Gear Jammer
Member
Posts: 3074
Yeah,,,,,It's a HEMI
Magnolia, Texas
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« on: August 24, 2009, 07:30:48 PM » |
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Pulled the lil trailer this weekend. At lower speeds ( 50-65mph  ) not too much wiggle. But up higher and it gets more pronounced.  At 75-85mph, it gets so the tail's waggin' the dog so to speak.  Most of my weight was the cooler which sits in it's cradle at the rear of the trailer. Didn't have too much weight towards the tongue. Is this my problem? Do I need to move the cooler more forward into the nose of the trailer? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. And the cooler was for the sausage we went to buy. Any excuse for a ride ya know.  |
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 "The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. |
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john
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« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2009, 07:43:39 PM » |
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negative tongue weight is baaaad ju ju ...  |
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vrcc # 19002
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Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008
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« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2009, 07:46:42 PM » |
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Much better to be tongue heavy than tall heavy. Try moving weight to the front to reduce tail wagging.
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~ Timbrwolf
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« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2009, 07:53:50 PM » |
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........rode up to the UP for St Iggy last weekend...towing my Piggy Back Trailer...and cooler...both fully loaded...Chili on the back...my buddy TonyZ said we should take our time...enjoy...so we did the super slab at a comfortable 75 mph....that dint last long....cars ...and trucks were passin us like we were standn still....so we took it up to our usual speeds.....80 - 90 mph...in and out of traffic...passing lotsa car n trucks...over the Mighty Mac Bridge with a "wind alert"....40 mph on the bridge...no weaving or wobble what so ever.....great little trailer...
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. . . ...I saw a werewolf at Trader Vics. . . ...his hair was perfect...
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ptgb
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« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2009, 08:17:50 PM » |
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Go to the Evil Empire (Walmart) and pick yourself up a fish scale (obviously with the fishing stuff); should be about $4-$6.
After you load up your trailer, hook the fish sale to the coupler and hold the tongue level/close to level with the ground (before you hook up to the motorcycle). Your weight should be at least 10% of your total trailer weight, loaded... that's if you know your total weight or can estimate it.
Now, I don't estimate total weight anymore - no matter what the weight is, I try to keep my tongue weight in the 35-45 pound area. I have pulled a trailer approaching 8,000 miles over the last few years with those tongue weights and have never had a problem with wiggle - 0 to 90 mph.
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« Last Edit: August 24, 2009, 08:23:27 PM by ptgb »
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 Lower Lakes 1000 - 07/07 & 09/10 * Bun Burner GOLD - 09/10 Lake Superior 1000 - 07/11 * Lake Michigan 1000 - 09/11 * Lake Huron 1000 - 09/11 Saddlesore 2000 - 09/11 * Ohio 1000 - 07/13 |
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PAVALKER
Member
Posts: 4435
Retired Navy 22YOS, 2014 Valkyrie , VRCC# 27213
Pittsburgh, Pa
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« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2009, 09:12:26 PM » |
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As has already been said.... Keep the weight on the tongue, forward of the axle for the most part.
I had an experience with a 5x10 landscape trailer I use for lots of different hauling, and one time had it loaded with decking materials (side job). It wasn't loaded very well and had most of the weight behind the axle of the trailer, but I wasn't going that far I thought. Sure enough, the tail wagged the dog, the rear wheels on the truck broke their traction and that trailer pushed my truck all over the place. It was a white knuckle (and almost a skivvy ruining) experience. I would never ever want to experience anything like that on my Valk towing my trailer.... so I learned to load it to the front.
Another towing experience while pulling my boat across country (change of duty stations)..... on a hill in Colorado I ran across some snow and sure enough my trailer was coming around the back and along side the truck (as it appeared in my mirror)..... a quick goose of the throttle snapped it back in behind me, but that was an eye opener as well.
Ride safe pulling a trailer, never forget its back there, watch your lane position and cornering. Just be alert.....
