To the Oppos who tow

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet) 12/07/2015 at 17:17 • Filed to: None

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Have you ever towed in winter? My work is busy this year and as such is seeing me work the majority of the winter. The Land Rover now has winter wheels ready to be fitted, but what happens to my trailers?

My largest trailer has a GVWR of 3.5ton (7,700lbs) across twin axles with over-run brakes. It is almost always around the 2ton mark with all the clobber in the back. Do I need to consider winter tyres to retain braking performance and avoid a jack-knife situation? The track width is outside of the Land Rover’s, so it’s pretty much on its own out there, all 18ft of it.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 17:26

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I tow in the snow from time to time, but never this much weight and not with the low drawbar weight you guys have so its hard to say. I don’t really ever see trailers fitted with winter tires though so I guess there is that. Remembering that the the available traction is a function of weight per tire I would say that a trailer would actually have decent traction even with ST tires, though it doesn’t say much to sway. The bigger question is: can you get load rated winter tires in the size you need?

iSureWilll > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 17:29

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This.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 17:38

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A company called KargoMax makes them specifically for these trailers, it’s an odd size, 145/60r12c. I am assuming that with over-run brakes, because of the need of applied force on the drawbar to engage the brakes, that if the trailer were to shift out of line under braking then the brakes would disengage the appropriate amount until the trailer came back in line. I am worried that if in any instance the tyres go past the point of minimum traction (eg. sliding sideways) that there is then nothing I can do but go for a trip on the merry-go-round. Whether tthe mostly horizontal sips in winter tyres actually affect this at all, I don’t know, but it would be nice to be as safe as possible.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 17:42

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My policy is generally not to trust things from Kompanies (companies that substitute a “K” for a “C” for no reason)...so there is also that. That being said, it might help, but I think it will be moderate help at best.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 17:51

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It may be better to just take it easy then, doing two runs instead of one for example, until I actually understand how the trailer reacts in slippy conditions.

Do two negatives make a positive? KargoMaxx?

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 17:54

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dissimilar things: adding “x” is a measure of “Xtremeness” while subbing “k” is a measure of [lack of] kreativity

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 17:57

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This is about to open a whole new world of ‘judging a company by it’s spelling’ to me. I’m damn sure not going to Krispy Kreme again. They’re not even bloody krispy.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 17:59

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they are exactly “krispy”. i.e. similar to crispy but worse.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 18:00

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True facts.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 18:02

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I don’t even want to know what generic”kreme” is

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/07/2015 at 18:04

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It looks vaguely French. I wouldn’t trust it.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 18:09

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JGrabowMSt > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 18:12

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This is the best video I could find about driving with a trailer in the snow.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > JGrabowMSt 12/07/2015 at 18:20

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Great. Awesome. Thanks for that. And here was I, looking forward to an educational video.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/07/2015 at 23:02

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I used to do it a bunch with a trailer weighing in at ~6000lbs. Never had any issues, just took it easy. FWIW I had all-seasons in my truck too.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 12/08/2015 at 10:57

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Well that settles the mind a little. I’ll take it easy if we get heavy weather, at least until I understand how the trailer acts and reacts.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/08/2015 at 15:40

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I’m sure you’ll be fine. But if you’re towing with a disco the main thing that would bother me is the short wheel base. I always used a big ‘ol stupid ‘Murican truck.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 12/08/2015 at 16:01

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Defender 110, so I have a little bit more leeway.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/08/2015 at 21:54

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Oh yeah no worries then.