New TM Maiden Voyage Experiences

I came up with an relatively easy method to get some of the weight off the tires when in storage. Maybe some of you 'pros' can comment on whether this is a good idea or not. I lower the front by retracting the tongue jack. This raises the rear so I can lower the stabalizers as much as possible. Then I extend the tongue jack as much as I can, which raises the front, and lower the front stabalizers. Then retract the tongue jack so the swing hitch can be moved. The tires are still on the ground, but at least some of the TM weight has been transferred to the stabalizers without having to really 'power' them down. My garage is a very tight fit so I have a hard time getting one of the stabalizers down, but it can be done!

Remember for backing, turn your steering wheel left when you want your tm to go right; turn it right when you want your tm to go left.
OR - hold the steering wheel at the bottom and turn left to go left with the TM, and right to go right.

I just turn the steering wheel. If the trailer goes the wrong way, I turn the wheel the other way. Works every time. I have towed trailers for many years, and never paid any attention to which way the steering wheel makes the trailer go.

I'm under the assumption that these sorts of stabilizers are not meant to carry much of the actual trailer weight. I would be concerned with bending or twisting the frame if too much weight was put on the 4 corners.

Note that I have nothing to base this fear on other than surfing internet forums.......

Jeff

Originally Posted by Scott O

I came up with an relatively easy method to get some of the weight off the tires when in storage. Maybe some of you 'pros' can comment on whether this is a good idea or not. I lower the front by retracting the tongue jack. This raises the rear so I can lower the stabalizers as much as possible. Then I extend the tongue jack as much as I can, which raises the front, and lower the front stabalizers. Then retract the tongue jack so the swing hitch can be moved. The tires are still on the ground, but at least some of the TM weight has been transferred to the stabalizers without having to really 'power' them down. My garage is a very tight fit so I have a hard time getting one of the stabalizers down, but it can be done!

NYJeff: You are partially correct...I should have noted that this will work only for recent stabalizers. These are actually stabalizing jacks and will supposedly support the weight of the TM. Your point on tweaking the frame is well taken. I suspect that twist would be minimized by lowering the backs equally than lowering the fronts equally. And remember, a significant amount of weight will still be on the wheels.

Originally Posted by wmtire

Well, I said that I wasn't going to use the full amount of air pressure in my new 10 ply rated 15 inch tires, when hauling it. Storing is really another matter. I put in an email to Hankook Tires Research and Development Center they opened up in Akron, OHIO. I'll share their engineers response here in the forums when I receive it. They're usually pretty good about answering their dealers questions.

Did you ever hear back from Hankook? Which Hankook tires are you running?

Thanks