Crosswinds and Passing Trucks: Handling a Tall Enclosed Trailer

Open trailers let wind through. Enclosed trailers do not, and that is the trade for keeping cargo dry and locked.

What is happening

• **Steady crosswind** pushes the trailer sideways continuously, and the tow vehicle has to hold against it.
• **A passing truck** creates a pressure change — first a push away as it approaches, then a pull toward it as it passes, then a push again as it clears. That sequence is what feels alarming.
• **Bridges and cuttings** produce sudden gusts as you leave shelter.
• **Terrain**, particularly open farmland in South Georgia, gives wind a clean run at you.

What makes it worse

• **Height.** A taller trailer catches more. Our interior height guide covers the trade-off at spec time.
• **Speed.** The effect increases sharply with speed, and slowing down is the single most effective response.
• **Light loading.** An empty or lightly loaded trailer is pushed more easily than a loaded one.
• **Rearward weight bias.** Weight behind the axles reduces tongue weight and makes the trailer less stable. Our load balancing guide covers why this is the most common handling problem.
• **Worn or underinflated tyres**, which reduce the trailer's ability to track straight.
• **A short tow vehicle** relative to the trailer.

How to drive it

1. 1Slow down. Ten miles per hour makes a substantial difference and it costs you very little time.
2. 2Both hands on the wheel, relaxed. A tight grip produces over-correction.
3. 3Small steering inputs. Do not chase the trailer.
4. 4Anticipate the truck pass — you can see it coming in the mirror. Ease slightly right, hold steady, and let it go by.
5. 5Do not brake hard mid-gust. If you need to slow, do it before or after.
6. 6Anticipate the exits from bridges and cuttings.

If it starts to sway

Do not steer against it and do not accelerate out of it.

Ease off the throttle, hold the wheel straight, and if the trailer has electric brakes, applying the trailer brakes alone with the manual override pulls it straight. That is what the manual lever on a brake controller is for — our brake controller guide covers the setup.

Fix the underlying causes

Persistent instability is not something to drive around. Check tongue weight, load distribution, tyre condition and pressure, and the brake controller setting. Our towing safety guide covers the pre-departure check.

If your trailer never feels right, call us — (800) 281-5084 — and describe it.