Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-22-2015, 05:14 AM   #21
4 Rivet Member
 
2000 30' Excella
2014 30' Classic
Princeton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 302
Again for the last 2.5 years I have towed a 30' Classic "one the ball" with a 1/2 ton Silverado with out a tow package and love it compared to messing with a hitch. It is true that I do not drive fast (55 to 65).
larryglarson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 09:22 AM   #22
Rivet Master
 
J. Morgan's Avatar
 
1972 31' Sovereign
1975 31' Excella 500
Currently Looking...
Benton , Arkansas
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,868
Images: 11
Tow without a hitch? a 30 footer?

My trailer towed fine with my half ton up to about 62MPH on the ball, at this point sway started to be an issue depending on other factors like road surface, passing vehicles, downhill grades, etc.

The trailer was to the greatest extent very stable up to to 55, and quite stable to 60.

The tongue weight was not an issue for my somewhat heavily sprung 1/2 ton 4X4. At no point did the lack of WD cause any safety issues.

My concern was sway, because "I can't drive 55", or even 60 for that matter.

In the final leg of my last "on the ball" trip I was going a little faster than I should have been with a big truck to my left, and a big truck on my right, going slightly down grade in a gentle curve.... It got to going pretty good.. (on the I-20 "bypass" south of Dallas)

Found a used "premium" hitch on Ebay the next week. Since then, I don't worry about sway.

A man has got to know his limitations, one of mine is driving 55, cant do it.

If I could have driven this slow, on the ball would have worked fine for me

Brevi tempore!
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......

J. Morgan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 09:29 AM   #23
Rivet Master
 
Currently Looking...
Mantua , Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
Blog Entries: 2
You could have tried two sway bars, that may have helped. But what you did is a guarantee of safety,.
xrvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 09:44 AM   #24
Overland Adventurer
 
AtomicNo13's Avatar
 
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride , Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
Quote:
Originally Posted by guskmg View Post
If you hit a high gust of wind while dealing with a large vehicle bow wave without a trapezoid design hitch, you are going to get diverted. A friction sway control will help up to certain point, then all hell will break loose as/or if the sway oscillations become dynamically unstable. This combination has probably caused more towing wrecks than any other cause. It only take an instant for all this to happen.
guskmg
What do you consider dynamically unstable?
AtomicNo13 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 09:54 AM   #25
Rivet Master
 
J. Morgan's Avatar
 
1972 31' Sovereign
1975 31' Excella 500
Currently Looking...
Benton , Arkansas
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,868
Images: 11
Tow without a hitch? a 30 footer?

I think ball mounted trailer oscillations have a lot to do with speed, meaning not necessarily high speed per se, but I think that there is a "sweet spot" in vehicle speed where the "sway harmonics" are favorable for oscillation. (Kind of like when an out of balance tire is most obvious at a certain speed range.)

The faster a person goes, the more likely this "sweet spot" is going to be encountered.

Those who never tow over 60 may never find it.


Brevi tempore!
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......

J. Morgan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 10:14 AM   #26
Rivet Master
 
Currently Looking...
Mantua , Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
Blog Entries: 2
I'm 66 and my sweetspot is going away rapidly. Oh, wait!
xrvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 10:31 AM   #27
Rivet Master
 
Silverflames's Avatar
 
1969 29' Ambassador
brooksville , Florida
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,270
Here is a complete set up, it's a good starter set, and better than just a hitch on a ball. And it's under $200.

http://www.adventurerv.net/eazlift-w...ep2uo01j97f7r5
__________________
Not all those who wonder are lost.
Silverflames is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2015, 10:40 AM   #28
Rivet Master
 
Currently Looking...
Mantua , Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
Blog Entries: 2
I use an eazlift hitch head in order to use two sway control devices. I can by mounting the ball lower use the WD part, which I would do if I didn't have a one ton tv.
xrvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2015, 12:35 AM   #29
:SPACE A" S/O 11 Air19745
 
guskmg's Avatar
 
2006 34' Classic S/O
Fort Worth , Texas
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,766
Re:Post 24. In dealing with stability there is positive, neutral, and negative stability. That is, if the object has positive stability it will always return to a neutral condition when upset. An object in neutral stability it remains neutral, that is it won't upset. If the object is negatively stable, which is what we are discussing, the object becomes more unstable and no mater what, it will continue to get more and more unstable (divergent) until a catastrophic event occurs. That is what happens when the trailer wags the tow vehicle with more and more sway. Two solutions to break this increasingly vicious cycle. One, apply the trailer brakes carefully, but not hard enough to lock up the wheels because it is that traction you need to make everything straighten up. That is, you don't want skidding or hydroplaning of the trailer. The other solution is the trapezoid hitch design. Name two un-named brands. There use to be a third called PulRite, but they are no longer made. There is the possibility you could slow down, but going down a grade would rule that out because of the above reasons. Unfortunately, if you have a friction dampening device it can aggravate a worsening condition on slick surfaces. That is why most say to lessen the friction in wet conditions, when you need it the most. Go slow and on dry pavement. If you must travel in other conditions, drive smoothly, steer straight as possible with as little input as necessary. Brake very cautiously and plan every move well in advance.
Happy towing.
guskmg
guskmg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Safe without the WD hitch for a interstate tow? BoldAdventure Hitches, Couplers & Balls 27 08-17-2014 09:45 AM
Towing with a Pilot without an equalizer hitch Globie64 Tow Vehicles 78 09-09-2013 10:54 AM
25-footer vs 30/31 footer fultime on the road kingfisher24 On The Road... 29 09-14-2010 11:06 AM
GREAT TRIP without a hitch! swanky Classic Motorhomes 11 08-04-2009 10:59 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.