Trailer vs. Sportsmobile

[Ursa Minor]

Not sure if anyone here ran across this, somebody forwarded it to me yesterday. Real food for thought. If this fully loaded Sportsmobile was 10,000 pounds spread across a long wheelbase, how much trailer load would it reasonably handle?

"We were behind a semi truck, and he gave me the left blinker, which meant it was OK to pass," remembers Becky, who was driving. "I passed him and then the road got really narrow while I was passing and I think the left front tire got stuck in the soft shoulder and the car started immediately fishtailing." The trailer added to the momentum of the swinging car, and it eventually flipped over. "I don't know if I'd ever travel with a trailer again," Becky explained. "It completely took over the car -- it was freaky."

here's the link to the full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/article_bamp.cfm?id=10471

Personally, I towed some big loads with my short wheelbase D90 back when I had it, and I think a lot of us look at expedition campers as a way to increase what we can bring. But when the trailer wins...it's not pretty.

 

[The BN Guy]

That's terrible! But very glad everyone will be okay.

 

[elcoyote]

This was reported on ExPo earlier. Nearly a very tragic accident. When Alan & I talked about this accident earlier in the year we agreed that the biggest single problem with towing trailers safely is lack of training requirements. Anyone in California with a class C license can tow a trailer up to 10,000 lbs or a 5th wheel up to 15,000 lbs without any specialized training required. Standards in some other states are even lower. Now that is scary!

I cannot count how many times I have been blown by on the highway by a lifted full size diesel towing a 3 axle toy hauler going 80 mph in the number 1 lane of a 4 lane highway. The legal limit in California for towing is 55 mph and trailers are regulated to the right 2 lanes on a multi lane hwy.

I don't want to second guess what may have happened in the case of this accident. Mex 1 is a dangerous road. According to NHTSA & NATM statistics, the number one cause of trailer accidents is excessive speed. Also, trailer sway can be controlled in most cases by the driver with proper use of the brake controller.

The bottom line is to get some training and practice with your trailer. Ultimately safety is the drivers' responsibility.

 

[CodyLX450]

what kinda weight was on that trailer?

And the Sportsmobile HAS to weigh a lot more than my 80.

My trailer was whipping back and forth VIOLENTLY, literally trying to jump to the right lane, then over to the left lane over and over and over and over (I had all the weight at the back of the trailer so it was lifting it off of the hitch) - and that only gave me a vehicle body wiggle.

 

[Railvan]

> "I passed him and then the road got really narrow while I was passing and I think the left front tire got stuck in the soft shoulder and the car started immediately fishtailing."

Not passing judgment on the driver, but I would think the soft shoulder and possible lack of experience would be the main problem. If it looks like you are going to drop a wheel off the pavement at speed into soft ground you had better be ready for something to happen, trailer or not.

> what kinda weight was on that trailer?

Good question. A Sportsmobile is rated to tow 10,000 pounds, but that doesn't mean it's always a good idea!

> And the Sportsmobile HAS to weigh a lot more than my 80.

My Sportsmobile RB50 weighs in at about 10,000 pounds. It doesn't accelerate fast, stop fast, or turn quick. You need to plan ahead, the best you can, with this much weight.

Brian

 

[ExpoMike]

This was reported on ExPo earlier. Nearly a very tragic accident. When Alan & I talked about this accident earlier in the year we agreed that the biggest single problem with towing trailers safely is lack of training requirements. Anyone in California with a class C license can tow a trailer up to 10,000 lbs or a 5th wheel up to 15,000 lbs without any specialized training required. Standards in some other states are even lower. Now that is scary!

I cannot count how many times I have been blown by on the highway by a lifted full size diesel towing a 3 axle toy hauler going 80 mph in the number 1 lane of a 4 lane highway. The legal limit in California for towing is 55 mph and trailers are regulated to the right 2 lanes on a multi lane hwy.

I don't want to second guess what may have happened in the case of this accident. Mex 1 is a dangerous road. According to NHTSA & NATM statistics, the number one cause of trailer accidents is excessive speed. Also, trailer sway can be controlled in most cases by the driver with proper use of the brake controller.

