Maintenance & Restoration

Ice-breaker · 08-01-2015, 01:50 PM

Here is a photo of a really odd looking camper trailer that we encountered in Waterton National Park last week. Looks like they may have come from Switzerland.

Bobby Kirk · 08-01-2015, 01:55 PM

Wow!!
Get a look at those 4 wheels. I bet it would tow easily and the wind wouldn't bother it at all!!

Glenn Baglo · 08-01-2015, 02:24 PM

Actually, I believe the trailer is towing the VW.

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 02:41 PM

HEADS UP VOLVO OWNERS
This is the answer to low tongue weight, high trailer weight towing specifications.
I just spent hours looking for this idea and couldn't find a thing.....

It's sorta like the dolly wheels we saw in "The Log, Long Trailer"

Ice Breaker, can you repost this with a new thread title, Something like my intro line? Thank You

Darwin Maring · 08-01-2015, 04:34 PM

I wonder how it corners.

mary and bob · 08-01-2015, 04:44 PM

Hope it tows better than a 4 wheel hay wagon, they wander all over the road. Years ago I put that question to a truck driver that had borrowed a similar set up horse trailer. He said it towed great, tracked good and no wander. I haven't seen another since, and that was almost 40 years ago.

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 05:02 PM

The second trailer in semi doubles is hooked up the same way as is a car dolly. I sure hope it has real good brakes

Here's a Canadian drawing of how that works, scroll down to Figure - 1
http://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/050413

Paul O. · 08-01-2015, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Hope it tows better than a 4 wheel hay wagon, they wander all over the road. Years ago I put that question to a truck driver that had borrowed a similar set up horse trailer. He said it towed great, tracked good and no wander. I haven't seen another since, and that was almost 40 years ago.

The hay wagons only do it only at slow speed. Once you get past the resonance, it all settles down...

floyd · 08-01-2015, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Hope it tows better than a 4 wheel hay wagon, they wander all over the road. Years ago I put that question to a truck driver that had borrowed a similar set up horse trailer. He said it towed great, tracked good and no wander. I haven't seen another since, and that was almost 40 years ago.

You can correct the hayrack wander problem by simply increasing the tow-in. They have an easily accessible tierod.

EllPea in CA · 08-01-2015, 06:58 PM

WOW. This looks really slick, but I'm afraid converting to this setup would cost almost as much as I just spent on my trailer! Any info out there on

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 07:10 PM

You can't really "convert" to that system. It depends on very high tongue weight, look where the rear axle is located.

If you go on Netflix and watch "The Long, Long Trailer" (1953 ?)again, you will see that they had a sort of dolly system to reduce tongue weight on the trailers tongue. This discussion came up about a year ago and it seems that the guy that makes them is still around. MIGHT (Big might) be an idea, but not one I would pursue.

Just start working with your Lil Bigfoot's balance, it can be made to work.

EllPea in CA · 08-01-2015, 07:14 PM

True story. Turned on TCM when we got home with trailer, and "Long Long Trailer" was running right then. Right at the part where they're trying to climb the mountain with all of those rocks and crates of jellies hidden away.

Thanks for the encouragement... feeling better about balance now!

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 07:54 PM

It's good that you have already seen the "Rocks" instructional video.... LOL
BTW: Does your Lil'Bigfoot have a spare tire on the back? If NO, you need one, if YES, check the age date, it may be from 1988.....

Kevin in Denver · 08-01-2015, 07:59 PM

With a Hitch Buddy and a fifth wheel camper, you'd have something very similar:

Trailer Life Directory Open Roads Forum: Towing: 5'er tow dolly

Ice-breaker · 08-01-2015, 08:06 PM

We did follow this VW van and "hay wagon" trailer for several km on our way to Waterton. I was towing my Escape 19 with the Toyota FJ. They may have been going unusually slow due to stability concerns or maybe they were just enjoying the scenery. In any case, we got tired of following and eventually passed them. Saw them again later at the campground we were to stay at, and that was where I snapped the photo.

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 08:54 PM

"Going Unusually Slow" May have been because, if he was Swiss, or from most other European countries, they are used to driving 80 KPH/50 MPH, which is the speed limit for towing caravans in his home country.

That said, I'd be hard pressed to run that train much faster than 50 MPH either.

EllPea in CA · 08-01-2015, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

It's good that you have already seen the "Rocks" instructional video.... LOL
BTW: Does your Lil'Bigfoot have a spare tire on the back? If NO, you need one, if YES, check the age date, it may be from 1988.....

Yes, there's a spare on the back with a cover on it. Ron pulled the cover off and checked the tire; it's new!

Bob Miller · 08-01-2015, 11:57 PM

Sounds good, now is it new based on appearance or on the stamped in mfg date?
We had a NEW spare on our then 10 y.o. Scamp..... not so good.

Paul O. · 08-02-2015, 07:41 AM

Here are two links to the explanation of the date codes on tires:
How to Find Out How Old Your Tires Are

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=11

The DOT seems to think 10 years is the maximum, some people insist on considerably less. If you can believe that the tire cover was on all those years, the aging process is slower.

In its previous life my Scamp was parked most of the time, probably the same place and same orientation to the sun, and one side tire was checked and cracked, the other near perfect. The spare was only slightly graying, it had a cover all that time. That was about nine years.

A "new" looking tire from 1988 is only good as a flower planter.