West Macho Trailer: Upgrading to an Airstream Off Road Trailer

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by switz

A tandem axle trailer having one brake inoperative would put a sideways force on the tongue of the trailer which in turn is trying to push the backside of the tow vehicle sideways. When on wet pavement, this could be a great way to start a jackknife experience. Of course this side force would be amplified on a single axle trailer on wet pavement.

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switz: You are quite right about the braking forces at work, and in addition to the forward push there was also the outward push streetwise at the hitch and the curbwise push on the front of the TV. We drove in 4wd high from the time the problem started and with lowered speed it worked even in wet braking. It was a judgement call, to pull over and be towed to who knows where, and have someone who didn't know AS monkey with the situation, or proceed slowly to Jackson Center, since we were headed that way. It ranks as our second worst trailering experience, the first being losing our TV transmission on the East Summit of Beartooth Pass, and having only brakes to come into Red Lodge MT. This was in 1972, before cell phones and before I had a CB radio. Fortunately my TV had sintered iron brake shoes built for high heat endurance, and we actually never had any brake fade. It turned out the Airstream brake linings had somehow shattered, although Dexter had inspected them just months before at AlumaFlamingo. The other side was ready to go also, and at 25 years, we just replaced both axles as a package at the Mothership.