Okay, here's my put.
background: while Dad had a 'regular job", I grew up on a small farm in a very
agricultural area, so driving old vehicles towing strange trailers (usually
full of aromatic things) was common place.
First, don't tow vehicles with bumper hitches. a vehicle is too heavy, and
bumps/ruts in the road that only hit one tire will create yanking torquing
motions on the tongue, you are asking for trouble at >35mph. (many trips at
<35 on back roads.... boring) Hidden hitches which connect to the frame are
~100 bucks, remember to use ny-locks when mounting.
Second, I just read recently that State of CA requires any trailer over 1500
lbs to have its own brakes. While this is hardly a cause for being stopped
while moving, if something happens and you are on the side of a hi-way, they
love to pile this sort of thing on to a ticket.
If you have ever seen a horse trailer fishtail behind a truck you'll understand
why the brake requirement. (that sort of load moves in transit!) This phenom
happens when you get "tongue lite". All trailers should have 100lbs min on the
tongue, and this can be done as easily as putting a bathroom scale under the
tongue support wheel. Folks with really light loads will sometimes put a 5 gal
bucket of water on the front of the tongue. If you wonder why 'it doesn't just
follow' try paddling a canoe single handed, in a straight line, while sitting
in the back.
Third, single axle trailers, when they hit a bump, pull 'backward', they are
constantly tugging at you. Double axles, when they hit the same bump, the axle
moves up as the weight is carried by the second axle at that time. Your
pressed steel bumper will not take too much of this tugging before it starts to
get out of shape, and once bent it can go south quick. (omit longer story here!)
Your tacoma is a bit small for the job, but conserve weight is a good plan, so
probably a dolly with the car turned backward will tax it the least. Then just
let driving habits be governed by the temp gauge. Lotsa words for a Friday!
Fergus O, 69 2000, HB, CA
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