The bottom line is to get some training and practice with your trailer. Ultimately safety is the drivers' responsibility.

I have to agree completely. There needs to be a major change and revamp of the licensing process in the USA. Way to many people who know how to steer a car, NOT drive a car.

As for trailers, most yahoos don't even think they need to modify their driving style with a trailer behind them. Foot to the floor, cell phone in the ear and no regards for anyone's safety around them. I got to watch this for 100 miles on I-8 westbound, Thanksgiving weekend when I was coming back from the Grand Canyon.

Beyond the major problem of lack of training, the LACK of enforcement. Get these yahoos off the damn road. :gunt:

I'll turn my rant off as this is one of my biggest pet peaves in the driving world.

Glad everyone was okay.

 

[UK4X4]

very sad, a ruined holiday and injured people makes for a bad day in anyones books, its nice to know that they were all lucky enough to survive..


They may have thought the trailer added to the rollover,

but the weight of that little trailer in comparisson to the fully loaded van with a rack top boxes boards and multiple adults would to me have made very little diference.

Dropping a wheel off the road in any situation is dangerous

and the first thing people do is rapidly over correct back onto the road, this then sets up violent swerving over correction and the final rollover.

In the oil industry we analise every crash to the Nth degree....this year alone our company had 8 rollover accidents just in west US in a variety of vehicles even with 1 week course in advanced driver training, vehicle speed monitors and alarms, comentary drives every year and specific dropping a wheel training.

There are two methods to try and prevent the above depending on road conditions.........

On dropping a wheel continue with the direction of travel, slow the vehicle and stop, before re-entering the road.

The second is on dropping a wheel continue with the direction of travel, slow the vehicle until you have control ( and stopped panicking) and gently ease back onto the road.

Even on a just rutted dirt road and a heavily ladden truck this is an often occurrance....

2005 Funrace venezuela orinoco the entry road was gravel and about 50km long, areas had deep gravel ruts.

there were 3 rollovers before the competition......1 LWB LC and 1 SWB LC the people survived, in the third vehicle another SWB LC the three people did not have their seatbelts on, and sadly they all lost their lives even after being being helped by a nurse in another following vehicle and being helicoptered to the nearest emergency ward.

One of the survivors wrecked vehicles was left at the competition site, and a class was held on the dangers of exessive speed and dropping wheels/rutted roads

No one else rolled that weekend

and a large ammount also learnt about waterproofing vehicle electrics

 

[Redline]

While I agree with Mario's comments and the need to both be trained and use good judgement, I'm amazed at how well my Chaser handles.

I have some saddle time pulling trailers and driving trucks, mostly larger ones, and the little Chaser just continues to impress. Of course I try not to be ‘a loose nut behind the wheel’, but I will admit to some high speed highway driving pulling my Chaser returning from the ExPo this October.

When I picked up my trailer a year ago it was crazy windy (the kind that blows over semi trucks), I drove slower going home and kept looking in the mirrors thinking that my little trailer might be lifted up onto its side. Thankfully, it just tracked true (and it was empty!)

 

[cowboy4x4]

In my opinion we dont need more rule/regs/restrictions there are enough in place as it is it is amazing when we see things like this people freak out and and say enough is enough .....what they need to do is enforce the regs they already have . I'm guilty of going over the speed limit with a trailer in Ca.. But I use to drive semis as well. not that it gives me the right to speed ,If you jump over to some other states the speed limit for semis is 75 mph. . One of the othr reasons we see more in ca is our population is triple or quadrupal that of other states.I've also heard people say oh its a small trailer you dont need brakes, those are the people that have no idea what there talking about brakes are a benifit for ANY trailer start fishtailing hit the trailer brakes not your rig brakes and above all load your trailer properly, I'll be quiet now ..Thomas

 

[Robthebrit]

I think there should be an endorsement for a trailer, even if its just to show you know how to reverse. The amount of people I have seen with badly balanced, badly hooked up trailers is amazing. It seems that people pulling jet ski's with their mall cruisers are the worst offenders.

