Towing Speeds
Why do you think States, like California, have a maximum speed of 55-mph when towing? Someone told me that the tires on most trailers, including semi-trucks, are not made for speeds over 55-mph; is th...
Forum Discussion
proxim2020 wrote:DutchmenSport wrote:DanNJanice wrote:
... The faster you drive the more time to stop, the heavier you are the more time to stop.
True... and remember, time equals distance you know. It takes more distance to stop a 15,000 pound 5er, than it does to stop a 3,000 pound car. You may be able to stop the car at 60 mph in 200 feet; the 5er at 60 mph may take 1000 feet!
1000ft stopping distance would be valid if the trailer didn't have working brakes. The brakes equipped are designed to stop the GVWR of the TV and trailer respectively. Since the trailer will stop itself, there shouldn't be very much of a difference between stopping a fully loaded TV and one that's towing a heavy trailer. If the trailer is equipped with brakes then it should not push the TV. If it does then something is wrong.
Also, weight is only one factor that goes into braking distance. There's also the design of the braking system, tires, size of components, etc. It's perfectly possibly that a heavy combo can out brake a lightly loaded light vehicle. In this video, this truck stops faster than quite a few vehicles that I've owned that are far lighter. The kid may have not been so lucky if the vehicle was a car.
Video
I would not expect four drum brakes to stop a 15K 5er as quickly as four disc brakes will stop a 6K truck. Physics is not on the side of the 5er. So the truck is going to do some extra work.
