Komet trailer tires

"GM" wrote in message
...
On Feb 23, 5:57 am, "Morgans" wrote:
"HL Falbaum" wrote

Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else.
Demonstrated by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same
speed--two
different vehicles, vastly different result.

If you don't believe that, try towing ANY trailer with an uber short
wheelbase, low overhang vehicle, like a Jeep. A Jeep CJ vehicle will make
ANY trailer sway, with any trailer weight and balance.
--
Jim in NC

That may be true for the CJ but I owned a 2-door Dodge 'Raider' aka
Mitsubishi 'Pajero'. This car had about the same dimensions as the CJ
but I towed my trailer from PA to CA and back without any sway
whatsoever. Good trailer tires and a good weight distribution in the
trailer plus the proper tounge weight are the key to happy trailering.
Uli

Not to belabor the point, but the two vehicles in my experiment were similar
size, weight, overhang. The real difference was suspension stiffness. A soft
'98 Chevrolet Tahoe, and a (about same year) Ford Expedition. The Ford had a
stiffer suspension and more precise steering. The Chev was soft and more
"loose", the sway always started at about 70mph. The Tahoe was replaced with
a '03 Avalanche---stiffer suspension, tighter steering. Same trailer was
then towed without sway at any speed.

Hartley Falbaum
"KF" USA

OK, so a proper fit between the hitch and ball is important, too.
What do I do with
my Cobra trailer that fits a 50mm ball? I actually *do* have a 50mm
ball but it has a
1" shank. However, my car has a 1.25" hitch receiver (factory
installed), and I can't
find any fittings that will take a 1" shank. For the moment I'm just
using a 1 7/8"
ball (47.6mm) since the trailer just goes from the tiedown to the end
of the runway,
and I've heard the horror stories of using a 2" ball (50.8mm). Any
ideas that don't
cost an arm and a leg (such as "buy a new car")?

-- Matt

Matt;

It is a good idea to have options. So, if someone else has to come get you
with their car, they are likely to have a 1 7/8" or a 2" ball.

It would be easy to replace the hitch on the trailer with either a 2" or 1
7/8" . These are commonly available, just bolt on. Then sell the 50mm ball.

For little money, a welding shop could make a custom mount---50mm ball with
1" shank into 2"x 1/4"x 1/4" square tube, welded onto 1 1/4 " tubing stub
and insert into your receiver.

50mm hitch on 1 7/8" ball is just a little sloppy--probably a minor factor,
but best to change something.

--
Hartley Falbaum

"mattm" wrote in message
...
OK, so a proper fit between the hitch and ball is important, too.
What do I do with
my Cobra trailer that fits a 50mm ball? I actually *do* have a 50mm
ball but it has a
1" shank. However, my car has a 1.25" hitch receiver (factory
installed), and I can't
find any fittings that will take a 1" shank. For the moment I'm just
using a 1 7/8"
ball (47.6mm) since the trailer just goes from the tiedown to the end
of the runway,
and I've heard the horror stories of using a 2" ball (50.8mm). Any
ideas that don't
cost an arm and a leg (such as "buy a new car")?

-- Matt

"HL Falbaum" wrote

Not to belabor the point, but the two vehicles in my experiment were
similar size, weight, overhang. The real difference was suspension
stiffness. A soft '98 Chevrolet Tahoe, and a (about same year) Ford
Expedition. The Ford had a stiffer suspension and more precise steering.
The Chev was soft and more "loose", the sway always started at about
70mph. The Tahoe was replaced with a '03 Avalanche---stiffer suspension,
tighter steering. Same trailer was then towed without sway at any speed.

Interesting. In my case, a Chevy Citation vs a CJ, and the CJ certainly had
the stiffer suspension, and it was worse. I think the tighness of the
steering may be playing a bigger factor than we are giving it credit for.
--
Jim in NC

"HL Falbaum" wrote

It is a good idea to have options. So, if someone else has to come get you
with their car, they are likely to have a 1 7/8" or a 2" ball.

It would be easy to replace the hitch on the trailer with either a 2" or 1
7/8" . These are commonly available, just bolt on. Then sell the 50mm
ball.

For little money, a welding shop could make a custom mount---50mm ball
with 1" shank into 2"x 1/4"x 1/4" square tube, welded onto 1 1/4 " tubing
stub and insert into your receiver.

50mm hitch on 1 7/8" ball is just a little sloppy--probably a minor
factor, but best to change something.

I agree. Get a welding shop (if you are not able to do it yourself) to
change out the trailer hitch for a standard size like 2". (standard in this
area, anyway) Also, custom fit the 1 1/4" stub to your receiver. I have
usually found they fit loose as crap, unless you do something to make it fit
right.

I had good luck doing this by running two beads of weld down the length of
the hitch stub on two adjacent sides of the stub, then grind it down to a
"just right - slide in, but no wobble" fit. It is amazing how that can
reduce sway, and quiet down the ride down the road.

