Trailer Life: Weight Distribution and Trailer Sway

When we purchased our trailer, we knew we needed a good hitch with sway control and weight distribution. On our Rockwood trailer, we had used a Husky hitch, and I rather liked that hitch, though we did have a couple of problems with it. Prior to that, I had used one of the chain hitches (see picture below), and I did not care for that at all.

Example of a hitch that uses chains. The sway or tension bars are fitted into the hitch from below, then twisted and locked into place.

When I told our salesman that I preferred a bar hitch to a chain hitch, he recommended a Trekker. After some research, I decided to give it a try.

The purpose of a weight distribution hitch with sway control is varied. First of all, too much weight in the front of the trailer will place excessive weight on the back of the towing vehicle (our truck), raising the front of the tow vehicle and causing loss of steering control, hitch dragging and braking difficulties. The key is to balance the weight over the axles and the hitch. The weight distribution part of the hitch does precisely this. Of course, you should also be very careful how you pack your trailer, being careful not to place too much weight in the front, where the storage bay is located on many bumper pull trailers such as our Coachmen.

Truck/trailer combo WITHOUT sway bars attached.

Truck/trailer combo WITH sway bars attached. If you look carefully under the storage bay at the front of the trailer, you will see more light beneath the trailer on the bottom picture rather than the top picture, which demonstrates that the weight has been distributed more thoroughly.

If you look carefully at the two pictures above, you will see the top picture has a slight dip where the hitch is located. The weight at the front of the trailer is exerting too much pressure on the hitch, causing the front of the trailer as well as the end of the truck to dip a bit. In turn, this causes the front of the truck to raise up a bit, giving less control to your front tires. The second picture, with the sway bars in place, evenly distributes the weight. I try to pack the trailer so there isn't much weight at the front of the trailer, so it is rather hard to tell the difference. In a badly packed trailer, the difference is much more noticeable.

But more importantly for me, the sway control aspect of a hitch is important. I especially notice its importance on high speed multi-lane highways. I usually hold my speed to 65 or below. As I've said many times before, most trailer tires are rated for a max speed of 65 mph, and I adhere to that. As a result, I get passed quite a bit. I can feel when a truck approaches to pass. It's like it is pushing a wall of air ahead of it. As soon as that wall hits my left rear trailer bumper, it seems to push to rear of the trailer towards the shoulder. This causes trailer sway, that nauseating fish-tail motion that makes a driver begin to feel a bit helpless. A good trailer sway system helps to mitigate such sway and return control to the driver. I also find that if I get as far right in the lane as possible, I am less affected by passing trucks. But passing semis are not the only causes of trailer sway. Wind is also a factor, and perhaps more so than passing trucks. Road surfaces can also contribute to trailer sway.

Side view of my hitch system. The long black horizontal bar is the sway (or tension) bar on this side of the hitch. There is another one on the opposite side. The chains are safety chains in case the hitch should fail. If you look closely, you might also see a single thin silver cable just above the tension bar. This is the breakaway cable. Should the trailer become detached from the tow vehicle, this will automatically apply the trailer brakes, bringing it, hopefully, to a stop.

Overhead view of the hitch system, with both bars visible.

The downside of using a sway control system is that your turn ratio can be reduced, which means you can't make really sharp turns. This really isn't a problem in transit, but it does become a problem when we are trying to park the trailer, especially in tight places. As a result, when we arrive at a park, Donna usually goes inside to register while I quickly remove the sway bars, which takes me between 5 to 10 minutes. I've seen hitch systems before damaged by making turns that were too sharp, and sometimes the brackets become damaged.

Overhead look at the hitch without sway bars attached.

Rear look at the hitch without sway bars attached. The sway bars fit in the round holes.

If you have a trailer of any size, you really need a good weight distribution hitch with sway control.

Dog Crazy

Before I even start, let me say that Donna and I both love dogs. And I'm pretty pretty sure Donna was a dog in her former life; she still has some canine tendencies. To be honest, I prefer dogs to most people. I find them to be nobler and truer and to have better personalities. I really can't think of too many people I prefer to dogs. My grandson Xander would be one of them. He's a pretty good young man. The jury is still out on his young infant brothers; they just haven't had time to develop their personalities yet, so we'll just have to wait and see how they turn out.

But I digress . . . .

Our country is going to the dogs, literally. I don't mind people owning dogs and loving them, and I expect all dogs to be treated properly and humanely. But take a look around. I know you've seen what I've seen. Here are a few of my observations.

