From: MV (MV@dc9.tzo.com)
Date: Wed Jul 27 2005 - 08:36:47 PDT
Ah trailer towing - one of my favorite subjects - having been involved
in a wreck in my youth involving an out of control 24' travel trailer,
too light in the tongue, jack knife on the Penn. turnpike, and a
collision with a bridge abuttment.
Still I have 6 plus trailers. A 10+ ton gooseneck to light boat trailers.
I can think of two big problems towing a M105 with a blazer: Brakes and
tongue weight. To do it right, you need at least 15% of the gross
trailer weight on the lunette. Preferably more since that is a tall
trailer. If the trailer weighs 3000 lbs that means 450 lbs on the
tongue. If you put 3000 lbs in the trailer (easy to do with a M105),
then you need to put 900 lbs on the tongue. At 450 lbs you are probably
on the edge of the capacity of the blazer. At 900 lbs, you are in the
ridiculous range and it would be dangerous to do much towing on the
highway as the front end would start to get light on the blazer and the
truck would get squirrely on the highway.
My rule for tag trailers without a load equalizer hitch is that the tow
vehicle has to weigh more than the tag trailer. If the trailer weighs
more than the tow vehicle, even if the truck can handle the tongue
weight, then you are running on the ragged edge of stability.
The only way to get around this is to use a load equalizer hitch or use
a tow vehicle where the pintle hitch is very close to the rear tires -
like a dump truck. That's why dump trucks can get by hauling heavy tag
trailers. The hitch is close to the center of the rear axle.
The other big problem is brakes. Trailer brakes are more important than
just stopping the load. If you screw up on the trailer balance (enoough
tonque weight) and the trailer starts to fish tail on the road, the
trailer brakes are sometimes the only thing that can get you stopped
without wiping out/losing control completely. (Been there, done that,
several stiff drinks required afterwards, etc)
On the M105 which has air over hydraulic brakes - you could remove the
master cylinder and put on a Electric over Hydraulic actuator unit.
Carlisle makes one that I have on my gooseneck and it is really nice.
About $500 but it works great. There are also a couple other
manufacturers.
Stu wrote:
> I sure you're correct. I was just pointing it out to the guys getting new
> 105's. If you fill them, they hold a lot more than 1 1/2 ton. That trailer
> fully loaded could weigh more than the Blazer, to say nothing about brakes
> etc.
>
> "Stu"
> Southern NH, USA
> "Live Free Or Die"
>
> MVPA #14790
>
> 1967 M151A1 Jeep 1964 M416 Trailer
> 1985 M1008 CUCV Pickup
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen L Dussetschleger [mailto:dussetschleger@juno.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 8:51 PM
> To: stuinnh@mvnut.us
> Cc: mil-veh@mil-veh.org
> Subject: Re: [MV] Trailer Weights
>
> I thought the trailers would be just like the vehicles. Duece's are
> capable of 5 tons over the road, & 5 tonners double their capacity as
> well over the road vs. off road / cross country.
> Steve
>
>
>
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