Fish Tailing

[JimRB]

Are the tires on the truck 8 ply rated? My 1987 Toyota 1 Ton (was sold as a 1 ton with emblems on the fenders and tailgate) was rated for a 5,000 pound trailer. It was also rated to carry over a ton in the bed (5600 GVW). It had 8 ply rated tires that were supposed to be pumped up to 65 PSI in the rear when working.

I spun out my Toyota when I was carrying 20' 2x8s on my equipment trailer. When I got home I did the math and I was way overloaded. I had not checked the tire pressure on the trailer. I was not going over 30 mph at the time I spun. I was much more aware of over weight from then on.

 

[kebo]

Classic example of the tail wagging the dog on the video below. Like others have said, it's all about tongue weight. I like to see the rear bumper drop about 2-4 inches when the trailer is loaded (as compared to no trailer hooked up). You should have sufficient tongue weight on it then. If you have some good scales, you can put them under the tongue jack on the trailer (after it's loaded down) and jack it down so it's sitting on the scales to see about how much tongue weight you will have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMkq7PSQhI4

 

[Buggs67]

That is not a safe trailering operation. The truck is too light. This tail will wag the dog and you'll be in a world of hurt. And legally liable since the GVWR is exceeded. JMO.

 

[rgr33]

Also a semi retired truck driver. I wouldn't feel safe hauling a load with that set up. The rear tractor tires need to be moved forward, over the axles, if that means resting the bucket on the front trailer frame, so be it. You always want as much load contact with the trailer deck as you can get. Can't tell how the tractor is anchored, but load rated chains are necessary, and tire pressure equal and adequate. That pickup may be rated to do the job, don't know for sure, but it is way too light, if you are going to do much trailering, a bigger tow rig is needed. You don't want to risk tractor trailer wreck or injury to others using the same road. If that trailer starts fish tailing, and your attention is momentarily elsewhere, bad thing can happen.

 

[Bird]

I was 16 years old when my Dad bought a service station and we hauled our own garbage and such to the dump on a little two wheeled trailer. I towed that trailer with a clamp on bumper hitch (which I assume many of you are too young to have ever seen) on the back bumper of my ten year old 1946 Chevy 2 door sedan with nearly 100k miles on it. One day when I went to hook it up, the load was heavy enough behind the axle that I had to pull the tongue down instead of lifting it up to hook up, and I didn't know any difference. I got up to 50 mph and that thing started fishtailing and I only barely avoided crashing. But it was a lesson I never forgot.

When I hauled my little Kubotas and my brother's Kawasaki Mule and other things on a 16' trailer, I actually used a yard stick and measured the height of the rear bumper on the truck. If the load wasn't heavy enough in the front to lower the back bumper of a 3/4 ton Ford more than an inch (preferably 2"), the load was re-arranged or moved forward.

But NEVER after that experience when I was 16 have I had a trailer fishtail.

 

[brown40]

Tail wagging the dog. Bumps, depressions, speed and corners make it worse. That trailer is a bit short from tongue--> axles to drive on--backing on would get more weight forward with no implement on the back, or setting the bucket in front of the bar. You said you were mowing--did you have a bush hog acting as an eight foot lever off the back?
Looks like the springs on the Nissan are already about flattened though. You want to get enough tongue weight that conditions won't create a lift on your truck's rear axle. The tongue weight should keep your vehicles rear axle pinned to the pavement. You probably know not to hit the vehicle brakes if a heavy load is fishtailing and your trailer has no brakes, but I'll mention it in case readers aren't aware--the trailer will keep going and you'll be jackknifed if not detached or rolled. Trailer brakes will help settle down an active trailer, but getting the weight distribution right is the only way to prevent it. Accelerating will pull the tongue back down if the situation was caused by a turn or road condition, but won't help if speed precipitated the event. I'd be hesitant to tow that set-up much of a distance or at any significant speed.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have several clamp on hitches... think the last time I used one was on a 1975 Ford Granada towing a 1200 lb fishing boat and trailer...

Only one time did I have a white knuckle ride and it was due to sacks of concrete shifting on a pallet when I went up a steep driveway...

 

[Diamondpilot]

Try moving the tractor as far forward as possible. If that won't give you enough tongue weight try backing it on.

As others stated you need 10% tongue weight minimum.

Chris

 

[wcampbell47]

That is not a safe trailering operation. The truck is too light. This tail will wag the dog and you'll be in a world of hurt. And legally liable since the GVWR is exceeded. JMO.

An L4400 and a 5 foot shredder should be on a 20 foot trailer, at least an 18 footer IMHO. My L3901 and a 5 foot shredder takes up 19 feet of my 20 foot trailer.
The truck is way too light. To be safe you need a 3/4 ton. Upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck and 20 foot trailer. Put the majority of the weight being hauled on the trailer axles (not forgetting about proper amount of tongue weight) and you should be fine at highway speeds. Truck rear tires should be heavy duty 8 ply sidewall to prevent sway as well. With your present setup you are either going to exceed the tongue weight the truck should have or have too much equipment hanging out over the rear. Either condition could cause fish tailing.

 

[Will_C]

It's a compromise- more weight on the trailer is a smoother ride, more on the truck is a rougher ride, but smoother. 10% is the ideal- it gives an acceptable ride yet still puts enough weight on the truck for stability.

Will