Suspension/Weight Distribution
Anyone who has ever hauled a trailer has most likely at some point experienced trailer sway. It can be a very scary feeling when your trailer begins to sway back and forth and you begin to lose control of the trailer or even worse your tow vehicle. Trailer sway can happen unexpectedly and for a number of reasons. Poor road conditions, a gust of wind from a passing semi-truck, improper tire pressure or not enough tongue weight can all contribute to trailer sway causing you to lose control. Thankfully there are things that can be done to help prevent this from happening.
The most common way to help prevent your trailer from swaying is to install a weight distribution system. A weight distribution system is designed to alter the point at which the load of a trailer is transferred to the tow vehicle. It distributes the weight across the axles of the trailer and tow vehicle equally and helps prevent the front of the tow vehicle from coming off the ground. By distributing some of the increased tongue weight off the rear axle of the tow vehicle and onto the front axle of the trailer, steering control and braking abilities are greatly improved.
When choosing the right weight distribution system for your vehicle and trailer there are two important things to consider: gross trailer weight (GTW) and tongue weight (TW). Gross trailer weight is the total weight of the trailer including the cargo it is carrying. Tongue weight is the portion of the load that presses down on the hitch as well as any weight that is behind the rear axle of the towing vehicle. Having an imbalance between gross trailer weight and tongue weight can cause dangerous situations like loss of braking traction or steering control and trailer sway.
Safety in towing is our number one priority which is why Southside Hitch proudly offers the SwayPro weight distribution hitch by Blue Ox. It is the most user-friendly trailer sway prevention system on the market and is compatible with a variety of towing vehicles. Our experienced technicians can custom fit a weight distribution system on any tow vehicle from minivans to full-sized pickups.
If you are looking to reduce trailer sway by adding a weight distribution hitch to your towing system, call Southside Hitch at 804-378-1992 today. Our professional team will be glad to serve you. We can also handle all of your hitch repair and replacement needs too.