Trailering

[utadventure]

Two quick questions for those who trailer often. I have an '86 VR and Piggybacker trailer.

 

1 - What air pressure to you run in the trailer tires?

 

2 - Getting some sway when I hit 75, below that is good. Any adjustments I can make?

 

Dave

[Carbon_One]

I run 20 lbs in my trailer tires, 12" rims. Trailer sway like you're getting I think has more to do with, either or both, tongue length or tongue weight on the hitch ball. Try putting more weight forward or lengthening the tongue. That should solve your high speed wiggle.

Oh one more thing to check is the axle , looking to be sure it is square with the frame.

Larry

[Dano]

Run your pressure at the tires displayed pressure, make sure your weight is distributed correctly to eliminate the sway. Most of the weight should be up in the front, if your front bar is too short, it will aggravate the situation. Use a 60/40 configuration for figuring that. 60% of the total length from the wheels to the hitch point is the best.

[Cougar]

I run 20 lbs in my trailer tires as well on my piggy

[dacheedah]

I run mine at recomended, I did add a longer tongue and cooler rack. Wagging is usually a sign that you are tail heavy, try readjusting the load forward. if you have a bathroom scale or fishing scale shoot for about 20# tongue weight.

[BradT]

Heavy weight behind the axle, even with decent tongue weight can also cause sway in the trailer.

Higher tire pressure will ride with less resistance but may bounce a little more depending on the tire load rating vs. load weight

 

Brad

[Brake Pad]

If you tires are rated H, then 78 is max speed for them anyway. slow your butt down, If you need to go that fast, then you need to leave early, or the day before. having that trailer is a convenience, To carry more of the wife's SH@# , Not to see how fast it can go. some of us here have towed for years. man you have to respect that trailer behind you......

Okay, I'm Just saying.........

Just cause I had to once. a fast controlled stop at 70 mph, took a quarter mile, on dry roads.

give yourself plenty of room to move around something, slow down way before you have to

(saves on clutch)

 

Okay, U'm done preach'in

[gator06]

WHAT HE SAID

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Just cause I had to once. a fast controlled stop at 70 mph, took a quarter mile, on dry roads.

 

 

1300 feet?

 

Dang... I can stop a loaded or empty semi in about half that distance, also on wet roads.

 

Me thinks it is time for new brake pads, Brake Pad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2012 by tx2sturgis

[BradT]

1300 feet?

 

Me thinks it is time for new brake pads, Brake Pad!

 

 

 

1320 ft !

 

Think it is time he started to use his brakes.

 

Brad

[dynodon]

don't use the tire pressure listed on the sidewall, that is usually the recommended MAX pressure for high speed/high load use. Most tires will have a much higher load capacity than you can put into a small motorcycle trailer. You want to check with the trailer MANUFACTURER on tire pressures for empty/loaded trailers, NOT the pressure on the sidewall of the tire. Also, unless otherwise stated, the pressures are COLD pressures. Check before taking off, and check after any big change in temperature outside.

 

For sway, again, check that you have at least 10% of total trailer/contents weight on the hitch ball. Example: trailer and contents weigh 300 pounds, then you need at least 30 pounds on the hitch. use a bathroom scale if necessary. Doesn't have to be exact, but should be close. Make sure your load doesn't shift a lot when moving. Also try to get the trailer level or slightly down in the front so loads don't shift back. If you have a cooler package, be sure to take into account anything you put in there. and as that empties, don't let tongue weight get light again!

 

Check the axle to make sure it is square with the frame and tight. Make sure the wheel lug nuts are tight.

 

The Piggybacker rides kind of high, try to load heavy stuff in the bottom of the trailer, light stuff up high.

 

Do you have anything on the top of the trailer? A rack with a bag? that can cause turbulence that can upset the aerodynamics and cause problems.

 

A good habit to get into is to check the tires and bearings on any trailer ANYTIME you stop. Make that the first thing you do before you head to the bathroom or whatever. Touch the tread and sidewalls of the tires, and touch the bearings sticking out of the wheel. Bearings should be cool or just lukewarm anytime, and tires should be warm to hot, but not hot enough to burn you. If anything is too hot, check it out or you could burst/melt a tire, or have a bearing lock up on you, and either could cause a wreck.

[Condor]

I personally don't think tire pressure has anything to do with trailer sway above 75mph. Aerodynamics do. Even with the bulk packed toward the front, tongue weight could be effected by lift at higher speeds. Each trailer effected differently due to design. Kinda like the space shuttle... a flying brick.... It also makes a good case for a heavier tongue weight while first loading, and also a full cooler mounted on the tongue. I also find the addition of a wing on the rear lid kinda funny as it will actually reduce the tongue weight at higher speeds by applying pressure downward. It might work on a 4 wheeled NASCAR but on two wheels???

[dynodon]

I think tire pressure could have some effect on sway, if for no other reason than to cause bounce if people put too much pressure, or drag with one tire too low? maybe.

 

Aerodynamics on a small trailer following a rather large bike is probably minimal, but as mentioned, a large bag on top could upset airflow enough to cause some wiggle.

 

My Bushtec has the goldwing style spoiler on it, and even at 70-80 mph I doubt it has enough surface area to cause any downforce. I like it there for the extra light it provides!

 

One other consideration that I don't think has been mentioned is the hitch. How solid is the hitch? I have seen some that you can move side to side with your foot a LOT. A tiny bit of sway during a turn or bump, could turn into something dangerous if the hitch is moving around.

