Strange Question
#21
THIS is one of the MOST important things to know..and should be done in any type of vehicle on any type of road. Nicely said MagScrew!
Try drive a tractor/trailer on the main freeways near Chicago where you will have many lanes of rigs driving on what feels like 8' wide lanes...mirrors inches from each other. You just pay attention to what you are doing, not the others. The first time I did it was pure hell.
I once asked a FedEx train driver if his weaving trailers bothered him. He said..."NOPE, I never look back at them". He said two things....first, there is nothing he could do to keep them from weaving. Secondly, it would scare the heck out of him!!
Try drive a tractor/trailer on the main freeways near Chicago where you will have many lanes of rigs driving on what feels like 8' wide lanes...mirrors inches from each other. You just pay attention to what you are doing, not the others. The first time I did it was pure hell.
I once asked a FedEx train driver if his weaving trailers bothered him. He said..."NOPE, I never look back at them". He said two things....first, there is nothing he could do to keep them from weaving. Secondly, it would scare the heck out of him!!
The following users liked this post:
Simnut (09-11-2017)
#22
The way I have been doing it for decades now. Know whats behind you, know whats in front of not YOU, but the one in FRONT of YOU! Keep the head on a swivel at all times, check left mirror, right mirror, look ahead, check the gauges, and so on. Hard to miss something when you do this, and you will be prepared for when that semi goes to pass you, or some other large vehicle so the push wont take you by surprise, since that is when sway can happen, you are not ready for a push, suddenly there is one and you overreact and set the trailer up to sway.
That video of the Excursion is great example of someone not prepared and overreacting. Regardless of how he was setup, by going past that Semi at the speed he was doing, when that blast of wind hit the trailer, he was not prepared for it and overreacted and amplified the sway.
I only look at my trailer when I suspect something isn't quite right, which in the 2016 has been quite often, but I never see the trailer actually sway, its in lock step with the truck. For the most part I look at the main mirrors because they are st to look into the lane next to me, not behind me, the tow mirrors are set to see what is behind the trailer. I can't even see the trailer in the main mirrors.
That video of the Excursion is great example of someone not prepared and overreacting. Regardless of how he was setup, by going past that Semi at the speed he was doing, when that blast of wind hit the trailer, he was not prepared for it and overreacted and amplified the sway.
I only look at my trailer when I suspect something isn't quite right, which in the 2016 has been quite often, but I never see the trailer actually sway, its in lock step with the truck. For the most part I look at the main mirrors because they are st to look into the lane next to me, not behind me, the tow mirrors are set to see what is behind the trailer. I can't even see the trailer in the main mirrors.
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Update..
I just realized I fell off the face of the earth here. I couldn't be happier with my 2014 Max Tow. My trailer is about 8300 lbs loaded, and I moved things around (and added a quad) so now TW is around 1000 lbs. It tows like a dream. I can go 65-70 mph and pass and be passed by tractor trailers without any issues, even on the stock Load Range C tires. I'm still not sure what the difference is, but I like it better. I miss my Sync 3 though
#24
Senior Member
Totally agree with your comment. Just moving over a little makes a big difference. I try to keep a good eye out for when a semi is about to pass me and make the move, hate it when they catch me off guard. I've also noticed some semi's I get nothing, others I get the vacuum effect. Suppose it has to do with the nose of the cab?
#25
Senior Member
I agree about my 2014, although my 2014 tows a lighter TT, and I drive a tad slower, but it's rare when my truck moves the slightest when being passed, or passing an 18 wheeler. But my truck also has the HDPP. That may have something to do with it.
I just realized I fell off the face of the earth here. I couldn't be happier with my 2014 Max Tow. My trailer is about 8300 lbs loaded, and I moved things around (and added a quad) so now TW is around 1000 lbs. It tows like a dream. I can go 65-70 mph and pass and be passed by tractor trailers without any issues, even on the stock Load Range C tires. I'm still not sure what the difference is, but I like it better. I miss my Sync 3 though
#26
Senior Member
Totally agree with your comment. Just moving over a little makes a big difference. I try to keep a good eye out for when a semi is about to pass me and make the move, hate it when they catch me off guard. I've also noticed some semi's I get nothing, others I get the vacuum effect. Suppose it has to do with the nose of the cab?
Moving over just a little increases the space between the vehicles so the air is not as squeezed so the low pressure (or vacuum effect) is diminished.
#27
Senior Member
I was driving in Idaho once and that is where I noticed the push pull the most when a truck would pass. The first few times when a truck started passing me it would push me away and I would steer to correct it, then once the bow wind passed it would suck me in and I would then be too close to the truck. I learned real quick that if I just let it push me and not react to it when the suction pulled me in I would end up in the same place I started. I was actually towing with a 3/4 ton Chevy at the time and it moved the entire combination not just the trailer.
The following users liked this post:
Simnut (03-04-2018)