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#51
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
This is what I had when I was towing a caravan, also using weight-
distrubition bars: http://www.hitchesonline.com/sway.htm It connects on the side of the "V" of the trailer tongue, about 2' (60cm) back from the ball, and then on the hitch side, about 6" (15 cm) off-side of the ball. The amount of friction can be controlled to reduce the swaying movement of the trailer. |
#52
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
You can't tell my 1-35 is behind my 2000 2.5 automatic Legacy Subaru
except on VERY steep hills. A twin Grob in a Cobra is definitely noticable, but other than being careful in crosswinds it isn't a problem. I tow my 1-35 with my wife's Toyota Corolla with no problems either, but it does slow down on hills, but a lower gear takes care of it. On Oct 29, 8:38*pm, ryanglover1969 wrote: Hello all. I am looking to buy a new vehicle, mainly for work related reasons. Something like an AWD Subaru Outback would be perfect for work. So I'm wondering what you all have to say about towing my sailplane trailer with a Subaru Outback, which is a 4 cylinder vehicle. That's the issue I need answered. Would a 4 cylinder do the job? Or would it tear up the transmission. I don't want a lager vehicle for MPG reasons. Thanks, Ryan |
#53
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
Hey Burt
That about sums it up. There are different tools for different circumstances. Lots of parts of South Africa where a breakdown could be quite hazardous. Lots of generally excellent freeway where the speed limit is 120, the cambers are designed for 120 - and the 18 wheelers will ride right over you from behind if you don't keep up. On these roads the safest is to have a combination that is comfortable and stable at 110-120kmh. Where safe to do so - it is a lot less stress and danger driving a little slower and exercising a little more care. Unfortunately it is not always possible to avoid the heavy traffic. In South Africa again, many of the secondary roads are in appalling condition, and take you through endless informal settlements with high traffic density of animals, kids and alcohol fuelled pedestrians. Best to stay on the main roads where you can. In the UK you can get giddy from all the little roundabouts on the B roads. I find having an appropriate combination for the circumstances works well. Investing in some comfort and safety makes it a lot more pleasant getting there. The day someone manages a 500km+ drive with a glider trailer attached with a GPS average speed over 100km/h in the UK they should let us know. Cheers Bruce |
#54
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
Come on Bruce! The UK roads are so overcrowded, poorly maintained and
ridden with roadworks that averaging over 40mph (65kph) on a long journey is quite a feat, even without a trailer! Our recent trip from Lasham to Aboyne took 12 hours going (although we lost two and a half hours because of a puncture - more about that later) and 9 hours excluding refreshment and comfort brakes. That was in a powerful Jaguar car, not towing a trailer, and cruising at (er!) slightly over the National Speed Limit of 70mph on the few bits of Motorway and dual carriageway that didn't have roadworks on them. The journey from Lasham to Aboyne is 540 miles by the route we took. so the average speed going (excluding the puncture) was 57mph and coming back 60mph (96.5 kph). The delay due to the puncture was caused by: 1) The car's owner couldn't find the jacking point, so we had to call out the AA. 2) The car only had a spacesaver spare wheel and tyre (50miles, 50mph maximum), although there is plenty of space for a full sized wheel and tyre in the boot (trunk to the Yanks), so we had to stop in the nearest town to get a new tyre fitted. Before anyone has another go at British cars, I think Jaguar was owned by the Ford Motor Company of America at the time this one was built. Derek Copeland On Nov 3, 7:44*am, Bruce wrote: Hey Burt That about sums it up. There are different tools for different circumstances. Lots of parts of South Africa where a breakdown could be quite hazardous. Lots of generally excellent freeway where the speed limit is 120, the cambers are designed for 120 - and the 18 wheelers will ride right over you from behind if you don't keep up. On these roads the safest is to have a combination that is comfortable and stable at 110-120kmh. Where safe to do so - it is a lot less stress and danger driving a little slower and exercising a little more care. Unfortunately it is not always possible to avoid the heavy traffic. In South Africa again, many of the secondary roads are in appalling condition, and take you through endless informal settlements with high traffic density of animals, kids and alcohol fuelled pedestrians. Best to stay on the main roads where you can. In the UK you can get giddy from all the little roundabouts on the B roads. I find having an appropriate combination for the circumstances works well. Investing in some comfort and safety makes it a lot more pleasant getting there. The day someone manages a 500km+ drive with a glider trailer attached with a GPS average speed over 100km/h in the UK they should let us know. Cheers Bruce |
#55
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
"Burt Compton - Marfa" wrote in message
