Tire Stiffness & trailer swaying

Cheers!

I've decided that the combination isn't the best.

So do I trade the 20 for a PW5? Or do I sell the wife and get a Mondeo
????


Decisions, decisions.....

"tango4" s comments read:

Tim

You are truly a SIFOW proponent. An 1100cc 106 and an ASW20 is an impressive
combination! I salute you sir!

Ian


"Tim" wrote in message
.. .
"tango4" s comments read:

Ian - 2300cc ( petrol I will admit ) Ford MPV and about 53 kgs tongue
weight
a proven 100mph combination!

Ian a proven TINSFOS man

Tim - Peugeot 106 1100cc
A legal 60mph combination

--
Tim - ASW20CL "20"


--
Tim - ASW20CL "20"

Ah yes... well, God grants one, hard work the other. At least I can
wrap myself in a metaphor.

"Simon Waddell" wrote in message ...
Yes - but I find that SIZE, POWER and TRACTION of the p***s always excites
more envy and desire than that of 7000 lbs of Detroit p***s substitute.


"Chris OCallaghan" wrote in message
om...
100kph? Do you drive backwards on retrieves for sport? Or perhaps you
always land close enough to the airport that there's no hurry...

Sing what praises you may, they echo hollow among the leather clad
comforts of my 7000 lbs of 4x4 SUV... the best you can achieve with
your little brand-name putt-putt is "adequacy." If you want to excel,
be the envy of every man and the desire of every woman, there's no
substitute for SIZE, POWER, and TRACTION.

But fear not, I'm sure you'll find friends for whom "adeqaute" is
enough.

Tim wrote:
Cheers!

I've decided that the combination isn't the best.

So do I trade the 20 for a PW5? Or do I sell the wife and get a Mondeo
????

Post photos of all four and we'll help you decide.

GC

Stick with the 20, fly PW5 tasks, then you won't ever
land out & won't need to tow at all!

At 12:12 29 September 2003, Graeme Cant wrote:
Tim wrote:
Cheers!

I've decided that the combination isn't the best.

So do I trade the 20 for a PW5? Or do I sell the wife
and get a Mondeo
????

Bruce Greeff wrote:
Now that is a sensible argument for having the big lump. I just fail to
understand the "bigger is always better" argument.

I most situations that the average driver experiences - an SUV or "full
size" sedan is more liability than advantage. At least the guy with the
compact sedan can dodge the 18 wheeler...

How about the 34-wheeler, 42-tonne, B-double passing you at 110k on a
narrow, single lane road in a 30knot crosswind gust at the top of the
Great Dividing Range? Or a road train with 500 sheep on it? The guy in
the Civic can have his nimble, comfortable, economical car but he'll
scare himself witless and it'll nimble him right off the road with the
blast from the truck. Cars are just the same as aeroplanes. More
nimble = less stable.

I prefer two and a half tonnes with under a metre from towball to back
axle. They don't take crap from glider trailers and they don't get
blown off the road.

- in something as nimble as the
agerage big SUV it comes down to trying to intimidate your way on the
road. Problem is that does not work with the average 18 wheeler (at
least where I come from) Fact is that these jobs are less safe, less
economical and more work to drive in most situations. I know the average
US male has never had the opportunity to experience the convenience of
driving a spacious, comfortable and compact car.

Wow!! I didn't know so many prejudices could co-exist in one small
jaapie - and all at the same time!

If you have a situation that justifies the inconvenience - like having
real need of off road capability - drive the SUV.

I drove mine 2 kms to the shops today on a smooth bitumen road. It was
quiet, smooth, relaxing - and with its 6-stacker, I could play both
kinds - country AND western! Last week I drove 800kms a day for a
couple of days with a two-seater glider behind. It was still quiet,
smooth, relaxing AND the music was just as good! How can that be
inconvenient?

Get your hands above the desk, Bruce baby.

...If you can afford it,
as a couple of my friends can, have the SUV for when you need it and a
more practical vehicle for the commute. (As an extreme - one member at
our club drives a 2ton Landrover Discovery for gliding and
mountaineering, and Scuba expeditions, but commutes in a Mini Cooper S)

Whatever works for you.

Ah! That sounds a bit more tolerant.

...I just fail to understand those who have to
justify emotional / ego / social purchases by somehow trying to
construct a reasoned argument for why bigger is better. If you take that
to it's logical conclusion you should be buying Peterbilt (Or Mercedes,
or Renault...) horses for commuting in- I mean there is no shortage of
power, leather upholstery, aircon, air suspension, power everything, and
the best thing is you don't have to dodge the 18 wheelers, you are on
their level so to speak.