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John  |
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KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)
Member
Posts: 4146
Specimen #30838 DS #0233
Williamsburg, KY
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« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2009, 03:31:33 AM » |
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negative tongue weight is baaaad ju ju ... +1 |
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HayHauler
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« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2009, 04:03:10 AM » |
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My Escapade trailer came with the ice chest mounted on the tongue of the trailer. This is to keep the weight to the front, like everyone has already said.  Hay  Jimmyt |
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Chrisj CMA
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« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2009, 05:19:16 AM » |
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I keep somewhere around 20 lb tongue weight with great results. I agree if you had an empty trailer and weight on the back, thats not a good load distribution, hopefully thats all what caused your problem.  |
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Redline +
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« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2009, 09:10:39 AM » |
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Tongue weight should be a minimum of 10% of total trailer. End of problem. |
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fudgie
Member
Posts: 10613
Better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
Huntington Indiana
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« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2009, 10:07:09 AM » |
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Mine pulled great to Sturgis 08. Got home and pulled it to Indy less then a month later and she would fishtail at 60 mph. Lightly loaded. Thought it was a coupler on the toungue was loose. This spring we pulled it out of the barn to get machinery out and dad noticed grease out back of the rim. Bearings were shot. This may have caused my fishtailing in the 1st place.
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 Now you're in the world of the wolves... And we welcome all you sheep... VRCC-#7196 VRCCDS-#0175 DTR PGR |
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Bob E.
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« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2009, 11:27:39 AM » |
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I have a trailer almost exatly like Chrisj's...maybe even the same thing, but different tail lights. It is a Kompac-Kamp. Anyways, it will start to sway at 60mph or so when lightly loaded or empty. It tows best when the cooler is on and full of ice and drinks/food. Then it is good to 80+.
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bludragon
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« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2009, 05:01:11 PM » |
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I have a single wheeler. You don,t even feel it, except when you brake you need a bit more braking distance. It weighs 55 lbs. I have used this trailer over 15,000 miles with passenger and no fishtailing whatsoever .JPG) |
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« Last Edit: August 25, 2009, 05:06:50 PM by bludragon »
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Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
Member
Posts: 13833
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Beautiful east Tennessee ( GOD'S Country )
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« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2009, 05:44:03 PM » |
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Mine pulled great to Sturgis 08. Got home and pulled it to Indy less then a month later and she would fishtail at 60 mph. Lightly loaded. Thought it was a coupler on the toungue was loose. This spring we pulled it out of the barn to get machinery out and dad noticed grease out back of the rim. Bearings were shot. This may have caused my fishtailing in the 1st place.
I put new bearings ,race and seals on that trailer when I built it I'm guessing but it had less than 1,000 miles on them when you bought it. |
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 I've seen alot of people that thought they were cool , but then again Lord I've seen alot of fools. |
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sandy
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« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2009, 05:49:08 PM » |
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I have a single wheeler. You don,t even feel it, except when you brake you need a bit more braking distance. It weighs 55 lbs. I have used this trailer over 15,000 miles with passenger and no fishtailing whatsoever Who makes that one wheeler? I've never seen that one before. |
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Gear Jammer
Member
Posts: 3074
Yeah,,,,,It's a HEMI
Magnolia, Texas
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« Reply #15 on: August 25, 2009, 05:52:05 PM » |
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Thanks for all the input guys, you've confirmed my initial suspicions on tongue weight. This next weekend I'll load it heavy forward of the axle and give it a tug. I'm used to pulling two 28 foot trailers at 70mph (not with the Valk), so pulling this lil pup was my newbie attempt. |
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« Last Edit: August 25, 2009, 06:49:01 PM by Gear Jammer »
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"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. |
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bludragon
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« Reply #16 on: August 25, 2009, 06:43:39 PM » |
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Who makes that one wheeler? I've never seen that one beforeIT IS MANUACTURED BY Armoric Design Inc www.armoricdesign.comThey are located south of Montreal
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« Last Edit: August 25, 2009, 06:47:26 PM by bludragon »
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TWT
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« Reply #17 on: August 25, 2009, 08:51:01 PM » |
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Well man I wish I had an answer, but all the towing I've done is a single wheel trailer, and I can take it up to 100 mph and still holds solid, but again it's not the two wheeled one
Hope to get some answers
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mattfidaho
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« Reply #18 on: August 25, 2009, 08:59:58 PM » |
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I will agree that you would need more tongue weight... thats where I carry my cooler and it tracks nicely....  |
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