IMPROVED STABILITY AND HANDLING OF TRUCK COMBINATIONS WITH THE DOUBLE DRAWBAR DOLLY

The double drawbar dolly eliminates articulation of the conventional single drawbar converter dolly to improve the stability of multiple trailer truck combinations. It is usually provided with a self-steering axle to improve maneuverability. This paper describes double drawbar dolly types, factors in their design, and findings from tests of a specific dolly and computer simulation results pertaining to a range of dolly concepts. Performance topics investigated include low and high speed offtracking, stability characteristics and loads at the dolly hitch. The results showed vehicle performance is highly dependent upon friction and stiffness in the dolly self-steering system. Both test and simulation showed that compared with the single drawbar dolly, a double drawbar dolly having properties equivalent to that tested would significantly improve vehicle stability. If steer stiffness is diminished to the free castering condition, stability becomes poorer than with the conventional single drawbar dolly. The double drawbar dolly can impose high longitudinal and vertical loads on the pintle hooks. Therefore, the latch mechanism must be capable of resisting these large upward loads.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • West Coast International Meeting Vancouver, British Columbia, August 8-11, 1983.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Woodrooffe, JHF
  • Billing, J R
  • NISONGER, R L
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 12 p.
• Serial:
  • SAE Technical Paper
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0148-7191
  • EISSN: 2688-3627
  • Serial URL: http://papers.sae.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barricades; Dollies; Drawbars; Driving; Handling characteristics; Maneuverability; Motor vehicles; Simulation; Stability (Mechanics); Steering; Trailers; Vehicle design; Vehicle performance
• Old TRIS Terms: Double drawbar dolly; Pedestrian barrier
• Subject Areas: Design; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00382419
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 831162, HS-036 128
• Files: HSL, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM