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Southeastern Titan Towing Adventure

2K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  vtjballeng 
#1 ·
In late October 2014, I took my Titan KC LWB and 24' race rig on a cross-country trip from Colorado to race at Road Atlanta. There;ve been quite a few interesting observations so far that I thought a separate thread was in order. First, gas mileage has been quite variable, with the frirst day trip across Kansas averaging about 9.0 MPG. That's been better than my usual average, but the weather was calm, with just a slight tailwind. But that changed radically the next day, when the drive through Missouri, Illinois and into Tennessee becoming a big downer: 5.7 MPG through four fuel stops! The wind was shifting directions all day and it seemed to make a big difference. Beyond the obvious drag, the 24' trailer moved around quite a bit on the rolling hills of I-70 and onto I-64.

Despite my Equal-i-zer anti-sway/weight distributing hitch, there were several occasions I had to get out of the throttle to prevent sway from becoming a big problem! On one occasion--an uphill stretch passing some cars--I had to use the manual brake adjuster to kill the oscillations. When I checked my mirrors after that, I noticed several cars had backed way off, thinking the trailer was getting away completely. Not a reassuring feeling by any stretch...

The other issue I noticed was the small tab that held the electrical connectors had snapped off and the harness was hanging dangerously close to the roadway. Stopping at my friend's house in Nashville, Rick was kind enough to pull out his MIG welder and help out a fellow racer. After I cleaned and power sanding enough surface area, he put down two beautiful beads on the top and bottom of the L-shaped bracket to make it better than new! A few coats of flat back primer and we were back on the road.

Finally, one of my new trailer tires appears to have a slow leak. After spotting it last week and having it repaired in Denver, it still seems to lose some pressure each day. Today it got down to 40# (from 55#) and I had to find a tire store en route to get it refilled. Appeared to make a difference as mileage came back up to 7.1 MPG before we hit heavy traffic through Atlanta. Should mention that gas prices have been a pleasant surprise at this time of year, with a high of $2.99/gallon in the boonies to a low of $2.62/gallon (reg unleaded) compared with $2.89/gallon back home.

The Nissan Z car is now at the track for the American Road Race of Champions (ARRC) this weekend. It's been almost two decades since I've raced at Road Atlanta and qualifying starts tomorrow morning. The Titan got us here in good shape, and now it's time to make it count!

 
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#2 ·
Good luck in the race David! Go, go Z racer!
 
#3 ·
Sounds like you need to adjust the load in your trailer, that should cure your sway problem.
The worst I ever got towing my TT was in the Smoky Mts and I got 8mpg.

Good luck at the races. I haven't been to RA in 20 years.
 
#4 ·
Unfortunately, my rolling toolbox is stored in the RH front corner of the trailer and there's no where else to really put it. Front tongue weight is within 10% of the total, so it's sufficient. Never really had any problems towing with my 1T CC dually, so I put the difference down to using a 1/2 ton chassis.

Quick race update: qualified the Z 7th overall and first in class. Road Atlanta remains one HELL of a racetrack, with several up-and-down sections topping out at 110 MPH or more. It's also colder than hell out here and we're the first race up tomorrow morning! Two pace laps are in store to get tires and brakes up to temp.
 
#5 ·
Good news out of Road Atlanta: after a cold, windy start to the race, I ran a consistent pace with few mistakes to finish sixth overall and won my class at the ARRC. The Z came through with no damage, but went through 18 gallons of race fuel and an older set of tires. It's a good way to finish out the 2014 race season.
 
#6 ·
Congrats on the First in class win. I play on Road Atlanta a few times a year. Fun track. What were your lap times in the Z?
 
#8 ·
I drive a 98 BMW M3. So far I only have been doing DEs. It's hard to get a clean lap because of traffic. So far my best lap is a 1:42.4. The car has a few more seconds in her. I just need more practice. :wink:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S39pPnKQ4I8&list=UUiBj0o4fiBV6oOyVMHJTYvQ

I also tow a 24' enclosed car hauler with my Titan. It's an ATC which saves me about 1000 -1200 lbs over a steel frame trailer. I have RAS and use a Equal-i-zer hitch. I'm using 6 spacer washers and the front height of the Titan doesn't go up any when connected. She'll move around a little with side gust but nothing where I had to slow down any. My biggest complaint is the Michelin tires I have. They don't track well.
 
#9 ·
Good stuff, glad to hear from another Titan owner who has serious fun at Road Atlanta. Wish I could have dropped my times into the 42's, but between seriously used tires and the cold temps in the morning, I should count myself lucky. Here's a few shots of the rig:



 
#11 ·
Good stuff is right. I was trying to make it to Sebring this Past weekend to watch a buddy race. Could not make it out.

Both of you are using the Equalizer set up and both have sway. I will not debate that hitch because I don't like it. If your hitch head has a spot to mount a friction type sway control you might want to give it a try. It is cheap enough and easy to install. Those trailers are designed to have the weight (cars) over axle and more weight forward. If you are loading your trailers like that and no loading tons of weight behind the axle you should get little to no sway.
 
#12 ·
My setup doesn't "sway", but with a 24' sail behind you and dirty air, the truck gets moved around a little with the trailer. I'm 90 percent sure that better tires would help or fix the problem.
 
#13 ·
yeah maybe, I am not a fan of the EQ hitch, MY Dad has one now because it came with the TT he bought. I can tell you that I prefer a friction sway control.
$50 or tires that ride like sh$t when not towing.
 
#14 ·
Can you post a link to friction sway control your referring too? For $50 it maybe worth trying.
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
Amazon.com has a good selection and if you have prime it is free shipping.
also you may not even need a WD hitch for your trailer. Often times a Sway control plate and friction sway control is all that is needed.

Amazon.com: friction sway control: Automotive
 
#17 ·
Despite my Equal-i-zer anti-sway/weight distributing hitch, there were several occasions I had to get out of the throttle to prevent sway from becoming a big problem! On one occasion--an uphill stretch passing some cars--I had to use the manual brake adjuster to kill the oscillations. When I checked my mirrors after that, I noticed several cars had backed way off, thinking the trailer was getting away completely. Not a reassuring feeling by any stretch...
Yikes, I have the same setup I am preparing for this season. If you can move the car forward in the trailer to help the bias, that may help. Adjusting the preload on the equalizer may help too. I'm hoping for smooth sailing and better fuel economy. I had a Tacoma with a 7x16 last season that would get down to 9MPG and I thought that was terrible :eek_surprise: .
 
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