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RE: Towing Vehicles



Hi Kathy,
Brakes:  the Trailer brakes must be in working order and they certainly
enter into the equation.  However, with a 1/2 ton the brakes are smaller on
the truck and you may have still have problems like coming down highway 9.  
Stabilizer bars:  Sure you don't really need them but they are an extra
margin of safety.  The stress is cumulative, over time you will cause
fatigue in metal parts.  I have seen with my own eyes what happens when that
platform lets go.   Major damage to the truck.  And this was on a much
smaller trailer than yours(not a horse trailer).  It bent the truck frame,
on a 1/2 ton truck.  This happened after towing the trailer for a
while(about a year). He was going down hill In San Francisco and hit a bump
in the road, he said that it was like the movie "Bullet", the hills go down
and then suddenly flatten out, know what I mean?  That jolt was all that it
took to break something.    
Now if the guy had horses in there, they would have been fine.  But he was
stuck, and with horses that is even worse.  
Oh and yes we are talking about those bars that go from the trailer tongue
to the the truck.  Next time we are at a ride check out my rig.  I have them
on there.  Make a huge difference in towing.   So I guess I am saying that
with a small investment in the stab. bars, that guy could have saved big $$$
on the damage done to his truck.  Just be careful without them.  
I just like the overkill aspect of things I guess.  
But big trucks are a pain sometimes.  One reason I did not get a dually,
hard to drive around in the city.  But it sure would be nice.  
Tony C

-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy Mayeda [mailto:Kathy_Mayeda@atce.com]
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 9:39 AM
To: Antonio_Corbelletta@affymetrix.com
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Towing Vehicles



Re:  Brakes - most trailers have electric brakes, huh?  Does this enter into
this equation?  But yes, coming down off of Highway 9 I felt like the brakes
were training.

Stabilizer bars - I think this depends on the truck-trailer combo.  If the
truck has a long enough wheel base stabilizer bars may not be necessary for
a smaller trailer.  My trailer also has rubber torsion axles, which makes
hauling it real smooth.   You've seen my trailer, it's a 2 horse but it's
definitely bigger than a Miley.  The only people I know that have stabilizer
bars drive a Jeep Cherokee hauling a Miley.  Everyone else is hauling a two
horse trailer fine without stabilizer bars with their full size pickups.  We
are talking about those extra gizmos that go from the trailer tongue to the
attach to the truck besides the hitch ball and safety chains, huh?  Or are
we talking about something different?  I know I DON'T have stabilizer bars
and have been hauling for 3 years over sometimes very windy steep roads
without having a problem.

I totally agree about the ½ ton to ¾ ton thing.  I often wish I got a
"bigger" truck  (like the diesel dually), but since it's also my primary
commute vehicle I opted for a mere ½ ton.  Next time around, I'll get a
bigger truck and then get an economy car to run around with.... Someone want
to adopt me?

K. 



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