Plywood panels are thin layers of wood veneer, treated with resin and glued together under pressure for added strength. They can be made from softwood or hardwood and come in various thicknesses, finishes, and grades. RV walls are typically between ¾” and 2.5″ thick, unlike houses where walls are a minimum of 4.5″ thick. Stums in RVs are typically made of wood, aluminum, or steel and are usually between 1 and 3 inches thick. Most RVs have two rows of studs running vertically along the length of each wall panel, adding more strength and stability to the overall structure of the vehicle.
The type of RV wall construction is an important factor to consider when buying an RV. Different construction methods provide different benefits and drawbacks, such as strength, durability, insulation, and surface finish. RV walls are usually in this configuration: exterior wall, insulation, and interior wall. Interior walls can add to primary insulation, as wood is not as good an insulator as vinyl or other materials.
RVs come in a range of lengths, typically ranging from 12-15 feet on the small end and up to 45 feet on the large end. Foamlite, a lightweight material, is used to create efficient, durable RVs, caravans, and camper vans. Travel trailers are usually measured from “stem to stern” or ball hitch to rear bumper.
For RV storage, it is recommended to make it 10 feet wider and 10 feet longer, as there needs room to walk around and move things in and out. Planked walls in RVs can be created by removing old panels and using foam insulation panels that fit the exact dimensions of your RV.
📹 Trailer Sway 2020-09-23
What is the best size motorhome for 2 people?
Class B motorhomes are compact, maneuverable, and fuel-efficient travel options that are well-suited for two occupants. In comparison to Class A and Class C motorhomes, Class B models are more compact and can be parked parallel to the curb in typical urban parking spaces, making them a flexible and efficient choice for urban travel.
What is the best length for a motorhome in meters?
Motorhomes can be a cost-effective mode of transportation to destinations like Corsica, England, or Sardinia, but their size can also impact transport costs. A 7-meter motorhome may incur higher ferry transport prices, while a six-meter motorhome is often considered the “magic limit”. Additionally, campsite operators may charge higher parking fees if the motorhome is out of use for extended periods. It’s crucial to understand the regulations for specific cases before traveling.
What is the interior height of a Class C RV?
The average ceiling height is 9 feet, which has been a standard since the early 20th century. However, some contractors may still use 8-feet ceilings due to the availability of boards in eight-foot pieces. This can be inconvenient for both the homeowner and the contractor, as adjustments may be needed in the plans. Contractors are generally fickle when it comes to ceiling height due to various reasons.
How thick are motorhome walls?
It is possible to install screws in RV walls; however, due to the typically reduced thickness of such walls, caution should be exercised. It is advised that a screw of a length of 1″ or less be utilized to prevent the screw from extending the full length of the hole. The construction of RV walls comprises a thin layer of plywood mounted on metal studs, which is conducive to the use of wood screws. Nevertheless, the plywood is of a relatively thin gauge and lacks substantial tensile strength.
Are interior camper walls structural?
The camper is supported by an external wall structure and the roof is supported by trusses at 12-16″ intervals. It is possible to remove the internal walls, but it is advisable to exercise caution with regard to the wiring and vent pipes that are located on the walls.
How thick are RV interior walls?
It is possible to install screws in RV walls; however, due to the typically reduced thickness of such walls, caution should be exercised. It is advised that a screw of a length of 1″ or less be utilized to prevent the screw from extending the full length of the hole. The construction of RV walls comprises a thin layer of plywood mounted on metal studs, which is conducive to the use of wood screws. Nevertheless, the plywood is of a relatively thin gauge and lacks substantial tensile strength.
What is a good length for an RV?
A normal RV can range from 12-15 feet on the small end to 45 feet on the large end. Class C RVs can reach up to 28 feet, while Fifth Wheels can reach up to 38 feet. A 30-foot RV may not fit many national parks, as only half have space for RVs over 37 feet and just over 70 can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet. Motorhomes are measured from end-to-end, while travel trailers/5th wheels only include the unit’s length, excluding the hitch and towing vehicle.
What is the best size RV for 2 people?
Class B motorhomes are compact, maneuverable, and fuel-efficient travel options that are well-suited for two occupants. In comparison to Class A and Class C motorhomes, Class B models are more compact and can be parked parallel to the curb in typical urban parking spaces, making them a flexible and efficient choice for urban travel.
What material is used for interior RV walls?
