warning to new penmakers
- Thread starter Jjartwood
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Dalecamino
Local Chapter Leader
Nice rig. I have yet to take that route. Probably never will.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Generation 2!!!! Congrats!!!
(Generation 1: Fits in car,
Generation 2: need a trailer (10 footish will do)
Generation 3: Trailer is too small--larger trailer (14-16 foot)
Generation 3b: Need bigger car to pull trailer (Durango"
Generation 4: Durango can pull up to 10,000 pounds, need bigger trailer, with more head clearance so I don't have to duck while loading.)
Hopefully you will keep going from there!! For me, Generation 4b: trailer got out of control and I could not stop the "wagging". Went off the road, trailer tipped onto it's side. After cleaning out all the broken pieces---END of "craft-career".
tbroye
Member
Hey Ed, didn't you Darango and trailer end up in ditch? or some kind of accident. Opps sorry did finish reading you post now I can't delete it.
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ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Yes, we were EXTREMELY fortunate. Trailer hitch and sway bars (2" square metal). The one bar flew about 100' from the scene of the trailer falling onto its side. My Durango was untouched. Drove away, the trailer was loaded on a low boy and carted to the repair place (3 miles or so).
We were lucky, but I don't have any desire to pull that trailer again.
(I pull the little one --10'--all the time)
We did a LOT of shows out of the big trailers, hundreds---but I was ready to get out of that---and most of our friends had already left crafting.
We were lucky, but I don't have any desire to pull that trailer again.
(I pull the little one --10'--all the time)
We did a LOT of shows out of the big trailers, hundreds---but I was ready to get out of that---and most of our friends had already left crafting.
Dalecamino
Local Chapter Leader
See what I mean? :wink: Probably never will. I recall when this happened Ed. Not good, but good you can tell about it. :wink:
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
PenMan1
Member
Be VERY careful. You are venturing into new territory. At almost every show we do, we see some artist that loses everything by "graduating" (or regressing) by moving to a "rig".
Trailers ABSOLUTELY need to be loaded with a distribution directly over the axle. HOW it is distributed has as much to do with the conditions that you must travel through, the roads that you travel and FYI, pulling ANY class V trailer over 45 MPH is a speed violation in almost every state.
You can put all the "anti sway" bar you want on it. You can even attach a drawbar on each side of the rear tow mount to augment the hitch. If the trailer is loaded wrong, you are still gonna wreck it. We see it every week.
Not lecturing, just saying be careful. With small class III &. V trailers, 3 things can happen .... And two of those things are very bad.
Trailers ABSOLUTELY need to be loaded with a distribution directly over the axle. HOW it is distributed has as much to do with the conditions that you must travel through, the roads that you travel and FYI, pulling ANY class V trailer over 45 MPH is a speed violation in almost every state.
You can put all the "anti sway" bar you want on it. You can even attach a drawbar on each side of the rear tow mount to augment the hitch. If the trailer is loaded wrong, you are still gonna wreck it. We see it every week.
Not lecturing, just saying be careful. With small class III &. V trailers, 3 things can happen .... And two of those things are very bad.
PenMan1
Member
Dang, Ernie! With that rig (about 8 MPG) and the price of Diesel at near $4, you could just call in a moving van cheaper! Then you could fly in with the little brief case, while the moving company sets you up and breaks it down.
PenMan1
Member
We've seen the art show circuit change drastically in the past couple years.
When the price of gas started to skyrocket, most of the show promoters here found a new niche. Most all promoters (some through subcontractors) offer tables, table linens, weight, side curtains and even pro panel RENTAL.
Many today (mostly high end jewelers,knife, pipe and watch makers)opt for the $75 rental package, then simply ship in their displays, Then, fly in with product. When the show ends they leave the boxes, taped and labeled, with the show promoters to ship, let the subcontractors break down the booth, then off they fly with the little rolly suitcases.
When the price of gas started to skyrocket, most of the show promoters here found a new niche. Most all promoters (some through subcontractors) offer tables, table linens, weight, side curtains and even pro panel RENTAL.
Many today (mostly high end jewelers,knife, pipe and watch makers)opt for the $75 rental package, then simply ship in their displays, Then, fly in with product. When the show ends they leave the boxes, taped and labeled, with the show promoters to ship, let the subcontractors break down the booth, then off they fly with the little rolly suitcases.
Not even close Andy!! That baby gets a maximum of 6 MPG if you baby it. 5 MPG if you drive it normal. Of course we haul 2 race cars, 2 spare engines, about 12 tires, a few spare transmissions, and a few other smaller spare parts. It has a shower in the front of the trailer as well as a full sized refrigerator and cabinets. On a normal weekend where we race Friday and Saturday night in two different cities we typically use about 65 gallons of diesel fuel. We also go through 55 gallons of racing fuel a month. I wish we had a fuel sponsor!!
alamocdc
Member
Ed, old buddy, that usually means your weight distribution was off with not enough over the tongue. But I'm glad y'all were okay. I hadn't heard this story... must have been during my hiatus. :wink:
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
I will add one thing, even though it's kinda beating the dead horse:
AFTER the trailer incident, the place that repaired the trailer asked me what happened. I explained. He said, "Did you apply your trailer brakes?" I said I did not want to brake hard, for fear of being rear-ended. He continued, "NO, I mean did you use your trailer brakes??" It was then I learned you could push the lever on your brake adjustment in the car and brake the trailer, without applying the car brakes.
Had I known this, we would probably STILL be doing shows and the trailer would not have been a multi-thousand dollar loss.
So, if you are towing a trailer, take time to find a good "trailer guy" to teach you some of the "tricks of the trade".
I didn't!!!!!
Ed
tim self
Member
Yep, last yr we bought a small 5th wheel camper. I pack everything show related over the axles and off we go. Just rental spot for a few days and we can cook at home. (If I can convince LOML to cook.) Just a different approach with less overhead. Kinda.
Plus we can use it for camping and fishing!
Plus we can use it for camping and fishing!
Joe S.
Member
Where is the 2nd one?
2nd as in Car? You can see the front wheel of the 1st one inside the door. The second one is directly behind it.
pensbydesign
Member
nice set up mark, that's not like you to go over board 
And, some trailers are worse than others. I had a custom cab-over cap made for my 1977 pickup truck (that was in the days of 8' boxes.) to avoid using a trailer.
Jjartwood
Member
Actually,I've logged over a million miles driving CDL A and I found the hardest part
was driving like I was still pulling doubles.
But the absolute worst part was backing into MY OWN mail box while backing into the driveway after a show WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR!!!!!
Dang, gonna take a while to live that one down!
was driving like I was still pulling doubles.
But the absolute worst part was backing into MY OWN mail box while backing into the driveway after a show WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR!!!!!
Dang, gonna take a while to live that one down!