Junior

"Rich256" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:_6UAf.523502$zb5.300197@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
> "351CJ" <351CJ@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:6GTAf.4862$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.
>
>

And.... don't try putting the brakes on in an aggressive manner.