RV interiors consist of two main materials: thin plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF) for walls, and vinyl paneling for higher-end campers. For ceilings, fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) or PVC wall paneling is used due to their lightweight, moisture-resistant properties and lack of need for painting. Choosing between these materials or combining them is a personal choice, but there are pros and cons to consider. Plywood panels, made from thin layers of wood veneer, are treated with resin and glued together under pressure for added strength. They come in various thicknesses, finishes, and quality grades.
What is the best length RV for national parks?
National park campgrounds typically accommodate RVs up to 19 feet long, with a good selection for RVs smaller than 25 feet. However, the number of available campsites decreases for RVs 29 to 32 feet long, with only about 80 parks allowing in. For RVs up to 35 feet, just over 70 have room. Only about half of all national parks have sufficient space for RVs over 37 feet in length. Even if a park permits larger RVs, they may have limited slots available. Pull-behind trailers may have different length restrictions, often found in parks with back-in sites with a limited turn radius and apply to any trailers the RV may be towing.
How tall is the interior of an RV?
Class C campers are a compromise between Class As and Bs, offering a size between 10 to 11 feet, weighing between 10, 000 to 20, 000 pounds, and ranging in height from 8 to 8 1/2 feet. They typically have a large back area, an over-cab area for extra sleeping space, a kitchen, bathroom, shower, bedroom, and dining or entertainment areas that can convert into more beds. They can have slideouts and other roof-mounted items, similar to Class A motorhomes. Class C campers are typically 25 to 35 feet long and take some practice to drive, but are not as intimidating as long Class A motorhomes.
📹 RV Camper Trailer Stabilizer / Wobble Stoppers DIY
Do it yourself Wobble Stoppers RV trailer stabilizer made from 2×4 and ratchet strap. Build your own of Purchase a set below.
The common mistake that people make when they experience trailer sway is that they hit the brakes on their tow vehicle. This exacerbates the problem. Two ways to get out of this situation is to either apply the electric brake to the trailer only or to steadily accelerate the speed of the tow vehicle until the trailer stops swaying and then slowly apply brakes to bring it down to a safe speed. Both actions will bring the trailer straight behind the tow vehicle.
I had a similar situation happen to me when pulling a 16′ car trailer with a car on it. Blew a tire on the trailer going down a pretty steep grade and it started fish tailing like crazy. Thankfully I knew to manually apply the trailer brakes. Safely came to a stop on the shoulder, swapped on the spare, and was back on the road in 20 minutes.
I feel this when vacationing with a travel trailer i try to keep it at 55-60 max, when a big truck comes by you the smallest draft can make you sway a lot, the stock camper tires are not premium tires I think that effects a lot same with dump trailers they put the crappiest tires on there, I upgraded to 13 ply heavy duty tires it’s a game changer . Sway bars helps a lot for travel trailer and better tires should help also how you pack the trailer most don’t know about dispersing the weight on your travel trailer can increase or decrease that sway also, just something to consider when packing up and going on vacation, most weight should go on the axle and or forward of the axles to put more weight on the tongue or axles, behind the axels can cause lift on the truck rear tires and a lot of sway .
I was driving on I-84 in CT in early 2000’s was 3 cars behind a guy pulling a long trailer (maybe 30-34’) in outside passing lane. The trailer started to sway then caught the side of the road. Next thing it was sliding down highway on it’s side and truck actually rolled. It was surreal. Obviously, we stopped to help. The women in the truck must have been in shock, she was running up/down highway looking for their dog, her husband had been ejected (no seatbelt?) and was lying in the road and a younger kid ( maybe 12, grandchild ?) was trapped under the rolled truck which was slowly leaking gas. About 10 of us lifted the side of the truck while some people pulled the kid to safety while supporting his neck and leg. He obviously had a broken leg. You can’t make this stuff up. Always wondered what happened to them.
Half of the fun of this last Memorial Day weekend was checking out all the tow vehicles towing far beyond their capability or grossly unbalanced combinations. Too many people think if the right size ball is on my tow rig, I can hook up and go. I see this primarily with 1/2 ton trucks towing ~8K because the owners manual says so. It doesn’t mean you don’t need weight distribution or additional stabilizing devices to make it safe.
I serviced the Trash Contracts in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for 23 years. There is pretty much NOTHING I haven’t seen. Those Rented RVs are scary. I was driving a truck that weighed 32,000 empty. 20,000 pound front axle. From my house to Giant Forest is 15 miles. One of those is vertical. We live just outside the entrance to Sequoia. By the grace of God, I never swapped paint with anyone in all those years. That’s a minor miracle in itself.
