Putting on Chains, oh fun! Better put one on the right rear trailer wheel to keep the trailer straight.Retired R/R worker resting up at Long Branch Trailer Park.
Rumble Seat Trailering.
San Juan Island Ferry, late 1940s.I have been on that a few times.
How many of us this growing up?
Stopping for lunch.
7 thoughts on “Camping Saturday.”
It’s kind of funny now that I think about it. My wife and I started camping back about 1972 with a tent. After about a year we went to a 20 foot travel trailer. No air conditioning. We took that trailer all over the east coast. All it had for ventilation was a ceiling fan. I can’t remember ever being uncomfortable in it. Now, almost 50 years later, I pull a 37′ travel trailer with two a/c units on the roof. I pulled that 20 .foot trailer with a ’74 Chevelle and got 9 MPG. Today, I pull my trailer with a diesel pickup, total weight of 19,400 and get pretty close to 12 MPG.
14 Working girls?
My dad didn’t like tents, so when he got into camping, he built a cab-over camper for his ’55 Ford pick-up. We went everywhere in that rig. The propane light over the table would heat the whole camper, and with the quilts mom threw in, we were toasty warm when we were in Colorado, even if the water bucket had ice on it in the morning. He sold it to a couple who were going to Alaska in the mid-60s.
Some tandem axle trailers with electric brakes only have brakes on one axle. It’s generally on the front axle because of weight transfer.
If it was me, I’d be sure to chain up a trailer axle that had brakes.
If both axles had brakes I’d stagger the chains, one on the front axle, one on the back. Me being me, I’d probably chain the front axle on the passenger side so I might see it better in my right side mirror and chain the back axle on the driver’s side.
Staggering trailer chains used to be required in R2 conditions over Donner Pass for big trucks, and it always made sense to me.
This recommendation is worth what you paid for it.
Happy camping.
Washington and Oregon Pass requirements were one rear trailer axle tire, didn’t matter if it was drivers or curb side. At least one set on the rear drive axle, if you wanted the front drive axle if you were going to use it.
I know the chain requirements have changed a lot in CA since I was working. It used to be a three-railer was required on a drive axle, but I think that’s changed now. The trailer minimum may have too.
On a three axle truck with a two axle trailer the old requirements used two be a three-railer and a single chain pair on the truck axles and a single chain pair staggered on the trailer. When the snow was deep enough or the road got slick enough I was always pretty comfortable with that. But I know CA snow isn’t like conditions elsewhere, so realize everyone’s mileage may vary.
But then I come from back in ancient times when front axles didn’t have brakes. I never did like that idea. And not having them probably saved me from sliding off of a cliff a couple of times, because the front wheels didn’t lock up on a slick road and that allowed me to steer. Fun times.
Clarification: I never did like the idea of having brakes on the steering axle for the reasons stated above.
Thanks.
It’s kind of funny now that I think about it. My wife and I started camping back about 1972 with a tent. After about a year we went to a 20 foot travel trailer. No air conditioning. We took that trailer all over the east coast. All it had for ventilation was a ceiling fan. I can’t remember ever being uncomfortable in it. Now, almost 50 years later, I pull a 37′ travel trailer with two a/c units on the roof. I pulled that 20 .foot trailer with a ’74 Chevelle and got 9 MPG. Today, I pull my trailer with a diesel pickup, total weight of 19,400 and get pretty close to 12 MPG.
14 Working girls?
My dad didn’t like tents, so when he got into camping, he built a cab-over camper for his ’55 Ford pick-up. We went everywhere in that rig. The propane light over the table would heat the whole camper, and with the quilts mom threw in, we were toasty warm when we were in Colorado, even if the water bucket had ice on it in the morning. He sold it to a couple who were going to Alaska in the mid-60s.
Some tandem axle trailers with electric brakes only have brakes on one axle. It’s generally on the front axle because of weight transfer.
If it was me, I’d be sure to chain up a trailer axle that had brakes.
If both axles had brakes I’d stagger the chains, one on the front axle, one on the back. Me being me, I’d probably chain the front axle on the passenger side so I might see it better in my right side mirror and chain the back axle on the driver’s side.
Staggering trailer chains used to be required in R2 conditions over Donner Pass for big trucks, and it always made sense to me.
This recommendation is worth what you paid for it.
Happy camping.
Washington and Oregon Pass requirements were one rear trailer axle tire, didn’t matter if it was drivers or curb side. At least one set on the rear drive axle, if you wanted the front drive axle if you were going to use it.
I know the chain requirements have changed a lot in CA since I was working. It used to be a three-railer was required on a drive axle, but I think that’s changed now. The trailer minimum may have too.
On a three axle truck with a two axle trailer the old requirements used two be a three-railer and a single chain pair on the truck axles and a single chain pair staggered on the trailer. When the snow was deep enough or the road got slick enough I was always pretty comfortable with that. But I know CA snow isn’t like conditions elsewhere, so realize everyone’s mileage may vary.
But then I come from back in ancient times when front axles didn’t have brakes. I never did like that idea. And not having them probably saved me from sliding off of a cliff a couple of times, because the front wheels didn’t lock up on a slick road and that allowed me to steer. Fun times.
Clarification: I never did like the idea of having brakes on the steering axle for the reasons stated above.
Thanks.