Tow Dolly Tires Cracking

[vettenuts]

Mine is at 15" as well. My reason for asking is the height will affect the surge brake application on downgrades.

Just received a document from UFP about the surge brakes. They don't recommend using the engine brake with trailer surge brakes, but if you do they recommend that every half mile of a long downgrade (5% or more) you accelerate the coach for a few seconds to allow brake release and cooling then resume engine braking. They also note this may not fully resolve brake overheating issues.

I am seriously considering aluminum wheels for better heat dissipation just worried about durability.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by vettenuts

Mine is at 15" as well. My reason for asking is the height will affect the surge brake application on downgrades.

Just received a document from UFP about the surge brakes. They don't recommend using the engine brake with trailer surge brakes, but if you do they recommend that every half mile of a long downgrade (5% or more) you accelerate the coach for a few seconds to allow brake release and cooling then resume engine braking. They also note this may not fully resolve brake overheating issues.

I am seriously considering aluminum wheels for better heat dissipation.

There is a valve available that can electrically lock out surge brakes. It is placed on the line at the master cylinder.

It is used by boat trailer owners and is typically wired into the reverse light circut.

I suppose you could wire it into the engine brake circuit so the surge brakes are disabled when on. The problem would be de-activating it when you step on the brakes.

A couple of relays could do it.

[harleyjt]

Originally Posted by twinboat

There is a valve available that can electrically lock out surge brakes. It is placed on the line at the master cylinder.

It is used by boat trailer owners and is typically wired into the reverse light circut.

I suppose you could wire it into the engine brake circuit so the surge brakes are disabled when on. The problem would be de-activating it when you step on the brakes.

A couple of relays could do it.

Maybe a simple manually operated toggle switch would be the best way to go. Simply switch off the trailer brakes on downgrades.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by harleyjt

Maybe a simple manually operated toggle switch would be the best way to go. Simply switch off the trailer brakes on downgrades.

A momentary switch would be safer. You can't leave it on by mistake.

You also need to lock out the brakes before slowing, or going down hill.
You don't want to lock them when they are on.

[harleyjt]

Originally Posted by twinboat

A momentary switch would be safer. You can't leave it on by mistake.

You also need to lock out the brakes before slowing, or going down hill.
You don't want to lock them when they are on.

Point well taken, but I don't think I want to descend a long grade using the grad brake and holding the switch for the brake defeat the whole time. Yes, you would lock them out when they are not applied.

jt

[Brockx]

For what it is worth:

I towed my EZE Tow with a higher hitch height than recommended. My thinking was based on 2 things, the long overhang of both my gas coaches (pictured) were/are prone to drag a deeply dropped hitch. The other consideration being I was mainly concerned with having braking effort on hard stops and break-away protection. Normal traffic stopping, the coach brakes were quite adequate. I sincerely doubt the Dolly brakes had any significant action other than firm braking situations. I also never noticed any abnormal heat and I always do an immediate check of straps and overall appearances when stopping en-route.

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted by Brockx

For what it is worth:



I towed my EZE Tow with a higher hitch height than recommended.

Do you know what height that was?

[vettenuts]

I have read, not sure of the truth because of the Internet, that putting a switch on the solenoid is not legal. I assume that the boating folks have it wired to their backup light but am honestly not familiar with it.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by vettenuts

I have read, not sure of the truth because of the Internet, that putting a switch on the solenoid is not legal. I assume that the boating folks have it wired to their backup light but am honestly not familiar with it.

Don't know about the legal issues but www.Etrailer.com sells them.

[Dougsee3]

As I have the Plastic ramps.

With my 12" drop hitch I am at about the 14" hitch height
But the back of the dolly is high making, kind of a high of a jump on to the dolly.

With my 10" drop hitch I am at about 16" and a good or better transition on to the dolly
The newer hook on ramps would not have this problem.

My Dolly only has about 6000 miles shared rotating the spare tire.
About 1/3 of the milage was at the 14" height
The tires are not worn as much as some of the pictures and no cracking.