Parents have a longer travel trailer like this one and I absolutely hate pulling that thing. 34ft Yes it has a sway bar, and I have an HD truck(albeit gas), but It will defiantly sway when a trucker goes flying by. Totally different from towing anything else because the thing is like a kite. You feel every bit of sway, and for long drives it can be so tiring because you really have to be paying close attention to who is passing you. My recommendation is 1st buy a 5th wheel, 2nd buy a diesel.
I believe a driving course should be taken when hauling anything. I mean we put anyone behind the wheels, and off they go pulling a lot of weight. I grew up driving different things and I believe I understand about weight, however I never knew until this thread that I should apply trailer breaks first. This was an eye opening thing for me to learn. Now I don’t pull a trailer or a 5th wheel but it’s nice to know. This could have been a bad accident, even killing someone. The person got off lucky.
I find everyone always talks about weight in towing situations. Other major factor is wheelbase of the vehicle. Can’t remember where I heard it but a good rule is take your vehicle wheelbase in inches and divide it by 5. This is the max length of trailer you should pull in feet. Truck wheel base 145″…145/5=29…Max 29′ trailer length.
I see individuals hauling trailers all the time with unbalanced loads, making sudden speed changes, making sudden changes in direction, driving too fast, and following too closely. There should be more enforcement on roads no matter the vehicle, but most don’t know how to drive larger, heavier loads.
Saw this happen in front of me on 81 in Pennsylvania. Suburban towing a travel trailer, started to serve, the Suburban turned over, ending up on the roof, trailer propped up on top of the truck. I got to the truck before they had even started to unbuckle. Glad there were on serious into the couple in the truck.
This reminds me of a few years ago when a guy was towing a fairly good sized sailboat with a Toyota 4Runner. It was definitely not enough vehicle to handle what he was towing especially as he was going up and down mountain passes in the Rockies. The sailboat ended up pushing the 4Runner out of its way going downhill and the whole mess ended up jackknifed into a guardrail.
Does it seem like the trailer axles are too far forward? Maybe bad trailer design contributed? They seem almost under the center of the trailer. I have a dual-axle camping trailer but the axles are obviously behind the center point. Seems like moving the axles forward would reduce tongue weight, but at the expense of reducing stability.
Been there, done that! Hit black ice on the freeway, when I say my trailer (home) start to pass me I simply let go of everything. My 36′ bumper pull rv slid 180 degree’s and my truck turned 270 degrees. Trailer did not flip, I think due to my anti sway bars. Aunt Jamima (syrup) jumps out of my pantry and shattered . . .must have scared her as much as I was. It was a trip from hell!
My pickup is a 1/2 Ton long bed 4×4 with the HD tow package and a 5.3L V8. I’ve got everything that they offered for towing. It’s rated at 9,700 pounds. I always have a 33% Cushion. 9,700 x 66% is 6,400 pounds towing capacity. I would never tow over a 6,500 pound trailer. I bought the truck spec’d out like that to haul 2 motorcycles on an aluminum utility trailer. That’s just how I do things. If I wanted to tow more I’d step up to at least a one ton dually and a Diesel. Thats just how I do my deal. Wheelbase is important and ideally the tow vehicle should weight considerably more than the Towed vehicle.
What kills people are these vehicle manufacturers overrating the towing capabilities of their vehicles… Just because it says your Jeep is rated for 6000lbs does NOT mean you can hook a 6000lb travel trailer behind it…. They don’t calculate the fact that you might be hauling a parachute down the road that catches any kind of wind that hits it in an direction Had they had a 3/4 ton truck hauling that rig, there’d be no problem
Man that was a doozy! Glad it finally came to a stop before it got worse! People need to check their Tow capacity & watch your speed! You can’t always drive 65-75 mph! (Not saying they were in this article either!) I drove a light trailer once. Connected the chains & forgot to tighten the ball part on the thingy! Was fine until the trailer slipped off the ball/hitch! Scared the daylights outta me!Thank God the chains saved the day! (I was seriously distracted by an over concerned mother talking to me in the backyard thru the house/bathroom window!)😮😅 I’ll never do that again! Always double check the ball/hitch connection people! Whew!!!!
