Thread: Trailer Towing Question

It all hinges on 2 things. The rolling resistance at the wheels, and the total strength of the components.

String will not work as an example as it has strength in line, but no lateral strength, nor is the joint strong enough to keep the axle perpendicular.

Balers tow straight with an offset drawbar.

CC

Originally Posted by Killer

I think we need to pull out the Mechano sets and have a play.

Cheers, Mick.

I did it with lego... that do....

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

I did it with lego... that do....

I was going to add Lego for the younger generation. But I couldn't be bothered.

Cheers, Mick.

I only need 200mm offset for the project anyway and as the centreline of the trailer needs to be kept parallel to the centreline if the tow vehicle I will probably offset the towing vehicle drawbar.
Its just that the more I thought about it and the more diagrams I drew on the shed floor the more confused I got.
Thanks for all the input.
Keith.

If you only need to pull the trailer at a 200mm offset to to tractor, then either move the towball position across using the stabiliser settings if it's possible to go that far. If not and you're able to, weld up a towbar to which you can fit the towball offset. No matter what you shift off centre. the trailer will follow straight at that offset.. A trailer trails! It cannot crab unless something stops it from straightening out behind the tractor.
Don.

my experience with towing trailers with the draw bar offset--

the tractor crabs as the load increases.--the greater the distance from the center of the rear or drive axle.

off set trailer draw bar--balance-ridgitity issue.
if is a well constructed trailer and low rolling resistance the issue is balance.if the load is placed in front of the axle it must be possitions toward the draw bar side of the line drawn from hitch to outer wheel.

Ive have towed loads of farm tipper/spreader that the draw bar is pushed to one side or the hitch is high mounted to free swinging 3 point link.
to allow the PTO clearance on rough ground.in soft ground you tend to over correct steering as the trailer load changers with potholes.
the reason to do this it easier to reverseturn in a tight shed.

physics-
-the line of travel-draw a line plan veiw through the hitch[H] to the axle at 90 degree to the axle.[P]
you said it was 200mm.

to pull the trailer use newton amount--IE X
calculate the rolling resistance of each wheel force from P.
allow for the deformation of tyre/axleconstruction.Z.

compensate for Z by adding toe or attaching the axle so it toe in as rolling resistance increases.

create a power trailer and forget other calculations.

Well I had to experiment. Bit wet today so hooked up the rideon to its trailer. Offset the trailer drawbar and as far as this goes I can see no crabbing. So my theory was wrong. Dave and CC and others were on the right track.