Although many people illegelly run there diesel cars on chip fat bought from the local supermarket,I don't advocate this on modern diesel cars as it does the fuel system no good at all.
Gareth
The turbulence behind the motorhme would cause the trailer to oscillate back and forth and eventually break the tongue.
The scary thing about it is that the tongue breaks behind where the chains hold the trailer to the vehicle. So when the tongue breaks, the trailer is on its own.
That's why I am thinking that maybe those
Airtabs
would work on the back of a motorhome to decrease the turbulence for the trailer.
Turbulence may be only part of the problem. You should also look at weight distribution on the trailers. Try moving the center of gravity forward or backwards to see if the oscillations change in frequency or stop. You may also want to look at moving the axle on the trailer.
If you do decide to modify the air flow you may want to consider a solid mud flap type panel or even one of those broom things that extend across the back of the RV below the rear bumper. That should reduce or eliminate air coming up off the rear of the RV and lifting the trailer.
Sorry. I did not want to hijack this thread, because it is not about trailering; it is about what vehicle you tow with. I was just interjecting the motorhome into it as a tow vehicle and some of the safety problems related to towing with a motorhome.
Strange, I thought it was about global oohh wait, never mind.
Okay, but nobody has yet talked about motorhomes, and I know lots of sailors use them for towing their boats to regattas.
When looking for a tow vehicle, as mentioned by other, small cars are fine for beach cats. Major things to consider are the maximum GVW for the car and manual vs. auto tranny.
The GVW will indicate the ability of the car to stop the weight of itself and the trailer. A 5 passenger car full of people and baggage has to stop about the same weight as a 5 passenger car with only the driver and a medium sized beach cat.
Transmissions. I like manuals on cars for towing as I do not worry about overheating them as much as I would with an auto. With the auto you are constantly demanding more power for the extra weight which heats up the oil faster. And, you are probably going to be shifting gears quite often which wears out the tranny much faster. You also have more positive control with the manual.
Just my 2 cents.
I don't trust automatic transmissions. <img src=
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Mary - the trailer occilations behind the motor home are caused by vortex shedding in the slipstream behind the motorhome.
A cool movie of the flow behind a square body (=motorhome) can be found here.
Aluminum trailers are particularly susceptible because, in addition to being light, they are flexible. When the tongue flexes too much, too many times, it breaks from fatigue.
The cure is to make the tongue stiffer. Trailex has done this over the years, but I attach my sailbox to the toungue, making it a structual part of the trailer to help stiffen it up.
A cool movie of the flow behind a square body (=motorhome) can be found here.
Aluminum trailers are particularly susceptible because, in addition to being light, they are flexible. When the tongue flexes too much, too many times, it breaks from fatigue.
The cure is to make the tongue stiffer. Trailex has done this over the years, but I attach my sailbox to the tougue, making it a structual part of the trailer to help stiffen it up.
I guess you are saying what I was saying, except you said it in a lot fewer words. Thanks.
I'm saving up my money for one of these bad boyz.....
When we lived on the Mainland my wife drove Volvo V70 T5. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a hot rod that cruised at 100 MPH+, handled great and, with the optional third seat, carried seven people. I used it occasionally to tow the boat to one-day events.
I was working on the truck one day and needed some parts so I took her car. The dog wanted to go so I put him in the back seat. At the first stop sign I put my foot into it like I did towing the boat and the result was…
I was working on the truck one day and needed some parts so I took her car. The dog wanted to go so I put him in the back seat. At the first stop sign I put my foot into it like I did towing the boat and the result was…
LOL
I'd like an Audi RS4 Avant for towing <img src=
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In the mid 90's I participated in a multi-class European championship in Copenhagen with my then new H17 cat. The racing was superb with over 200 boats (H16 class divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleet). I learnt a lot from the H17 experts and veterans like the 60+ gentleman from Germany, who towed his H17 behind his Porsche 911. The trailer was super-low with wide tyres and faired-in boxes for supply of German wurst and Mosel wine. He told me he had got fed up with slow tow-cars and now wanted to travel in the fast lane on the autobahn. He could easily cruise at about 100 mph with more passing power to go. Trailer with boat stable at all speeds, he said....
