Fisher speed-caser 2 Owner's Manual page 18

RECEIVER HITCH
Sway Controls
Driving
The additional weight of a trailer affects acceleration,
braking and handling. Allow extra time for passing,
stopping, and changing lanes. Severe bumps can
damage your towing vehicle, hitch, and trailer. Drive
slowly on rough roads. Stop and make a thorough
inspection if any part of your towing system strikes the
road. Correct any problems before resuming travel.
Sway controls can lessen the effects of sudden
maneuvers, wind gusts, and buffeting caused byother
vehicles. We recommend sway controls for trailers with
large surface areas, such as travel trailers. Adjustable
friction models can help control the sway of travel
trailers with low tongue weight percentages.
Other Useful Equipment
Excessive Sway
Air springs, air shocks, or helper springs are useful for
some hitch applications. A transmission cooler may be
necessary for heavy towing. Many states require towing
mirrors on both sides.
Excessive sway can lead to loss of control. Sway
motion should settle out quickly. Sway tends to
increase on a downgrade. Starting slowly, increase the
speed in gradual steps. If sway occurs, reduce speed
slowly, stop, and adjust yourtrailer load and equipment.
Repeat until the trailer is stable at highway speed. Do
this whenever yourtrailer loading changes.
Tire Inflation
Check often. Follow tow vehicle and trailer
manufacturer's recommendations. Improper tire inflation
can cause trailer sway.
Controlling Trailer Sway
Equipment and Parts Check
Turbulence from another vehicle, a wind gust, or a
downgrade can cause sudden sway along with shift of
the trailer's load or a trailer tire blowout. If the trailer
sways, it is the driver's responsibility to assess the
situation and take appropriate action. Below are the
suggestions that may apply when assessing the
situation. If your trailer starts to sway:
Check ball, coupler, chains, retaining pins and clips and
all other connections every time you tow. Re-check at
fuel and rest stops.
No Passengers in Trailers!
reduce your speed gradually
Under no circumstances should people be allowed in
trailers while towing.
hold steering wheel as steady as possible
Trailer Loading
and if your trailer has electric brakes, apply the
trailer brakes alone without using the tow vehicles
brakes.
Proper loading helps prevent sway. Place heavy objects
on the floor ahead of the axle. Balance the load side to
side and secure it to prevent shifting. Tongue weight
should be 10-15 percent of gross weight for most
trailers. Too Iowa percentage of tongue weight can
cause sway. Never load the trailer rear-heavy; load the
trailer front heavy.
do not hit your brake pedal hard unless absolutely
necessary.
do not try to steer out of the sway condition.
Sudden or violent steering can worsen the sway.
do not speed up or swaying will increase,
do not continue towing a trailer that tends to sway
or you may lose control.
Form No.13722
15
November 1998