More about trailering

As mentioned in an earlier post, I am trailering my Swing to Florida in December. All replies that I have received have been very helpful, but I have one more question.

I'm going to load my Swing back end forward so as to weight the trailer tongue for optimum towing.

With the Swing uncovered, and towing it with wind hitting the windshield from the "wrong" direction I am wondering if this might damage or "snap" the windshield?

I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions regarding this situation.

Thanks,

Tom Gerber

Take the windshield off if you need to hall it backword on the trailer if you leave the windshield on YOU WILL BRAKE IT and maybe some other plastic that is next to the windshield may brake when the windshield brakes.

This is an interesting question. I've read of others who moved the trailer wheels back for better balance, but I would be reluctant to haul the bike "backward" at highway speeds. What about adding weight to the front of the trailer for better balance? I'm thinking a couple of bags of play sand placed at the front, I have no experience in this area, but I'm sure we have some loadmasters on here who will "weigh" in.

A lot will depend on the configuration of your trailer. My trailer has the wheels approx two and a half feet from the rear, the total length of the trailer is nine feet so the trailer doesn't waggle (or snake) when being towed. The bed of the trailer is seven foot long so bikes / scooters sit comfortably on it. The weight is always nose heavy. Small trailers with the wheels in the middle are the ones that you see waggling all over the road.
Cheers,

To help add weight to the front of the trailer get a drop hitch if you have a recever hitch on your truck and run the front of the trailer lower then the back of the trailer.

IMO you dont need to physically drop the trailer to make it nose heavy. Mine is nose heavy purely because of the position of the wheels. If the bed of the trailer is level then it is much easier getting a scooter off.
As regards to putting the scppter on facing backwards there is the disadvantage that water and other rubbish can get directed into the engine area etc whareas if it is forward facing then the tupperware is able to do it's normal job and deflect all the rain (snow). Plus it saves having to remove / refit the screen.

Cheers,

Yes, wheels towards the back is the key.
I had the pleasure of towing a 22' boat-trailer with my truck on a number of occasions.
It had 4 wheels ¾ of the way back and towed like a dream; it was also very easy to manoeuvre in reverse.
I have pictures somewhere - I'll post a couple when I find them.

Many thanks to all of you. I will not tow my Swing backwards for all the good reasons given. However, because of money invested so far, I will probably do what Hi Yo suggested, put the SW on forward, and add ballast in from of trailer to proportion tongue weight.

But the best idea is from Tarmacburner about a trailer with wheels near the rear (MikeO too).

Does anyone know where a trailer so described can be found here in the Colonies?

I was advised against taking windshield off by the dealer

Is there a trac for the wheels to sit in so it does not kick out? If not I have holes in the floor of the trailer to tie the wheels still. All the tie downs are worthless if the wheels kick side ways, slacks the ties and the bike falls

My trailer has a flatbed. Down the centre I have a length of plastic square roof guttering (no idea what you call it over the pond) and some strips of wood. Makes loading and unloading the scooter much easier as it cant wander off centre. When I have slackened off the tie down straps enough I can put the side stand down so it can't fall over.

Here is a link to ebay so you can see what I mean by square section guttering.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brown-SQUARE-Guttering-and-Fittings-/270783772894?pt=UK_BOI_Ceilings_Walls_Roofing_ET&var=&hash=item84b824c16a

Cheers,

There is another possibility.
Plastic wrap...the same thing they use to wrap stacks of boxes on pallets so they dont fall off.
If you can wrap your bike front to back by going around the bike and eventually from under the wing to the windshield and back, then on putting it on the trailer in reverse you would get a teardrop configuration, with the narrow end (wing) in the front and the wide part of the tear in the back. How long this would work...dunno. No experience. However it is aerodynamic if done right.
You would think the same thing could be achieved with a bike cover, but they don't fit over the bike snuggly enough to make it that aerodynamic.

Dan

What are you towing the trailer with? If it is a big motor-home type vehicle then the scooter is probably going to be travelling in a bubble of comparatively still air so aerodynamically it shouldn't be a problem. Good idea to wrap it in clingfilm though as that will save a lot of cleaning and protect the tupperware.

Cheers,

x

We just call them rain gutters hear.

We actually refer to it as 'Natural precipitation catchment poly vinyl chloride channel'. I was just trying to make it easier for you colonials over the pond. :lol!:

Cheers

in metal a "channel" is 3 sided. I have two 18" steel channels with holes that match drilled holes in the trailer deck. removable for general use. easier to load into than one long piece. I think using aluminum guttering may not be strong enough

The channel sits on top of the flatbed. It is just a guide and doesn't have to support any weight. Just the last 12" of the flatbed (front end) has the channel, the rear end has strips of wood to act as guides. If I need to all the pieces are simply removed by unsrewing the self tappers and I have a completely flat flatbed.

Cheers,

I had no problems pulling my SW on a U-Haul motorcycle trailer and the rental was about $25 a day. The cage pulled it nicely for the over 1k miles going to/from the recent wedding and vacation. No worries about a squirrel trailer at all and it comes with a ramp and nice tie-down points. All you need is your bike, straps to tie down, and pulling vehicle - a Sonata in my case. The extra handlbar strap is worth the money. Be sure the trunk is empty though or tied down because I lost a glove on the highway while pulling the bike when the wind lifted the seat after being jostled on the road for several hours.

KB

Well, I definitely will start pulling my SWing when I take long trips. The cage will have no problems and the bike will definitely be in the slipstream (Ford F150 with a bed cap) All my gear will be in the truck so no flyaways.