New to Motorhoming and Toads
My Dolly brakes did not work the first trip approx. 4000 miles as the system might of had air in it. I blend the brakes when I got back and got them working what a difference.

But you have me wondering as I wore out the brakes and lost a bearing seal in the mountains when i was at the 14" height and in about 1800 miles. Acme was awesome and sent me all new parts to repair.

The brakes were wore out but the tires are fine. The heat must of been very high.

I have not used the dolly since it has been repaired but I am going to watch more carefully as as it has been a over year I am thinking that the surge brake actuator might be to sensitive.

I am also very glad to not of read of a bunch of other Acme dolly posts with the major brake issue that I had.

Tires have been at 90psi I was going to run them this year at the 75 recommended lately but its sounding like 90 might be better???

[Brockx]

Originally Posted by vettenuts

Do you know what height that was?

Best of memory the Pace Arrow was 17.5, The Bounder was a little higher. I sold the Dolly so I can't check it for you. Keep in mind as you raise the tongue you will lose clearance between the Dolly "A" frame and Facia of the car. Was not a problem with the KIA, short front overhang, and no spoilers.

[EZE Tow]

Been watching these threads on the tires cracking.
We have seen this in some instances. Now that the tires and wheels are balanced and leaving the factory at 75 PSI we are seeing a lot less of it.
Part of the issue is the fact that there is no suspension to help the tires. Dolly tires will average 4 to 20k miles. We have quite a few people that get 20k miles from their tires, some just 5k. Way to many variables to explain why.

We use a very high quality tire and wheel, and sell on average 350 dollies a month for several years now. It is actually not as common as it may seem on here.

In any case we have decided to make replacement tires and balancing beads available to everyone for $49.99 plus shipping. That's Two tires and balancing bead sets. This is not a promotion, It is the new fixed price.

Richard Brown

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted by Dougsee3

But you have me wondering as I wore out the brakes and lost a bearing seal in the mountains when i was at the 14" height and in about 1800 miles. Acme was awesome and sent me all new parts to repair.

The brakes were wore out but the tires are fine. The heat must of been very high.

I have not used the dolly since it has been repaired but I am going to watch more carefully as as it has been a over year I am thinking that the surge brake actuator might be to sensitive.

I am also very glad to not of read of a bunch of other Acme dolly posts with the major brake issue that I had.

Tires have been at 90psi I was going to run them this year at the 75 recommended lately but its sounding like 90 might be better???

I had one pad that was worn about half so I rebuilt the calipers when I did the bearings and installed new pads as well. A single pad worn typically indicates a sticking caliper hence the rebuild. Both sides had leaked enough that the grease was considered low. I contacted UFP directly and they sent parts to fix the problem. Might have been the result of heat but am not really sure.

I have learned a lot not only from use of the dolly, but from this thread. Will watch things more closely next season to see when a problem starts, assuming it occurs again.

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted by EZE Tow

Been watching these threads on the tires cracking.
We have seen this in some instances. Now that the tires and wheels are balanced and leaving the factory at 75 PSI we are seeing a lot less of it.
Part of the issue is the fact that there is no suspension to help the tires. Dolly tires will average 4 to 20k miles. We have quite a few people that get 20k miles from their tires, some just 5k. Way to many variables to explain why.

We use a very high quality tire and wheel, and sell on average 350 dollies a month for several years now. It is actually not as common as it may seem on here.

In any case we have decided to make replacement tires and balancing beads available to everyone for $49.99 plus shipping. That's Two tires and balancing bead sets. This is not a promotion, It is the new fixed price.

Richard Brown

Richard,

Curious about a couple of things. Did you ever evaluate aluminum wheels? I am thinking aluminum wheels (spoked) might help with heat dissipation but not sure on durability.

Is there a prescribed method to check the trueness of the axle, since the roads are pretty bad in some parts of the country and you can't tell by eye if there is some damage. If there were a couple of quick measurements that could verify all is Ok I would likely check after each trip. I have been truly amazed at how crappy some of the highways are these days.

Just a point of confusion on my part, you have seen less tread cracking with the 75 psi vice the 90 psi?