ROAD TRIP Fort Worth to Hollywood and back

I've got to move my daughter out of that bankrupt state and back to Texas so I will be making the trip. Because my trailer doesn't haul well empty does anyone have anything that needs to go that direction? Or does anyone need to go that direction (non smokers only!) You may need to ride in the trailer as I need some weight back there.

It's a 14' pole trailer with dual axles and a landscapers expanded metal ramp. The dual axles are the problem. When I made the a trip to Miami recently the front wheels kept bouncing up and sticking off the ground which made the trailer nose light with hilarious results. I finally stopped at WalMart and bought some bags of gardening soil to stabilize it.

My leaving date and time can be slightly flexible. At the moment I'm leaving Feb 14 and heading that direction. The route hasn't been settled.

I'm hoping for a quick trip out, but will probably take a less than straight route back. There will be limited space in the trailer coming back as we'll have a bedroom suite (minus a mattress), some end tables, a couple of dining room stools and a bunch of boxes in it. If I brought a car back, it'd have to be small.

If I'm not hauling a car to or from I'll leave the landscaper's ramp here.

If you don't have any other balast, remember that water is heavy and cheap. Actually...there was a thing like this on "Car Talk" recently.

Concrete is relatively cheap as well (sackrete, quickcrete, whatever) and I'm sure you could find someone to take it off your hands when you get there...

Clem

go to the student union of your nearest college campus and post up on their ride share board.

Sandbags would work well too.

I hadn't thought of water. Now I've got to figure out how to carry it in a manner in a container that will collapse or that I could throw away cheaply and easily.

The good thing about the landscapers mix or gardening soil is that I need some more this spring so I could buy it now and then carry it both ways and use it when I get back. But water would definitely be easier if I can figure out a collapsible container of some sort.

Anyone have any idea why the dual axles get to bouncing and then have one lock in the up position? I said the front wheels locked in the up position, but after thinking about it the rears are what I meant to say. I have tightened every bolt there is to tighten to minimize movement and I will lower the pressure in the tires so that they don't bounce as much, but it always does it at the worst time. The only way I could get the tire to drop back down was to get off the freeway and find a shopping center parking lot. I'd then drive the trailer up over a median and then accelerate off so that the trailer would make one big bounce. Worked every time.

They give away trashcans (by the curb) every week in most municipalities. [<--tongue in cheek]. Fill with water, strap down, and away you go.

lots of recycled gallon containers (laundry soap, antifreeze, soda, etc) in a simple restraint made of scrap lumber might work.

Clem

Yeah, I'm looking into and for some creative water ballast holders, but I'd really rather tow something. With something on the trailer I have a reference point in my rear view mirror to see that things are OK.

Containers full of water and some dowls painted orange (or some other bright color) sticking up for reference. Since you'll be driving across the desert you can always use the water. Well hopefully not.

Since no one wants anything hauled it looks as if I'm reduced to ballast. But I had a GRM idea - what about an old waterbed? I can fill it and dump it in Cali.

I'm guessing CL is the place to search. I just posted on Freecycle in the hopes someone there has one lying around.

How low does the front axle hang if you remove the front wheels and strap them to the deck? If too low, maybe chain up the front axle. If you can run it on only one set of springs, maybe it will have enough weight to straighten out the bouncing. I presume its got a triangular pivot deal that the two leaf springs attatch to in the middle- thats probably what goes out of place when your axle gets hung up.

Caution on water.
Even if you fill the container to the top, liquids can/will create a sloshing effect that really can be difficult on trailering. When you smash on the brakes, you can get a amazing surging forward effect of the load, not to mention side to side sloshing that can pull your trailer off the road.

Tanker trucks have bladders and baffles in their load area to minimize these effects. I fear that 55 gal drums filedl with liquid will create a fearful situation. In addition, 55 gallion drums in the back of an open trailer may certainly draw unwanted attention and possible inspection from the Motor Carrier Inspectors. Sure, you may just be hauling water but they will expect you to have a Material Data Sheet (MDS) for the contents.

