Go Camping wrote: But I do have a question......and I apologize up front if it was posted and missed it. Mirrors? What set up are we using for this project to safely see what is coming up from behind you and to allow you tosafely merge to the left or right lane?
Hi Go Camping,
Thanks for reading, and that's a good question. I'm using McKesh mirrors with the arms extended out all the way, plus the convex mirror add-ons on both sides. The trailer is a 7.5' wide Rockwood, and the mirrors stick out far enough that I can see where the trailer tires track in the convexes. I can see the sides of the trailer if I point the flat mirrors inward, but of course when the mirrors are properly adjusted, they aim where your neighboring traffic might be, not at yourself.
Note that the view pretty close to what I see, but not exactly the same. That would have required me moving my head to the side and trying to locate and aim the camera in that same direction as I was driving.
ohioviper wrote: I'm sorry but any of you that think this is a safe setup need your heads examined. Dont compare a semi truck pulling a trailer to this. I dont want to be in front of a semi and trailer in an emegancy situation either because we all know them things cant stop either.
The trailer brakes will work to stop the TT and the TV brakes will work to stop the TV. But I promise you a heavier longer TV will do a better job of bringing that TT to a stop. Can you say jacknife.
So we have a truck that weighs within 90% or so of the trailer it's pulling and you deem it dangerous. I'm not sure I understand your issue.
Should heavier trucks be held to the same scrutiny?
Go Camping wrote: But I do have a question......and I apologize up front if it was posted and missed it. Mirrors? What set up are we using for this project to safely see what is coming up from behind you and to allow you tosafely merge to the left or right lane?
Hi Go Camping,
Thanks for reading, and that's a good question. I'm using McKesh mirrors with the arms extended out all the way, plus the convex mirror add-ons on both sides. The trailer is a 7.5' wide Rockwood, and the mirrors stick out far enough that I can see where the trailer tires track in the convexes. I can see the sides of the trailer if I point the flat mirrors inward, but of course when the mirrors are properly adjusted, they aim where your neighboring traffic might be, not at yourself.
- Chris
Chris
Excellent!
I had similar mirrors for my 99 Grand Cherokee but I secured them to the front fenders. That works for me.
Sir Buffalo!
2006 Zinger by Crossroads 27BHS
2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 5.7
I had what I thought was a reasonable combination - F350 pickup, 3 axle bumper pull toy hauler with equalizer hitch, dual sway bars, brakes on all 3 axles.
A semi ran a stop sign, we managed to slow down and steer past the semi, then the 3 axle trailer steered the truck over a 20 foot bank. No injuries, everything stayed upright, but we were just along for the ride. The truck weighed 8000, and the trailer weighed 10,000. The trailer disintegrated, and the truck was repaired.
Our last 5th wheel toy hauler broke a right rear leaf spring, the right tires came together, and dragged the trailer onto the right shoulder. The right wheels hit a washout along the shoulder. We were able to keep the trailer from going over the side and taking us with it because the truck was heavy enough to jerk the trailer back onto the highway. This resulted in massive structural damage to the trailer, including broken frame cross-members, broken gas tank, torn gussets behind the pin box, cracked siding, buckled interior panels throughout. The truck is a dually F450 4x4 that weighs 10,000 empty, and the toy hauler weighed almost 16,000.
I suspect someone would have been scraping our remains out of a boulder field if we had not had a suitable tow vehicle. The toy hauler ended up in a salvage yard in Reno, the truck was undamaged, and the driver needed a serious break after that incident.
ohioviper wrote: I dont want to be in front of a semi and trailer in an emegancy situation either because we all know them things cant stop either.
Actually, the braking systems on the big rigs are vastly more effective than the ones on light duty vehicles (hydraulic)
Typically, the main culprit in big rig accidents is driver error, not overload. It's amazing how powerful the service brake is. If you lose air pressure (for whatever reason) and that spring engages...you better be wearing a seatbelt otherwise you may go through your windshield.
Just to weigh in on the "big rig" stopping argument.
Happy trails!!
Pete
2004 F-250 SC XLT FX4 OFF ROAD 5.4L, camper package, snowplow prep and more.
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 5.2 V8
A loaded semi needs over 300' to stop from 60MPH. Most cars or pickups will stop in less than half that distance, and some will do so in a third.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
Jarlaxle wrote: A loaded semi needs over 300' to stop from 60MPH. Most cars or pickups will stop in less than half that distance, and some will do so in a third.
Thats a pick up minus a TT or 5th. Put a pulled load on a pick up and your stopping distances will not be 1/3 or 1/2 of an 18 wheeler's distance for a panic stop, without some scarey stuff happening behind you.
The amount of rubber that is contacting the road surface plus the vehicle's weight exerted on that rubber per square inch, is what exacts the "sticking" power that slows you down.
Notice that race cars have very wide profile tires with an extreme amount of rubber contacting the road surface? You want road adherence for cornering and stopping sticky-ness, then you need lots of rubber contact. That's why your longer TT's and 5ths have triple axles. It isn't just for load, althought that is part of the formula.
Also rubber compound differences in tires will affect stopping distances. Notice that race car tires have such soft rubber compound that you can pierce or penetrate the tread with your finger nail. Try it sometime if you at the races and in the pits, and see a discarded racing tire.
You can take a Corvette Z06 and get it to stop in a "shade" over 100' as well as many passenger cars. Don't assume that for your pick up, when it has a several thousand pound trailer behind it.
Unless your TT or 5th has ABS (lol), it can get pretty squirrely if you have to slam the brake pedal down to do a full-stop/panic stop.
Regards, Eightballsidepocket
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 SLT 4x2 Quad Cab, Cummins, 48RE Tranny, Lg Bed, Line-X Spray-on Bed Liner.
06 T25BS Komfort Trailblazer TT
"If you can't say it in person, it isn't worth saying while hiding behind an anonymous P.C.!"
Looking at the front of this TT it is low also. It should be level. The TV looks level but the TT should be level also to keep the handling & weight on trailer axles & tires equal. Too much weight on one tire or front axle could cause tire failure. This is my opinion. Hope it helps. Dan
I didn`t read all 11 pages, but did anyone bring up where the TT axles are located! way far back which is exceptionally good for stability. if all TT axles were placed this far back there would be no one complaining about sway! amd he`s using a HA so his wheelbase should be a moot point!
Wife kim
Son brandon 7yrs
Daughter marissa 6yrs
Dog shadow
07 Cherokee 32B
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear
Reese HP dualcam,Prodigy brake controller,
Air lift air bags.
Better to have a bad day of
camping than a good day at work!
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