[Condor]

I think tire pressure could have some effect on sway, if for no other reason than to cause bounce if people put too much pressure, or drag with one tire too low? maybe.

 

Aerodynamics on a small trailer following a rather large bike is probably minimal, but as mentioned, a large bag on top could upset airflow enough to cause some wiggle.

 

My Bushtec has the goldwing style spoiler on it, and even at 70-80 mph I doubt it has enough surface area to cause any downforce. I like it there for the extra light it provides!

 

One other consideration that I don't think has been mentioned is the hitch. How solid is the hitch? I have seen some that you can move side to side with your foot a LOT. A tiny bit of sway during a turn or bump, could turn into something dangerous if the hitch is moving around.

 

My hitch ball remains upright and coupler moves around a bit on the ball. It doesn't effect the ride one iota.....

The next time you're running down the road at 80+mph take your foot off the floorboard and let it drop down into the windstream. You'll find there's a lot more going on than you think. Why does the mpg drop so much when towing a trailer... It's called wind resistence. You can't have resistence unless you have wind. The trailer doesn't ride in a vacume. Plus running at 80mph towing a trailer and the bike drinks fuel like a horse eating oats.....

[Stache]

Just got back from a 5000km road trip with a new kit-built utility trailer with a cartop carrier on top.

 

Trailer weighed about 100, load about another 150. Riding 1-up (I'm about 260). Trailer body was almost perfectly level when connected, hitch weight was just under 30 lb.

 

At about 140km/hr (87mph) I picked up a slight oscillation and backed off the speed.

 

Most of the trip I was between 100 and 120 kmh (62-75 mph) and I found I was generally more comfortable in 4th than 5th as 5th felt underpowered trying to maintain the speed. Eastern Canada is pretty hilly. Gas mileage was worse than expected, but it was my first trip with a trailer so I have nothing to compare to.

[Marcarl]

As mentioned tire pressure is of choice. I run an 8" tire on my trailer with about 15lb pressure and the center is wearing out of the tread, indicates that I could run less pressure, but I do want to keep enough in there to hold the bead. It's important to have both tires at the same pressure, otherwise one will drag a little and so cause problems.

It's also important, as mentioned, to realize you are towing a trailer and to not to overdo it, keep your speed down, 60mph is plenty fast when it comes to making an unexpected maneuver, so much so that a slight tweak at the front can have drastic results 12' behind.

[utadventure]

Lowered the tire pressure to 20# and shifted some of the weight forward.

 

75-80 mph down I-15 to St. George without a single issue.

 

Thanks guys!!!!

[dynodon]

My hitch ball remains upright and coupler moves around a bit on the ball. It doesn't effect the ride one iota.....

 

My comment had nothing to do with the orientation of the ball, but the hitch itself, but I can see how you would take it another way. I have seen the entire hitch move around, side to side usually, but some aren't designed too strong up and down either. So the OP should make sure his hitch isn't giving some motion to the system.

 

The next time you're running down the road at 80+mph take your foot off the floorboard and let it drop down into the windstream. You'll find there's a lot more going on than you think. Why does the mpg drop so much when towing a trailer... It's called wind resistence. You can't have resistence unless you have wind. The trailer doesn't ride in a vacume. Plus running at 80mph towing a trailer and the bike drinks fuel like a horse eating oats.....

 

Yep, lots of wind out in the main windstream like when you stick your hand out to wave or stick a foot out. But the trailer is riding directly behind the bike. Not in a vacuum but certainly not in the full stream of air either.

 

Ever heard of NASCAR and drafting? Well, it does apply in this instance, the trailer is usually well within the size limits of a big bike. I know my Bushtec barely sticks out from the bags on my Wing. yes, there is still air hitting it, but nothing like sticking your foot or hand out into the main windstream!

 

As to why the MPG drops, well, it has to do with several things. First is just plain total weight. Takes more throttle to get it moving and even keep it moving. Second is friction from the tires/axles. Third or maybe tied with friction would be wind resistance. But for sure wind resistance isn't all of the MPG penalty, or even most of it.

 

My bike drops a lot of MPG running 80 vs 70 without a trailer, that is a basic rule of speed VS MPG on these big bikes and almost any vehicle. I am sure if I was to drive for a tank at 80 with the trailer, I would notice even worse mpg.

[Condor]

Yep, lots of wind out in the main windstream like when you stick your hand out to wave or stick a foot out. But the trailer is riding directly behind the bike. Not in a vacuum but certainly not in the full stream of air either.

 

Ever heard of NASCAR and drafting? .

 

Geeze no... what's that????

[dynodon]

Geeze no... what's that????

 

You were only slightly more sarcastic than I was at your sarcastic comment about a foot in the wind. Want to agree that you started the "obvious" and leave it at that?

[Condor]

You were only slightly more sarcastic than I was at your sarcastic comment about a foot in the wind. Want to agree that you started the "obvious" and leave it at that?

 

Sarcastic?? Moi??? I guess sarcasism is in the eye of the beholder???? Yeah, I guess it's all my fault, but you know what they say about those hot kitchens....

[dynodon]

Yea, good steaks get created in hot kitchens! But nice veiled threat there!

[Condor]

Yea, good steaks get created in hot kitchens! But nice veiled threat there!

 

Geeze it was sarcastic... now it's a veiled threat.... Must be that NASCAR water...

[dynodon]

see the problem is solved. Just watch those tires if you load the trailer heavy, don't let them overheat.

[dynodon]

Geeze it was sarcastic... now it's a veiled threat.... Must be that NASCAR water...

 

Or maybe you been dipping your toe in the wind stream a bit much?