Caravan Crash....

[Rob_the_Sparky]

There is some theory regarding powering out.  You need the trailer to be pulling on the hitch for the rig to stabilise and you need to change speed to get away from the critical resonance that is causing the snake.  However, if you can slow down gently enough then the drag on the trailer and trailer brakes can apply this pulling force.

 

In theory you should not apply the brakes as the trailer will start to push the the tow vehicle (unless the trailer brakes are particularly good).  That is like reversing the trailer so any angle between car and trailer is going to increase rapidly.

[doobin]

Emergency explosive bolt in the handbrake assembly ?

 

Serisouly though, it's one area in which I think the Americans actually do it better than us (the other areas being warmongering and the first ammendmant) Electric trailer brakes that you can activate from the cab in an emergency would be perfect. Alko do a system that monitors the traielr for sway and applies the brakes also, but I'm not sure if this could be easily fitted to anything other than an Alko axle. If I spent my days towing up and down the motorway I'd certainly install a homebrew emergency brake activator, as a snake is very scary.

[Mike Hill]

Quite alot of towing problems arise from folks using too little of a wagon to tow with.

 

Just because it's rated to 3.5 ton,it's not always a good idea to use that figure as your maximum.

 

 

[AngrySquirrel]

Often it's incorrect/not enough nose weight on trailer to hitch and get speed the drag will push caravan upwards/lighter.

 

Seen so many inc Army had one convoy on M3 yonks back got it into a massive slapper destroyed trailer!

Was one with looked like trailer tent? car ended up sitting on top of trailer!

 

Many never check trailer/caravan ie Brakes/wheels/tire pressures any imbalance between them increases risks at speed.

 

We was always told declutch and let drag take over.

 

If trailer brakes was hydraulic esp disc you could incorporate a standalone add on system as disc'd you'd add a second caliper opposite primary like we do on rally cars for Fly off handbrakes.

Could fabricate Electronic actuators/Servo motors with multi plug where plug in trailer electrics with button dashboard end

 

Older Citroens like xantia's had non handbraked calipers on the rear would be easy to fabricate mounts for them as sat flat

Disc'd citroens that had handbrake on front wheels

[AngrySquirrel]

On 29/08/2020 at 10:44, chopperpete said:

Just seen this on You tube...nasty

 

 

That was caused by too much speed as trucks limited to 56MPH and they waltzed past along with not much nose weight on caravan and not allowing for change in air pressure as overtaking truck as trucks shift lots of air and as overtake you get changes from low/drawn in-pushed back as get near front to lower/pushed away to side as getting past.

[chopperpete]

 Some Caravans are safe up to 130mph

Edited September 15, 2020 by chopperpete

[Khriss]

Point I was making was drive within the limits of yrself, yr vehicle and trailer - plus experience of yr rig will dictate wot it will not do, my Series II will tow up to 60mph but I dont drive it at that fr obvs reasons . Even with the Eurocargo and bandit - I would not go over 50mph. K

[scbk]

Bump!

 

 

 

 

 

Not obvious at first, the guy on the bike was lucky, he had his pannier ripped clean off 

[Billhook]

6 hours ago, scbk said:

Bump!

 

 

 

 

 

Not obvious at first, the guy on the bike was lucky, he had his pannier ripped clean off 

The bump made me read the rest of this thread and I was reminded of the time when I was building my house back in 1983 and in youthful ignorance had loaded a flatbed trailer with too many bricks.  I knew it was miles over weight so was going very slowly on the four mile trip home.

Everything was fine until there was a slight downhill section which had a sharp left hand bend at the bottom.  The tow car was my old Ford Escort that I built.  The car was originally built from one of the last Mk1 RS bodyshells they were selling off in grey primer for £260 in 1973.  I put a 3 litre V6 engine and gearbox from a Gilbern Invader, and a Cortina Estate rear axle.

It started to snake at about 30 mph when I applied a bit of brake on the hill.  This quickly turned into a sideways movement violent enough to make the rear tyres screech every time it swung.  And they were quite big tyres.

I decided on the Kriss option and a quick bit of power to pull it into line followed by very gentle slowing so just made it round the bend, but all this was happening at a relatively low speed and would have been difficult at 40 mph and impossible at 60 mph.

AL-KO Trailer Control (ATC) | AL-KO

WWW.ALKO-TECH.COM

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The innovative anti-snaking systemAnyone who has ever encountered critical driving situations with their outfit will...

 

[PeteB]

Am I correct in that some modern trucks/cars, they use electronics to assist a driver in a snake? Nipping odd wheel brakes if this odd motion is suspected? I've only experienced sway a couple of times since I started driving 40 years ago and on each occasion it was down to poorly loaded trailers!