Towed Tractor Rollover

[aczlan]

So if you have electric brakes on the trailer and a brake controller, it's OK to put the brakes on?

Yes, when the trailer starts swaying, it is pushing on the truck (that's one reason why you see more fishtailing going uphill). You want it to be pulling back on the truck that way it doesn't have as much leverage to push it around and hitting the manual lever on the brake controller will do that.

Aaron Z

 

[CCWKen]

So if you have electric brakes on the trailer and a brake controller, it's OK to put the brakes on?

Do NOT touch the brake pedal. Use the manual engage for the brake controller. Some older designs had a lever, most new ones have a large button. Be sure your controller is mounted so that you can get to it.

 

[KennyG]

Recently watched "The Long Long Trailer" (Lucille Ball) again. "Trailer Brakes First!"

 

[PJ The Kid]

Seems to be to small of a truck. See stuff like this and it makes me mad. Had an ex brother in law with a 1/2 ton ford and a gooseneck dump trailer around 20 ft. Kept telling him its's not about the power, yea the truck will take off up a hill. He never understood till he blew thru a red light and almost nailed someone and on a separate occasion started swaying badly why I told him to use a bigger truck. Your truck not only is the power plant but it is what anchors to the road. See people all the time pulling 25-30 ft boats and such behind a small suv.

 

[jk96]

A few years back I had an 05 Ford 3/4 ton and 20' enclosed bumper trailer. Interstate driving was the worst with a heavy load, especially when semi-trucks would pass. They would pull you in and then you could feel the air pushing you out as they passed sometimes causing the trailer to start fishtailing even with proper tongue weight. I got tired of the squeezing the trailer brake controller and the steering wheel.

My current setup is a 2012 ram 1 ton dually with 24' enclosed gooseneck. The difference is night and day. I'm a lot safer now as well as everyone around me. Even with heavy bumper loads I've never had a pucker moment like I had with the 3/4 ton.

 

[bspeedy]

A few years back I had an 05 Ford 3/4 ton and 20' enclosed bumper trailer. Interstate driving was the worst with a heavy load, especially when semi-trucks would pass. They would pull you in and then you could feel the air pushing you out as they passed sometimes causing the trailer to start fishtailing even with proper tongue weight. I got tired of the squeezing the trailer brake controller and the steering wheel.

My current setup is a 2012 ram 1 ton dually with 24' enclosed gooseneck. The difference is night and day. I'm a lot safer now as well as everyone around me. Even with heavy bumper loads I've never had a pucker moment like I had with the 3/4 ton.

This is interesting b/c I have a 1999 Ford 3/4 ton and a 20' eqp trailer as well as a 24' bumper pull camper. I, too, can feel a bit of a push from semis passing, but no pucker factor. Mine is a CC long bed, so I think that helps. I've heard similar towing horror stories. Maybe I'm just lucky? FWIW, we took the camper all over the USA last summer. Generally ran 70-80 mph. Maybe weight is a factor. My camper is only about 6500 to 7 k loaded up. Also, I use WD hitch on camper but not on eqp trailer.

 

[sixdogs]

This has been a great thread. I've never had any towing problems probably because I load correctly and stay on the back roads at a slow speed. Today, while towing I paid a little more attention and have a question.

I think--but am not sure--that the trailer brakes engaged a bit before the truck brakes did. Is this possible? I have a 2011 Toyota Tundra with the tow package and I have a "tow/haul" mode button that I presumed just lowered the shift point. Not much mention in the owner's manual. Any thoughts?

 

[greggn]

Yes, when the trailer starts swaying, it is pushing on the truck (that's one reason why you see more fishtailing going uphill). You want it to be pulling back on the truck that way it doesn't have as much leverage to push it around and hitting the manual lever on the brake controller will do that.

Aaron Z

Don't you mean downhill.

 

[aczlan]

Don't you mean downhill.

Good catch. Yes.

Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

This has been a great thread. I've never had any towing problems probably because I load correctly and stay on the back roads at a slow speed. Today, while towing I paid a little more attention and have a question.

I think--but am not sure--that the trailer brakes engaged a bit before the truck brakes did. Is this possible? I have a 2011 Toyota Tundra with the tow package and I have a "tow/haul" mode button that I presumed just lowered the shift point. Not much mention in the owner's manual. Any thoughts?

Do you have a brake controller in your truck, or does the trailer have surge brakes?

Aaron Z