My desk sits in a front bedroom next to a window where I can look out onto our street as I use the computer. I see people walking their dogs at all hours of the day, and sometimes they have 2 or even 3 dogs. I observe a lot of folks who do not have their dogs on leashes. They believe their dogs are so special and so well behaved that a leash isn't required, even though it is the law. I watch as their dogs scamper into yards up and down the street, leaving scented packages for all the homeowners. Most of the time -- not some of the time or even occasionally, but most of the time -- the dog owner does not clean up after his/her pets.

Then there are those dog owners who drive around town with their dogs in their laps, the little armload of fur often hanging out the window. I really don't see much difference between texting and driving and holding a dog -- or any other animal -- while you drive. Responsible drivers have both hands on the wheel and their full attention on the road. Drivers holding dogs are not giving driving their full attention. And many times, these drivers are elderly, with response times that are not what they used to be. I feel that I can make a statement such as this since I am a senior citizen myself.

As we travel around in our RV, we're always surprised at the number of people who travel with pets, especially dogs. Quarters in any RV are cramped in some way, so when 2 or 3 dogs pile out of a rig we are always amazed. And as in neighborhood life, RV travelers often fail to put their pets on leashes or pick up after them.

Summary of Hill Country Trip

What a difference 2 weeks makes. On our recent trip to the Hill County, we had rain everyday, but nothing dangerous. It was enough, though, to keep the ground saturated, so that when the rains started falling harder about a week ago, flooding began. I'm glad we were back home before all the flooding happened. While camped at Blanco State Park, we were a mere 100 yards or less from that then peaceful river. In a mass email from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department I received yesterday, they warned subscribers about the recent floods and damage to the parks in Texas, some of which will need to close for repairs. The email also contained this link to a You Tube video of Blanco State Park after the flood. On May 23, 2015 over 12 inches of rain led the Blanco River to crest at 40 feet (breaking the gauge) causing significant flooding and damage to the park. Again, this video is after the flooding and shows the damage.

In my entries for the trip, which I previously posted, I did not include everything we did. I mentioned only 2 places that we ate, the Phoenix Saloon in New Braunfels and the Salt Lick in Driftwood. (See "San Marcos Day Trip" and "Good Eats: The Salt Lick, Driftwood, Texas.") But we ate other places as well. For example, while in Blanco, we ate at two places.

After our hike at Inks Lake State Park (see "Hike Report: Inks Lake State Park"), we stopped in at Old 300 BBQ on the square in downtown Blanco. We weren't particularly hungry, so we only had chopped beef sandwiches. I don't normally order chopped beef, but felt an urge to that day. I enjoyed the sandwich, enough so that I want to go back and sample their brisket. What we really wanted, though, was to sample their beer. They have $2 draft beer every weekday from 3 to 6, and after our hike we were a bit thirsty. They have 4 beers on tap, 2 from the local brewery, Real Ale Brewing Company. I can't recall exactly which beers from this brewery they carried, but we only sampled 1. They also carried a beer from the Twisted X Brewing Company in nearby Driftwood. Again, I don't recall what the specific beer was. There was another craft beer on tap, but again, I don't recall the name. In all honesty, we didn't care for the beer they carried. That's not to say they were bad; they just weren't what we enjoy. We prefer dark porters with hints of chocolate and coffee. But this is definitely a place I'll return to and, yes, I'll sample their beers again because I really like draft beer.

We also ate at the Hacienda El Charro right outside the entrance to the state park in Blanco. This is a tiny place, but I liked the food. It's nothing fancy and nothing to write home about, but the food is quite decent and reasonably priced. And since it's just outside the park gate, it's an easy walk.

In addition to eating out and the other activities I posted, we also drove down to Guadalupe River State Park one day to explore there. We had hoped to hike, but it poured on us during the drive there, then sprinkled the rest of the time. Perhaps we can hike there another time. While in the park, we also looked at camping facilities in case we should want to camp there sometime. They do not have full hookups, though, so we'll probably pass up camping there and just return to Blanco -- when it dries out.

And of course, Donna fished quite a bit. It was easy at Blanco for her to grab a pole, some lures, and walk the short distance to the river and cast her line about. It keeps her happy and out of trouble most of the time, so it's a good way to get her out of my hair for a while. I just wish she'd bring something home to eat from time to time.

There's Water in Them There Lakes

San Angelo and the Concho Valley have been blessed with some good rains this year. As I write this, our area is about 5 inches above our average for this time of year. About 10 days ago, the area had some record-breaking rainfall, receiving anywhere from 2 to 6 inches in a very short period of time. We recorded 4.5 inches at our house. There was flooding all over the area, but the worst damage seemed to be along the North Concho River, which runs in a southwesterly direction from near Big Spring down through the heart of San Angelo where it merges with the South Concho River.

