Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[WinterDeere]

I like that. Adjustable headlight height will compensate for tongue weight. Porpoising ? Then you might consider HD shocks.

I remember when working in Germany in the 1990's, many of their cars (maybe all?) had a knob to adjust headlight height to the load in the car. In most countries, including ours, that would result in all drivers just having them turned as high as possible all the time. But Germans do like following their rules.

 

[Eagle1]

I remember when working in Germany in the 1990's, many of their cars (maybe all?) had a knob to adjust headlight height to the load in the car. In most countries, including ours, that would result in all drivers just having them turned as high as possible all the time. But Germans do like following their rules.

Guess I'm not a good German... but having a adjust headlights from inside would be cool.

 

[WinterDeere]

Guess I'm not a good German... but having a adjust headlights from inside would be cool.

I remember it very particularly on an old Mini Cooper I was contemplating buying. Asked the seller about the extra knob on the left dash cluster, grouped with the headlight and cabin light controls, and had to laugh when he explained it to me. At that point in my life, I wasn't yet accustomed to driving cars so small that the headlights required adjusting if you threw a suitcase into the trunk.

As to the stereotype of Germans following rules with unparalleled obedience, I can tell you two amusing stories, but will save them for future posts when more relevant. They have nothing to do with towing.

 

[Grumpycat]

I remember when working in Germany in the 1990's, many of their cars (maybe all?) had a knob to adjust headlight height to the load in the car. In most countries, including ours, that would result in all drivers just having them turned as high as possible all the time. But Germans do like following their rules.

My 928S has that knob.

If gubmint is going to regulate anything, they should mandate driver adjustable headlights on pickup trucks. I hesitate to say, "automatic", because such systems can easily make things worse if not overridable. Especially how every Urban Cowboy feels the need to lift his pickup with ridiculous tires.

HID lights are supposed to have automatic level adjustment. My 2007 Prius did.

 

[Renze]

Why? Shifting the load on the trailer gets the job done.

Cause i like to tow tongue heavy. With adjustable headlights, cops dont realise that i tow 7k when oncoming.

 

[Renze]

I remember when working in Germany in the 1990's, many of their cars (maybe all?) had a knob to adjust headlight height to the load in the car. In most countries, including ours, that would result in all drivers just having them turned as high as possible all the time. But Germans do like following their rules.

Germans like to flash the high beam and blind you for half a second to warn you that your lights are too high and blinding oncoming traffic. You will adjust them down soon enough.

 

[goeduck]

When positioning the load on a tilt trailer, don't forget that the farther back the load is, the more stress on the tilt latch. I once rented a 15K trailer and its hydraulic cylinder that "locked" the tilt was not working. I did not know that until I was loaded and at that point, I had no choice but to front load as much as possible so the tilt "catch" would not be over stressed and rerouted my trip to slow back roads. I chewed out the rental place when I took the trailer back when they said "that is not an issue" (they apparently knew).

 

[4570Man]

When positioning the load on a tilt trailer, don't forget that the farther back the load is, the more stress on the tilt latch. I once rented a 15K trailer and its hydraulic cylinder that "locked" the tilt was not working. I did not know that until I was loaded and at that point, I had no choice but to front load as much as possible so the tilt "catch" would not be over stressed and rerouted my trip to slow back roads. I chewed out the rental place when I took the trailer back when they said "that is not an issue" (they apparently knew).

The latch on a tilt trailer shouldn’t be doing much of anything. If it is you’ve probably loaded it tongue weight negative.

 

[goeduck]

The latch on a tilt trailer shouldn’t be doing much of anything. If it is you’ve probably loaded it tongue weight negative.

I have no idea how you came to that conclusion. I loaded the tongue to over 1600 lbs so the latch (catch) wasn't stressed. "Front" to me is towards the truck if that is confusing.

 

[Renze]

Wrong. I loaded the tongue to over 1600 lbs so the latch (catch) wasn't stressed.

What did you load, steel beams flat on the deck, or a tractor ?

I definately wouldnt want to drive a high center of gravity load like a tractor, with a tilt bed that doesnt latch. Even with 1600 pounds tongue weight, the tilt bed can snap up and down at a bump.
The rental company just didnt have their **** in proper condition, i would be furious if they knew.