VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 speed while trailering?

How fast do u drive while trailering you precious restored antique vehicle?
Today I was following a trailered restored antique traveling 7 mph over the speed limit. I noticed the trailered cars front was shifting closer to the edge of the trailer that had no lip on it.I waved the driver over and we checked the straps which seemed good. I still thought he was driving to fast and cautioned him to take it easy. He was appreciative of the concern.
Did I do right,or should I give people more credit for their abilities and left alone?

You did right. I never assume I am doing a good job and I have been trailering rubber tired equipment and vehicles since the late 50s. Strange things result from forces that can come about on a trailer, even at normal speeds.
I have seen drivers streach and nearly destroy a nice soft top on a late 20s thru the 1935 model sedans and coaches on an open trailer by speeding, I would think one should not haul a soft top car on an open trailer faster than you would drive the car. I never had a trailered car or truck shift over a couple of inches forward or back, never sideways, unless a tire went flat on a large rubber tired tractor or front end loader, as long as I used chains and binders. I have started using heavy nylon ratchet straps and did ok in a covered trailer, but this summer I hauled my 53 on an open trailer to the SST-10 in Oklahoma, I was in rain some of the time and when we arrived, the car had shifted 4 inches toward the curbside resulting in us having to jack the car up and pushing it back into the middle of the trailer, to clear the fender of the trailer. I still don't know why.
I checked the straps several times during the trip, and they only needed a couple of notches tightened one time during the trip. We didn't speed during the trip. I think it may be a combination of radial tires on the car and a slippery treadplate, and the wet nylon straps. My last trip with the 53 in the covered trailer was to Arkansas for the SFT over some "steep & curvy roads". The same tie down ratchet straps, no movement whatsoever.

I drove at around 75 mph all of the time, (once I get away from the greater NYC area and one can travel faster then 5mph)until this summer when I had a blowout in Cranston RI with my best friends 60 Buick Wagon in route to get painted. The trailer fender tore off and did a number on his door before going air born down I-95. Good thing it was around 7am on a Saturday or the fender alone could have killed someone. Tires were new (about 2,000 miles), it just happened. I kept control and the sway control really helped keep everything straight. The problem with traveling at a high speed is when things go wrong it is just that much harder to control. I had a problem last year both going to and coming home from Grand Junction with belt separation on my trailer tires. I ended up buying 5 tires throughout the trip when all was said an done. I don't know why, I was not overloaded, but I was traveling at around 80mph and it was real hot. A trailer tire has more plys, maybe it was pulling apart from the speed? I don't know

As far as the car shifting, if you cross strap that can not happen, but the straps now loose half of their rating when crossed. Also you are strapping things down so if something does go wrong the car stays in place, and acts as one with the trailer. The last thing you want is to have an accident and then the car launches forward into your tow vehicle. I am far from an expert, but one thing I can say is that I have seen some pretty shakey operations pulling some very expensive cars, and I just don't get it. From undersized tow vehicles to bald car tires on a trailer. So just from watching and looking I learned a lot, but I learned to slow down from a blow out all on my own
Good luck, and take it slow!
John

mack and john i had the same problem with the car shifting to one side so i started cross tieing end of problem my trailer has an alum floor so it is slick . once i had a tire to go flat in the trailer that caused the straps to loosen . about the tire problem age seems to be the factor on the way to the sft in arkansas i made about three hundred miles before one let loose they were about five years old looked like new and they are the 265 - 16 10 ply truck tires . we spent the night in texarkana the next morning we were first in line at the tire store in 27 minutes they mounted and balanced four tires and we were on the road . in the last ten years i have not taken a tire off because of wear they have all separated done damage to the truck and trailer

The AACA forum had a great long thread about trailer tires a month or so ago. I don't remember the technical part but in a nut shell it said not to use car or truck tires on a trailer. Only trailer tires should be used.
If you were interested you can go to their site and do a search.
Years ago (when young and foolish) I used to tow a 11 series Packard on a tandem trailer behind a 53 Buick and always drove in the high 60's. It seemed like a good idea then.
I also used my daily driver (1930 Pontiac) to tow a 26 Studebaker using a tow bar (usually about 50 mph). All went well until I blew a rear tire on the studebaker. Four lane road and two shoulders and I used all of them and ended up facing the oposite direction on the other side of the road.
Since then I always use a tandem trailer equiped with trailer tires and never, never exceed the posted speed limit.

That was a real good thread on the AACA site, very focused and informative. (I have found that most all of the posts on that site stay the topic) The trailer only tire is very important, along with the wieght rating. I have seen some real scary operations, and am amazed that these guys have no problems. I am going to make the return trip next week up to MA to pick up my buddy's 60 Buick. The trip up was when I had the blow out early this summer
John

I would score your "concern" as 100% legitimate. I surely would want to know "everything" about what my antique automobile "looks like" (from your viewpoint) as I am trailering it down the highway.
For sure you did the right thing!