In a message dated 7/11/03 8:33:09 PM Central Daylight Time, steve@OldSub.com
writes:
> Tomorrow's plan includes using the '72 to tow a buddy's '54 Chevy from a
> shop to his house on a dolly. The dolly reduces the total load by a 1000
> pounds, which means slowing down is easier.
>
Steve, I have to question you on this one. Using a dolly will not make it
easier to slow down. Mass is mass, whether it's on 4 wheels or 8, once it's
moving it still takes the same effort to slow it down. Using a dolly, verus a
trailer, can in some ways, make it more difficult to control, because you added
another "hinge point." As a semi driver, I can tell you first hand that pulling
any load, with any power unit, is dangerous if you don't have brakes on the
trailer (or dolly in this case). I can, and have jackknifed an empty trailer,
(with trailer brakes not working right) because the stopping power of the power
unit was quicker than the mass in motion of the pulled unit. The more weight
you pull, the worse it is.
And remember, a pickup pulling a trailer is just like a semi truck, NOONE
wants to follow it. John Q. Public WILL pull out in front of you, so they don't
have to follow you down the road. They will do it even if it kills them
trying, because they don't know or care if you are doing 50 or 70 MPH, they
what in
front of you.
Patrick A. Hollister '58 step
West Burlington, IA.
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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