Quiksilver and 55 Ford

[Rapa Nui]

What a helpful bunch all of you are. It's good to see honest and straightforward answers to questions.

We own a Quiksilver and recently restored a 1955 Ford just for hauling it on trips. During the first test drive it tracked perfectly, but porpoised just a bit on road undulations. Do I have too much (or too little) weight on the hitch?

FYI, the car has air shocks, a 460 Lincoln engine with C6 transmission, Gear Vendor Over/Underdrive and a numerically low rear end ratio (about 1900 rpms at 65 mph).

I also have weight distribution hitch and have the chains set on the fourth link.

Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Art

[overlander64]

Greetings Art!

I suspect that there may be two or three things conspiring together to produce your freeway hop/bobb.

• Weight Rating of Weight Distribution Bars. I suspect that you need no more than 600 pound bars and possibly a bit lighter than that.
• Air Pressure Maintained in Shocks/Springs. While it doesn't seem intuitive, carry only the minimum air pressure recommended by the manufacturer -- on my Eldorado that is 15 p.s.i. This adjustment is to allow the weight distribution hitch to do its work.
• Potable Water Tank. If the water tank is front mounted, traveling with it full or near full can be helpful -- it makes a noticable difference with my Minuet.

Sometimes, some porpoising may be inevitable as a result of the spacing of road expansion joints -- there is one stretch of US 151 that will produce some freeway hop despite having the hitch/towing combination adjusted for optimum handling.

Good luck with your Bambi/Vintage Ford combination!

Kevin

[Rapa Nui]

Excellent advice. Thanks Kenvin. I'll play with the air shocks first and wend my way through your other suggestions.

Art

[jerrypeterma]

we do need some pictures of the 55 and the Quicksilver.
Take care
Jerry

[Rapa Nui]

Jerry. Thanks for asking.

Here's the rig after its first test run. Other photos, if interested, can be seen at www.photobucket.com The album is under cnwmr.


http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...verSurfer3.jpg

[willyd]

Great looking - don't know which one I like best - Thanks for sharing. - Do you have any interior pictures?

[purman]

I was just thinking that is SWEEEEEEEEEEET............

[Rapa Nui]

Just finished the interior and will have photos soon. Thanks for the kind words.

Art

[jerrypeterma]

Rapa, thats a great looking rig. I drove a 56 chev 2 door wagon from Santa Cruz Cal to Graham NC back in the day (72) you are in for a great adventure
Take care
Jerry

[Rapa Nui]

Adventures are the plan. I remember 72. I was hired by a California publisher and moved from Detroit. Had a 1935 Reliable travel trailer, purchased from a neighbor for $100, which we painted black with a yellow top and giant yellow sun on the sides towed behind a new yellow Malibu. Too young and stupid to realize I was putting my family in jeopardy, but we made it and the Reliable lived up to its name.

Second point: Thanks to Kevin for the advice on the air shocks. After playing with the air pressure, got rid of the last remnants of porposing.

Art