Just think of a long board supported by three balloons and a row of beer mugs on top. The balloons are your axles and the mugs your load. You should be able to take it from there!
well that's close bryan
and using an old fashion church key is close too......
but not everyone drinks beer......
so i'm working on imagery that will be more universal.....
and a simple trial that everyone can do, and will remember.
There are two ways to approach any idea. One is to find fault and look for reason to toss it. The other is to pick it up as a starting point and adapt it to particular needs and uses.
The latter is often much more educational and entertaining but the former seems to be more often invoked.
The reason that it is reccomended that friction sway control be disabled on rain slick roads is to prevent understeer. The dual cam can also cause understeer but there is no practical way to disable it. I will not argue that friction sway control is as good as dual cam but after using them for over 30 years on dozens of trailer/tow vehicle combinations I am sure they help prevent sway IF they are adjusted properly. For some reason most people do not want to tighten them down enough.
Sure did. Loaded up as though for a trip, with 21 gallons of water in jugs under the dinette, simulating a full under-dinette tank, cat/spouse/accoutrements in truck. 16' CCD, Honda Ridgeline, Reese WD hitch, friction sway.
Separated:
2800 Truck front axle
2200 Truck rear axle
540 Trailer tongue
2920 Trailer axle
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8460
* Note that the truck is nose-heavy, close to Honda's spec of 58%/42% split.
Hitched, 1 link on trunnion chains:
2700 Truck front axle
2740 Truck rear axle
3040 Trailer axle
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8480
Hitched, 2 links on trunnion chains:
2780 Truck front axle
2620 Truck rear axle
3080 Trailer axle
-------
8480
I assume from previous discussion that 1 link is the preferred configuration? Or given the spec, is 2 or even more links preferable? I'll tell ya, getting more than 1 link is a wrestling match!
Also, drove about 40 miles on wet pavement at 60mph in gusty 30 mph winds with trucks blowing by and the friction sway backed off1/2 turn. The wind felt "pushy", but I noted no tendency to sway, and the trucks had 0 affect.
pretty easy to see how the w/d bars reload the front, isn't it?
i find doing this so useful for showing what w/d does.....
i have not clue one if 1 link or 2 is better...
it would seem to me getting the front load as close to the original 2800lbs would be ideal...given the front wheels are the primary movers....and turners.
also this would allow for more available loading in the truck bed
did you also evaluate the t.v. stance....
as in returning the ridgeline to it's original....posture....at the wheel wells.....
it should drop the same amount in front as back....sort of....
another option would be to check tire temps while towing......not that you need more gadgets....
but i use an infrared surface temp thingie.....to watch for hot tires/wheels...on the t.v. and trailer....it is more accurate than my hand.
as for getting to the second link.......there is a trick......i think.....
that involves using the trailer tongue jack to do the lifting before the linking...
does bambi have an electric jack?.......jackcanavera has posted this trick....
That's what I do. I lift the hitch and the back of my truck a few extra inches with the electric jack and then cam the chain over. I do the same thing when I remove the bars. As far as which link, good question. I am not sure. I use link number 5 on my setup. If I use number 6 (longer chain) I can feel it in the ride. I will notice a little bucking action from the trailer when I hit dips.
Thanks azflycaster for the jack trick. I know exactly what to do, and yes have an electric jack to make it ez. I'll definitely use it should I conclude that > 1 link is desirable.
Thanks 2air for all of your guidance on this. Yes, the scale numbers verify what I can see happening when I pull up on the trunnion snap brackets. It was just so darned hard for me to visualize til I actually saw it happen - seemed like a guy lifting himself off the ground with his own bootstraps.
I'm gonna do some stance measurements as suggested, and also try driving around on the same terrain with the different configs.
What a long strange trip this towing thing has been! It amazes me to remember that just 4 months ago spouse and I were asking an RV salesguy if we could tow a 19' Bambi with our Subaru Outback....(Yes, he said "no").
Your figures show that 2 links are required to return the front axle of the tow vehicle to its designed loading. That is what I would do. That is the purpose of the load distribution system.
Nick.
__________________
Nick Crowhurst, Excella 25 1988, Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel. England in summer, USA in winter.
"The price of freedom is eternal maintenance."
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