TOWING STANDARD 6X4 TRAILER
Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 15:45
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Member - Tim D (VIC)
I have to tow my standard 6x4 trailer to
katherine with me, how will this affect my 4x4 driving capability it will be empty exept for some fuel gas bottle and a 30kg trunk looking at going to camerons corner then to down the Stzrelecki Track then up the
Oodnadatta Track Is there anything I can do to ensure that the trailer makes it looking at puting new wheel bearings and tyres would putting on 4x4 tyres help? Have towed this trailer all over Aust with out a problem before but have not done any 4x4 driving with it
Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 16:25
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 16:25
Tim the Strez and
Oodnadatta are graded roads and can be driven in a 2wd
sedan without hassle.
Road from Tiboburra to Camerons Corner is about the same.
Not sure on Bollards Lagon track from the corner to the Strez.
I would think that as long as your existing tyres are in reasonable condition and your bearings are serviced and you carry spares of both you should not have any problem.
Take it easy and don't overload the trailer.
AnswerID:
71087
Reply By: Crocbit - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:30
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:30
Tim,
As long as the tow hitch is secure (and you dont get too radical) you shouldn't have any problems, I towed a standard non 4x4 camper trailer loaded up through the
Gibb River,
check the trailer and load at regular intervals (every "pitt" stop).
Check the bearings etc before departure and happy motoring. However, it also depends on the condition of the trailer too -
check the welds where a frame meets the trailer!!
Corrugations can shake anything loose too
Don
AnswerID:
71099
Reply By: duncs - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:36
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:36
Tim,
I would recommend you keep the trailer as light as possible and take it easy. I came across a very good,
well maintained trailer just near
William Creek that had spat the axle out on the corrigations. The spring hangers had come loose, cracked welds. The movement that followed bent the axle. It was not an off road trailer and cost the guy his holiday and quite a few bucks to get the necessary parts up to
WIlliam Creek for the repair. A similar thing once happened to my trailer on the way to the tip and was caused by overloading.
As has been said above you should have no problems on any of the roads you have talked about.
Oodnadatta track can be rough if it has had rain and the
grader doesn't get to it before you.
Check the Transport SA website for road conditions prior to leaving. Also if your trailer has different wheels to the car make sure you carry a spare. If you are going from
Broken Hill to
Cameron Corner then you need to be careful on the SIlver City Highway as there have been quite a few punctures up that way recently often on more thatn one wheel.
If you have a time limit on the trip I would seriously consider staying on the balck top. There is still plenty to see although it is not as much fun.
Duncs
AnswerID:
71101
Follow Up By: Member - Tim D (VIC) - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:53
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:53
got 2 spares for the trailer as
well for 4x4 wont have much weight in it would it pay to carry a spare bearing then
FollowupID:
331324
Reply By: Utemad - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:51
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 17:51
Have you considered changing the hubs on your trailer to 6 stud ones to accomodate the same size wheels and tyres as on your Terracan?
A friend did this mod to his on road box trailer so he could tow it to
Double Island Point and the like. He also put some spacers somewere so as the wheels would fit under the original guards. He was towing it with a '91 Pajero. Didn't cost much as the parts came from Autobahn and the wheels/tyres from the Trading Post.
This by no means makes it an off road trailer but increased the trailers ground clearance and made it tow better behind a lifted Pajero. I guess it would also make life easier on the bearings as they won't be spinning so fast. Your wheels are then also interchangeable between trailer and tow vehicle.
Utemad
AnswerID:
71108
Follow Up By: Member - Tim D (VIC) - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 18:42
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 18:42
looking at that super cheap have the complete set up to put the 6 stud lc rims on it which is good as the terracan stud is the same it has 14inch wheels now not sure if the 16inch one will fit under the gaurds
FollowupID:
331341
Follow Up By: Members - Greg & Gail - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 18:44
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 18:44
The bigger the wheels/tyres the heaver the unsprung weight the more work your
suspension has to do You may need to change your springs to match the new wheels
FollowupID:
331343
Follow Up By: Shaker - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 19:16
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 19:16
Pardon my ignorance ... but if the extra weight is unsprung, then how does it make the
suspension work harder?
FollowupID:
331351
Follow Up By: Utemad - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 19:50
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 19:50
I would think that the softer sidewalls of a car tyre would flex more making the ride softer. Whereas an LT tyre would nt flex as mcuh even at low pressures.
Utemad
FollowupID:
331357
Reply By: Max - Sydney - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 20:13
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 20:13
Tim
I'd not muck around changing wheels etc - as the guys have said you are looking at pretty good tracks. Cameron's Corner out to the Strez is in pretty good nick too.
I'd pull off the spring shackles, change the bushes, inspect and grease them; carry the spares you said, and most of all - keep the speed down! You haven't got shock absorbers and with only a light load its going to bounce real good if you push it, and that can break things.
Have a good trip.
Max
AnswerID:
71135
Reply By: Member - Jiarna (SA) - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 21:02
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 21:02
I changed the tyres on my 6x4 trailer to LT (yes they are 14"), and haven't had a flat tyre on the trailer since.
Also, keep a close eye on the spring keepers if you have slipper springs. They wear through quickly on unsealed roads, and you can cause a bit of tyre damage when
the springs don't sit straight.
Next,
check the welds around the spring shackle mounts at the front. On my trailer, when I flipped it over to weld up mounts for Landcruiser springs, the front shackle mounts were 90% cracked through. If one had let go, the axle would have disappeared out the back, as the slipper spring has nothing else to keep it in place once the front shackle lets go.
Last but not least, as has been said already,
check the welds where the A-frame meets the body of the trailer. Welding a strip of steel on edge across this weak point might be a good idea, and only costs a few dollars. I had the unwelcome experience of seing my trailer cartwheeling up the
Oodnadatta Track last year when the A-frame parted from the trailer body.
Good luck.
JohnOodnadatta
AnswerID:
71144
Follow Up By: Member - Tim D (VIC) - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 22:30
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 22:30
so would it pay to put some 14inch 4x4 tyres eg the subru brumy tyres or the light truck tyres instead. so take a spare shacle rubber maybe a spare u bolt as
well then is it worth taking a spare wheel bearing then
Thanks for all the advice so greatly appreicated
FollowupID:
331376
Reply By: Croozer - Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 22:25
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004 at 22:25
In addition to the other responses I have a couple of points for you. Since the trailer will have little weight in it perhaps it would be advisale to keep the pressure in the trailer tyres to a minimum to help absorb the bumps. But more importantly make sure you protect the rear of your car (particularly the window) from stones which will deflect off the front of your trailer into the vehicle causing damage. Some sort of stone deflector on the A frame (angled forwards & down), and/or a full width, to the gound mud flap attached to the rear of the vehicle to deflect stones before they hit the trailer.
I once towed a box trailer for about 100k's of dirt and while I fortunately did not bust the back window the paintwork became dotted with stone chips.
Hope this helps,
Stuart
AnswerID:
71154
Reply By: ianmc - Thursday, Aug 05, 2004 at 01:20
Thursday, Aug 05, 2004 at 01:20
Putting heavy 4x4 wheels on a light trailer could throw it around so much & damage it due to the high unsprung weight bouncing up & down.
If going for new supe cheap hubs or bearings make sure they are Aussie built, should cost very little extra over the dubious imported chinese ones,
AnswerID:
71356