Why trailer weight distribution matters

[Captain Ledd]

Trailer sway demonstration

Hopefully that hotlink works. It's on Facebook, I couldn't find a copy on youtube. I couldn't get the window link to work for some reason.

Ah HA! Found one. However the guy has some anti-trailer nonsense at the end, but it does have essentially the full video above. But really though, do be careful about how you load things.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Not very scientific and your results may vary but when I tow with my F-150 (only thing I really tow with) I pull the tractor on the trailer until the truck is level, after 11 years of testing it is a pretty good rule of thumb.

And too far forward is about as goofy as too far back.

 

[RonD]

Very educational video

And as Mark Twain wrote, "Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example."

 

[Hagan]

Unfortunately, no matter how many signs, videos, or tests a person has to take it won't fix stupid.

 

[wildbill23c]

Unfortunately, no matter how many signs, videos, or tests a person has to take it won't fix stupid.

Exactly. Add to that safety features...those don't work very well either obviously or there wouldn't be any wrecks. You just plain cannot fix stupid people.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Exactly. Add to that safety features...those don't work very well either obviously or there wouldn't be any wrecks. You just plain cannot fix stupid people.

And if you are pulling a trailer and doing everything right, stupid people come out of the woodwork to do stupid crap around you.

I get passed way more often pulling a trailer (empty or loaded) on the same stretch of highway running the same speed as when I am driving just my truck. Usually sketchier passes too.

 

[wildbill23c]

And if you are pulling a trailer and doing everything right, stupid people come out of the woodwork to do stupid crap around you.

I get passed way more often pulling a trailer (empty or loaded) on the same stretch of highway running the same speed as when I am driving just my truck. Usually sketchier passes too.

Very true. Usually they pull out in front of you and cut you off, or merge over several lanes of traffic right in front of you to get off at an exit.

I've had cases where people plain cut you off, good thing for trailer brakes or several moron drivers would have pretty compact cars as a result of their lack of driving skills.

I'm not sure what it is about driving a full size truck with a heavy trailer that attracts the dumbest of drivers to flock around you and do the dumbest things but that is exactly what happens. Had a guy run into the back of my car trailer a while back. Claimed he couldn't see it. Not sure how you can't see a 7' x 23' trailer with a car loaded on it and add to that the numerous marker and other lights on it. Add to that it was in the middle of the day. People just plain don't pay attention. Its the same thing with people running into school buses how the f*** can you not see a yellow bus right in front of you. Then there's the idiots who run into semi-trucks, how in the world do you not see those things LOL.

I love the people who pass you on the highway and you end up right behind or right next to them at the next stop light...or in the case of winter, they pass you because you are driving slower due to conditions and you end up passing them a few miles up the road as they sit in the ditch...and no I don't stop...I point laugh and wave as I drive by.

 

[Hagan]

How about this load...safe and secure? I took these pics just yesterday and a woman was driving it. Where I used to work I've seen shrink wrapped pallets come apart when moving them around on a forklift.

 

[Bandit96]

The worst part of this is, this person probably hauls stuff like this around all the time and never gets stopped or has the law bat an eye.. but you wrap chain slack with a bungee just once and you're getting hauled in for a level 1