How to Prevent Toy Hauler Sway

One of the worst things that can happen when you’re towing a toy hauler trailer is that it starts to sway back and forth despite all efforts to control it. Every time you take your toy hauler out, there’s a chance you might experience some swaying, especially when you’re driving down the highway. 

Swaying can be caused by gusts of wind or when a heavy vehicle, like a semi-truck, drives past you. Even a little swaying can be dangerous on a busy highway, so you’ll want to do everything you can to minimize it. Here are our tips to avoid it.

Take Preventative Steps

There are a few things you can do before hitting the road to prevent trailer sway. Perform a pre-ride inspection of both your towing vehicle and your toy hauler to check for any potential issues that might unbalance you as you drive. This includes checking the pressure in every tire and airing them up to the appropriate psi levels. Don’t overload your rig and make sure that the weight is distributed evenly. A travel trailer that’s got weight heavily tipped to one side or towards the front or back is likely to sway.

Distribute Weight Evenly

Placing too much or too little weight over the hitch of your toy hauler is a common cause of sway. Try to aim for 10 to 12% of the total cargo weight resting on the hitch. To do this, you can go to a commercial scale at a truck stop or a material supply store. Move and add or remove weight as needed. Try to keep heavy cargo towards the front of your trailer, centering it from left to right. Use reinforcements to tie down the cargo so that it doesn’t shift as you drive.

Adjust Driving on Windy Days

Toy hauler sway can be a result of crosswinds and drafts from large vehicles passing you in the same or the opposite direction. Descending a hill without braking properly can also cause your unit to fishtail. While the front of a toy hauler is designed to be aerodynamic, its sides are not, which means that the force of winds can easily flip over your towing setup if you’re not careful.

Your best bet will be to keep your tow vehicle as steady as possible. Try to gradually decrease your speed, rather than hitting the brakes suddenly, as much as you can. When you need to engage brakes, apply your toy hauler brakes first. As you cruise down the road, focus on keeping your tow vehicle driving in as straight of a line as possible. Try to avoid any quick turns or jerks to one side. Limit the number of lane changes you make. Finally, use your best judgment if the wind gets bad. Sometimes it may be best to pull over and wait for the wind to die down rather than push forward on a stormy day.

Keeping sway under control isn’t just about protecting you and your family, it’s also about protecting other commuters on the road. That’s why it’s so important to be careful and drive safely when you’re towing your toy hauler camper.

Seeking toy hauler trailers in Iowa? Come see us at our dealership in Cresco today to view our wide stock of new and used toy hauler campers for sale. Camp Site RV is proud to be your local toy hauler dealer, serving the cities of Cedar Falls, IA; Rochester, MN; and La Crosse, WI.