Trailers & 'BWSOW's

[Richard A Thackeray]

This photograph cropped up on social-media feed
Sadly, it might be a good idea

 

[DRHysted]

That’s cropped up a few times on my feeds now. Not sure of the legitimacy as one end of my cord is always locked inside the battery box, so they’d need to break into the box (not impossible) or cut the cable to nick mine.

 

[figbat]

That’s cropped up a few times on my feeds now. Not sure of the legitimacy as one end of my cord is always locked inside the battery box, so they’d need to break into the box (not impossible) or cut the cable to nick mine.

Same here. And they’d have to move a load of stuff from in front of the battery box before breaking it open, since it’s in the awning.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I guess it depends if they chop the cable, at a point before it enters the battery box?

 

[DRM]

I reckon when your out for the day, it wouldn't take much to pop the battery box open, and take the cable, they're really not that secure

 

[Fastpedaller]

What issues do you guys with trailers or caravans have with getting wheels balanced?
I built this (click on images below) to tow behind my Quantum kit car. It weighs under 200kg, and runs 8 inch wheels. I've just put new wheels/tyres on it as the previous tyres needed replacing (usual caravan tyre prob of old age rather than wear). I managed to find someone to balance the originals when I built it, after finding the car shook when I towed the trailer. Now I need someone to do the new ones. All the sellers (and tyre places) say " they're small so they don't need balancing"
My answer to this is "they're small so they go around a lot faster - they are a rotating part, and need balancing"
I know the conversations will be the same when I try to get these balanced.
I put it on the car today and went to the local A road (Norfolk - no motorways) and it shook the car at around 60MPH. Without the trailer on the car doesn't shake - try telling me it's not wheel balance! I'm sure I could stick on weights in marked places and eventually with enough driving and experimenting get to a good balance. It will be easier to get them balanced at a tyre place, but I can see they will take longer telling me it's not needed than it will take to balance them. p.s. I've checked, and they are round!
Rant over.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

First thought is "Yes", they need balancing, if you can feel a shake

Then it turns into;
- Is it some form of aerodynamic problem, due to the shape?
- the a-frame looks to ride slightly high (a lack of nose-weight, so causing rear-lift of the car)

However, if it's only 200kg, neither of the above points ought to be an issue


Back to the balancing
Will tyre fitters balancing machines actually allow such a small rim size to be mounted?
- static balancing? (if that's still a thing?)
- motorcycle shop?? (they might know somewhere, don't Vespa/Lambretta, have a similar size wheel??)

 

[Fastpedaller]

First thought is "Yes", they need balancing, if you can feel a shake

Then it turns into;
- Is it some form of aerodynamic problem, due to the shape?
- the a-frame looks to ride slightly high (a lack of nose-weight, so causing rear-lift of the car)

However, if it's only 200kg, neither of the above points ought to be an issue


Back to the balancing
Will tyre fitters balancing machines actually allow such a small rim size to be mounted?
- static balancing? (if that's still a thing?)
- motorcycle shop?? (they might know somewhere, don't Vespa/Lambretta, have a similar size wheel??)

When the previous wheels/tyres had the same problem (not as bad though) balancing immediately solved it (25g on both wheels).
It has some nose weight IIRC about 10kg. It tows beautifully as it rides on Peak Trailer fully bonded units which you may be familiar with, that are ideally suited to light-weight trailers. It has gone up to a high speed (on the track of course) with no issues I hadn't thought of Motorcycle shop - that's a good shout. I'll try one tomorrow....... It's either there or a Garden shop (wheelbarrows must be balanced )
ETA even pedal cycle wheels are balanced (by serious folk), but alas the sellers of trailer wheels are in total denial of any need.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

When the previous wheels/tyres had the same problem (not as bad though) balancing immediately solved it (25g on both wheels).
It has some nose weight IIRC about 10kg. It tows beautifully as it rides on Peak Trailer fully bonded units which you may be familiar with, that are ideally suited to light-weight trailers. It has gone up to a high speed (on the track of course) with no issues I hadn't thought of Motorcycle shop - that's a good shout. I'll try one tomorrow....... It's either there or a Garden shop (wheelbarrows must be balanced )
ETA even pedal cycle wheels are balanced (by serious folk), but alas the sellers of trailer wheels are in total denial of any need.

