A NEW DUAL HITCH TRAILER CONCEPT FOR IMPROVED STABILITY AND REVERSE MANEUVERABILITY

A dual hitch trailer with caster steerable wheels is developed to improve reverse maneuverability and to eliminate the potentially dangerous forward yaw oscillation mode between tow vehicle and trailer. High speed maneuverability, a common deficiency of small trailers of the dual hitch type, is achieved by the use of a patented "mass restraint system" which enables necessary side forces to be developed by the trailer tires during such maneuvers. A mathematical model is developed to analyze the lateral stability of this trailer system and indicates significant improvements over past dual hitch and single ball hitch trailers. Test results on an experimental trailer are included for verification of the model and also to demonstrate the importance of the mass restraint system for high speed maneuvering.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, Michigan, February 27-March 2, 1984.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • CHAREK, L T
  • Huston, J C
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20 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: High speed ground transportation; High speed vehicles; Mathematical models; Speed; Trailers; Yaw
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lateral stability
• Old TRIS Terms: Dual hitch; Reverse manueverability; Test results
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395731
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 840559, HS-038 255
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1985 12:00AM