Author: StephenH
Subject: Partially filling fresh water
Posted: 07 Mar 2017 at 8:09pm
Given my experiences towing, I don't think you will have a problem.
Experience 1: Las Vegas headed northbound on I15. Needed to take exit and did not know how sharp that turn was. Had to really step on the brakes to make the turn and avoid hitting the wall. There were plenty of marks from people who had not successfully made the turn. If the water we had in the tank would have been an issue, then that is one place where it surely would have manifested itself.
Experience 2: December, I80 in western Wyoming: Crosswind gusting to 40 mph. Road turned to ice as we approached a bridge overpass. We started to fishtail and it got worse. We might have recovered if the back end of the trailer had not hit the bridge guard rail and kicked us around in a 180 degree spin leaving us facing the wrong way on the bridge. The fresh water tank was empty and the black and gray water tanks had minimal content at that point as we were dry camping due to travel in sub-freezing temperatures.
In both cases, the contents (or lack thereof) in the tanks did not determine the outcome. The water is, after all, just a fraction of the weight of a loaded R-Pod. Drive sensibly and you should be fine.
Subject: Partially filling fresh water
Posted: 07 Mar 2017 at 8:09pm
| Originally posted by Our pod Stephen H and Tars Farkas: my concern re free-surface effect would be on its impact to traction from increased weight on the outside of the turn, perhaps result ing in a skid. I don't worry about capsizing (flipping) very much. |
Given my experiences towing, I don't think you will have a problem.
Experience 1: Las Vegas headed northbound on I15. Needed to take exit and did not know how sharp that turn was. Had to really step on the brakes to make the turn and avoid hitting the wall. There were plenty of marks from people who had not successfully made the turn. If the water we had in the tank would have been an issue, then that is one place where it surely would have manifested itself.
Experience 2: December, I80 in western Wyoming: Crosswind gusting to 40 mph. Road turned to ice as we approached a bridge overpass. We started to fishtail and it got worse. We might have recovered if the back end of the trailer had not hit the bridge guard rail and kicked us around in a 180 degree spin leaving us facing the wrong way on the bridge. The fresh water tank was empty and the black and gray water tanks had minimal content at that point as we were dry camping due to travel in sub-freezing temperatures.
In both cases, the contents (or lack thereof) in the tanks did not determine the outcome. The water is, after all, just a fraction of the weight of a loaded R-Pod. Drive sensibly and you should be fine.