Why You Should Never Backload A Trailer


usmcfred

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Oct 26, 2006
546
Massachusetts
A pretty good illustration ...

usmcfred


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klwaZrDkrpg
 
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07XL0027

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
May 20, 2012
1,575
Austin TX
Most of that will just buff right out.


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fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
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Jan 4, 2006
11,680
Belleville, IL
Just FYI, the people talking are saying "You whore," a common curse word in Polish (since they have so few).
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,922
NorCal
Just FYI, the people talking are saying "You whore," a common curse word in Polish (since they have so few).

That's good to know!

Ed
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,154
MA
Tongue weight is your friend.
 
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07XL0027

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
May 20, 2012
1,575
Austin TX
One time, I was pulling a closed trailer from Houston to Austin that was back-end weighted. I didn't load the thing but I was stuck pulling it. Anyway, I was losing control like this guy in the video did, so I floored the gas pedal. By accelerating I was able to pull the trailer straight and out of its death shake. Scared the $&@" out of me but it saved the day.


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NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,217
Michigan
Still wouldn't have been so severe if he had been towing with a vehicle that weighed more instead of towing something that's 150% heavier than the tow vehicle. Love the guys that tow a 24' enclosed trailer with a car in it with a Ranger pick up. forget the GVW, what about the stopping power and the brake size?? math is math. doesn't take an engineer.
 

07XL0027

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
May 20, 2012
1,575
Austin TX
Still wouldn't have been so severe if he had been towing with a vehicle that weighed more instead of towing something that's 150% heavier than the tow vehicle. Love the guys that tow a 24' enclosed trailer with a car in it with a Ranger pick up. forget the GVW, what about the stopping power and the brake size?? math is math. doesn't take an engineer.

I agree. The trailer I was pulling had been loaded by a manufacturer of parts and supplies. I dropped my trailer off and went and had lunch. Came back, hooked up and left. After my near death experience, I had to pull over in a parking lot and rebalance the load by myself. It was not a fun day.


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Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
I've found it's a good idea to back a mid-engine or rear-engine car onto a trailer to aid in the tongue-loading dept...especially when the trailer being used has a short bed (too short to get enough of the car's weight fwd of the axles).

I quickly learned the above 'truth' the 1st time I towed my DeLorean nose first on a short bed trailer (behind my F-350 dump truck). That works fine for short distances at LOW speeds on surface streets...but, not on the freeway! The tail will start wagging the dog at around 40 mph(?) as I recall...and one will find himself in big trouble real fast going above that. :facepalm:


Capt. Obvious
 

NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,217
Michigan
I've found it's a good idea to back a mid-engine or rear-engine car onto a trailer to aid in the tongue-loading dept...especially when the trailer being used has a short bed (too short to get enough of the car's weight fwd of the axles).

I quickly learned the above 'truth' the 1st time I towed my DeLorean nose first on a short bed trailer (behind my F-350 dump truck). That works fine for short distances at LOW speeds on surface streets...but, not on the freeway! The tail will start wagging the dog at around 40 mph(?) as I recall...and one will find himself in big trouble real fast going above that. :facepalm:


Capt. Obvious

+1 YEP! I always put the GTs in the trailers backwards. (unless I have a load of engine parts already in the front of the trailer)
It can sometimes take only seconds to realize the trailer is loaded wrong.
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,922
NorCal
… doesn't take an engineer.

Ah, it does take common sense though! And that is a rarity!

Ed
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I would take EP's advice on trailering as gospel. He is the foremost expert on trailering cars. :lol
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Many vehicles are rated to tow well in excess of the tow vehicle weight.

A SuperDuty can pull 21,000 lbs off a hitch.

My 5,500 lb trailer has never pushed my 5,000 lb car. Electric trailer brakes are good.

With any trailer, regardless of weight, you must have weight on the tongue.

With a quality trailer, 250-300 lbs is plenty. Even with a cheesy trailer, I can put 600 lbs on the tongue if needed to pull properly.

If you load your trailer so that it tips backward when you unhook it, then **** you.
 
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NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,217
Michigan
"If you load your trailer so that it tips backward when you unhook it, then **** you. "
Gary a real thrill is backing a car out of an enclosed trailer that's not hooked to anything. (but you think it is) the outside horizon line gets really strange really fast!
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,862
Largo, Florida
If you load your trailer so that it tips backward when you unhook it, then **** you.

I like that. Ford should include that in the owner's manual trailer towing instructions.
 

MAD IN NC

Proud Owner/ BOD blah bla
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 14, 2006
4,219
North Carolina
[video]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm145/madinnc/5xyET7q_zpseuhcfbtq.gif[/video]
 

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NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,217
Michigan
[video]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm145/madinnc/5xyET7q_zpseuhcfbtq.gif[/video]

Now I like that! perfectly self explanatory.
 

DanielJ

GT Owner
Dec 21, 2010
298
Washington State
Anti-sway bars are the ticket along with proper loading.

Off loading a new to me (project) '55 pre A 356 Speedster:
 

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Specracer

GT Owner
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Nov 28, 2005
7,154
MA
^^^, very nice!
 

timcantwell

Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
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Jan 22, 2006
2,637
N.E. OH & Naples, FL
Just FYI, the people talking are saying "You whore," a common curse word in Polish (since they have so few).

You whore? No me whore?