Winter travel

[Flexible]

Hello, the whole rv lifestyle is a total new experience to me. (hauled equipment all over N. America), I am seriously considering buying a new Quicksilver 8.5 x 26 vrv toyhauler. I am going to transport my Harley trike in it. I would like to get some input on winter travel with this unit as I will be leaving Ontario Canada and travelling to Arizona this coming February. Any information would be appreciated.

[DavidM]

So, winter travel?

Is that winter road conditions while towing a trailer that you are concerned about? Or camping in the winter?

Winter traveling is dependent on the tow vehicle traction in snow and ice. With 4wd you don't have too many issues. I wouldn't try pulling a trailer in snow or ice without 4wd.

Winter camping requires considerations for freezing. Some drain and winterize their unit and just camp with no running water or toilet facilities. You can put a skirt around the bottom and can camp in the low 20s just fine without freezing up, as long as you have heat inside.

David

[Pinstriper]

Also put chains on the trailer wheels that have brakes. Check state regs for those you will be passing through for requirements.


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[Scout]

Avoiding cruise control on snow covered roads and areas where black ice may form is critical too. If you can strap the toys down in four directions that will help if there is any skidding of the trailer. I like to turn down the braking intensity at the brake controller as well. It increases stopping time, but will limit jack-knifing of the trailer if / when you need to brake suddenly. Remember if the trailer is starting to jack knife, ease off the brakes and roll forward.

It's also nice to spray off the trailer as soon as you get out of the salt, as it's a killer on the wiring harness, lights, and steel components. Ideally it's nice to have a heavy tow vehicle so the trailer doesn't push you around on the slippery roads. I also tend to keep the headlights on so the marker lights are alight on the trailer when you travel, it just gives everyone else a heads up that you are towing. Also some dielectric grease on the trailer plug will keep the grit out of the pins and ensure you have brake lights and signals when you need them. The spray from the salted roads tends to get in the plug on on long trips and the pins may need a shot of WD40/wipe down to keep a connection.

Safe travels

[Merlin]

Avoiding cruise control on snow covered roads and areas where black ice may form is critical too. If you can strap the toys down in four directions that will help if there is any skidding of the trailer. I like to turn down the braking intensity at the brake controller as well. It increases stopping time, but will limit jack-knifing of the trailer if / when you need to brake suddenly. Remember if the trailer is starting to jack knife, ease off the brakes and roll forward.

It's also nice to spray off the trailer as soon as you get out of the salt, as it's a killer on the wiring harness, lights, and steel components. Ideally it's nice to have a heavy tow vehicle so the trailer doesn't push you around on the slippery roads. I also tend to keep the headlights on so the marker lights are alight on the trailer when you travel, it just gives everyone else a heads up that you are towing. Also some dielectric grease on the trailer plug will keep the grit out of the pins and ensure you have brake lights and signals when you need them. The spray from the salted roads tends to get in the plug on on long trips and the pins may need a shot of WD40/wipe down to keep a connection.

Safe travels

I could stand corrected, but in my extensive experience with towing a loaded snowmobile trailer, you don't want to turn down the intensity of the trailer brakes. Having less trailer braking increases the tendency to jackknife, since the trailer wants to keep going when the tow vehicle slows/stops. It's very disconcerting to have your trailer pass you sideways. On the other hand, if the trailer brakes are too high an intensity, you can get skidding of the trailer and if the tires lose traction, the trailer can develop dangerous sway. So, I recommend spending the time to get the trailer brakes adjusted just right and using a good proportional electric brake controller when on any road surface that might be even a little slippery. This is one time it's especially true TANSTATMTV, so I agree with using the heaviest tow vehicle possible. Great idea to keep things clean and connections greased up and lights on.

[Scout]

...you would have to turn down the controller for less friction coefficient prior to onset of skid. This would be a lower setting for snow covered roads than for dry pavement.

Of course one would have to balance this out with the increase in stopping time for the dry road sections...so some drivers would split the difference. (especially if you are expecting ice or variable road conditions).

If you want to adjust as you go ...most brake controllers should let you do this as you adapt to the surroundings. E.g. when you are on a downhill with polished ice...the oops ( oh $#@& !!) factor kicks in, and you dial down the trailer brakes to stop the jack knifing trailer...

I'm fairly predictive and I'm ok with a longer stopping distance so I like to do this before I brake on ice and snow...(hence the "pre-dialing"down of the controller)

[DavidM]

I am not sure that you need to do anything with a proportional type brake controller in icy conditions. The proportional controller sends more or less current to the trailer brakes depending on the deceleration rate of the rig. The TV starts decelerating when you hit the brakes and then sends a signal to the trailer brakes depending on the rate of deceleration. In icy conditions the TV will send less than the maximum current that it is set for in dry conditions because the deceleration rate will be less. So the trailer will get less current to the brakes and therefore it will be braking less as well.

Whether it skids or not depends on a lot of things, but I would start with the same setting as in dry conditions- just short of lockup at maximum deceleration.

Now the lever that sends the maximum set current to the trailer will do just that and if you were to do that in icy conditions, it would surely lock the trailer brakes. So just don't do that ;-).

Some proportional controllers send a little current to the trailer when the brakes are first touched. But if this is enough to start a skid, you better stay home.

During icy conditions there is a tremendous variation in braking surfaces as you move down the road. I sure wouldn't want to intentionally reduce my ultimate braking capability. For the most part, the controller should take care of it automatically.

The foregoing only applies to proportional controllers. If you have a fixed output controller, even one with ramp up, then you probably do need to dial it back.

David

[Scout]

Might work that way if the deceleration was linear for all four wheels on the tow vehicle as well as the additional wheels on the trailer. Point is... on ice...it isn't... hence the jack knife.

Proportional braking controllers need to be set at the point of skid (well just before). This point of skid is different on dry pavement than on ice. If you assume the point of skid is the same, you'll find yourself with a bent bumper and a dent in the side of your shiny camp lite trailer.

I've driven thousands of kilometres on icy and snowy roads with a proportional brake controller over the past 25 years. I get the engineering which is designed for best case scenario on dry/wet pavement, better yet, I get the real world outcome of pulling a trailer in winter conditions ...so I guess it's up to theory vs practical...This isn't about proportional braking application...it's about the lock up and the coefficient of friction on the tires when on an icy surface...(or lack thereof).

Simple outcome is that the front wheels on the tow vehicle have less mass affecting them, therefore (usually) they slow down at a faster rate. On dry pavement this usually isn't enough to overcome the intended result of a slowing vehicle stopping front wheels first, however, on ice this small difference results in the back end passing front end...this is also compounded by tires on the trailer which are usually not ice rated and slide faster and further than the tow vehicle tires...end result, skidding trailer in lock-up, passing tow vehicle...

however..if you want to science it...keep your settings the same as dry conditions...

other option...take out your rig onto a snow and ice covered parking lot and dial it in the way you like...