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trailer sway

To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: trailer sway
From: "John Burk" <joyseydevil@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 20:11:39 -0500
It occurred to me what causes the trailer sway cycle  -  The tail of the
trailer sways to the right , the trailer becomes a lever with the trailer
tires as the fulcrum - The hitch is pushed to the left - The truck becomes
another lever with the rear tires as the fulcrum , the front is pushed right
and the caster in the front axel makes it steer slightly that way (opposite of
what would stop the cycle) - If the trailer CG is more foreword it's tires act
less like a fulcrum and if the truck has a fifth wheel hitch it no longer is a
lever and the front steering sees no side load - I CLEARLY remember my trailer
using up 3 lanes of the Pennsylvania turnpike while the 18 wheeler I had just
passed scrambled to get out of the way .





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