Towing and Hauling Do's and Don'ts

[QRTRHRS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briar Hopper

Pulling a trailer in snow, if it kicks out on you, manually apply the trailer brakes while staying on the throttle, that will bring the trailer back in line quickly. Aside from that, if you're pulling a trailer in snow, you're either experienced, or crazy. The main problem is avoiding the other idiots while you have a trailer in tow.

Hey what about us snowmobilers ?!?!?! We have no choice but to tow in the snow.

This year is going to be a learning experience for me. I stepped up from a 2 place sled trailer to a 25' Haulmark 4 place. My biggest fear is going over the Mackinaw bridge, I hate doing it with just a truck.

Often as not, when a trailer kicks out on you, you won't even feel it. After about 15 degrees, it becomes hard to pull out of a jackknife if not impossible. Also, there are two types of "jacks". Either the trailer kicks or the truck drive axle kicks. The drive is likely to kick when you are putting to much power to it. More power won't help and the trailer brakes could cause the trailer to kick out as well. The trailer will likely kick out while slowing or more likely, braking. Where then will more power and trailer brakes help? You need to have somewhere to go. Avoid the situation entirely by keeping a safe space in front of you which is near impossible these days.

 

[JJW_ND]

The more you drive the better you get....

I got my truck in 96 and started hotshotting horse trailers from KS to ND. While it was not the insane miles many fulltime pullers do it was plenty for me. Winter of 96 - 97 was very nasty snow and cold wise. Did 20K miles between December and Feburary. Always pulling doubles with a total length between 65 and 80 feet. Drove several thousand miles on snow covered, ice heavy snow roads. You name it and we had it that winter. All towing was at night as I drove down in the AM. The only time i pulled in 4x4 was on rain or sleet black ice. And then it was only because I needed to keep driving should not have been on the road. On snow covered roads I could run in 4x2 with snow up 8 inches on the level (did 300 miles one night in this stuff). If the road was plowed but still snow covered I ran the speed limit. I always had my tires siped, and I have a LSD. I had the rear drivers kick out a few times but lifting the go pedal always straighten things out. If snow is not bad enough, the darn wind we get up here makes it even more interesting. You can count in the wind being out of the NW. I only had about 150 miles of east west driving and several times the last leg would be 30 mph side wind on ice roads. I rode the shoulder with the passenger wheels which kept control of the the truck but the empty trailers would move around alot. The 2nd trailer would kickout allot but no adjustment was needed. Maybe I was just lucky but I never had an accident, delay or problem that winter. Thank GOD for all night grain and cattle haulers. They kept the road open many anight that winter.



I the flip side, I counted 4 tipped or roled hotshot RV pullers within 50 miles of Bismarck last winter. And I don't spend much time on the road anymore. Now that would ruin your day!



jjw

ND

 

[Larv]

Buy a set of FRS radios for backing up. One time I couldn't understand my wife's directions sooo finally had to go talk to her and ask her to explain her signals. She was swatting skeeters! We now have radios.



Dropped the trlr into a hole one time and realized that night that one jack was bent. After getting home I took it to a machine shop and had it straightened for <$20. New one was $100.



Larv