[Shop-talk] trailer advice needed; fish-tailing

[Paul Mele]

<< It will start swaying back and forth. >> 

I have a small, 1200 lb payload 2 wheel trailer from HF with 12 in wheels
Used it for many years to tow tires and tool box, tent, etc, to BMW driver's
schools

NEVER any sway problem until I added 6 in to the rear of the trailer to
allow a 9 gallon air tank and (2) 5-gal military style gas cans to be added.
This extra weight on the back caused remarkable swaying.

I asked around at the track...
Was told that when tongue weight is much less than 10 % of trailer weight,
the tongue lifts off the ball and the play in the joint allows some
left-right "steering" input to the trailer.

I solved the problem by welding on 2 studs, 1 in by 12 in long, on the front
R and L corners of the trailer.
I then slipped on old brake disks as ballast weights until I had 10% weight
on front...
Swaying went away.

When I moved up to a 4-wheel open trailer and started towing my track car, I
had same problem....about 6 inch worth of different positioning of the car
on the trailer had the same effect.


As my Chinese friend, Shu Fai says, "Rife is awr about barance"...