Towing while it's raining.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by MarkR

well all i can say is, it's a good thing airstreams don't leak! ;-)

(somebody had to say it)

There's always one in the crowd ;-)

[dirigible25]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

There's always one in the crowd ;-)

I guess I am the one. Our '97 Safari has never had a leak UNTIL, we spent several nights in the Olympic Rain Forest near Lake Quinalt, WA (we enjoyed a nice lunch in a beautiful lodge right on the lake). It rained extremely hard all 3 nights with some light rain each day, and I found a small leak in the upper corner of one of the rear bed room windows. Not sure I would have found it otherwise, so the trip was enjoyable and I know where to seal the window.

As far as towing, no problem, rain or shine. Just use common sense and employ safe driving practices.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by perryg114

I don't think I could get a friction sway bar tight enough to overcome the tractional forces of a trailer going around a curve with a 15 foot lever arm. On ice or snow maybe or a full on hydroplane then maybe. I am very aware of standing water on the road as compared to just a wet road. You never try to change directions when on ice or while hydroplaning or use the brakes (accept trailer brakes).

Perry

I did not think so either, until it happened to me in a heavy rain. (with a Reese dual cam)

[perryg114]

Well a Reese dual cam is a different animal. I would think that type of sway control would not be effected by rain.

Perry

[Smokin Camel]

I try (emphasis on "try") to avoid pulling in the rain do to the potential of moisture being sucked into the trailer. I am relying on the words of a couple of rv techs, both of whom said "they all leak when you tow in the rain". I have not dropped the pan to check, I have only heard some "war stories". The concept of sucking in some moisture while moving seems to make good sense to me.

That said, I have traveled in the rain when it was necessary. Heavy rain -- no way. An aside...Airstreams sound great in good storm! The rain beating on the skin makes for an interesting atmosphere.....high wind with the rain...not so much!

Anyone have experience with moisture entry, noticed after pulling in the rain?

[Phoenix]

Yes -- Lots of water comes in around the windows and vents. Imagine hosing down your Airstream with water volume equivalent to several fire hoses, and water velocity equal to highway speeds.

A few years ago, we towed in a heavy downpour coming down Cajon pass from Victorville to San Bernardino, CA. Traffic had slowed to 45 mph due to limited visibility. We pulled off the road when we got past the rain and ahead of the storm. And, when we went inside to dry off and change our clothes, it looked like we had sprayed down the dining table and floor with a garden hose; and water was still running down the front wall under the windows.

We wiped down the front windows, table and wall, and mopped the floor; and the inside dried out quickly. No permanent damage, since wet walls and floors are not a normal occurrence in the Arizona desert.

I don't think the water was sucked in. It was forced in by our continuing to drive during the downpour, similar to aiming several high-pressure sprayers at the front of our Bambi.

[Luigi123]

Slow down listen to your inner voice. If you really feel anxious stop some where make some coffee, take a nap, read a book, just get off the road.

[AldeanFan]

Originally Posted by mojo

Driving with your flashers on in Florida is illegal, and should/could be in other sates as well. Living in Florida for many years, these people caused many accidents when it rained. With their flashers on they change lanes frequently, so turn signals don't work, and you do not know when they are braking or slowing.

Flashers should be used for an emergency when pulled over, or to warn others of slowing conditions due to accident or towing slowly up a grade. Your headlights and tail lights work well to let folks know you are there.

In my experience drivers in Florida don't use turn signals anyway. In the spring when my parents return to Canada from Florida I always call and remind them that once back in Ontario to use turn signals and not to tailgate.

Also, Flashers don't affect your brake lights.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by mandolindave

Please add to this list...looks like rain on the way to the mountain
#1 Pull over, play mandolin, then take a nap, then eat ( did this last week )
If it keeps raining, call up work and tell them it's raining???????
#2 Emergency flashers, slow as possible, loosen friction sway control

That's all i can come up with. Would applying just trailer brakes be of any help?

Bueller.....Bueller......anybody???

Water standing on the road is the scary problem. Sometimes rain can be hard enough that even an Interstate won't drain fast enough. Water in the ruts that affect only one side of the vehicle (port or starboard) is where loss of control is going to raise it's head. The TT is NOT going to want to follow the TV at some point and reduced traction on the TV rear axle one side or the other can get the rig sideways. It isn't automatic or pre-ordained, so slowing is called for.

Getting off the road is good. Not knowing how to re-set the trailer brake controller is not good (previous testing). Drum brakes, not good if discs can be retrofitted. Or, in how to make drums more effective. Etc.

A wet road is one of those transition points where optimum hitch rigging, tire pressures and knowledge of TT brake performance is a margin improver. Same for perfectly cleaned glass inside and out before setting out that day. Mirror heat, etc. (Why add-on mirrors suck). Replacement of incandescent with LED exterior lamps.

The real fun is illiterate drivers. Don't know what to do. Just one of whom does something stupid and the rest follow suit. Lack of insurance on vehicle (or inappropriately high deductible) is another: comes to a complete stop on a 75-mph highway to "avoid" hail damage. Have seen this more than once. Inside a blind curve where the edge of the rain was not 1/4-mile back. All lanes . . with Haz-Mat tankers under full steam approaching (that was an exciting day. Would like to have seen all stopped idiots in jail for 60-days). Gotta love that we call these things "accidental" when they are not.

Do the best by your rig and read deeply/extensively on the subject of bad weather and RV travel. Plenty of threads. Don't expect answers wthout better questions, most of which will be covered in threads -- on this site and others -- going back now ten years. Or in published literature going back to the 1960's.

.

[MrUKToad]

A couple of years back we were heading south on the I-75 and were just north of the Florida border, towing at around 60 mph. We hit a really heavy rain storm and, as is the sensible thing to do, slowed down a little and made sure our lights were on. In the space of less than a mile we encountered three apparently unrelated accidents; two cars in the median crushed up against the concrete barrier and one in the ditch on the right. I can only assume that there was some overreaction to the conditions and brakes were inappropriately applied because whilst not great driving conditions, the road was fairly quiet at the time. Had I attempted to slow sown too much, or even stop, I expect I'd have been in trouble, too.

[perryg114]

I hate driving on I-75 from Atlanta on down. We usually stay in Alabama till we get to I-10 in FL and spend as little time as possible on I-75. I-75 is not safe in the sunshine much less in the rain. Take the nearest exit if you hit rain on I-75 or any interstate near a big city. I-65 North of Birmingham is bad as well and where I all most bought the farm in the rain with very rough sections of patched pavement and a loosened sway bar. The trailer started swaying but the Excursion held firm till I got to the trailer brakes.

Perry

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

A couple of years back we were heading south on the I-75 and were just north of the Florida border, towing at around 60 mph. We hit a really heavy rain storm and, as is the sensible thing to do, slowed down a little and made sure our lights were on. In the space of less than a mile we encountered three apparently unrelated accidents; two cars in the median crushed up against the concrete barrier and one in the ditch on the right. I can only assume that there was some overreaction to the conditions and brakes were inappropriately applied because whilst not great driving conditions, the road was fairly quiet at the time. Had I attempted to slow sown too much, or even stop, I expect I'd have been in trouble, too.