I have a 14'6" double axle trailer that weighs about 800kg empty. I also have a little 750kg (max) two wheel trailer. For some reason the Ifor Williams, even empty, is a real struggle to tow. You really know it's there, having to keep on the gas and the slightest incline making the gearbox kick down. But with the little trailer fully loaded (so about the same weight), you can hardly tell it's there.
The brakes aren't binding or anything, and the tyres are at 90psi. The only thing I can think of is that it's got 4 wheels and little (185/60-12) tyres, whereas the other has only 2 155-13 tyres. Any other reasons you can think of?
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what car you runnin buoy?
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We borrowed a similar sounding car transporter trailer couple of weeks ago, it appeared to be on fork lift tyres so probably same axles and set up as your 14' jobbie.
It towed remarkably well but having no suspension to speak of and as you say virtually solid tyres shook hell out of the pick up, i think with extended use it would break a normal car's back...and if owned it i would invest in a Dixon Bate 'Shocklink' towing attachment.
Didn't notice any probs with pulling it but those fork lift tyres don't like going any other direction than straight.
Is the brake slider on the towing hitch lubricated well enough, could the brakes be hanging on more than you realise?
My auto pick up is quick to downchange too when towing especially if i use cruise, so not surprised you found the same.
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The brakes aren't binding or anything, and the tyres are at 90psi. The only thing I can think of is that it's got 4 wheels and little (185/60-12) tyres, whereas the other has only 2 155-13 tyres. Any other reasons you can think of?
90 PSI? Are you kidding these would blow of the rim and if not don't drive near me.!
Having owned a few trailers the wooden ones with steel shell with wooden marine ply were heavy to tow as were the comercial made gear what are you towing with?
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With 4-wheel trailers it is very important to adjust the height of the tow hitch so that the wheels are equally loaded.
Even correctly adjusted, there is a fundamentally different feel from that of a 2-wheel, because as the road undulates the trailer will be trying to lift or depress the back of the car.
You need either a very heavy towing vehicle that can impose its weight on the trailer, or a towing vehicle with a big suspension travel.
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I've just sold the second 4-wheel builders type trailer we've owned as our house project days are finished for now. Over the past 30yrs we've had 4-wheel horse trailers, 2/4-wheel trailers and boats on trailers.
For some reason both our (perfectly maintained) 4-wheel builders trailers have been the most sluggish to tow.
Until this year I'd regularly been towing a small boat on 2-wheel trailer that weighed 800kg all up.... and the 4-wheel builders trailer at 800kg unladen. Theye were chalk and cheese to tow. The boat would tow to Scotland as if it wasn't there on both motorways and twisty rural roads. The builders trailer even unladen was a slug to tow and a pain for anything longer than local runs.
Supporting what Cliff says the above comments apply to towing with estate cars. When we owned our Discovery, which was already a slug, even the worse trailer made little difference.
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I've got an Isuzu D-Max/Rodeo 3 litre, and an 80 series Landcruiser diesel. Whatever I use, as Fenlander says above, the 4 wheel trailer is sluggish. And as GB says, the affect it has on pickups can also be a bit unpleasant. I think it's a combination of long rear overhang and primitive stiff suspension (on the pickup). When it's behind the the Landcruiser it a whole lot better with none of the bounce and jiggling. Still can't work out why it has a much bigger effect on the performane that a similarly weighted 2 wheel trailer.
Ha, only 90psi in the tyres. The label says they should actually be run at 95, but my compressor struggles at those pressures.
I have a transmission temp gauge on both cars, and it's amazing how quickly they rise when the tranny isn't locked in top. And with the Isuzu kicking down so soon, it doesn't take much of an incline to see some serious temperatures. The LC will hold top for much longer, and also runs much lower trans temps overall.
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If it's got fold up ramps they will cause an immense amount of drag.
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>> If it's got fold up ramps they will cause an immense amount of drag.
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You mean if you forget to fold them up? :)
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Ha, only 90psi in the tyres. The label says they should actually be run at 95, but my compressor struggles at those pressures.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>warning
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that cant be right most of those trailers have just uprated commercial car type tyres on
double check your handbook or ring the trailer people up before you kill yourself
90psi is one hell of a bomb
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Over 50% of the tyre types fitted to Ifor Williams trailers need a pressure of 60psi or more... 20% of them need a pressure of 90/95psi. The only reason many folks don't know this is they use trailers where the tyres have already been downgraded on replacement by folks who baulk at the cost of proper tyres.
My last one had 90psi tyres... pain as my comp would only do about 75psi.
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Just found an Ifor Williams tyre pressure table copied from their website (which often seems flaky and doesn't work directly today)... about 6 posts down on the linked forum.
www.pwcforums.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=26043&PID=207376&title=trailer-tyre-pressures
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Phone Ifor Williams, they are very good and knowledgeable and will probably offer some advice on the problem. I bought my little P5 from them two years ago - very helpful start to finish.
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Yeah, 95 it is. Don't forget that each tyre, and they're only 185/69-12's has a max load of nearly 1 ton, what with it beaing a 3.5 ton trailer. I should imagine they go with a fair old bang when they go.
They're a bit of an unusual size and load rating, for sure. I tried to get winter tyres in that size, but no luck.
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Saw a pickup towing a 6 wheel trailer today (yes, all six wheels were on the ground). Lord knows what the capacity was, but i think it was empty.
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>> Saw a pickup towing a 6 wheel trailer today (yes, all six wheels were on
>> the ground). Lord knows what the capacity was, but i think it was empty.
>>
I see a few round here, usually as cattle trailers; absolute pig to turn tightly when loaded as you can imagine. I would think that, like artic trailers, they can catch the unwary out when making tight turns, as they tend to drag, then break traction sometimes with interesting results.
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Ifor Williams trailer - heavy to tow. - Old Navy
