[VAC] Re: winter towing

[EEmer59728@xxxxxxx]

Hello All,
I have been teaching truck driver safety for 15 years and drove over the road for 8. 
You do not want the trailer tires to skid before the tow vehicle, they loose traction 
and will chase you all over the road. DO NOT set the brake controller to come on 
before the tow vehicle it will cause you to jack-knife on slick roads. I also called 
my Driver Trainer Consultant and he agrees as well as the truck diver best buddy I 
have that also agrees with me. 

On a big truck there is a hand brake for the trailer, ask anyone who ownes their own 
truck and pulls a company trailer that they will stop the unit with this "Johnny Bar" 
to save the tractor brakes and only use the trailer brakes to stop or slow down. Not 
all that safe but will keep the driver from wearing out his truck's brakes, the triler 
is the company's problem. BUT.... if the roads are bad (slick) they will not do this 
as it will cause the trailer to break loose and shove the tractor all over the road. 
As my driver said "it will break the tow unit loose and all you can do is wait for the 
sudden stop or splash"!

I had almost 900,000 miles of safe truck driving, learned form the best (my dad 3.3 
mill of safe trucking miles) and have coached many a truck driver to a millions of 
miles of safe driving, the trailer that skids before the tow vehile will cause you 
more problems.

I just tested it with my toys, the skidding wheel will try to pass the roller!

Ed
WBCCI/VAC 4425