Can you find fault in my testing methodology?
My wife and I go camping from time to time. We use a tent. A photo is below.
Two years ago, I took delivery of a 2 door Jeep Wrangler (I LOVE MY Jeep!)
The Jeep does not have much storage space so I considered getting a box trailer for camping. The towing capacity of my Jeep is 750 kilo (~1,600 pounds).
I feel that 750 kilo is way too high so I set myself an arbitrary limit of 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds).
As I researched box trailers, I stumbled over tear drop trailers.
A basic stripped down tear drop, without a galley, without cupboards, without a battery, without electronics, without a water tank, will come in at about 350 kilo unladen (~ 770 pounds). When we add our water and camping gear we would be hard pressed to reach 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds).
I have now done a test to determine whether I can tow 450 kilos comfortably.
Can you find fault in my testing methodology?
I set a course whereby I drive over a series of small hills. Much like a roller coaster. I need to pull the trailer up the hills and brake going down the other side. The remainder of my course is suburban driving and some highway driving. I selected a length of highway which is mostly up hill and when I turn around of course it is mostly down hill.
Before I started, I checked my tyre pressure, I topped up the fuel and the wiper reservoir. When camping I remove the back seats. For the test, I put the back sets in to represent any cargo we might carry in the back.
Test 1. I drove my Jeep around my course to become familiar with the course. At certain points I checked the engine revs and the gear selected by the 8 speed automatic.
Test 2. I rented a box trailer (see photo) which weighs 200 Kilo unladen (~440 pounds). It towed like it was not there!
Test 3. I loaded some bricks in the back to bring the weight up to 300 kilo (~660 pounds). Again I didn’t notice the trailer.
Test 4. I hired a heavier trailer (see photo) which weighs 350 Kilo unladen (~770 pounds). Again, hardly noticeable.
Test 5. I loaded some bricks in the back to bring the weight up to 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds). I didn’t notice the trailer except for two moments.
There was some road works and I had to stop on a steep up hill slope. As I accelerated away, I noticed the weight at the back.
At one point I was going down a slope and came to a stop at a corner right at the base of the hill. I noticed the weight as I came to a stop.
Results:
The engine revs and the gear selection hardly changed for tests 1-4. The revs are typically I the 1,500 – 2,000 RPM range. In test 5, as I headed up a steep slope, from a standing start, the revs almost reached 3,000 RPM. On the open road the revs hardly varied from test to test.
Another measurement is the height from the ground to the fenders measured over the axles.
For tests 1-4 the front measurement was 94.0 cm and for the back 93.5 cm
For test 5 the front measurement was 94.5 cm and for the back 93.0 cm
I conclude that my 2 door Jeep can tow 450 kilo easily.
I am aware that a tear drop trailer can act like a sail and pick up a cross wind or the wind from a passing truck. I was unable to test that. Tear drop trailers are popular so I could not rent one.
Any comments?
.
My wife and I go camping from time to time. We use a tent. A photo is below.
Two years ago, I took delivery of a 2 door Jeep Wrangler (I LOVE MY Jeep!)
The Jeep does not have much storage space so I considered getting a box trailer for camping. The towing capacity of my Jeep is 750 kilo (~1,600 pounds).
I feel that 750 kilo is way too high so I set myself an arbitrary limit of 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds).
As I researched box trailers, I stumbled over tear drop trailers.
A basic stripped down tear drop, without a galley, without cupboards, without a battery, without electronics, without a water tank, will come in at about 350 kilo unladen (~ 770 pounds). When we add our water and camping gear we would be hard pressed to reach 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds).
I have now done a test to determine whether I can tow 450 kilos comfortably.
Can you find fault in my testing methodology?
I set a course whereby I drive over a series of small hills. Much like a roller coaster. I need to pull the trailer up the hills and brake going down the other side. The remainder of my course is suburban driving and some highway driving. I selected a length of highway which is mostly up hill and when I turn around of course it is mostly down hill.
Before I started, I checked my tyre pressure, I topped up the fuel and the wiper reservoir. When camping I remove the back seats. For the test, I put the back sets in to represent any cargo we might carry in the back.
Test 1. I drove my Jeep around my course to become familiar with the course. At certain points I checked the engine revs and the gear selected by the 8 speed automatic.
Test 2. I rented a box trailer (see photo) which weighs 200 Kilo unladen (~440 pounds). It towed like it was not there!
Test 3. I loaded some bricks in the back to bring the weight up to 300 kilo (~660 pounds). Again I didn’t notice the trailer.
Test 4. I hired a heavier trailer (see photo) which weighs 350 Kilo unladen (~770 pounds). Again, hardly noticeable.
Test 5. I loaded some bricks in the back to bring the weight up to 450 kilo (~1,000 pounds). I didn’t notice the trailer except for two moments.
There was some road works and I had to stop on a steep up hill slope. As I accelerated away, I noticed the weight at the back.
At one point I was going down a slope and came to a stop at a corner right at the base of the hill. I noticed the weight as I came to a stop.
Results:
The engine revs and the gear selection hardly changed for tests 1-4. The revs are typically I the 1,500 – 2,000 RPM range. In test 5, as I headed up a steep slope, from a standing start, the revs almost reached 3,000 RPM. On the open road the revs hardly varied from test to test.
Another measurement is the height from the ground to the fenders measured over the axles.
For tests 1-4 the front measurement was 94.0 cm and for the back 93.5 cm
For test 5 the front measurement was 94.5 cm and for the back 93.0 cm
I conclude that my 2 door Jeep can tow 450 kilo easily.
I am aware that a tear drop trailer can act like a sail and pick up a cross wind or the wind from a passing truck. I was unable to test that. Tear drop trailers are popular so I could not rent one.
Any comments?
.