I don't think going over 55 is the immediate problem, people simply go too fast for the conditions and their setup. I personally tend to stay around 62 when pulling our Airstream, even in CA and that speed feels safe, it keeps up with the semis, I get good gas milage and the truck performs well, stops well etc. The problem is the Dodge doesn't even know the Airstream is there, even though it weighs around 7000 and given they tow so nicely it would be quite easy to feel safe at 80+mph. I can only imagine its easier to get a false sense of security when your trailer is smaller and lighter than the tow vehicle.

Rob

 

[Redline]

I agree. Not that we all should pull trailers at 90, but the 55-MPH limit for any rig with a trailer in CA is simply ridiculous. VERY few are obeying that law and in many situations I think it is more dangerous to drive 55 as you will be the cause of road-rage and traffic back-ups. 65-70 seems fine most of the time, but each day and stretch of road is different. All drivers should be constantly evaluating everything.

In my opinion we dont need more rule/regs/restrictions there are enough in place as it is it is amazing when we see things like this people freak out and and say enough is enough .....what they need to do is enforce the regs they already have . I'm guilty of going over the speed limit with a trailer in Ca.. But I use to drive semis as well. not that it gives me the right to speed ,If you jump over to some other states the speed limit for semis is 75 mph. . One of the othr reasons we see more in ca is our population is triple or quadrupal that of other states.I've also heard people say oh its a small trailer you dont need brakes, those are the people that have no idea what there talking about brakes are a benifit for ANY trailer start fishtailing hit the trailer brakes not your rig brakes and above all load your trailer properly, I'll be quiet now ..Thomas

 

[elcoyote]

I agree. Not that we all should pull trailers at 90, but the 55-MPH limit for any rig with a trailer in CA is simply ridiculous. VERY few are obeying that law and in many situations I think it is more dangerous to drive 55 on as you will be the cause of road-rage and traffic back-ups. 65-70 seems fine most of the time, but each day and stretch of road is different. All drivers should be constantly evaluating everything.

I whole heartedly agree with you. When I was in NZ, I liked the verbiage on the speed limit road signs that put succinctly: "100 Kph. It's not the target. Drive to conditions".

 

[Redline]

Yep, I think Montana has long ago repealed their 'reasonable & prudent' speed limit (that was introduced after the end of national 55?)... But on open roads, under many conditions, with modern vehicles and a decent driver, there is no reason one shouldn’t be able to drive a 'reasonable speed'. Sometimes that may be 80-100 MPH often it might be only 45. What might happen is that we retrain our drivers to insure that slower traffic yields to the right and faster traffic proceeds in the left lane. This basic traffic rule seems to have been forgotten.

But back to the original post, what do people think about one, probably heavier vehicle, compared to a tow vehicle and trailer?

Even with a small trailer like an Adventure Trailer, parking and handling is different. But a Sportmobile is a different animal, a self contained Class-C RV really. More similar to a truck and cab-over camper in my mind.

I whole heartedly agree with you. When I was in NZ, I liked the verbiage on the speed limit road signs that put succinctly: "100 Kph. It's not the target. Drive to conditions".

 

[ntsqd]

KA justifiably takes some heat for their differential speed limits, but the one time I drove thru TX caused me considerable anxiety. Took several of their "reader-board" speed limits signs to figure out which classification my truck & trailer fit into.

I too think that different limits for different vehicles is asking for trouble. My guess is it's KA's knee-jerk reaction to the very problem under discussion. Typically, rather than address the problem we've addressed the symptom.

 

[adventureduo]

Just starting out in the trailer world... we tried to keep it at 55-57 mph on our first departure. Upon noticing that we were creating a hazard and the trailer felt just as secure.. we bumped it up to 63mph the rest of the trip.

I don't mind going 55mph at all. Especially since im new at pulling anything. Im learning right now and i know i do not have the skills yet if something happens. I dont need to kill my family or other motorists.. but i also don't feel safe being treated like a cone in a slalom course. I found a happy medium.