creating an instruction & maintenance manual

Dealing with sway

Original discussion here: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3141&PN=1&title=crashed-on-the-interstate-while-towing-the-rpod

The biggest contributors to sway, in this order:

2. Distance between rear axle and the hitch ball

5. Camper tongue is pointed up, not level or pointed slightly down.

7. Lack of sway control

8. Outside forces like side winds, etc.

When sway starts ...

... never touch the accelerator, this adds energy to the equation right when you need to be removing it.

... never touch the TV's brakes, this magnifies the problem even though you are removing energy.

... never try to steer opposite of the the wobbling feeling, there is a 90% chance you'll increase the wobble, and increase it significantly.

... ALWAYS apply the brake controller aggressively, even if it means temporarily locking up the trailer brakes. You may have to keep applying some trailer brake all the way down the hill. This forces the TV to pull on the hitch which negates the sway.

One exception to the accelerator rule - if you are pulling a trailer without trailer brakes, and you are within 100 feet of the bottom of the hill, and nobody is in front of you, then mash on the accelerator. It has the same effect as applying trailer brakes by forcing the TV to pull the trailer straight. But this is a rare exception to the rule.

Edited to add the new #2 above.