Rich256

"351CJ" <351CJ@msn.com> wrote in message
news:6GTAf.4862$Le2.3199@trnddc04...
>
> "Rich256" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:T4PAf.284842$qk4.198687@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> >
> > "Nehmo" <nehmo54@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1137895163.229965.28440@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> >> "Pull-behind" trailers are trailers that connect to the tow vehicle by
> >> a ball (or other attaching arrangement) on the back of tow vehicle and
> >> a trailer hitch on the tongue attached to the front of the frame of the
> >> trailer. If the trailer is improperly-loaded into a tail-heavy
> >> condition (in other words, the center of gravity is to the rear of the
> >> center of the axles) arrangement, it will sway from side to side. But
> >> why? Why would tail-heavy conditions cause such behavior? The weight on
> >> the tongue would be negative, but I still can't understand the swaying
> >> mechanism.
> >> --
> >> (||) Nehmo (||)
> >
> > Just having the weight behind the wheels in itself doesn't produce the
> > sway.
> > It allows amplification.
> >
> > Many things can get the sway started (wind, bumps in the road, passing
> > vehicles) and once going the weight unbalance makes it more difficult to
> > control.
> >
> > The trailer is like a pendelum hanging out behind the tow vehicle. The
> > closer the weight is to the vehicle the easier it is to control. Try
> > holding a board with a weight on it out in the wind. It's a lot easier
to
> > control if the weight is close in.
> >
> > The weight and length of the tow vehicle also comes into play. When a
> > tail
> > heavy pendelum starts to swing it will start controlling the tow
vehicle.
> >
> > The flex of the tires adds more amplificaton.
> >
> >
> > No matter what you do there is always possibility of sway. The amount
of
> > weight you put on the hitch is a compromise.
> > Only total solution is to put all the weight on the tow vehicle and
> > elimiate
> > the trailer.
> >
> >
>
> By The Way,
>
> Amplification, this was the only reasonable response to your question...
>
>

Thinking about it a little more one could have a really long trailer that is
very heavily loaded in the rear and you could pull it at very high speeds,
with a short wheelbase vehicle, without any trouble. But only as long as
there is no wind, no bumps or anything else to get it into a sway condition.
But god help you if it begins to swing!!

Nothing more frightening than having the trailer begin to do the steering.