No, Bruce, that's dopey. All anyone said was that a 1 1/2 tonne glider
trailer is best controlled by something a little larger than it is. 2
1/2 stable tonnes will do fine. If you want to do it (tow) with a
little car, go ahead, but you'd be much more relaxed, comfortable, safe
and in control in my 4WD.

For what it is worth I have driven military 10ton 6 wheel drives through
Damaraland in Namibia - really needed the traction, power and ground
clearance, especially in case we hit a landmine, but I would hate to put
this on my list of fun vehicles to drive. Also driven all over South
Africa in ordinary sedans and MPVs, most with front wheel drive. Towed
retrieves with vehicles ranging from a Jeep Cherokee, to a 1600 hatch.
Have to say that for comfort, safety, good stability and everyday
convenience the best I have met is a small MPV. The current crop has
adequate power, excellent aerodynamics for stability in those windy
situations and certainly beats driving a truck all day.

Well, Brucie, we can all claim our experience. After 40 years towing
all over Oz, here's mine in a nutshell: I've towed with big and I've
towed with small and believe me big is better (with apologies to Pearl
Bailey(?)).

Problem is the US carmakers can't make small cars profitably, SUVs are
very profitable because they are made on cheaper "truck" platforms. Once
again we have the victory of marketing and corporate profit over common
sense.

Now, Bruce, watch those prejudices! They sneak out and show your true
colours just when you're sounding all pompous and solemn.

GC

In article ,
says...
Cheers!

I've decided that the combination isn't the best.

So do I trade the 20 for a PW5? Or do I sell the wife and get a Mondeo
????

How about a SparrowHawk instead? Unless it's World Class competition you
are interested in, you'll find it has higher performance and lower
weight. The glider is about 160 pounds, and with their composite trailer
and the usual stuff in it, you're looking a less 1000 streamlined pounds
(453 kg). You could tow with the original Mini!
--
-----
Eric Greenwell USA

Hi Graeme

Lots of prejudices here mate, sorry if I offended.

Maybe it is a SIFOW thing, I prefer not driving trucks.

Again each to his own.

As long as it's stable who cares?
I know people who have walked away from pretty scary
accidents - punctures at speed limit whilst towing
on dual carriageway and the like - when it has been
a sensible, well behaved combination, SUV or otherwise.
Equally, there are combinations which are just an
accident waiting to happen. Once it gets out of control,
the soggy suspension and high C of G just make an SUV
dead easy for the trailer to flip, however heavy it
is (ever watched wrestling?)
Light cars are easily steered by big trailers.

Don't know about in the US, but here in the UK you
could probably put all trailer smashes down to one
of three things:

1. lightweight cars with a large distance betweeen
the rear axle and hitch. Plenty of these around here.
The trailer does the steering especially if it is heavy.

2. Rogue trailers. Most trailers are perfectly OK towed
within the limits. Some change dramatically between
empty and loaded. I remember a ? homebuilt two-seater
trailer which loaded was a nightmare and empty was
almost impossible. I know of trailers which use old
caravan suspension components or car tyres, which are
almost always not stiff enough. Get one of these on
an SUV and it would be interesting.


3. Bad driving.Self explanatory.

Have a nice day

Al

At 16:12 29 September 2003, Bruce Greeff wrote:
Hi Graeme

Lots of prejudices here mate, sorry if I offended.

Maybe it is a SIFOW thing, I prefer not driving trucks.

Again each to his own.

CHRIS WROTE...
Mine is a
nightmare. It is unstable above 50mph. It has a lot of side to side
sway above 50mph if there is any steering input. It is almost
harmonic in nature – it does not dampen out quickly. If feels like
you are driving on Jello.

There was a lot said on the *Komet Trailer Fin* causing instability, about a
year ago. I typed in *Komet Trailer* into Google and found a good report by,
Dan Dunkel. He was able to tame the beast by adding turbulators on each side of
his trailer fin. This report is on page 3 of Google, under Komet Trailer.
Hope this helps,

JJ Sinclair

Amen to the Tahoo. I just bought my second one. Calling the Civic a
safe tow vehicle is like saying a 12 ft row boat is OK for the north
Atlantic. I've seen enough crumpled trailers & tow cars along side the
roadway to know that my butt is worth the extra price of the Tahoe.
You other guys can take your chances for all I care. I just hope I
don't find your crumpled mess along the way (but at least you know
you've save a few bucks on gas).

Tom Seim
Richland, WA