Quote: Sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone to bite anything. I just stated an opinion based on 50+ years experience towing both semi trailers, gooseneck, and drawbar. There are hundreds of thousands of trailers being safely pulled with drawbar hitches without WDH or sway bars and possibly millions of semi's and other 5th wheels/goosenecks without WDH or sway bars and they are stable. To have to rely on WDH or sway bars is an indication something may be wrong so bandaids are used instead of fixing the problem.
Except there's one important thing you're missing...
Location of axles on a TT vs a gooseneck, reg trailer, semi, etc. (you'd think someone with "years" experience would notice this). almost ALL TT have axles that are close to or in the center of the trailer (I hope you understand what this does to the stability of a trailer...).
THIS...is the reason we need sway control & WDH.
BUT what do I know I've only been towing (a TT) for 10 years.
If this was true then why WDH as the load would be nearly balanced on the trailer axle with little weight to be distributed? Again, 10-15% on drawbar (bumper pull) 15-25% on gooseneck/fifth wheel except for semi's approx 50/50 depending on axle spacing.
D. Steiner
The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up.
qualifications.. lol. Just because you towed (bigrig) for 50yrs (which I respect you for) doesn't mean you know anything about designing a trailer, sure if I have questions about towing a trailer, I might ask you.
And what,
You built a trailer. Congrats.. So did I. what's your point. But what do I know, I've only spent years designing (& engineering) mobile gas compression units. Sigh.
But lets not turn this into a swinging contest. Oh wait, you already did that.
ok.. wth.. Site keeps crashing.. had a nice big response for ya..
Dstiener.
Because the CofG is still infront of the tires, but the 5ers is alot farther forward. One of the racecar trailers I tow with is perfectly balanced (we don't use the tongue jack unless there's a car on the trailer), and it wanders all over the road when empty. I can't imagine what a perfectly balanced TT would tow like. Even look in your sig, where are the axles in relation to the overall length of the 5er? Now compare that to a TT. axles are alot farther back.
JIMNLIN wrote: Here we go with another bash the 1/2 ton thread. Gotta' get my popcorn ready. This otta' be good.
Little more price in fuel and they will be looking for a 1/4 to pickup and a trailer under 20ft. This country is running on empty as far as the big pickups and 5th wheels go. I can't wait to see the lawn chair out in front of one of these with the rusty old Superduty setting home beside the house. Yet, I have the smallest one in the camp site. And hear them say, you can't get one to small.
2005 Chev 5.3 Supercharged 395HP 425 T hp. Two wheels on front, 2 on back. one seat, tint windows. front and rear bumpers, headlights, windows. Door on each side. Heater, floor mats, 6 Reese candy bars, junk behind seats, some dirt. Pulls so hard.
Supercharged wrote: Little more price in fuel and they will be looking for a 1/4 to pickup and a trailer under 20ft. This country is running on empty as far as the big pickups and 5th wheels go. I can't wait to see the lawn chair out in front of one of these with the rusty old Superduty setting home beside the house. Yet, I have the smallest one in the camp site. And hear them say, you can't get one to small.
There is still hope, the Japanese 3 litre diesel pickups have no problems towing these lightweight 8000lb 5 Vers up to 80-85mph, still the speed limit here is 70mph.
This 5ver has a tare weight of 8,200lbs and a fully loaded weight of 9,900lb. A 6 x 6 conversion on the lightweight pickup. Length 29ft
* This post was
edited 05/10/12 03:31pm by RobertRyan *
RobertRyan wrote: There is still hope, the Japanese 3 litre diesel pickups have no problems towing these lightweight 8000lb 5 Vers up to 80-85mph, still the speed limit here is 70mph.
I wish you could buy a decent small truck in this country. How do those trucks do on hills or mountain passes?
1998 Gulfstream Ultra B/H Ford E450 V10
2005 Chevy 2500HD 6.0 w/ Maxidump insert
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid
1998 Saturn SL2 toad
2012 VW Jetta S
rjstractor wrote: wish you could buy a decent small truck in this country. How do those trucks do on hills or mountain passes?
Surprisingly not much of a problem. Talking to someone who had a lightweight 29 ft model, he has a Nissan Navara he said" they get up and go, on hills and down". "You have to watch what it is doing as they like to go 130kmh without that much trouble" Main concern here is the fuel economy not so much performance.
A new Ford Ranger it can support this Campervan(yes like a TC)
* This post was
edited 05/11/12 12:46am by RobertRyan *
RobertRyan wrote: There is still hope, the Japanese 3 litre diesel pickups have no problems towing these lightweight 8000lb 5 Vers up to 80-85mph, still the speed limit here is 70mph.
I wish you could buy a decent small truck in this country. How do those trucks do on hills or mountain passes?
Depends on the HP and the hill.
Robert how much HP does the rig shown have?
As far as buying something like that in this country you could buy this not too long ago. But with a 20R engine and only about 125 HP things got really ugly in the hills.
I just saw a used one the other day.
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~
"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"
My dream Arizona Exploration Vehicle would be a small truck-based camper (similar to the Campervan on the Ranger chassis pictured above), 4x4, with about a 3.0L 160hp turbo diesel that would see an honest 22city/27hwy.
Yes, a truck camper on a 4x4 pickup comes close, but I hate that you can't access the camper's amenities when on the road!
And, of course, if you find a small 4x4 class C, prepare to pay through the nose for it.
I want to like class B's but just find them too small & constrictive.
BManning baking in Phoenix
2008 Ford Super Duty F250 XLT, 4x4, crew cab, 6.75' bed
5.4L V8 300hp/365ft-lb, 5sp Torqshift, 4.30 AAM gears
9400lb GVW 11200lb tow
2007 Volvo XC90 AWD V8
4.4L 311hp/325ft-lb, 6sp Aisin, loaded
6100lb GVW 5000lb tow
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