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Date:         Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:46:51 -0700
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trailer loading and tire pressure testing
Comments: To: Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <489CA011.6080703@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Go with 20 PSI Mike, and don't look back! :)

Didn't I say this already?

On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 12:35 PM, Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi all, > > I don't to join the legion of unskilled trailer haulers who find > themselves in a terrible jam because they were dozing in Trailering 101. > > So if anyone wants to check my work to see if I overlooked something, that > would be helpful. > > TRAILER: 270 lbs. (Small fiberglass-bodied single axle utility trailer. > Empty weight: 270 lbs. This was derived from weight on tongue = 30 lbs, > weight on one tire 120 lbs. It's safe to say that the other tire had as > much weight on it.) > > PAYLOAD: 218 lbs. > > TOTAL COMBINED WEIGHT: 488 lbs. > > The rule of thumb seems to be to have 10% to 15% of the gross weight on > the tongue, so I balanced the load to get 55 lbs on the tongue. > > TIRE PRESSURE > > Too much pressure = bouncy ride, too little = hot sidewalls and possible > kablooey. Each tire is carrying (488 - 55)/2 = 240 lbs. These tires are > ST175/80R13, and according to the load inflation chart at > http://tinyurl.com/6lg2oy 15 psi is more than enough. Refer to the chart > if you don't believe me -- these are beefy tires for such a little > trailer. Heck, 15 psi is good up to 670 lbs per tire. > > So I aired each tire to 15 psi and took the loaded trailer for a 7 mile > ride, half of it on the freeway. At the end of the ride, the sidewalls of > the van's tires (aired to spec) had risen to 97F (ambient here is around > 76F), and the sidewalls of the trailer tires read about 90F. This suggests > that the tires are not underinflated, which is in agreement with the load > inflation chart. > > However, the pressure in each tire had risen to 20 psi, a 33% increase. > > A list member had p-mailed me a couple days ago about a tire pressure rule > of thumb: if the pressure goes up more than 10% after a fast 5-mile drive, > the pressure is too low. > > So...according to the rule of thumb, the tires are underinflated. > According to the chart, they are nowhere near being underinflated. > According to the comparison to the sidewall temps of the van's tires, they > are not underinflated. Anyone want to comment on that? > > Oh -- by the way, the trailer towed like a dream. No side to side > oscillations which indicate that there is too much weight to the rear, and > no excessive bouncing. It followed along like a little sweetheart. > > -- > Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott > 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus > 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") > 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano > KG6RCR >

-- Jake 1984 Vanagon GL 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" Crescent Beach, BC www.crescentbeachguitar.com http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27


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