Maiden Voyage - First time on CAT Scales

[DanielB]

Other than a few 5 mile jaunts from Sewee Outpost to Halfway Creek Trail Camp, this is the first time I have taken Dexter and The Heap out on the road.

After a few hours on the road from Charleston, SC I am at a truck stop off I-95 at Florence, SC.

My tow vehicle is a 1990 Chevrolet G30 Extended Van (350 engine).
Things that I need to figure out:

1) Warm tires on the trailer. Stopped a few times and checked how warm the tires were on the trailer. Not all are the same temp. One in particular is warmer than the others.

2) CAT scale results:
- Initial weigh in Van and Trailer together:
-- Steer Axle: 3060
-- Drive Axle: 4940
-- Trailer Axle: 5360
---Gross Weight..13,360

- Re-Weigh just Van
-- Steer Axle: 3260
-- Drive Axle: 4220
-- Trailer Axle: 0
---Gross Weight..7480


Trailer (74 Excella 500 31')
GVWR 7100 lbs

According to the Van manual I should be using a 4.10 rear end with this much weight, but I'm sure that I don't have that. I think I have a 3.73.

(I also have a ton or so of John Deere 140 Garden Tractor, Model 33 tiller, and rear scrape blade in the back of the Van as well. I'll be losing that weight when I get to my (undisclosed) location.)

Interesting and fun!

[DanielB]

correction.. not a ton of weight in the back of the van.. more like 1/2 ton.

[SteveSueMac]

Hi - congrats on hopping on the scales. Sounds like you need to make some significant adjustments for safety...How fresh are the tires and are they filled properly? Was the weight with trailer with or without weight distribution applied? Are you using a weight distributing hitch with sway control? Drive much slower...That can contribute to heat also. And I think you're right, you don't have the right ratio for that much weight according to GM data:

http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs...olet-G-Van.pdf

I think all the info you're getting via GM, the scales and tire temps is telling you you're not towing safely yet.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by DanielB

1) Warm tires on the trailer. Stopped a few times and checked how warm the tires were on the trailer. Not all are the same temp. One in particular is warmer than the others.

Ideally, the tires shouldn't feel much warmer to the touch than the pavement they're sitting on, this time of year.

I can think of three reasons why one tire might be hotter than the others:
1 - Low on air (measured when tire is cold) causes increased flexing of the sidewalls, which leads to heat. A tire pressure gauge should tell the tale here. Tire will also be hotter than the wheel.
2 - Bearing in hub is worn or low on grease, which leads to friction as the tire rolls. An IR meter will help diagnose this; if it's the bearing the axle hub will be the hottest part of the wheel.
3 - Improperly adjusted brake is dragging, which again leads to friction as the tire rolls. As above, but the brake drum will be hotter than the hub.