Tail-Heavy Trailer Sway

What kind of idiot moves a backhoe that isn't secured at all with chains or straps on a trailer on the highway? That guy is astonishingly stupid and extremely unsafe.

The same kind of idiot that tried to drive his Miata under my truck today on the way to work. He flicks the turn signal on and without even turning to look, heads on over into my lane.. Got nothing for his efforts except giant 35" tire swirls down the left side of his car and he's now shy 1 mirror.

The lady behind him was kind enough to stop and let him know he was at fault. Whoever you are, thanks for your contact info. My insurance company will be in touch!

You're missing the point. The questions that we are pondering is "why?" I have searched all over the 'net and found no evidence that anybody ever studied it adequately to explain it.

It doesn't matter how stupid people are who haul backhoes. What matters is that a formerly stable combination crashes itself with a different center of gravity.

Do you have any input on that?

Why does it matter why it happens? I don't have to know why flesh burns to know not to put my hand in fire. Whitelightning

Try throwing a tail-heavy dart.

Hey, at least he signalled. Did he at least have the consideration to end his cellphone call by the time you stopped to see if he was all right?

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

No mystery here. A trailer will tend to be stable when the foward/leading end of the trailer is carrying a percentage of the weigh on its hitch through proper CG (ie 10 to 15% of the trailers weight being coupled to a stable tow vehicle) this forward mass stabilizes the rest of the trailer to follow it (kind like follow the leader of sorts) When CG shift to rear, the trailer becomes unstable because it is heavier behind the axle CG than in front of it which makes it very unstable plus this shift weight off of tow vehicle as well which gives it even less control on the trailer behind it and with a sudden move or maneuver, oscillation can set in because CG is behind axle in direction of travel and the tall heavy condition influences its control over the lighter front end as to masses (heavy rear light front) react against each other across axle(s) center line and the heavier end will win an since lighter end is guiding direction it can oscillate/whip tell you loose control. The only way to recover from this before it is too late is to apply trailer brakes as hard as possible and no vehicle brakes and the force on trailer trying to brake itself and tow vehicle will restore enough control (pendulum effect of sorts) to stop vehicle safely.