Date:         Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:02:44 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Trailers
Comments: To: Larry Himli <lhimli@AOL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <49C652AB.00000B.04552@LARRY-PC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 11:00 AM 3/22/2009, Larry Himli wrote:
>instead of a trailer I want to use a trailer hitch carrier....the scooter's
>wet weight is 250 pounds.  Comments?

If your carrier weighs 50 lb, then you will have exceeded the vehicle
tongue weight rating of 165 lb by 80% -- actually much more because
of the leverage involved when you're bouncing down the road.

Now if you rigged a couple of hard points up by the roof -- upper
edge of the hatch, at the hinge points, maybe? -- and ran
weight-bearing stays down to the outer corners of the carrier I bet
you could stay within ratings just fine.  But each stay and hard
point would have to be able to bear maybe a third of the load plus
bouncing.  The conservative way would be to use a trailer, so the
trailer suspension takes the bouncing.


  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"