Combating Sway of 21ft Travel Trailer being Towed by 2008 GMC Yukon with Auto Leveling Suspension  

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Expert Reply:

Since your 2008 GMC Yukon Denali's auto leveling system is working well to keep your Yukon level when towing your trailer, I recommend starting out by trying a friction sway control bar. You may find that this is all you need to help correct the sway you've noticed when pulling your trailer. I recommend the Reese Friction Sway Control Kit # 83660 because it will work to combat your trailer sway and comes at an economical price. I've attached an installation video of this sway control bar for you.

Another component you will need to use the sway control system is a bracket, # RP26003. This bracket fit over the ball mount and provides a mounting location for the sway control. This bracket is also shown in the attached video.

Sway control comes in a couple of different forms. The independent sway control, like the friction sway control bar mentioned above, helps combat sway by installing to both the hitch and trailer frame so it can supply tension to help keep the trailer in line. Dependent, 2-Point sway control comes in the form of weight distribution systems that use friction at the leveling arms to control trailer sway. This is similar to a friction sway control bar, but on a higher level. The strongest types of sway control are dual-cam sway control and 4-point sway control. These are also found on weight distribution systems and use either cams to hold the trailer in place or friction at the leveling arms and the hitch head to keep the trailer in line.

If you find that the friction sway control bar # 83660 does not provide enough sway control for your trailer, even though you don't need the leveling capability, a weight distribution system with 2-point or 4-point sway control will be more effective at fighting your trailer's sway.

Since your Yukon's auto leveling is working to control any sag the trailer puts on your vehicle, adding an additional suspension enhancement system will not help with the trailer's sway. Suspension enhancement helps with sway control when the vehicle is experiencing a lot of sag from the weight of the trailer. Vehicle rear end sag causes the front wheels to have decreased contact with the road resulting in poor traction and handling. Since your vehicle is level, these are not factors contributing to your trailer's sway.

I have attached a help article on weight distribution for you that will also speak on sway control.

expert reply by: Victoria B

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