Haul scrap metal or a junk car that can be gotten cheap and unloaded at a junkyard on the other side. Scour CL for a $200 POS car that will yield you close to $200 on the other side.

Edit: I guess I should have read better at the end where you said you would not haul a car. Get the landscaping dirt. You may be able to use some ballist on the return trip as well. Certainly, if you do not need it the dirt can be easy to get rid of since it is legal to place in a dumpster or spill out roadside.

Streetwiseguy wrote: How low does the front axle hang if you remove the front wheels and strap them to the deck? If too low, maybe chain up the front axle. If you can run it on only one set of springs, maybe it will have enough weight to straighten out the bouncing. I presume its got a triangular pivot deal that the two leaf springs attatch to in the middle- thats probably what goes out of place when your axle gets hung up.

Yes it's the triangular pivot arrangement that allows the wheel to get out of place. I really hadn't thought of removing a set of the tires mostly due to the fact I was thinking if a tire blew I'd be better off with a "spare" on the ground, but that doesn't sound like a bad deal because it would definitely take care of the problem.

As a side benefit it would make the hitch a little heavier.

It's a new trailer less than a year old so I really shouldn't have a tire problem, but I do need to check to see how low that axle would hang if the tires weren't on it.

Thanx for the idea.

jrw1621 wrote: Edit: I guess I should have read better at the end where you said you would not haul a car.

I wouldn't mind hauling someone's car or parts, that's what the first purpose of this thread, to find someone who needs something heavy taken from somewhere along the way to Hollywood.

I just don't have a car of my own to haul to Cali and leave.

You might post this on ADVRider.com and see if any of the "inmates" there need a motorcycle transported from Texas to California. Great site, and a fair number are bike AND car racers and members of both web-sites. Might even make a little scratch for fuel on the journey.

Pm sent.

My internet is acting up so I can see you sent a PM, but I can't retrieve it yet.

A question for you trailer towing guys. I removed the front wheels on the trailer as someone had suggested and the front axle doesn't hang down to far to tow BUT the pivot mechanism pivoted all the way forward and now the back piece is resting upon the frame rail at the top.

Will that hurt anything to tow a long ways like that?

It would seem that it would bounce up and down and beat the crap outta something, but since someone suggested that in the first place I thought maybe that was a time honored tradition and a way that others had found worked.

I'm leaving on the 14th and still can stop somewhere along the way and pick up stuff that needs to go to Hollywood.

Insert a rubber pad to stop it pounding on the frame

sounds to me like the supension joints need some lubrication. Or does the pivot arm go over center ? Maybe bump stops would help.

I never had that problem with my empty dual axle trailer.

I am assuming your center shackle is shared by both front and rear leaf springs, instead of two separate mounts.

I have a car that could stand to come BACK, if i could find out what impound lot it's in....

aussiesmg wrote: I am assuming your center shackle is shared by both front and rear leaf springs, instead of two separate mounts.

Yes, it's a shared pivoting mount.

And coming back I have just enough load to go on the trailer that a car won't fit.

Could you use a ratchet strap or two to lift the front axle? Might put some load on it and stop the pivot mechanism from resting on the frame rail.

BoxheadTim wrote: Could you use a ratchet strap or two to lift the front axle? Might put some load on it and stop the pivot mechanism from resting on the frame rail.

I was wondering that same thing. I have got to get my wife to drive the truck with the trailer while I drive alongside and see the action of the suspension with the wheels off.

I was leaning more towards chain since it seems it would get quite a strain. The one way mileage is between 1400- 1500 miles. That;s a long way for a strap.

carguy123 wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote: Could you use a ratchet strap or two to lift the front axle? Might put some load on it and stop the pivot mechanism from resting on the frame rail.

I was wondering that same thing. I have got to get my wife to drive the truck with the trailer while I drive alongside and see the action of the suspension with the wheels off.

Well...you could do it that way. However, I'd be very tempted to just ride on the trailer with my head hanging over the edge watching what's going on. Bonus points if you have a lawn chair with a beer in the cupholder...

Yes...it's a brilliantly terrible idea. That's what I do best.

Clem