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Tow dolleys, was weight distributing hitches

To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Tow dolleys, was weight distributing hitches
From: frankr@hwcn.org (Frank Roggeband)
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 22:54:16 -0500
A few years ago I purchased a 510 that was a considerable distance from
home. Not having any way to bring it back I rented one of these contraptions.
To keep a long story short the old 510 still had bias ply tires and the tow
dolley had radials. The whole rig was completely unstable at speeds above
55. The car in tow wanted to oscillate between lanes and bring the truck
along for the ride. A creepy feeling since I had to slow well below 40 to
settle it down. It wasn't too long before I realized that slowing to 50,
dropping down a gear and flooring the gas would pull it straight as long
as the speed stayed below 55. At a gas stop my buddy and I figured that
we could possibly change the reasonant frequency by removing as much weight
from the back of the car to the back of the truck. It worked! we got 10 more
mph out of it. The real fix would have been the set of radials I left at
home. Lesson learned or at least emphasized.

My buddy has since built a flatbed trailer. It has a double frame and 15"
wheels on tandem axles, is very well balanced and was once used to haul a
Coupe de Ville and a Ford Pinto simultaneously. The limit of it's capacity
seems to be the size of the tow vehicle.

--
Frank Roggeband | 67.5-1600, 69-1600, 69-510, 71-510, 75-710, 93-KingCab
Grimsby Ontario | Home Page-->http://www.hwcn.org/~ae845/Profile.html
Canada          | email-->frankr@hwcn.org
Electronics Technician and Datsun Enthusiast.

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