Anyone else with a sway problem have a sloppy fitting hitch - receiver fit?
Anyone do something to tighten up the fit?
--
Jim in NC

On Feb 25, 12:03*am, "Morgans" wrote:
"HL Falbaum" wrote

It is a good idea to have options. So, if someone else has to come get you
with their car, they are likely to have a 1 7/8" or a 2" ball.

It would be easy to replace the hitch on the trailer with either a 2" or 1
7/8" . These are commonly available, just bolt on. Then sell the 50mm
ball.

For little money, a welding shop could make a custom mount---50mm ball
with 1" shank into 2"x 1/4"x 1/4" square tube, welded onto 1 1/4 " tubing
stub and insert into your receiver.

50mm hitch on 1 7/8" ball is just a little sloppy--probably a minor
factor, but best to change something.

*I agree. *Get a welding shop (if you are not able to do it yourself) to
change out the trailer hitch for a standard size like 2". *(standard in this
area, anyway) *Also, custom fit the 1 1/4" stub to your receiver. *I have
usually found they fit loose as crap, unless you do something to make it fit
right.

I had good luck doing this by running two beads of weld down the length of
the hitch stub on two adjacent sides of the stub, then grind it down to a
"just right - slide in, but no wobble" fit. *It is amazing how that can
reduce sway, and quiet down the ride down the road.

Anyone else with a sway problem have a sloppy fitting hitch - receiver fit?
Anyone do something to tighten up the fit?
--
Jim in NC

Ok there seems to be a lot of OWT, and other imprecise anecdotal
evidence about trailers and towing floating out there. Has anyone like
an AKAFLIEG group ever done some trailer dynamocs studies????

Peter

I had good luck doing this by running two beads of weld down the length of
the hitch stub on two adjacent sides of the stub, then grind it down to a
"just right - slide in, but no wobble" fit. *It is amazing how that can
reduce sway, and quiet down the ride down the road.

Anyone else with a sway problem have a sloppy fitting hitch - receiver fit?
Anyone do something to tighten up the fit?


Yes, get an "anti-rattle" J bolt device for your receiver for about
$23. from Redtrailers.com

See it at http://www.redtrailers.com/ShowItem.asp?id=63201

You may need a shop to drill an extra hole in the side of your steel
hitch.
Includes a lock device.

A fellow Texas glider pilot suggested it. It tightens up nicely and
stops the rattling.
This must help with sway -- but I really don't have much sway because
I don't drive my glider trailers (5) over 60 MPH.


Burt
"The Turtle", just easin' on down the road
from Marfa, in southwest Texas, USA

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"HL Falbaum" wrote

It is a good idea to have options. So, if someone else has to come get
you with their car, they are likely to have a 1 7/8" or a 2" ball.

I agree. Get a welding shop (if you are not able to do it yourself) to
change out the trailer hitch for a standard size like 2". (standard in
this area, anyway) Also, custom fit the 1 1/4" stub to your receiver. I
have usually found they fit loose as crap, unless you do something to make
it fit right.

I had good luck doing this by running two beads of weld down the length of
the hitch stub on two adjacent sides of the stub, then grind it down to a
"just right - slide in, but no wobble" fit. It is amazing how that can
reduce sway, and quiet down the ride down the road.

Anyone else with a sway problem have a sloppy fitting hitch - receiver
fit? Anyone do something to tighten up the fit?
--
Jim in NC


At the suggestion of someone else, I drove large nails into the gap between
stub and receiver, to remove the "slop". Made absolutely no difference with
sway in the Tahoe.

As to driving slowly, I had to do that with the Tahoe. Sway started anyway
when I was passed by 75mph Semis.

Hartley Falbaum

"Burt Compton - Marfa" wrote

Yes, get an "anti-rattle" J bolt device for your receiver for about
$23. from Redtrailers.com

I had not seen that product, but my method is cheaper, and faster! ;-)

I change hitches frequently, (different height trailer hitches required) so
quick no fuss solutions are valuable to me.
--
Jim in NC

Jim,
You asked if "anyone do something to tighten up the fit?"
so I offered readers the off-the-shelf J-Bolt idea as an additional
method.

I have 5 glider trailers and several other equipment trailers.
I use a variable hitch ball unit that I can quickly move up or down
with a "quickie" pin.
The anti-rattle J-bolt stays in place underneath in the main 2"
receiver.

Your Do It Yourself welding method works as well. Indeed, it is
brilliant!
Hartley's nails in the receiver idea didn't sound so appealing if they
worked loose and fell on the road, but it's yet another good and fast
DIY idea!


Burt
Marfa Gliders Soaring Center, west Texas USA

PS A student of mine decided to "air up" all my pneumatic tires on
my aircraft, trailers, bikes, cars, hand-trucks, O2 carts, etc.
We lost count after 110 as we were laughing so hard about the amazing
number. Thank goodness for "slime"!