The Silver Streak E-mail ListArchive Files[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] RE: [SilverStreak] towing
Eddie, The F350 was left from when we towed a 36.5' 5th wheel. It is way more truck than we need for the SS. But having towed with down sized tow vehicles, and being an engineer, I like to be on the safe side. Besides it would cost too much money to get a smaller truck. I did make a short run with the SS on the F350 with no sway or load distribution and kept it to no more than 50 MPH. It did wiggle a bit, but nothing bad with a truck that outweighed the trailer. With the Reese Dual Cam HP, never so much as a bobble from passing trucks or side winds. My Father in law pulled the trailer with a 2500 Suburban and it did need the sway control at times. Since the trailer has had the heavy sofa pulled out and replaced with a couple of wicker chairs and a wicker chest, it is a bit lighter on the hitch. What part of Houston do you live? Have to get together some time. We sometimes get some of the Texas Boomers gang together for a weekend dinner when we can't be out camping. First part of December we took the SS to Rayford's Crossing near The Woodlands. As we pulled in, people sure did stop and look at the SS. We were by far the oldest trailer in the place. Love to show it off and point out all of the things that it had....way back in the olden times. When we talked to people and told them we were in the SS...the aluminum one, they immediately knew which one we were. Ken Wilson KE5DFR Cypress, Texas -----Original Message----- From: sslist-admin@tompatterson.com [mailto:sslist-admin@tompatterson.com] On Behalf Of Eddie Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 9:24 AM To: sslist@tompatterson.com Subject: Re: [SilverStreak] towing Ken, Well, ya got the right truck! I did not intend to suggest never using a sway control. I just have never needed it since towing the trailer with the motor home. I carry it on every trip, just in case I don't have complete and total stability, but like you I use an F350 diesel dually crew, and I have just never had the first inkling of a problem. I have towed a 48 Vagabond from 13,500 feet out of Kremling Colorado to Houston. In route out of Lubbock, sudden flat line winds were so harsh with heavy rains, I saw several semi's and motor homes laying on their sides. I watched one semi and a motor home behind it that had pulled to a stop, blow over as I approached all sitting still. They were blown over from the shoulder, into the driving lane which was against the shoulder lean. I had to steer out of my lane to go around. Scary beyond description, I made the decision to not stop and get blown over. I completed 80 miles in this at 20 mph, never finding a structure or overpass to huddle behind. My F350 and the Vagabond never swayed the slightest. I had not used the sway bar. Admittedly my long bed was heavy with tool boxes, tires, jacks, and lot's of equipment. Maybe that made a difference too. Maybe keeping moving was the key to keeping in a wind that varied. I will never know, but I was determined that I was not going to do like so many, and just stop and be blown over. That was not working for anyone sitting still that I passed ever so slowly to go only 80 miles in four hours with almost zero visibility. It was a harrowing four hours of constantly making a decision not to stop. I am sure every experience comes with choices that have to be made and decisions that may never be clear and decisive. -Eddie- Houston, TX
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