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BimmerMaven
BimmerMaven Reader
9/1/23 5:22 p.m.

In reply to frenchyd :

I wonder how many trailer tires fail due to underinflation?

GCrites
GCrites Dork
9/1/23 8:56 p.m.

^Doesn't help when you pull into a gas station and the air pump maxes out at 42psi "for safety".

nlevine
nlevine Reader
9/1/23 11:14 p.m.

My best tow set-up was a steel 16' open two-axle trailer for my CRX - with a tire rack that went over the front of the car, and a pick-up truck toolbox bolted to the front of the trailer. With a weight-distributing hitch on my V8 Grand Cherokee, I could tow that thing at 70 - 75 like it wasn't there. Rock solid, no sway, decent brakes on all 4 wheels. Trailer could fit in my driveway.

I "upgraded" to a 20' TPD enclosed when I got the Z3, and then got a larger truck (Ram 1500). Never felt as comfortable with that set-up and had to pay to store the trailer locally, was harder to navigate with. It did end up making a nice storage shed/workspace once I stopped racing and parked it at my cottage... 

frenchyd
frenchyd MegaDork
9/3/23 1:01 p.m.

In reply to nlevine :

Having been in the trailer manufacturing business I know how few trailer companies bother to align the axles on trailers. It takes at least another hour to do that but makes all the difference in how a trailer tows.  
    A few degrees tow in or out and it doesn't matter if it's a single axle, double axle or triple axle.    It will never tow straight.  
   With beam axles ( most) welding on the front or back straightens it out.  
 If the camber is wrong you weld on the top or bottom to straighten it up.  The worse it is the more weld you need.  
   The other thing is the longer the trailer the more critical the balance is.  3-400 pounds on the tongue is all you want.  Too much and you need a load equalizer hitch.  Too little and it won't stay straight. 
 With individual torsion bars you can align them with washers.  Either in the front or rear to eliminate tow in or out.  

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