As a result, we now have water in O. C. Fisher Reservoir, which is the lake within the confines of San Angelo State Park. We've had virtually no water in that lake since we moved here about 4 years ago.

For contrast, here are a couple of pictures taken almost 4 years apart. The first is O.C. Fisher Reservoir on August 5, 2011. The second was taken just a few days ago.

O. C. Fisher Reservoir from August 5, 2011

O. C. Fisher from almost the same location on May 24, 2015

Today, O. C. Fisher has over 15,000 acre feet of water. Twin Buttes, another lake that was virtually bone dry a couple of weeks ago, now has more than 20,000 acre feet. Twin buttes is located due west of San Angelo and is fed by the Middle Concho watershed while O. C. Fisher is fed by the North Concho watershed.

O. C. Fisher from Isabell Harte Park within the state park. This picture shows that the lake could still hold quite a bit more water.

We've had good rain this spring. In fact, we are 4 to 5 inches above our average for this time of year. Farms and especially ranches are looking much healthier. There is much improved forage for livestock.

But this doesn't mean the drought is over as I hear many people say. Yes, pastures look better and there is water in our lakes. But our main resource lake, O. H. Ivie, has seen little improvement from the rains. Ivie is located about 60 miles due east and is fed by the Colorado and Concho Rivers and their tributaries. We get our water from this lake. Even though these areas have seen good rains as well, the runoff hasn't been as good and the rise in the lake has not been as significant as with other lakes. Still, we'll take what we can get.

On a related note, I arose early 2 days after our heavy rains. As I drove down our alley, I noticed 3 yards whose sprinklers were running. What a waste. I do not know why people can't turn off their sprinkler systems until they need them. All you have to do is push a single button on most systems. We must learn to eliminate this type of wasteful behavior.

38 Years and Counting

The old woman and I were married 38 years ago today. Our longevity together is a testament to my patience and easy-going personality. I do have a lot to put up with. Anyone who knows us will tell you that.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I got the old girl up early and took her to San Angelo State Park for a 5 mile road walk (See "Walking San Angelo State Park"). I do my best to make sure she doesn't put on any excess weight. I'm always thinking about her, you know.

After our walk, I took her out to a $12.94 meal at my favorite fast food restaurant. Nothing's too good for for my wife. After our romantic lunch, we then went to Sam's Wholesale Club to pick up some food supplies.

We then came home. After a nap, I mowed the yard while Donna cleaned the house.

And that's how 2 old codgers celebrate 38 years of marriage. I do know how to show a girl a good time.

Seriously, we travel all the time and eat out quite a bit. We've simply reached the point where birthdays, anniversaries, and such are pretty much like any other day. We celebrate every day and always look forward to tomorrow.

Our best to all of you.

Hike Report: Kerrville-Schreiner Park

On our first day at Kerrville-Schreiner Park, we decided to do a short hike. It was a cool day for mid-May, probably in the mid 60s, and a light mist was falling. From our trailer at site 115, we took the short walk to the first trail head along the main park road. This was the Red Trail, labeled a relatively easy 1.1 mile trail. A kiosk was at the trail head. Click here for a map of the park.

Trail head for Red Trail, a "relatively easy 1.1 mile trail"

Shortly after heading down the trail, we came to a junction. The Red Trail is a loop trail, so either fork we followed would keep us on the Red Trail. We took the right fork and headed in a counter-clockwise direction. The trail wound through thickets of ash juniper. As with all the trails we would hike in the park, it was well worn and well maintained. Signs appeared from time to time indicating the color of the trail, and occasionally a letter would appear, such as “A” or “B”. We never figured out what these letters were for.

Well defined trails, with color signage posted. Also note sign farther down on right fork. Arrows are outlined in appropriately colored paint to indicate trail. The sign above the arrows states "BE AWARE Wild animals exist in the park that can be dangerous. Favorable habitat/unconfirmed sightings of: Venomous snakes, Fox, Mountain Lion, Coyote. Don't hike alone. Please report any sightings to park headquarters." But there is this potential almost any time you hike in Texas west of I-35.

Looks like someone buried their beloved pet here. The marker reads: "Snow Ball. 5-12-63 to 2-16-75"

Straight segment of the trail through ash juniper

After walking about half of the Red Trail loop, we came to a junction with the Green Trail, labeled a moderately difficult 1.95 mile trail. We walked almost the entire length of this trail, though, and did not find it moderately difficult. In fact, we found it no different from the Red Trail except in length.

