<VV> Re: trailer towing

[Louis C. Armer, Jr.]

"Buttercup" my 1976 Cadillac coupe deVille has towed two different trailers 
over
17,000 miles since 1998. My first tow was quite an experience as my first 
trailer
was a very strong (heavy) tandem trailer with a single axle brake set-up. I 
had installed
a new radiator, a tranny cooler, air shocks and a trailer brake activator 
in Buttercup. I
loaded Darth Vair up for his first trip to The Corvair Lovers Holiday show 
hosted by
the West Florida club. Fortune was shining on us as we traveled in daylight 
hours. If
it had been night time hours we could have hunted owls in the trees and 
blinded all oncoming
traffic with Buttercup's head lights since the back end of this Caddy was 
very very close
to the ground  even with 90# of air in the rear air shocks. We made it to 
Navarre Beach without
incidence but we were also lucky.

     This was the same trip in which Miss Liz broke her leg. I had extra 
time to solve the trailer problem.
I was out voted 7 to 1 on how to solve the problem. I thought heavy duty 
rear springs were the answer
but everyone else said to get an equalizer hitch and equalizer bars. The 
ABSOLUTE best advice I have
ever received on trailering. When you stabilize the trailer load you also 
lock the two vehicles together
so "the rig" performs in unison. I have trailered Darth Vair, my former LM 
convertible, my current Greenbrier
and even my 1993 Buick Park Avenue with this set-up on two different tandem 
trailers. Scott Morehead bought
the old trailer a few years back and I replaced it with one about 600# 
lighter. The new one has brakes on both
axles and a diamond plate steel deck versus the old trailer with a wooden 
deck.  I merely transferred the equalizer
hitch and bars to the new trailer and kept on pulling. Regardless of your 
tow vehicle, There is NO substitute
for this. I have towed at speeds as high as 80mph with this rig and it is 
extremely stable. There is no sway and
tail wagging by the trailer.

Chuck Armer

Corvair Atlanta, BOD
CORSA MEMBER
CORSA Tri-Membership Chairman
http://carmerjr.home.mindspring.com/