It depends on many factors, there are several situations when a trailer can snake but in some of them you can recover normality by applying power - but just enough to go back to a situation where the car is pulling the trailer and not the trailer pushing the car - you don't want to be doing this down a long hill!

If you brake in these situations you will make it worse unless you brake hard enough to trigger the overrun brakes on the trailer - not something you want to do on the motorway.

It's difficult to describe, it's one area where there is no substitute for experience. The first time you get even a mild snake will be very scary.

Prevention is better than cure, as has been side keep the polar moment of inertia low (I.e. Weight over the axle not at each end) and aim for the maximum nose weight.

Another very big factor is the correct tow ball height for multi axle trailers - raise the tow ball to get a decent nose weight. Zero nose weight or less is bad.

If the tail is wagging the dog - straighten arms, hold steering wheel still, firmly.

So Im told anyway.

Very excellent

and then what's this all about?


Power off, loose on the wheel, let the trailer steer the car, pray.

snake
 

keep the steering straight and tight even the throttle to a balance of 50/50 not pulling / not slowing and keep the steering tight

the bigger question you need to ask is why or how...

this will hopefully never get out if hand

WHY
over weight, out of balance ,sharp steering and speed . also hard braking.

a snake bar or alko hitch tries to help with the above -
keep the steering tight
by coursing a resistance between the two pivots (the towball)

keep the rig balanced with the nose wight as spec to van or towbar witch ever is lower . keep wight in the van low to the floor as possible and any awning act bulk weight over the axle just forward never towards the rear .

when moving all inputs must be smooth no sharp movements of steering, the closer to your kerb /tow limit weight the more important this becomes as the van will want to over power the tow car . always allow more stopping time and use engine braking on hill to stop you brakes overheating ..engine braking still allows your caravan brakes to work on steep grades but allows the tow car brakes to rest/cool an art long lost with modern cars . still used today by hgv drivers to avoid runaways.

don't rush to get were you are going and be smooth . fast and furious leads to A @ E and get your passengers to turn them stupid phones off or throw then out the drivers window....:cellphone: be surprised the shock you can get off one ringing this can set you rig snaking by the input reaction in to the steering if your close to your limits (NOT JOKING)......
one last note is passengers been stupid moving around can affect the outfit too . keep it all smooth..

I agree with this 100% - when towing heavy weights early reactions and corrections are key to preventing a bad high risk situation - you need all your senses to be 100%.

Cheers for the advice, I will put it all to good use tomorrow when we head down to the bottom of Loch lomond.
Just needing to decide on Aberdeen route or a9 route. Aberdeen is a nightmare on a good day

If it was me I would be going down the Dundee route but it depends where you are setting out from.

Near Portsoy, the problem is Aberdeen and the road works

Aberdeen is a mess at the best of times and as for union square i'm saying nothing.!!
If you don't want to hit Aberdeen I would be going the Huntly route and going to Banchory then S.tonehaven.You could also go to Aviemore but it depends if you like the roads on that route.
Anyway what ever you choose enjoy your Hols.

Anti snake devises help, but only if they are properly maintained, I rebuilt my Alco hitch last year as the wear indicators were 3/4, amazing the difference it made, similarly the hitch overun damper, mine lost its oil, when a seal failed on the journey to Scotland, which resulted in very erratic caravan brakeing, £50 and 20 mins work saw a new one installed and predictable brakeing restored.

Paul.