[A/S] Underpowered tow-ers and leaky trailers

["Thomas Dickieson" <drighten@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have an airstream, an argosy and an SOB.  The SOB is permaparked 
in a campground, and to eliminate leaking through the roof, I built 
a carport over it.  Solved that problem.  I never had any leaks in 
the Argosy, and I have one small one in the Airstream which only 
shows up while driving in heavy rain and probably comes from behind 
the fridge and which I will now fix this spring.  But at least I 
don't have to build roofes over them, <chuckle>

Now the towing with small vehicles question.  I am no expert, and I 
don't have any scientific data, but I have towed a small tent 
trailer with a motorcycle, a larger tent trailer with a Mustang, and 
many other trailers of all sorts and sizes with almost as many 
assorted tow truck type vehicles.  I towed a 30' SOB (the one with 
the carport over it now) with a 1985 short box Dodge 4X4, and it 
pulled it well. (read here "pulled it well")  It did not tow it 
without being tossed around by the trailer.  I Towed the Argosy with 
a 2000 F150 Supercab short box 4X4 with a V-6 engine, and it didn't 
even pull it well.  It did though have enough weight to not be 
wagged by the 24' trailer.  I traded up to a 2002 F150/7700 model 
Ford Supercab with 5.4L engine in 4X4 and the Argosy towed, and 
handled better.  I got the 31' Airstream and the newer truck did a 
good job towing that too, BUT I could feel the difference a bigger 
trailer made.  Then I got the 2004 F250 Superduty Supercab 4X4 Short 
box diesel and again felt a larger margin of safety.  Someone said 
that this list is filled with Bigger is Better theory, and I have to 
verify that it is real good theory.  Aside from all the above towing 
experiences, I have towed horses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, dynamite 
loaded trailers etc, all over Ontario and Quebec and through 
probably twenty states in the US of A.  I have towed as safely and 
legally as possible with the exception of the tent trailer and 
motorcycle, which I did not feel was safe or sane while doing it, 
and so did not do it anymore, although I did give it a good testing 
by towing it 400 miles each way on a trip.  That 800 miles taught me 
the value of trailer brakes, which I had none then.  None of the 
above is scientific, but it is all sound experience.  I have also 
seen totally destroyed trailers and their tow vehicles here in 
Ontario.  Some of the vehicles towing were (in my opinion) 
inadequate to the task, and some were adequate, but the drivers 
perhaps were not, and sometimes the hitches were not.  The problem 
in Ontario is that if one is towing a recreational vehicle, they are 
exempt from stopping at weigh scales or inspection stations, so the 
only check on what is going on is the Provincial police checks on 
large major highways on the summer long weekends. (the mounties have 
no highway patrol jurisdiction in Ontario, just drugs and gang 
warfare)  If the Ontario Provincial Police see a volkswagon towing a 
fifth wheel, they can and probably will stop it to ensure that 
safety is being followed, and if not, they will also ensure that it 
ceases immediately.  They check for proper hitching, underpower and 
safety chains being securely fastened.  Such things as Dodge 300's 
towing larger trailers would be less noticeable as the cars appear 
large, so they might not even get pulled over.  The police here are 
also not expert in judging this anymore than most of us are.  The 
practice of even checking is a new and novel experience for them.  
I, however, am now a firm supporter of the Bigger is Better towing 
theory, and (tongue in cheek) I did notice that Sarge lists his tow 
vehicle as a 2500 truck.  Yes there is such a thing as overkill, but 
not by much.  As mentioned above, my F150/7700 was adequate (being 
as how in 1998/1999, this was called an F250) but I still think the 
F250/F350 Superduties, Duramax 2500s and Dodge 2500 diesels are all 
better equipped for the task of overkilling.  Let's hear it for 
overkill.

Tom
Hoping for a Safer Ontario (=8