Maintenance & Restoration

mary and bob · 07-31-2015, 04:46 PM

[QUOTE=John Linck;538764] Still looking for a higher quality arrangement. That cable is incredibly stiff in cold weather.

I converted to a coiled cable

Andrew Gibbens · 08-01-2015, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelypip

I've taken to testing that behavior on purpose (better the devil you know).....

Sensible preparation and a great description.

It's when the frequency of the wobble gets towards zero when trouble strikes - shimmy several times a second isn't a threat, but sway that takes two seconds from one side to the other is right on the point of disaster.

MC1 · 08-01-2015, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

As mentioned earlier, Most countries have a lower speed limit for towing than the U.S. meaning that they can have lower hitch weight ratios. I think that we all know that if something is going to happen that it's usually above 55MPH when it does.....

52MPH, 55MPH, 58MPH, 62MPH.......

what it comes down to is that a good number of rigs on the roads are marginal or less so there is a strong possibility that problems loom.

When the rig is right it will track and perform safely.

There was an article 60 years ago in Popular Mechanics about this 50's Mercury that towed a trailer over 90MPH and it remained stable.

Note we tow at around 60MPH, sometimes less if the road conditions warrant. Never had an issue of sway, not even a whimper from a passing 18 wheeler.

PS.... The vehicles today are far more capable in every way than that old Merc. Combination set up is key for a successful ride.

Paul O. · 08-01-2015, 06:16 PM

And it's an Airstream. The only text I could decipher said that the timed run was done on a paved road, the lake run was just a test, correct? That was when they still could do publicity stunts like that, nowadays you'd have to take them into LEO (Low Earth Orbit) to get noticed!

MC1 · 08-02-2015, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul O.

And it's an Airstream.

So true Paul and that is one of the reasons it tows so well. After saying that I often wonder why so many folks cut corners when connecting their "not so good at towing" trailers and say everything is just fine.

Bob Miller · 08-02-2015, 02:38 PM

Errr... And exactly what is a "Not so good at towing" trailer. It sounds like you are saying that only Airstream has that feature. And where to folks cut corners?
BTW: Accelerating in a straight line is easy-peasy.

No Driveway Queens at My House...

MC1 · 08-03-2015, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Errr... And exactly what is a "Not so good at towing" trailer. It sounds like you are saying that only Airstream has that feature. And where to folks cut corners?
BTW: Accelerating in a straight line is easy-peasy.

No Driveway Queens at My House...

Bob... Some trailer are known as good towing trailers and some are not. I think most of us here on the forum have experienced that. This Bullet for example is known to be one of the good ones.

On the other hand my dad took a trade in once sight unseen. It was a 13' Built Rite sticky. As we were going down the road at 50MPH he said it was the worse towing trailer he had ever towed and he had towed dozens.

As far as connections go it has been suggested many times that only 15 to 20% of the rigs on the roads today are connected optimally. That means that with technical or adjustment improvements that 80 to 85% of them would tow better and would be safer overall.

Bob Miller · 08-03-2015, 07:02 AM

In other words,you don't have a specific answer about which trailers, if any (?) on this site are "Not so good".

And, while I can't lend any creditability to your claim that 80-85% of us aren't towing by your standards, at least we use our and enjoy our trailers.

No Driveway Queens here...