Towing a trailer while moving down the highway on a calm sunny day can be quite challenging, which is why we recommend checking some important numbers before you begin. So when conditions themselves become challenging – for example, if the wind picks up, or the roads become rough – towing professionals can also opt for some assistance.
High winds are especially dangerous. They can push with enough force to move the trailer from side to side, causing it to rock back and forth on the hitch ball. If you’re not careful, physics can increase that speed to the point where you can’t control the trailer at all. And it’s a similar story, albeit for slightly different reasons, on rough pavement: In that scenario, bumps or holes in the road can load and unload the hitch as the trailer bounces around. Then, if something affects the direction of the trailer when its weight is less than the hitch, you are more likely to experience shaking.
However, digging a little deeper we discover that the root cause of both conditions is the same: poor weight distribution. It is important to know its effect on towing. As showed According to Australian auto journalist Robert Pepper, you’ll enjoy more stability if the trailer is centered just ahead of the axles. Too much weight on both ends of the trailer, or on both ends at the same time, can cause disaster. So while proper loading is a key to pulling in windy or rugged conditions, you may also want to consider a specialized hitch with dedicated weight-distribution and/or sway-control functions.
How do weight distribution hitches work?
To be clear, there are some aftermarket hitches designed solely to increase weight distribution, and some focused on anti-impact measures, but manufacturers can bundle those capabilities into one unit. Also, one difference between a factory and aftermarket hitch is that you won’t get either system.
Turning first to weight distribution, let’s remember that, in a traditional setup, a certain portion of the trailer’s weight, the weight of the tongue, is exerting pressure on the hitch. It works like a swingarm, with the rear axle of the tow vehicle as the fulcrum. When the tongue load is too high, the trailer pushes the back of the car down, and the front comes up, taking the load off the front wheels – you know, the ones responsible for steering. Needless to say, it becomes harder to control when you’re already fighting the wind to stay on course.
To address this, a weight distribution hitch helps transfer some of that extra mass back to the trailer via its spring arms. These are strong metal bars that you lock on one end to the tow-vehicle side of the actual connection point and the other end to the trailer side. Now, when the trailer pushes down on the hitch, the bars physically limit any vertical movement at the point where the trailer and tow vehicle meet.
How do trailer friction strips help reduce shaking?
Anti-sway hitches help when there is a lot of weight behind the trailer. In this case, you’re faced with another unexpected situation where the trailer axle is at the base: The weight pushes toward the rear of the trailer, causing the front of the trailer to lift up and take the weight off the hitch. It’s now much easier for the trailer to swing from side to side, and with so much weight concentrated in the rear, the result can turn into a pendulum effect – even if you spent $110K on an absurd destination trailer.
Anti-sway functionality comes in a few flavors. The basic setup involves attaching friction bars to the front and rear of the pivot point, again along the sides of the coupling. These “bars” then act somewhat like pneumatic door closers. If you imagine turning right, the inner part of the friction strip on the left side of the hitch will have to be pulled out somewhat more than the outer part. The additional stretch helps reduce horizontal rotation. For a next-level approach, some hitches have active measures designed to not only hold the trailer in place, but also add some pushing force – for example, to bring the trailer in line with the tow vehicle.
In any case, you can get more benefits by adding a trailer brake controller. It will automatically synchronize the trailer’s brakes with the tow vehicle’s brakes for better driving control. Of course, none of this will automatically help you become a towing master, but it can save you a lot of trouble.