This is why I have a reese stabilizer hitch with the chain up bars and little ball to ball bar thing. Along with a p2 tekonsha trailer brake. My dad swayed and went up a median when I was a kid just like this from the semi air sway. He regretted not using his older stabilizer system when it happened. A battery operated lift makes it faster to hook up the system, but I understand how much of a difference it makes once you drive over 25 mph. I am so cautious about it that I will put the hooks and stabilizer bars on any A frame trailer I use. I also do not go over 55 to 60 mph with u haul trailers because they can’t attach the stabilizer bars to their frames. Yes, there is a few methods to avoid this, but why risk this kind of situation over a few extra steps to attaching everything to prevent it.
One mistake that can catch people new to campers is the tanks. Most people start their trip with the fresh water tank full and the propane tanks full (usually located at the very front). as their trip progresses the fresh water is used and is then stored in the Grey & Black tanks (Usually located at the very back) and they are using their propane for cooking, refrigeration, hot water, heat, etc.
In my experience this almost always happens because the driver is pushing too hard, they see us in the big rigs doing 65 or 70 and they think they can do the same ANNT Wrong answer. The correct answer is they should probably only be going 55-60. Those trailers only start swaying when they start going too fast or if its super windy outside but or if they do something silly like jerk the wheel and initiate that sway themselves, but I’ll tell you what. I can’t remember the last time I saw somebody with a dually truck swaying like that! I think the main thing is slow down and don’t get in over your head!
Oofta. Right by the guard rail leading off a cliff, too. Could have ended much worse. Always have a brake controller when towing larger, heavier campers and trailers. If they had a brake controller and manually applied trailer brakes, this could have been prevented. For those saying that the vehicle is too small, it may appear that way, but it’s not. Even a V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee is rated at 6,200 lbs towing with the factory tow package. I’m betting this camper is under 5k.
Honest question. I have a 2009 SAAB 97x Aero. Plenty of power. Upgraded brakes (larger and better material). Suspension has also been upgraded (Air Springs from a Tahoe). I want to get an RV and us my 97x to tow it but I’m worried I either don’t have the weight or the wheel base or both to tow a 26′ RV trailer (Empty 5,500lbs Loaded 7,000lbs). What would y’all’s assumption be?
Everyone on this feed seems to know a bit about this issue so im going to post my question and hopefully someone can help me. Im brand new to towing. I have a 2018 Ford Explorer XLT with a tow capacity of 5000 pounds. My 2019 Wolf Pup camped is 2,995 pounds dry. I have a weight distribution hitch with the sway bars and chain links. We dont usually bring a lot camping. With that said, i go about 47-55mph on the highway. When semi’s go by me, i can ceftainly feel the sway and it does make me nervous. I thought a WDH was suppose to remove most of the sway. Also, i have a brake controller that the camping world i went to added for me. But i dont think they set it properly because if i put the vehicle in drive, and i manually press the brake controller, the vehicle will still move. Almost like there arent any trailer brakes at all. I think they set it to a 2.5 out of 12 or something like that. Also, we went camping (first time ever) last weekend with our new camper. On the way there, about 55mph whole way i had no issues. On the way home, we were driving into the wind (22mph with 31mph gusts) and shifting from 3rd to 4th gear gave a slight jerk. All the other gears had no issues but 3rd to 4th had some hard shifts. Any idea why? Our vehicle only has 68k miles on it and i doubt the transmission is going bad already. Is it possible it was only due to the wind that day? Driving there, no issues. Coming home into the wind was when i noticed it and it only happened 3 times. When we got home, we emptied our tanks and i unhooked the camper and took the vehicle for a drive.
Only one person so far seems to understand the root of the issue. And that is weight distribution. Keep 60-70% of the weight forwards. It’s as simple as that. If the weight is too far back the trailer is unstable. There are of course other factors (especially with something this size) but that one is crucial. youtu.be/w9Dgxe584Ss
As an owner of a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with the HEMI, I’ve towed my Lance 1475 to 7 states in the West. If this jeep is a V6 Grand Cherokee, that’s just too much trailer and weight. The HEMI will tow a lot and that trailer no problem, however other aspects of the Grand Cherokee don’t make it a great “tow” vehicle. Small trailers yes, no problem. Anything bigger will tax your Jeep a lot. Just my recommendation.
