How to Keep Your Trailer Upright in High Winds?

Drive like your on ice no sudden movements.

 

Cheat to the side of the lane that the wind is blowing from. When a gust hits, let it carry the truck a bit and increase pressure on the wheel to fight the wind slowly

Tandems to the rear. I'm not smart enough to explain it, but you can search the physics of it. No, wind doesn't excuse weight laws, but it is what it is.

There's a chart floating around for wind speed vs weight recommendations somewhere on this forum. It's on Google as well.

Weight distribution also matters. Double stacked pallets won't ride nearly as well as 26 pallets of cans of coke.

If it's a short duration for a storm with super high winds, like you were in, just park facing the wind direction for a bit. Usually the states where wind is a concern, there's farm road exits with hardly any traffic every few miles. Don't sit on the shoulder of the interstate though.

Also, sorry, wasn't being passive aggressive with the Google and search the forum. I just was too lazy to find them to add to the post lol

 

I was told by my brother inlaw who also drove.

HAUL ***

The force pulling the trailer will help against the wind.

I don't know what the max wind would be to tip over but I've pulled a few empties and when the wind was high.

I HAULED A

I pulled a Conestoga through Santa Ana winds one night. I could see the sides leaning in the wind. I was waiting for that thing to fly off the trailer. But it held up.

 

I think this is the chart @Thrasher28 is referring to.

 

Park it.

 

With your truck parked into the wind

 

You are more vulnerable the faster you move. Parking is better.

The advice about not stopping in a dust storm is for the same reason you don't stop in a snow squall or a dense fog bank. Someone behind you is going to drive beyond their ability to see and hit you at full speed.

 

Think of the trailer as a kite, going faster isn’t going to help. Sliding the tandems back is something I’ve seen recommended, but not really sure of the mechanics of it; maybe it’s to prevent the whip effect, watching vids of wind tips is interesting. If it’s safe to do so (no traffic trying to pass), let the wind gusts push you around a bit instead of actively fighting them; “the reed bends but doesn’t break.”

Best advice is to park it, landing gear down to increase stability; not sure if nose in or ### up makes much of a difference, just try to avoid offering a broad side.

 

I would imagine its for a couple reasons.

1- like someone stated- to keep people from behind hitting you when you stop

2- More often than not if you keep moving you are likely to get to the other side of said storm faster

3- Theory of moving faster forward giving the force flowing along the trailer (stabilizing) to be great than the wind pushing against the side. Tandems to the rear would also help this. Tandems to the rear for stability can easily be more understood with regular automotive set ups. Ever think why they used Mini Coopers in that one bank heist movie? Small yes- but all 4 wheels are as far to the corners of the vehicle as possible making them super stable in high directional forces.