The Green Trail eventually junctions with the Orange Trail, labeled a “steep and difficult” trail of 1.4 miles. Just a few feet to the right is another junction where the Orange Trail loop begins. We followed the right fork in a counter-clockwise direction. Eventually, the trail makes a sharp turn where the park property line ends. There are some nice views in different directions here. We then followed the fence line in the general direction we had just come from, basically a southwesterly direction, I believe. The trail then makes a short climb to the highest point on the trail. Aside from this climb, I found this trail to be no more difficult than the other trails. The views from the top are quite good. If you look carefully, you can see the airport, the VA Hospital, and other sites.

View from high point on Orange Trail.

VA Hospital north of the park

The trail then quickly dips back down to the loop junction and on to its junction with the Blue Trail. We followed this “relatively easy” jeep trail for 1.3 miles to the main park road.

Blue Trail, described as a "jeep trail" on the map.

If you total all the mileage, it would seem that we hiked a total of almost 5 miles (all of the Orange and Blue trails, plus most of the Green Trail and half of the Red Trail). However, it took us only an hour and a half, so I would guess the distance to be much less, perhaps 4 miles at most. We encountered only 1 other person on the trail.

The trail is in great shape, very clear and well maintained. Signage is good all along the trail.I felt it to be a relatively easy hike, mostly through ash juniper.

Kerrville-Schreiner Park

Kerrville-Schreiner Park is a 517 acre park owned and operated by the city of Kerrville. Originally, the park was a city park, but was deeded to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in the 1930s and was a state park for many years, but control was returned to the city in 2004.

We had never stayed here before, so we planned a stay of only 2 nights on our way home from Blanco just to check it out. It’s a nice park, and we plan to visit again.

The park is in the southeast side of Kerrville and is divided by Texas 173, which is the highway running from Kerrville to Bandera. The section north of the highway borders the south bank of the Guadalupe River. I’m sure this section of the park is brimming with people during the summer. The section south of the highway is much larger and contains the hiking trails.

The Guadalupe River forms the north border of the park. This picture is looking downstream from the day use area (see map in brochure)

Camping is available in both sections. For RVers, there are 30 amp and 50 amp camping areas on both sides of the river. The 50 amp campground in the north section has the only covered picnic tables in the park. Oddly, though, the utilities in these sites are split. The sewer connection is on one side of the pull through while the water and electricity are on the other. In addition to RV sites and tent camping, numerous "mini" cabins are also available. From what we could tell, these are a step up from shelters and contain air conditioning, but no bathroom facilities. Tent camping is also available in both sides of the park.

Some of the mini cabins in the park. These are located in the "High Point" area. Note air conditioner in the unit on right.

A couple of the tent sites in the "Fawn Hide-a-Way" campground. I did not see electrical outlets, and I believe 2 campsites may share a water spigot.

Exterior of restroom located in Pecan Loop on the north section.

The Pecan Loop campground in the north section has 30 amp full hookup sites. These sites appear to be more level than those in the Deer Field Loop.

A brochure, complete with map, description of facilities, fees, and other information is available here.

We stayed in the Deer Field Loop camping area in the south section in site 115. All sites in this campground are pull-through, and based on my observations, I would say most are not level. They are 30 amp sites with full hookups. All interior roads and sites are paved. Our camping area was very quiet at night. It is far enough from Highway 173 that we could hear little if any highway noise. Camping areas in the north section are closer to the road and would probably be exposed to much more highway noise.

There is a laundromat located behind the bathroom in the Deer Field Loop, but machines are exposed to the elements, so I would not use them. We did locate a small laundromat on Highway 173 near its intersection with Highway 16, and it appeared to be quite nice.

We camped in the Deer Field Loop camping area in site 115.

Utilities in this campground are conveniently located close together. Note table and fire ring. Tables in this campground are not covered. Note that sites are well maintained. Mowing was going on while we were there.

Showers in men's bathroom in Deer Field Loop. In addition to these 2 shower stalls, there is also a handicapped stall located behind door on right.

Men's bathroom in Deer Field Loop. Bathrooms appeared to be well maintained.

Check-in, by the way, is at the park headquarters in the north section. About 100 yards in on the south section, there is a gate that requires a code. If you don’t have the code and need to turn around, it is a tight fit for most rigs, so be sure to check in at the headquarters in the north section first.

The park is well maintained. Sites are regularly mowed and all roads and sites are paved. Deer are plentiful throughout the park and wander through the campgrounds throughout the day.