I’ve heard people say oh it’s got wheels on it it’ll roll,,,yeah well just because it will roll and your vehicle will move it doesn’t mean that you need to be trying to haul it on the highway,,,,if your going to be pulling and hauling heavy loads,,,you need a big enough and heavy enough truck that will handle it and also weight distribution sway bars
After doing lots of research about what vehicle i needed to buy for the size trailer i was buying, it sure opened my eyes to how many people are towing beyond the capacities of their vehicle everyday. As another commenter said, there really should be a required course that everybody should take before towing, especially since most trailers weigh more than the actual tow vehicles towing them.
I Gotta Have a CDL to Drive a pickup truck at Work….. I Have to be 110% healthy at my Dot medical examinations, drug test every few weeks etc etc. It’s basically a second job…… And travel down the road every week next to some person that just took out a huge gigantic loan for a huge gigantic camper to pull behind a tiny truck It’s hilarious😂😂😂. Without a CDL
Tow vehicle payload capacity. Most people look at towing capacity and think they’re good. Do your own research before you buy. Also, consider how much weight you’re putting in the trailer and tow vehicle(including driver/passengers). Where you are placing the weight in the trailer matters too. Happy camping!
Case of inadequate tow vehicle, equipment, operator and improperly loaded trailer. Looks to be a ~2021 Forest River – Flagstaff Micro Lite 25FKS & ~2015 Jeep GC. Trailer is 26′, max with the wheelbase of the Jeep is 21′. Trailer is 5,300# EMPTY & 6,800# GVWR. Jeep is maxed out at 6,200# with the V6, the V8 can do up to 7,400#. Too long of a trailer with too short of a wheelbase on the TV and possibly overweight. No telling if they have an antisway WDH or not (I think not) and it looks to be improperly loaded and not enough weight on the tongue. Plus they slammed on the brakes on the TV instead of the trailer. Too many people jump behind the wheel with zero experience in towing and handling emergency situations. There should be a course required when you buy a trailer as a first time buyer. Even with this inadequate set-up, if the operator would have sped up and applied the brakes on the trailer this could have been avoided and at least allowed them to pull over safely.
That’s what happens when you have a trailer that’s not properly loaded and a driver that doesn’t know how to correct l a fish trailing trailer. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t come factory with a break controller but hauling that size camper they should have one… So they should have applied full trailer breaking on the controller and stepped on the vehicles throttle. You can see they applied their vehicles breaks which made it worse. Also I tow with a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 3.0L diesel. Tow a 5400lb 17’ enclosed trailer along with a 30’ 7200lb camper. I use an Equalizer weight distribution hitch and trailer break controller for both trailers. I also balance sufficient tongue weight (10% of total weight) and had zero issues with fishtailing of any type. My Jeep tows the trailers with ease and I usually drive upward of 75-80 on the highways. I don’t care what the Karen’s and Kevin’s have to say but if you don’t know how to properly set up and tow a trailer you shouldn’t be driving one. Prime example in this article above.
Many / most of these vids reveal no equalizer / anti sway hitch device combined with inexperience of fighting sway. Also must have electric RV brakes installed & setup properly so that the touch of the brake pedal begins activating trailer brakes which will snap the RV right back into proper behavior. Also can be too much weight in rear of RV causing this.
Anyone that’s acquired a CDL and/or received proper training knows the basic rule…ALWAYS stay ahead of what you’re towing…it should have its own brakes…you can also accelerate to return to actually towing it…it’s ridiculous that sway bars aren’t mandatory. You can thank the RV lobby for laws allowing anyone to drive/tow anything that isn’t commercial and endangering everyone on the highway.
This is the problem with them making small vehicles more and more powerful. Sure the vehicle has the power to tow it, but doesn’t actually weigh enough to control it. Especially when they first started putting the Pentastar V6 in the little jeep wranglers: suddenly your jeep has 300 hp, so people started trying to tow giant boats and things that weighed more than the tow vehicle, usually without trailer brakes, with predictable Results.
The terrible setup was manageable until the big rig passed them. That was all it took. I tow a 1500lb trailer behind a base model 2wd Tacoma and have a tremendous respect for how quickly things can go sideways. Every time a big rig passes me I am as far away as I can be and off the gas already to let them get their pass over as quick as possible. This could have been any one of us.
Someone may already have mentioned this in one of the many comments, but also be mindful of how the weight of your “stuff” has been loaded in the trailer. The trailer should be loaded a bit heavier in the front because if you’re heavier in the back half it’s also more likely to cause sway and a jack knife situation.
