Re: [VACList] Midsize SUV

[Neal Warren <uncleneal@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dr. J has a valid point. Having driven semi's I know that it is quite
possible for a short puller to safely tow and control long trailer. The key
is in the brakes. A semi's brakes on the tractor and trailer are designed to
work as a combination. The driver also has manual control of the trailer
brakes.  Most electric brake controlers seem to be designed and installed to
make manual control as difficult as possible. On a semi tractor you apply
the trailer brakes by pulling a lever to the right of the steering wheel,
about where the shift lever is in a car.  It's much easier to modulate the
trailer brakes with the lever, especially in an emergency, than pushing on a
little red button. Shouldn't be too hard to build a mount for a controller
that would incorporate a lever for manual control.  All you would have to
worry about then is the red button sticking, and not powering the brakes
very smoothly.
Semi tractors are squirrely to drive when they are empty because they are
designed to have a trailer.  All the weight of a tractor is in the engine,
which is sitting over the front wheels.  You've got 10,000 pounds on 2 front
tires, and 2,000 pounds on 8 rear tires.  Some tractors have a switch so
that the driver can cut off the front brakes when bob tailing, and many of
the old ones didn't have front brakes at all. Of course then you just slide
in a straight line instead of doing 360's.  If you take the bed off of a
pickup, you will have the same thing.  My first car was a Corvair, so
controlling a sliding rear end was second nature to me when I drove.
By the way, we have a member in our club who pulls a '98 34 foot with an '02
Silverado 1500 ext cab with the 5.3.  Says it does fine.

Neal