Another anti-sway option for caravans

Safety-conscious Aussie caravanners now have another option when it comes to fitting an electric stability control system to their rigs.

The American-built Dexter Sway Control device is now available down under through Australian distributor Melbourne Trailer & Caravan Supplies, which is currently setting up a network of authorised fitters around the country.

The Dexter Sway Control (DSC) system was released in June by the Indiana-based Dexter Axle Co, a leading manufacturer of trailer axles and trailer brakes for the American market.

However, according to a spokesperson for Melbourne Trailer & Caravan Supplies, the American version is more efficient in correcting excessive sideways movement of the caravan than the ground-breaking Al-Ko ESC.

“Instead of working on a side to side movement (like Al-Ko ESC), it monitors circular movement or what the Americans call yaw,” he said.

“The Al-Ko unit applies all the brakes at once, but the Dexter only applies the brakes on one side. And it’s instantaneous – I believe with the Al-Ko unit it has to move twice before it will activate.

“It’s been extensively tested and we believe it works better,” he said.

According to a Dexter media release, the DSC system “is a critical safety item to stabilize the sway of a trailer or RV by continuously monitoring trailer yaw – the side-to-side movement, left and right of the tow vehicle.

“The electronic system uses data collected in the event of sway to apply the brakes on the correct side of the trailer in a timely manner and with the proper braking level required based on sway conditions."

Dexter also said that “extensive testing… proves that Dexter Sway Control significantly reduces potentially dangerous sway.

“The next generation technology detects trailer sway and applies either the left or right brakes dampening the sway much quicker than other systems that apply brakes on both sides at the same time.”

With the Al-Ko system, a pre-set amount of braking (around 40 per cent of maximum) is automatically applied when either one lateral movement of 0.4 g forces, or four in a row of at least 0.2g, is recorded.

Like Al-Ko ESC, the Dexter device should only be fitted by a qualified installer. It's designed to be compatible with most electric braked caravans, and is similarly priced in Australia to the Al-Ko system – around $900 for the unit alone or $1500 fitted.

The new Dexter unit is already gaining traction with local caravan manufacturers, with Melbourne's Trakmaster currently offering buyers the option of fitting either Dexter or Al-Ko systems to any of its new off-road caravans.