Myself? - I pull my little Wave behind my 55 hp Nissan Micra 1.0 on a flatbed U-haul trailer if needed. Regrettably the authorities back home do not allow me to tow anything with my Porsche Boxster.
Wavebengtos
gas hog
guys!
http:/
cheap
!
Interesting article. While debunking peak oil they claim that oil production will peak in 20-25 years! Seems like the only difference between the authors and the strawman theory that they are debunking is the date of the peak. Another look at the CERA study: Congressional peak oil caucus responds to CERA study
Smaller vehicles do just fine towing beach cats. I have had no trouble with crosswinds or braking with my old Subaru wagon. The four wheel drive helps a bunch in marginal conditions, and I tend to run wider tires than stock which also helps. You lose more in highway mileage than a big vehicle because the boat sticks out into the airstream more. With a big truck, the boat is mostly in the wind shadow of the truck.
Congressional peak oil caucus responds to CERA study, the following is from this article:
Congressman Udall said,
CERA's report is one of the most optimistic predictions for the peak in global oil production to date, and it still underscores the need to address this problem immediately. Whether it is Peak Oil, global warming, or the fact that some of the money we send overseas to support our oil addiction comes back to us in the form of terrorism, the U.S. cannot wait any longer to develop sensible and sustainable alternatives to oil.
Congressman Bartlett added,
The February 2005 'Hirsch' report by the U.S. Department of Energy and a September 2005 report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers both note that it would take a minimum of 20 years to avoid devastating consequences from peak oil. The CERA report supports the urgency and necessity for the U.S. government to adopt a crash mitigation program. A crash program will need the total participation of the American public like we had with WWII Victory Gardens, the technological focus of the Apollo Moon program and the urgency of the Manhattan project.
I look forward to two forthcoming reports about peak oil to move this policy debate forward,
said Congressman Bartlett.
A report that I requested from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is expected in early 2007.
It's later than you think! <img src=
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...and you can tow an A-cat with that!! <img src=
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Clayton
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Me too, but you can't put a towing hitch on any of the RS models <img src=
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Paul
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Me too, but you can't put a towing hitch on any of the RS models <img src=
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Paul
Feck, that's silly !
Just have to use a Veyron instead then <img src=
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Suppose it would have to be a V70T5R then, but still not really fast enough....
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Ah, now you're talking sensible tow vehicles <img src=
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BMW may have an answer: http:/
That might be quick enough.
Paul
Ok! <img src=
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Ah, now you're talking sensible tow vehicles <img src=
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BMW may have an answer: http:/
That might be quick enough.
Paul
Umm, might be nice. But I don't really do BMW.
Now the Lagacy 3.0R type B would be cheaper.
Oh, it really doesn't take that long to forget how to use the indicators <img src=
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Paul
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Now you're talking my language <img src=
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Oh, it really doesn't take that long to forget how to use the indicators <img src=
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Paul
![[Linked Image]](http://www.letshaveachat.com/forums/images/smilies/yelrotflmao.gif)
25 pages and growing! longest thread in catsailor history?
Did you all know that once the Veyron reaches its top speed of 256mph it will run out of fuel in 12minutes! <img src=
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![[Linked Image]](http://www.pbase.com/d30/image/39815423.jpg)
I'd personally issue a prize if you have a follow-up pic showing the Tornado pulling the Mini on floating trailer while under sail!
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That would be the best 50 miles ever!! <img src=
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That would be the best 50 miles ever!! <img src=
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And its only around 48
tall. CRAZY! Quad turbo 16 cylinder <img src=
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Yeah its a bad butt car! <img src=
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I'll show my age, my ultimate choice of towing sports car...with 430bhp
![[Linked Image]](http://www.calcruisingauctions.com/images/67corvetteyellowrdstr-2.jpg)
tall. CRAZY! Quad turbo 16 cylinder <img src=
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/> 1000+ HP <img src=
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/> All wheel drive! Air to water intercooled <img src=
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Yeah its a bad butt car! <img src=
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And all for only $1.2 million. At top speed here on Maui I'd run out of island before I ran out of gas. <img src=
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But you'd never run out of badass points.