Top Gear - and trailer snakes

tomstickland

Many years ago I was tasked with moving a load of gravel in a trailer towed by a small 4x4. "It'll take 2 loads"I was told. I reckoned I could save some time by doing it in one large load.

I set off at about 40mph and not long afterwards the trailer decided that it was boss. After a few mildly violent wobbles each way I managed to regain control and travelled at much lower speeds to the destination.

In the news story they had 3 bullocks in the trailer (I read somewhere), were going too fast and the passenger was not wearing a seatbelt.

What about Top Gear and the trouser snake?

redux

Quietmanc wrote: »

Going to the original point however,I've never had a fishtail in an artic,but then again have only done dry freight.Tanks I believe are totally different. I did see a horrific fishtail on a 'caravan' wagon ...

An artic trailer is supported at both ends, whereas others are balanced on wheels just behind the middle.

The key is to have a decent weight on the towhitch. Two problems occur if the trailer is wrongly loaded and is tail-heavy: the centre of gravity of the trailer is outside the boundary of the towhitch and axle, so its weight starts to act independently, and the back of the car is being partly lifted so there is less traction at the back wheels and it's easier for them to slip sideways.

I once moved a car which I'd pushed backwards on to a flatbed trailer still hooked on my car, and it was nasty. After 3 miles I stopped and turned the car the other way round, then there was no problem at all.