Trailer Question

[Dan Hatch]

Has anyone here got a V nosed trailer with the slant. I have a 18 foot v nose and it pulls worse than my 34 foot toy hauler. I think it is due to the square edge at the top of the V. I have seen a few V trailers with the slant top and was wondering if that would pull better. INPUT???? Thanks, Dan

[George Andreasen]

Morning Dan,

When you say it "pulls worse", do you mean wandering or swaying? If so, check all you tire pressures (obvious) and make sure the tires are "trailer rated". There IS a difference in trailer tire construction, using heavier sidewalls to prevent sway.

It the trailer equipped with a sway tamer or load compensating hitch? I put one on my 10k trailer and can drive it at 80 mph if need be. No sway, follows like a little old puppy dog.

Second, have the axles/bearings checked (again, obvious). I had a buddy with a small boat trailer that literally ate tires. He had two sets replaced within a very short time before I looked at it and found the axle was bent! Seems he was "off road" and found a stump. We pulled the axle and cut out the bent section, replacing it with a heavier straight section. No more problems.

[ironhorse]

IMHO. "V" nose trailers are built incorrectly from the get go most of them have a 60/40 placement of the axle's (60% of trailer forward of the axle 40% aft) making weight placement critical to avoid sway. Toy haulers are usually built closer to 75/25 or even 80/20 making the trailer less susceptible to sway. Manufacturers do this to make it easier to back into confined areas, there is a reason that commercial rigs have the axle's as far back as they do. YMMV others may have a differing opinion but when I buy a trailer I have Manufacturer move the axle's back to 80/20...Ahhh that rides so much better.

[Bill Dizer]

I have a deep v single axle with torsion type axles. It sways a lot, so I had to put a sway control on the hitch. I had put cheap tires with weak sidewalls that made it a lot worse. Stiffer tires helped a lot! Mine sticks up quite a bit above my SUV that I tow it with, and when the swirling wind behind a semi trailer hits it, I know it! The wind pushes the nose from side to side and gets it rocking and that causes swaying. I have debated building a wind deflector that would attach to the luggage rack on the roof of the car and force the air up over the nose of the trailer. Last year, coming home from the OCF, I got into a quartering strong gusting head wind, on I-69, and it was too dangerous to tow at speed, so I got off on a different road so the wind hit more from the side/rear and came on home. My trailer is lightly loaded with antique bicycles.

[rosenkranswa]

I have a V-front 24' trailer with a compensating hitch and sway bars, proper tires and I check pressures and lugnut torque each time we use it. Have never had a problem with sway or fishtailing, always pulls like its not even there. I tow with a Ford F250 turbo diesel.

[Dan Hatch]

By pulls worse I mean I can tell it back there. No sway or anything like that , just drag. It has a foot higher, but so is the toy hauler. Toy hauler gross 14000 lbs, 18 foot way lees. Axles are straight, tires wear fine, no pulling to one side. I think the square top in the front just adds a drag factor due to way it moves air. I am wondering if the slat nose version is any better. BTW, 34 foot gets better mileage. Dan

[Dallas Landers]

16 ft plus V nose. Torsion axles.
Loaded or not 80 mph no problem.
My other trailer is a sharp V nose with leaf springs. Same size trailers. No problems in semi traffic or 80 mph loaded or not.
I pull it with 05 chev HD standard cab with 8ft bed no sway controll
I always load front heavy. Of course cross wind will always effect a trailer. I have light duty tires on my other trailer and heavy on the one in the photo.

[Scott_Conger]

Hi Dan

the trailer you saw me with this past Sept is a 24', extra tall, with long tongue, sharp Vee and a sloped top/front. I think this is the combo you are asking about. We pull with an old F350 and it pulls fine, though you know it's there on LOOOOONNNNGGG hills out west. It definitely drags, though compared to full-height Vee, I do not know. I doubt it really is a remarkable improvement over a standard sharp Vee. It tracks fine, though when passed by semi's, it will pull over and then push out when they get past me.

[Dan Hatch]

Dallas: What make is trailer in the pic? Thanks, Dan.

[Dallas Landers]

Dan, it is an H&H made in Clarinda Iowa. I had it built with extra floor supports. If I had it to do over, I would have diamond plate on entire front. I have mud flaps on rear fenders and a full width flap at the bumper. I still have dings all over the front from gravel roads.

[FreighTer Jim]

V nose trailers take less materials to build,
that is why trailer manufacturers promote them.

There is no reduction in wind drag that results
in fuel mileage saving.

They actually offer less usable floor space which matters on longer vehicles.

Coffin front with nosecone - if you want to actually increase mpg & towing stability.

I offer free enclosed car hauler trailer design
in cooperation with Colony Cargo Trailer:

12 inch on center ( floors - walls - ceiling )
Full perimeter steel frame ( no outriggers )
0.40 exterior aluminum skin
No roof vents
Screwed every floor support
Screwed inside & out every wall support
5 ft. extended tongue
Adjustable & removable Bulldog Couplet


No kickback or commission to me.


FJ

[Dallas Landers]

Dan, this is my T hauler. 2018 Haulin. The white one

is 2012 and is used for my job site trailer.
I got the black one used with about 200 miles on it for a great price.
The tounge is a bit short on it. My buddy used it and put the corner of his flatbed through the front. Notice tape on left side of V. Its been too cold to repair it.

[Bud Delong]

If only me,i think if you have any trailer that weighs 18,000 it needs to be on a 5'th wheel hitch?? Bud.

[bobster1]

Freighter Jim help me with my new trailer design from Colony and it’s built like a tank! I paid a guy to bring it to me and his comment was he got 2 MPG better mileage with the front like Jim shows that the one he had just delivered with a V nose.

[FreighTer Jim]

If only me,i think if you have any trailer that weighs 18,000 it needs to be on a 5'th wheel hitch?? Bud.

I see Toterhomes & Class A motorhomes pulling
stacker triple axle bumper pull trailers
on occasions - they always seem to have really short tongues and I wonder how they can turn and not damage the rear end of their trailer.

A gooseneck or fifth wheel takes up your truck bed and about (8) feet of trailer length.

FJ

[FreighTer Jim]

Freighter Jim help me with my new trailer design from Colony and it’s built like a tank! I paid a guy to bring it to me and his comment was he got 2 MPG better mileage with the front like Jim shows that the one he had just delivered with a V nose.

Bob,

Glad you were pleased with Colony Cargo.

Tim orders the Nose Cones into his Dealership & installs them there
after Arising Industries delivers the trailer to him.

I like the fact that they are both in the same small town.


FJ