Charlie
Charlie you are right in more than one thing. I vaguely mentioned trailer brakes on a post that was changing this thread from I believe was a proper tow vehicle to someone mentioning sway..
I had mentioned that I had pulled the suspect trailer out of Ruidoso Mexico. I had been snow skiing and it had started snowing so we tried to beat the weather out but as we got into a lower altitude we ended up on sheet ice and that eventually turned into deep snow. I controlled the rig using only trailer brakes by hand application. I always adjust my setup for trailer brakes to be the first to apply.
It never did sway but was very sensitive to side forces, even with sway bars.
Pulling that trailer was just like flying my plane, it required my undivided attention at all times if you were on a interstate highway with it.
I still think Airstream may have missed the balance point on it. It was a special edition trailer in the Excella 500 line. Had all kinds of gadgets on it. Dual roll up water and electric reels added to the rear. Central vacuum added under the rear bath cabinet vacuum brake system Nu-Tone blender station and vista windows upper and lower on both sides of the front. It also had a frame problem develop that someone posted had been cured by 1979 but I had a good friend that owned a Airstream dealership and he was saying it covered my trailer which at the time made since because it was built during a energy crisis and it did sag in the rear It got totaled by hail just before I was scheduled to reinforce the frame. It might have had one side of the axles an inch ahead of the other side, who knows?
Wes
P.S. Hope you had a great spring break.
--- In AirstreamList@yahoogroups.com, Charlie Burke <cbburke199@...> wrote:
>
> Gang,
>
> I've been off line for spring break. Now that I'm back I've really
> enjoyed the discussion on trailer sway, it's possible causes and fixes.
>
> I skimmed through the many posts and may have missed it but one comment
> I'd didn't see regards what to do if after all our best efforts the
> trailer starts to sway.
>
> This is the point where the driver finds out why there is a manual
> override on your brake controller. The one and ONLY effective way to
> stop sway once it starts is to apply the trailer brakes ONLY using the
> manual brake control override lever/switch/button.
>
> It is not possible to accelerate the tow vehicle out of the the
> situation. Only trailer braking will work.
>
> In my years in and around RV's I known too many people who got into
> trouble and didn't know how to react.
>
> Been there done that. It works were nothing else will.
>
> Charlie
>
> On 3/28/2011 3:29 PM, Nelson S wrote:
> > Yes over the years I have seen a jackknifed Tahoe, Ford ranger, and Jeep that tried to pull too much with a short wheelbase.
> > One morning going to work there were two utility trailers where someone was moving and they jackknifed them both on I-10 in East Houston. I even saw a 12' extension ladder going through back window and out the other side with about 3' sticking out each side. You can have three guesses of what nationality. But the worst thing was a acetylene rig with the gauges still on laying on top of things in a pickup almost higher than the side of the bed. I got over a few lanes and got in front of him..
> >
> > Hope everyone has a safe summer traveling and enjoying every moment.
> >
> > Wes
> >
> > --- In AirstreamList@yahoogroups.com, Hunter Hampton<airstreamingypsy@> wrote:
> >> Jim Sealy Jr. wrote:
> >>> I meant big trucks and hitches can manage the effect, but not the cause.
> >>> A trailer that doesn't have a reason to sway will track if it's behind a
> >>> Toyota with a ball on a bumper or a Freightliner with a Reese; it's just
> >>> that the big trucks can force a problem trailer to track, but the
> >>> underlying problem is still working on the trailer.
> >>> That's what gets people with little tow vehicles in trouble when
> >>> something isn't perfect.
> >>> Jim
> >>>
> >> I agree, I just drove to Orlando on the turnpike and was behind a large
> >> cargo trailer that was woggling side to side...
> >>
> >> I got in the fast lane and when it started to go right I flew past on
> >> the left.... much to my amazement it was being pulled by a Toyota
> >> pickup, not a Tundra a smaller one......maybe that wasn't such a
> >> surprise )c:
> >>
> >> Hunter
> >>
> >
> >
> >
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