Well the accelerated fast literally, i thought he would be introduced to the guard railing and forced over… Luckily for him nobody was injured and the truck beside him, had the wherewithal to see this happening before it happened. Im no tow expert but I do own a trailer, I’ve had for 4 years parked on my land and have yet to put it on the road. And I was not looking for this article but it found me, guess it was something I had to see just in case. I got mine in a trade it’s nice was remodeled and well taken care of, but doesn’t appear to be as big as this one though. Anyhow be safe people! 🙏🏿✌🏿
Had this happen a week ago, in the middle of fighting to keep it under control I forced myself to let go of the wheel with one hand to apply the trailer brakes, after 5 to 6 seconds of that it was apparent that it wasn’t making a difference. Went back to both hands on the wheel. It was a wild ride that felt like forever but was probably 45 seconds to a minute. It happened as I passed a bigrig, while hitting a dip then a rough section of road. We started in the left lane, got dragged to the right, then halfway back to the left before things settled out. Even though they say not to, I honestly did apply light braking after the trailer brakes didn’t help. Overall, we got very lucky. My tow vehicle weighs close to 9000lbs, and we were towing a 20′ camper that weighs under 4000, I falsely thought it wouldn’t happen to us. Ultimately we stopped and moved everything we could to the front of the camper and it towed fine after that.
When you tow, you need a proper tow vehicle, you also need to think about weight distribution and if possible use a weight distribution hitch. People who tow really need to take it seriously and do proper research. We have an f350 and tow our gooseneck, but we are very cautious and follow all the safe towing practices. We literally have a checklist before we leave that includes checking all tire pressures, checking the electric breaks are working and we even installed cameras on our rig so we can see better all the way around our rig. A cautious approach to towing is the best way to avoid accidents like this one.
There is a reason for the saying when in doubt gas it! By giving the vehicle more acceleration it would have pulled the trailer straight. Paying attention to what’s coming at you from behind is also a good idea. Plus you never want to be going that much slower, you especially don’t want to be being passed by big rigs going so much faster than you are going!
What caused it was that 18 wheeler passing, it headbutts the wind into the rv trailer causing the car and trailer to veer hard right and the driver counter steering left. I know because my class c is pretty white knucle at anything above 55 with semis, I’ve been thrown into rumble strips. They make these damn things as cheap as possible with zero safety in mind. I wish the class C’s would come with a much thinker swaybar both front and rear with a set of airbags in the rear.
Saw this a lot during the pandemic in Idaho and Utah-and continues today People taking their Covid money and putting down on trailers they couldn’t afford and towing them with short wheel base and/or inadequate vehicles….and mix that with speed and inexperience and this is what you get. Had 2 within a week on HWY 20 going towards Yellowstone, Arizona and Wisconsin plates, Yukon and a Tahoe.
DO NOT “chase” a swaying trailer (in plain English don’t try to correct the swaying trailer with steering input) Hold the wheel FIRM and steady, if you have a brake controller then gently start applying the trailer brake ONLY and whatever you do don’t use your brake pedal. If you don’t have a brake controller then this is going to be scary, you will have to speed up slightly. Then there’s the question of how you got in this mess. Your vehicle’s max weight is usually intended for short pulls, not long term use, for a non-commercial vehicle (car, suv, pickup) I try not to go much over half of the max towing weight for long trips. Then learn about proper weight distribution (for most trailers it’s about 60/40) because if you get a trailer tail heavy then there is nothing you can do to stop the sway.
Were a weight distributing hitch and antisway bar in use? If he was using a simple ball hitch, it’s VERY easy for a situation like this to occur. Also a rule of thumb for towing capacities: don’t exceed 60-65% of the towing capacity of your tow vehicle. The max tow capacity of a Jeep Grand Cherokee is 7200 lbs, the gross weight of that trailer is 6800 ibs. (I know, I have a similar rig.) The max towing load for a Cherokee with that capacity would actually be around 4400 lbs. Weight and wheelbase of the tow vehicle are your friends! Did he have a trailer brake controller system? If he did, he might have been able to apply the brakes on just the trailer in order to tell it to stay behind the tow vehicle. My rig is on the same chassis as that trailer, but I tow it with a Toyota Tundra, towing capacity of 9800 lbs. I use everything I mentioned above, and I feel a “nudge” from passing semis and crosswinds, but that’s all. I did have a white knuckle moment years ago with a different set-up and simple ball hitch, so I can relate, but I’ve never had a problem since adding those towing components.