Thought I'd seen everything

Stephen Newell · May 1, 2015

I was driving on a busy highway in Dallas and in the lane next to me there was an 18 wheeler with the rear end about three to four feet to the right of the front of the trailer. The trailer was actually over the line in my lane so I stayed behind him. I don't know anything about the trailers but I wonder how they would get the axles on so crooked to do that.

Janicholson · May 1, 2015

Possibly an adjustable wheelbase slider with broken parts. Not good at all. When building OTR trailers it was normal in the late 1960s to put about 1/4" right bias into the suspension. This moved the tail over about 2 or so inches to the right. When I asked, I was told it allows better rear view from the drivers mirrors on the left side. Jim

jon f mn · May 1, 2015

Someone likely ran into something big, like a post or barrier. It happens too often.

jeffcat · May 2, 2015

What gets me is when you watch that show hi way through hell, Boy some of those trailers are SO busted up! I really like the 53 footers that were added to. That "front" section just breaks off and now you have a trailer that aint goin no were! When they loose their integrity it is all over.

sms · May 2, 2015

One summer many years ago I drove a garbage truck (Good money 7 days a week for a college student). One day a center bolt in the leaf spring broke (single axle) allowing the rearend to shift so the truck dogtrotted down the road. We finished out the day like that and our route was all commercial, all containers, it was interesting backing up to the containers as you had to start out about 5-6 feet offset to account for the side drift.

guido · May 2, 2015

Hello Stephen Newell,

Probably broken or loose U bolts, or a broken spring, usually caused by loose U bolts. This will allow the axle to move away from the centering hole in the axle. The axle are aligned from the fifth wheel pin. front axle first, rear axle to the front axle. All measurements from side to side to the fifth wheel pin are the same,

Guido.

Owen Aaland · May 2, 2015

When I was in college one of the jobs I had was to drive a bus to off campus activities. They had a 51 GM motor coach that dog tracked to the right far enough so that both rear wheels would track to the right of the front tire. You definitely had to watch what you were doing when driving in tight areas. Narrow streets with cars parked on the right sometimes could be a challenge.

SDE · May 3, 2015

About the same time that I changed the two front tires on my car, I noticed that the steering wheel was off center more than usual. A few weeks later I jacked it up and the sub frame and the body had a gap between them. I replaced the attachment hardware and the steering wheel returned to its normal position. I wonder if it was dog tracking?
SDE

Thought I'd seen everything

Stephen Newell

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Janicholson

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jon f mn

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jeffcat

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sms

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guido

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Owen Aaland

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SDE

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