Trailer skid

[Jungles]

Just wondering...

If you are towing a trailer, what do you when the trailer skids but your car does not?

I don't suppose counter-steering will have any effect, it will probably make things worse! Do you accelerate? Just what do - or can - you do?

[rich 36]

In the event of Caravan type swaying movement

best thing is actually to speed up and then attempt to slow
progressively using engine braking,
and leave brake pedal alone really

[jacobyte]

rich 36 said:

In the event of Caravan type swaying movement

best thing is actually to speed up and then attempt to slow
progressively using engine braking,
and leave brake pedal alone really

The speeding up thing is a myth - it exacerbates the pendulum effect and throws you into the ditch off the M1 between junctions 18 and 17 (I wasn't driving!). Just lifting off gently and in a straight line will do the job nicely.

[Jaguarnut]

I agree with Jacobyte - speeding up when a trailer is swaying is asking for disaster. The correct thing to do is to lift off the go pedal and on brake very gently if the oufit is speeding up during a decent. Most if not all vehicles just do not have the power available to use a speed increase to stop swaying. The idea is to use the weight of the towing vehicle to damp out trailer movement as it should be heavier. Always try to steer a straight line. To counter the sway with the steering is also a no-no.

However, a sway in my book is not a skid. It could be said that a pendulum sway left to gather momentum will momentarily become a skid a split second before complete disaster. A skid suggests either locked wheels through mechanical inntervention (ie breaking) or a fault, or a loss of grip when the tyre is pushed sideways. If a trailer breaks sideways through loss of grip whilst turning a corner, the cause could be speed, aquaplaning of a very slippery surface. Again, the towing vehicle must be kept steady and the trailer should fall back into line readily.

The real art to trailers is ensuring that the towing vehicle is man enough for the job (power, weight, noseweight etc) and that the trailer is not overloaded, coupled correctly and loaded to maintain the correct static noseweight and not tail heavy.

[rich 36]

[B]ensuring that the towing vehicle is man enough for the job [/B](power, weight, noseweight etc) and that the trailer is not overloaded, coupled correctly and loaded to maintain the correct static noseweight and not tail heavy.[/quote]

I would certainly agree with that, further I'd add a tandem axle or Four wheel trailer is a better follower than a Two wheel.


On the speeding up, I can personally vouch it works,
and I've seen resulting debris of people panicking and braking
on the holiday routes certainly with caravans at least.

Transporting Cars on a trailer I've followed the example of Silverstone bound traffic which I see all the time, and loaded them Engine/Weight facing forwards,
which seems to have worked up to now anyway.


[/quote]

[Big Rod]

So Rich, are you saying that it's best to have the engine, (or at least the heaviest part of the car) to the front of the trailer?

I'm asking as I've recently bought a car transporter and had cause to move a car a few miles the other day. It seemed that it was a bit nose heavy and wondered if there'd be any benfit in loading the car facing backwards.

[rich 36]

I followed 'their' example on the way to the track,
and loaded my cars the same,

with as you say
heaviest bit nearest hitch.

I did once try a car facing backwards, but found the weight
of the engine (apparently at the furthest point from my steering wheels)
a bit diconcerting.

[iguana]

Big Rod said:

So Rich, are you saying that it's best to have the engine, (or at least the heaviest part of the car) to the front of the trailer?

I'm asking as I've recently bought a car transporter and had cause to move a car a few miles the other day. It seemed that it was a bit nose heavy and wondered if there'd be any benfit in loading the car facing backwards.

99% of cases you want heavy part at front, there are some situations where its not posible to load like that & for a very few cases of vehicles & trailer designs it doesnt matter too much, but in the main yes= always want engine end to the front- so nose forward conventional cars, rear forward 911 & mid engine, although you can also overload the nose weight which also can make handling odd- all depends on the trailer/towcar/hitch design, but generally thats not as bad as too much weight at the rear. General rule is 100kg towhitch weight.

[pistol pete]

iguana said:

...although you can also overload the nose weight which also can make handling odd- all depends on the trailer/towcar/hitch design, but generally thats not as bad as too much weight at the rear. General rule is 100kg towhitch weight.

Check the noseweight of the trailer and figure out where the car needs to be on the trailer to get it right, then made sure the car always goes in the same place. 6 inches to far forward or back can really screw up stability.

I often run my front tyres (fwd) a couple of PSI lower than usual due to the extra weight off the back of the car reducing weight on the front -also makes a noticeable difference to feel through the steering.

Pete

[diff lock]

Agree with the above. I used to teach trailer handling courses for LRE.

Loading is the key. Trailer tyres at the correct pressure, and the same with the tow car.

Folks that dont tow very often, never seem to re-compute there brain when they have a trailer on. Thinking time should be a lot more, no sudden braking or acceleration.

As for most of the weight up front, I agree. Unless (like me)you have a boat and trailer. In this case all the weight is at the back. Answer, move the trailer axle untill the outfit is balanced.

[Scoobman]

diff lock said:

Agree with the above. I used to teach trailer handling courses for LRE.

Loading is the key. Trailer tyres at the correct pressure, and the same with the tow car.

Folks that dont tow very often, never seem to re-compute there brain when they have a trailer on. Thinking time should be a lot more, no sudden braking or acceleration.

As for most of the weight up front, I agree. Unless (like me)you have a boat and trailer. In this case all the weight is at the back. Answer, move the trailer axle untill the outfit is balanced.

So do you speed up or slow down if a trailer starts to yaw. As there seems to be a difference of opinion on here

[diff lock]

Scoobman said:

diff lock said:

Agree with the above. I used to teach trailer handling courses for LRE.

Loading is the key. Trailer tyres at the correct pressure, and the same with the tow car.

Folks that dont tow very often, never seem to re-compute there brain when they have a trailer on. Thinking time should be a lot more, no sudden braking or acceleration.

As for most of the weight up front, I agree. Unless (like me)you have a boat and trailer. In this case all the weight is at the back. Answer, move the trailer axle untill the outfit is balanced.

So do you speed up or slow down if a trailer starts to yaw. As there seems to be a difference of opinion on here

Only ever sped up once. Frightened me sh**less. Allways try and slow down using engine braking.

But the point is you should never get into this situation. Poss with the exception of an artic overtaking a caravan. Seen this happen and it aint good.

IMHO, anyone wanting to tow a trailer should have to take some form of training. Afterall we have to, to drive a car on the public highway. I have spent years driving artics and teaching trailer handling (on and off road) and I allways learn somthing new.