm these trucks.
It may save you and your truck if you make a mistake.

IF your sway control is activating so much and so often to damage your brakes you are towing a poorly setup rig in the first place. That's on you.

I do think lane keep assist should be turned off or be aware the correction IT makes will be amplified on the trailer.

Some extra clearity.... for those who want to use electronic sway control and/or lane assist or whatever - your truck, your method to drive as you like. Also, the electronic anti sway may help at the truck, but once that tail starts wagging the dog, thats when things get a little interesting.... been there, done that, didnt want to wait in that line again for another tshirt.

From my (admittedly pontificated) 30+ some years of pulling carhauler/trailer bumper tows with vehicles or building supplies (no matter the TV size or electric control nannies), large 5th wheel trailers, loaded beds with stones/rocks/wood/concrete/tools/etc..,Lots of factors come into play when pulling a those types of heavy loads.: proper vehicle weight distribution(tow vehicle levelness front to rear for brake operation and axle loading); proper trailer weight distribution front to rear; side to side weight shift stability other than just vehicle TSC anti-lock braking, WDH/quality antisway bar and may even consider greater ply tires with 10ply being a good start on both trailer and tow vehicle. All of these help with trailer and vehicle control when towing and helps remove sway/porposing/bounce in HWY ruts, SEMI passing induced winds, harsh windy weather (some examples.:I70 thru KS & SD-87 in South Dakota, and poorly maintained hwys throughout the US hwy system, etc).

These are all things I have encountered, upgraded/replaced for listed conditions while towing with my vehicles. My end result, little to no sway (WDH makes trailer/truck act more like one instead of individuals), no porposing, and better steering management across some of the most unforgiving hwy roads in this country. Plus, you can still leave the TSC nanny on, but put more control at mechanical side instead of factory electronic control side, and keep the TSC as emergency backup in both towing and non-tow/load driving if stuff gets real ugly.

 

[Hammer]

Anti sway and traction control help if someone tries to PIT you.

Fully validated when you watch any of the live police shows like On Patrol Live. The police have a difficult time using the PIT against modern vehicles. It now requires more of a demolition derby takeout.

 

[mstrbill]

The police have a difficult time using the PIT against modern vehicles. It now requires more of a demolition derby takeout.

That why they moving to the Grappler device. Almost no damage to either vehicle.

 

[Squatch]

I think whats more important is learning how to properly load your trailer so that sway doesnt happen in the first place.

Then it solves all the problems with the system being on or off.

 

[Escapologist]

Now that damps the oscillations fast, but there could be rare occurrences of wave oscillation forced by wind off 30 degrees or so and resonant with trailer length, or mediated by spacing of utility poles which forces the oscillation. Either going faster or slower with a correctly weighted tongue should stop it, but you might not know what's going on.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

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