: What's the hurry? I tow my glider trailers (DG-1000 in a Cobra / ASK-13 in a Swan / Cirrus in an Eberle trailer) long distances to/from Marfa, west Texas (USA) at no more than 60 mph behind my 2001 Ford Van (6 cylinder). Why risk damaging a glider by driving at higher speeds? At slower speeds you can maneuver around potholes, junk in the road, wayward critters, or manage a blowout better. I've been towing glider trailers at 60 mph across the USA for decades. No problems, yet. The Germans must know something if they limit glider trailers to 100 km/h (62 mph), while also driving their well-tuned cars without trailers much faster on their Autobahns. So put in a long day and get there with a lot less stress and fatigue on glider, driver and tow vehicle. I find that driving off the US Interstates the "blue" roads are often smoother, less traffic passing you and the scenery is great, with small-town diners, tractors in fields, cool junkyards, vintage "motorcourt" motels -- classic Americana! Listen to audiobooks and your favorite CD's if you find 60 mph "tedious". I also get a bit better gas mileage for my Ford van as the glider trailer creates an aerodynamically favorable "after body" behind the big van. Start early, slow down, save gas, enjoy the trip, keep our trailer / gilder insurance premiums from being raised because of highway accidents due to "get-there-i-tis". Burt -- just easin' on down the road . . . C'mon Burt... You're completely forgetting "Crosina's Law". :-) Larry |
#56
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
delboy wrote:
Link to a trailer stabiliser bar: http://www.bulldogsecure.com/category/23/1/stabiliser These work well and add about 10 mph to your maximum safe towing speed by damping the tendency to sway. They do not affect the action of the trailer brakes. The Alko friction trailer hitch also works well, but you need a special Alko ball hitch and you must not put any grease on it. BTW, Several people at my gliding club have jack-knifed twin axle trailers, so they are not a cure in themselves. Does this suggest that towing with small cars is more problematic than many have indicated, or a reflection on the inexperience/ignorance/impatience of your club members? -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org |
#57
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
On Oct 29, 7:38*pm, ryanglover1969 wrote:
Hello all. I am looking to buy a new vehicle, mainly for work related reasons. Something like an AWD Subaru Outback would be perfect for work. So I'm wondering what you all have to say about towing my sailplane trailer with a Subaru Outback, which is a 4 cylinder vehicle. That's the issue I need answered. Would a 4 cylinder do the job? Or would it tear up the transmission. I don't want a lager vehicle for MPG reasons. Thanks, Ryan I tow with a used '99 Audi A6 Avant (wagon) quattro. The car is very heavy and has decent brakes. It has double-wishbones on all four corners and rides much better than a Subie (the roads up north here are crap). The tranny is 5 speed automatic. The torque converter is locked nearly all the time and it shifts very fast in manual or auto mode. The motor is a 5 valve V6 with 200 hp and variable cam timing - not too much but it gets you around. It gets 26 mpg at 75+mph with AC on. Premium fuel is required. The interior is leather, plush, and very roomy. Sound system and seats are excellent. I towed my Jantar 3000+ miles thru the mountains to 10k feet. With a Minden fab trailer (the proverbial barn door), I drove 65 mph and got 20 mpg for the trip. You have to downshift in the big hills, no biggie. I can do 80 mph with a stable ride, but then I feel like I am abusing it. A better trailer would fix that problem. If you go used Audi, avoid the V6 turbos and V8's. Mine has 160k with no real issues to speak of over the last 100k and five years I have owned it. YMMV, Adam |
#58
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towing a sailplane trailer / vehicle
On Nov 3, 11:01*pm, Adam wrote:
On Oct 29, 7:38*pm, ryanglover1969 wrote: Hello all. I am looking to buy a new vehicle, mainly for work related reasons. Something like an AWD Subaru Outback would be perfect for work. So I'm wondering what you all have to say about towing my sailplane trailer with a Subaru Outback, which is a 4 cylinder vehicle. That's the issue I need answered. Would a 4 cylinder do the job? Or would it tear up the transmission. I don't want a lager vehicle for MPG reasons. Thanks, Ryan I tow with a used '99 Audi A6 Avant (wagon) quattro. The car is very heavy and has decent brakes. It has double-wishbones on all four corners and rides much better than a Subie (the roads up north here are crap). The tranny is 5 speed automatic. The torque converter is locked nearly all the time and it shifts very fast in manual or auto mode. The motor is a 5 valve V6 with 200 hp and variable cam timing - not too much but it gets you around. It gets 26 mpg at 75+mph with AC on. Premium fuel is required. The interior is leather, plush, and very roomy. Sound system and seats are excellent. I towed my Jantar 3000+ miles thru the mountains to 10k feet. With a Minden fab trailer (the proverbial barn door), I drove 65 mph and got 20 mpg for the trip. You have to downshift in the big hills, no biggie. I can do 80 mph with a stable ride, but then I feel like I am abusing it. A better trailer would fix that problem. If you go used Audi, avoid the V6 turbos and V8's. Mine has 160k with no real issues to speak of over the last 100k and five years I have owned it. YMMV, Adam The new (2010) Outback has a re-designed suspension incorporating double wishbone in the rear (front is still standard McPherson struts). Along with the increased ride height, it should be an even better tow vehicle. I love my 2002 Passat with the V6 and 4motion suspension (similar to your Audi quattro). However, at 150K miles, it's starting to give warning signs that it will become a money pit in the not too distant future (replaced ignition coils, flex joints in the exhaust, etc.). P3 |
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