Re: [VAC] Towing characteristics

["Richard P. Kenan" <as5368@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nick:

         I can only comment on my personal experiences with the Reese:
At 06:28 PM 3/31/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Is it normal for the "cam" to unseat itself when manuevering in tight 
>quarters?
>  One spring bar is pulled forward, while the other(inside the turn)is pushed
>to the rear.

Yes.  It'll reseat itself when you straighten out.

>Do you normally unhook the the cams while working close?  It seems to me that
>some movement is a must.  The only way to avoid this, I would think, is to 
>really
>crank up the pressure a couple more links, but I didn't think that was the 
>right
>way either.

I'm not sure what "working close" means - maneuvering in close quarters? In 
any event, I never unhooked the cams except when I wanted to disconnect the 
truck from the trailer. Nonetheless, unhooking for such maneuvers could 
help, I'd think.

>While towing, sometimes I felt like the two vehicles were sort of "porpoising"
>just slightly, while going down the road.  Not badly, but sometimes steadily,
>unless I accelerated, or braked.  Normal?
>I didn't notice this while towing last week with the regular "weight 
>distribution"
>set up, which is nearly the same, but without the "cams."


Well, there are a number of reasons for that feeling, I think.  One might 
be the road itself; I've noticed a lot of difference between different 
sections of highway, with both the Reese and with my Hensley.  Another 
might be that the hitch is not set up perfectly.  Another might be that the 
hitch is  set up correctly, but the spring bars are too tight or too 
loose.  I've never noticed  anything that I'd call "porposing," but I have 
noticed that is I don't have the chains hitched up to match my load, the 
truck seems a bit "light on its feet," so to speak.  That's always improved 
- in my case - when I've tightened up another link.

This is only one person's experience, and not the most experienced with any 
hitch.

- Dick
(5368)
"To every man is given the key to open the gates of heaven;
The same key opens the gates of hell."  -  Buddhist saying
Dick Kenan Tel: 770-451-0672
Retired and loving it!
WBCCI # 5368 23' 1972 LY Safari
Atlanta
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