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On the subject of trailering.


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I tow a relatively small trailer behind a V6 van (GMC SAFARI) all the time, and recently towed both with both van and trailer quite heavy, and despite having a good signal showing on the display of the brake controller (showed appropriate numbers for percent applied), had no trailer brakes.

So says I, I'll just watch my following distance and it'll be fine. All was well until going DOWN a steep grade in the MA Berkshires, the trailer began to waggle. The drill when you have no brakes is to accelerate a bit to get the truck to PULL, and ease the waggle. No good! The trailer was pushing the truck and waggling 3 ft out of track, taking the back end of the truck a goodly dog trot sideways as well, and we're now doing about 75 MPH!!!!!

 

For the ONLY time in his 18 years, my son heard me say "Hang on", at the worst moment, when we were using up 95% of the 12ft wide lane just to stay with it. Finally I held the wheel TIGHT and braced my elbow against the door, preventing my body from waggling independent of the truck, and forcing the front end to stay in the center dead band. EVER SO SLOWLY the waggling diminished and we survived.....

 

I told this story to a lady friend who recounted a very similar instance with a 1/2 ton PU and a u haul. They wrecked both, ending up overturned in the road, facing back the way they came. She was lucky to escape with glass cuts. Her son lost his truck and most of his household goods.

 

Just saying, mind yer brakes, because when ya need that little tap on the trailer brakes to correct a waggle, they ought to be working....

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Max Brake is the best trailer braking system I've seen. It is electric and hydraulic, plus it shows in numbers the number of amps being pulled when braking. bout 3 amps per brake, so on a two brake axle it would be close to 6 amps, two axle should show close to 12...lose a wire to any axle you will know it as soon as you look at the controller. Plus it has the best and easiest adjustment system of any controller that I've used.

 

It is a bit pricey at $350, but what's the price of clean drawers worth?

 

Cheyenne, who has bought the trailer wiggling T-shirt too :huh: , Culpepper ;)

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And don't forget that nut under your ball!! Had a utility trailer try to pass me when the nut fell off and the hitch and ball bounced out. I was very glad that I had paid attention to dad when he said to cross the safety chains. I was REALLY surprised how quickly 6 lanes of interstate near O'Hare airport can become empty.

 

Lots of things to walk down when you are trailering.

 

Take care,

Barry Sloe

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And don't forget that nut under your ball!! Had a utility trailer try to pass me when the nut fell off and the hitch and ball bounced out. I was very glad that I had paid attention to dad when he said to cross the safety chains. I was REALLY surprised how quickly 6 lanes of interstate near O'Hare airport can become empty.

 

Lots of things to walk down when you are trailering.

 

Take care,

Barry Sloe

 

So many people don't realize this important step!!

 

I'll also add that the chains be correct length, if they are dragging the ground then they are way too long! If you take the trailer off the hitch ball and lower it so that the coupler/hitch can reach the ground with the chains connected and crossed, they are too long.

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Another hint for tag trailering. Make sure you have enough tongue weight. If the TT, or any trailer as far as that goes, is tail heavy, the trailer will fishtail easier and more violently. Toy Haulers are terrible for this malady since folks tend load on the rear of the unit. There should always be substantial (300-400lbs) tongue weight for a stable trailer even if you need to tow it with no brakes. Goosing the pickup is usually not the best choice as you have described. Glad you made it to the bottom safely.

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Another hint for tag trailering. Make sure you have enough tongue weight. If the TT, or any trailer as far as that goes, is tail heavy, the trailer will fishtail easier and more violently. Toy Haulers are terrible for this malady since folks tend load on the rear of the unit. There should always be substantial (300-400lbs) tongue weight for a stable trailer even if you need to tow it with no brakes. Goosing the pickup is usually not the best choice as you have described. Glad you made it to the bottom safely.

 

Good points, actually the rule for conventional hitch (tag trailers) is the tongue weight should be 12-15% of the gross trailer weight, so for a 6,000lb trailer the tongue weight should be 720-900lbs. A 10,000lb trailer should have 1,200-1,500lbs of tongue weight. Any trailer over 4,000lbs really needs good, working brakes.

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Jack Glad you are ok.I experienced this effect when I was thirteen,we were moving to Tucson from a small town in Minnesota.

Dad had a U Haul behind a Oldsmobile 88,we were coming down a steep grade out of Raton N.M..

All of a sudden we were all over two lanes wagging to and fro,Dad got it back under control and slowed down.

That was a feeling I Never wanted to repeated Ever again and haven't.

Trailer safely and take what ever precautions needed to do so safely,you may not get a second chance. Adios Sgt. Jake

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AJ,

 

You didn't say if your trailer brakes were just wore out, not working at all or a controller problem. Usually when I am going down hill and experience a problem like you had, I apply the trailer brakes alone. My controller has a switch (actually a slide lever) that allows me to apply trailer brakes by themselves. This will stop any trailer sway immediately.

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And don't forget that nut under your ball!! Had a utility trailer try to pass me when the nut fell off and the hitch and ball bounced out. I was very glad that I had paid attention to dad when he said to cross the safety chains. I was REALLY surprised how quickly 6 lanes of interstate near O'Hare airport can become empty.

 

Lots of things to walk down when you are trailering.

 

Take care,

Barry Sloe

 

A real problem saver here, is after you have the nut properly torqued.... spot weld it to the stud. If you ever need to take it off a small side grinder can take care of the spot weld, then the nut can be backed off. I have yet to see one loosen, after being spot welded though.

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I haul a large utility trailer behind a Ford F250 diesel with a 6 speed manual transmision loaded with an 8 1/2 foot Lance camper on the truck. The truck and camper weigh in at 10,500 lbs. I haven't weighed the trailer yet.

 

I drive slow in cruise control and never exceed 55 mph. I also anticipate down grades and approach these in a lower gear at about 40 to 45 mph.

 

I've never had a problem. Perhaps speed and not paying attention is a major factor here.

 

Just sayin'

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