If you’re new to towing an RV, there are several essentials for safe towing. You must know how to properly load your trailer, understand trailer sway control vs weight distribution, and decide if a weight distribution hitch is needed for your tow vehicle-trailer combination.
But even if you install a weight distribution hitch, there are benefits to adding a trailer sway controller. So, let’s learn more about travel trailer sway control and present one of our top picks for the best trailer sway control kit—the CURT True Course Advanced Trailer Sway Control System.
What Is Trailer Sway Control?
Sway refers to your trailer’s side-to-side movement when towing. At high speeds, trailer sway becomes incredibly dangerous. In the worst cases, a swaying trailer can tip over, damaging it and its contents, potentially overturning the tow vehicle, and injuring passengers.
Trailer sway can be caused by the road surface, speed of travel, wind, tire pressures, trailer tongue weight, the number of axles, and improper loading. While factors like your speed and proper loading are under your control and should be managed properly, a trailer sway control kit greatly increases your safety on the road.
There are multiple types of sway control systems for towing. Some use friction or pressure to reduce sway. Others use an electronic sway controller built with motion-sensing technology that detects sway and strategically applies the trailer brakes to reduce sway and stabilize the trailer.
Do I Need Sway Control For My Travel Trailer?
Sway control is recommended for safe towing. You’ll find weight distribution hitches with built-in sway control, which is recommended whenever your trailer’s loaded weight is more than half of your tow vehicle’s weight. However, you’ll also find electronic sway control kits, which can be used independently of, or in partnership with, a weight distribution hitch.
The most common application for a sway control kit, like the CURT True Course, is for an SUV towing a small travel trailer. Not all SUVs have built-in electronic brake controllers like larger trucks. However, they may be heavier than the loaded trailer weight threshold recommended for using a weight distribution hitch.
While SUVs towing small campers can still use a weight distribution hitch, an electronic sway control system provides an alternative or a supplement. Even for those towing large trailers, a Bluetooth-enabled trailer sway controller gives you added peace of mind in various towing conditions.
Is the CURT True Course the Best Trailer Sway Control Kit?
The CURT True Course Trailer Sway Control System is an advanced electronic sway control system that prevents sway during emergency maneuvers, poor road conditions, or heavy winds.
It’s one of the easiest sway control systems to install, as other kits require several tools and significant skills to install and set up properly. The True Course sway control is truly a DIY RV upgrade that requires only a few basic tools. It’s also compatible with many truck types, and one of the few with Bluetooth capability. This provides real-time updates and lets you easily adjust the sway control settings directly from your Apple or Android device.
Other kits remain as adjusted during the original installation, which often requires a best-educated guess from the installer. The True Course automatically adjusts to dynamic situations and allows you to make on-the-fly adjustments for more precise sway control.
Here are a few important benefits of the True Course CURT sway control kit:
- Easy plug-and-play installation
- Prevents trailer sway by activating brakes independently of driver and brake controller
- Compatible with multiple vehicle makes and models
- OneControl mobile integration provides in-app notifications and system status
- Combats sway caused by side winds, slippery roads, sudden movement, and emergencies
- Advanced patent-pending technology electronically detects dangerous trailer movement
The CURT sway control kit can bypass your trailer’s braking controller, allowing it to act independently to limit trailer sway in emergency situations. In other words, it can sense trailer movements not regulated by your weight distribution hitch to apply the trailer brakes and reduce sway.
This trailer sway control system has been rigorously tested on various vehicles from multiple manufacturers. This testing ensures compatibility with original equipment trucks, giving you reassurance that it is a safe, reliable towing solution. Additionally, it doesn’t require modification of the trailer’s coupler, A-frame, or wiring, meaning it should not affect any original equipment (OEM) warranties.
How To Install CURT Sway Control
Because it requires a permanent installation, ensure this electronic sway control works for your tow vehicle-trailer combination before purchasing. The CURT True Course, for example, is not compatible with trailers equipped with electric-over-hydraulic brakes.
Consult a Camping World retail specialist for help selecting the right trailer sway control kit for your RV. That said, here are the basic steps for installing the CURT True Course sway control kit:
1. Choose and Mark the Mounting Location
Begin by choosing your mounting location on the driver’s side of the trailer’s A-frame. Installing on the driver’s side makes cord management easier, but you’ll need a clear frame section to mount the 11” sway controller flush. The True Course sway control comes with a 7′ electrical cord. Ensure this cord length will reach your tow vehicle before finalizing your mounting location. Your trailer’s 7-way cord must reach the control’s 7-way plug once installed. You must also account for other installed components, such as brackets for a weight distribution hitch.
Technician Tip: The general measurement for weight distribution saddle installation is around 24″ to 29″ from the center of the ball cup on the coupler assembly. Standardizing the sway controller installation outside of this space would mean it would never have to be relocated, even if different hitches were installed.
Once you have chosen your mounting location, mark the four locations for your pilot holes. If installing solo, use a paint marker to mark the hole locations while holding the control module in place.
Technician Tip: The sway control module must be installed horizontally so that it is level with the top of the trailer frame. Beware of any components, wiring, or propane hoses that may be affected by this installation, as you want to avoid drilling into them and causing damage in the next step.
2. Secure the Controller to the Trailer Frame
Use a punch tool and a ball-peen hammer to create four divots at the marked pilot hole locations. This step isn’t required, but it will help keep your drill bit from shifting when drilling the mounting holes. Before continuing your True Course installation, it’s smart to wear safety glasses and work gloves.
Next, use a ⅛” drill bit to drill the four holes. Then, you can carefully secure the control module using the four ¼” self-tapping screws.
Technician Tip: Avoid over-tightening these screws to keep from stripping out the screw holes or cracking the module’s plastic base.
3. Plug in 7-Way Cords
Route the 7-way cord from your trailer to the rear plug on the sway control module. This will likely require some cord management to secure any excess and keep it from dragging on the road surface. Zip-ties are perfect for this step, and securing the excess cord to the inside of the trailer frame is the easiest way to remove excess and protect the cord.
With the CURT sway control kit connected to your trailer, back your tow vehicle into place and lower the trailer onto your vehicle’s hitch ball. Secure the hitch pin and locking mechanism, and plug the control module’s 7-way connector into the electrical outlet on your tow vehicle.
4. Setup Device with OneControl App
The final step is downloading Lippert’s OneControl Auto app on your smartphone. The app is available for Apple and Android devices and will require slightly different account setup and pairing procedures depending on your device. The full instructions for pairing your specific device to the sway control module are in the CURT True Course Installation Manual.
Hopefully, these tips will help you decide if the CURT True Course is the right electronic sway control solution for your RV trailer. If you purchase the True Course sway control kit and are uncomfortable installing it yourself, contact our Service Department.
Do you have questions about the True Course or installing this trailer sway controller? Let us know in the comments below.
