Cold Weather Towing

campigloo wrote:

smkettner wrote:
Sway should not be an issue going 10 to 25 mph with chains on.

The question is not sway but what effect a brake at the swivel point would have on handling. With it tight it seems like the trailer would be considerably less responsive to steering adjustments, especially on a slick surface.

Do you have issues on a rain slicked surface? probably not. If not, you will not have issues on snow or ice generally speaking. A friend used to lighten up the friction sway control on his 32' trailer behind an F250 Crew cab towing to the mtns. Somewhere he tried it without relasing/loosening up.....Keeps the same now year around. I used to use just a WD, no issues, lost a bar on the way to E Washington to ski in Wenatchee, went to a dual cam. No real issues with either fully locked up.

now where I have had issues on slick surfaces, is when with my GM 8 lug trucks, is when the FA loses or has more than around 250-300 lbs off the fa from empty wt. IE if empty there is 4500 lbs, if I get down to 4200 with that on the RA along with a load, then I lose steering control until I use a WD on a trailer, or shift a load forward in the bed such that more wt is on the FA.

The worst slick surface is a heavy white painted stripe from a crosswalk, or equal. These when wet one can slip the front wheels on really easy, lose control, slide when you do not want to forward.....Ice and snow are not always the worst situation from a slickness standpoint. Even metal grating on a bridge can be bad or worst than snow and ice in the winter.

I've pulled trailers upwards of 12K with ball and pintle hitches in snow, rain, dry etc. for over 30 yrs. TT and equipment trailers with bobcats, mowers etc in and on the trailers.

Go slow, take your time, think ahead of time what to do if something goes haywire.....then do the best you can.

Marty