Fishtailing trailer simulation

[tcartwri]

 

[Redlands Okie]

Well that's a nice demo.

 

[olPete]

I've seen it a while back, this was a great time to show it to the kids. Boys being boys they are trailer mad, they'll remember that demo.

 

[Bird]

I had not seen that video before but in 1956, when I was 16 years old and driving a 1946 2-door Chevy with a bumper clamp hitch, one job I periodically had was to haul garbage to the dump on a single axle trailer. The first or second time I ever hooked up that trailer, I had 2 barrels sitting near the back of the trailer; negative hitch weight, had to pull the tongue down to hook it up. No problem at 20 mph, but when I moved up to 50 mph, violent fishtailing scared the dickens out of me. I did know better than to hit the brake, just let off the gas and finally got it back under control. But I can tell you that's a lesson that will stay with you the rest of your life.

 

[RobS]

Impressive demo!

 

[tcartwri]

Should be a sticky I think.

 

[olPete]

I had not seen that video before but in 1956, when I was 16 years old and driving a 1946 2-door Chevy with a bumper clamp hitch, one job I periodically had was to haul garbage to the dump on a single axle trailer. The first or second time I ever hooked up that trailer, I had 2 barrels sitting near the back of the trailer; negative hitch weight, had to pull the tongue down to hook it up. No problem at 20 mph, but when I moved up to 50 mph, violent fishtailing scared the dickens out of me. I did know better than to hit the brake, just let off the gas and finally got it back under control. But I can tell you that's a lesson that will stay with you the rest of your life.

I still recall, as a young fella, watching a load of lumber trying to swing us off the road, all the way home. It was so green you could practically hear the birdsong.. and overhanging the rear of the trailer by 5 or 6 feet. I was in the back facing rearward, and it was as vivid as this video. Never will I forget it

 

[Looking4new]

A really good and safe object lesson, without doing it in real life.

 

[civilian]

That demo was played out be myself today. BUT it was not from a misload. Tongue weight as before. Just saw a truck pull out onto the road ahead, and he was fish tailing going up the short hill while accelerating. Me pulling the BX2230 on my 16' tandem axle trailer didn't think much of his situation. Well when I got to that spot, my truck fishtailed sending the trailer fishtailing. Let off the gas, truck settled down, trailer took another swing or two. Getting nervous because of oncoming traffic. They moved onto shoulder, I went past them and straightened out. Someone upstairs was looking out for me. Thank you. Jon

 

[aczlan]

Another:

Aaron Z