Ways to Reduce Boat Trailer Sway at 50 MPH Towing 3500 LB 19 Foot Bayliner

Expert Reply:

The Friction Sway Control, part # 3400, is used to reduce trailer sway and improve handling in adverse conditions. If you were experiencing high winds or large trucks passing you and you were getting sway then the friction control will help control that and would be a good choice. This type of sway control does not stop sway that is caused by other conditions like a low tongue weight condition (too much weight to the rear of the trailer), improper loading or improper ride height. If your boat trailer has surge breaks the friction type of sway control will not work with your trailer.

We need to figure out why your condition occurred at 50 mph. If your boat was not loaded far enough forward on the trailer this would most likely be the cause. If you can load the boat further forward on the trailer then the tongue weight will be increased and the sway condition should be eliminated or decreased. If you have an extra amount of gear loaded to the rear of the boat trailer then this could affect towing performance and cause sway and simply redistributing the cargo forward somewhat will help. If your trailer is towing in a tongue high or low position then leveling out the trailer with a different ball height would be advisable and we carry adjustable ball mounts to make this process simple. Always be sure to stay within the tongue weight limits of the vehicle, hitch, drawbar, ball or trailer whichever is the lowest rated component.

If the above suggestions do not alleviate your sway problem we do have a sway control system that will work with boat trailers that have surge brakes and provides weight distribution also. The High Performance Reese SC Weight Distribution System, part # RP66151, is designed for trailers with tongue weight from 200 to 600 pounds and has 6 friction points to control trailer sway.

I attached an FAQ article on weight distribution and sway control systems for you to check out also.

expert reply by: Bob G