I've never balanced any of my bike wheels, & (in the past) have done 60MPH descents
For one thing, there's not that much rubber on the rim, 'pro-rata' with a car
(measured on the old Avocet cycle-computers, that were calibrated to the circumference of the tyre, & supposedly accurate to a couple of yards per mile)

'Tank-Slappers' can happen though, if they're downhill, the best thing to do is gently use rear-brake

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

It weighs under 200kg, and runs 8 inch wheels. I've just put new wheels/tyres on it as the previous tyres needed replacing (usual caravan tyre prob of old age rather than wear). I managed to find someone to balance the originals when I built it, after finding the car shook when I towed the trailer. Now I need someone to do the new ones. All the sellers (and tyre places) say " they're small so they don't need balancing"
My answer to this is "they're small so they go around a lot faster - they are a rotating part, and need balancing"
I know the conversations will be the same when I try to get these balanced

Another factor is probably the very light weight of the trailer, any miniscule 'wobble' will be magnified, as there's not enough trailer weight to over come it/dampen it
If the trailer weighed 500kg on the same wheels, it might not happen?

 

[Fastpedaller]

Another factor is probably the very light weight of the trailer, any miniscule 'wobble' will be magnified, as there's not enough trailer weight to over come it/dampen it
If the trailer weighed 500kg on the same wheels, it might not happen?

Absolutely, a heavier weight would damp things. Even if I had a heavier one I'd want the wheels balance though - may as well strive for perfection (rather than broken crockery!). A heavier caravan would be more likely to have larger wheels of course, and the sellers of the wheels say the 15" + ones are balance because they're bigger - no logic there then! I'm going to try the local motorbike place today. Thanks for your help.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I just 'phoned the motorbike place - they static balance using the bubble, so as there's a centre hole they're unable - I then got told there must be something else which is causing it , cos they're small wheels

 

[Fastpedaller]

Hmm - the plot thickens..... I went to take the wheels off and gave each of them a spin before undoing the nuts. They were round a couple of weeks ago! - now they aren't! One had about a 6mm 'dip' ie smaller radius at one point, and the other about 4mm . They had both been put at the 'calculated for the weight of trailer' 40PSI. I need to eliminate this before any attempt to balance them. I can only think in this heat that they have started to get a flat spot in only 2 weeks. I've now put them up to the stated 60PSi max and the radius variation is only about 2mm on both.
I'll leave them cooking in the ambient heat whilst I have a coffee - maybe a soothing Chamomile may be more appropriate? Then I'll reduce the pressures a bit and take it for a tow along the A road to assess.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Success - I went to a local car tyre place I used recently. Very friendly, and guy on reception said "they revolve, so they should be balanced". That was a good start. I returned 45 mins later to find 2 balanced wheels, with new (some places recycle rusty ones!) weights on the inside of both wheels,. One 20g and the other 15g, and my wallet £12 lighter. I checked the nose weight, it was higher than I thought at 25kg - how that compares to an 'ideal' I have no idea? The car doesn't noticeably drop when the hitch is attached though, so I guess that's good

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I would have thought 25Kg is a bit low, it could be that the rear of trailer is lifting the rear of the car, also is the trailer perfectly square, once borrowed a home made trailer, granted a 4 wheeled one, but anything above 40mph & the thing would weave & take on.a life of it's own it was scary to pull & I only borrowed it once. Can you try moving something forward in the trailer & increasing the weight.

As it's a Quantum what is the towbar fastened to? We'll ignore the legalities