Dangerous Bobtail?

Part of the reason it can be considered more dangerous is that you don't have the weight of the trailer and load over the drive tires. Think about driving a car with rear wheel drive.

I don't think it's any more dangerous than dragging a wagon.

 

You've got it . When you brake weight shifts forward off the drive wheels which provide most of the braking . There is already a higher proportion of weight on the front axle . Anyone that has driven a muscle car with a big block engine knows the heavier weight on the the front end has an adverse effect on handling . But it isn't really like driving a rear wheel drive car . Four wheelers are designed for the front wheels to do most of the braking . That's why ABS is necessary . The front wheels won't turn with steady brake pressure on a slick surface .

 

We have one customer that takes 3 days to unload a trailer . They pay us to bobtail 250 miles home and come back when the trailer is empty . Braking distance on a bobtail is close to equal to stopping a loaded semi so I haven't had any real problems bobtailing .

 

Back before ABS brakes, I had to stop suddenly when bobtailing and she spun around and backed into a ditch before I knew what happened. Luckily, neither I nor the truck were hurt, but it taught me a lesson I'll not soon forget. I doubt that ABS would be all that much better in a panic stop.

 

That seems backwards to me. me too But then again, I don't know anything about driving a truck. I do

Braking distance on a bobtail is close to equal to stopping a loaded semi

huh?!?!? it takes about as long to stop a bobtail as it does a car. when you're cut off driving a fully loaded (~80,000 lbs.) rig, it feels like it take several minutes to stop!!

 

I've been in a bobtail rig trying to stop in a rush, it takes alot farther than it does a car and you lose control unless you are either doing a great job of stab breaking or have ABS. not having weight on your tandoms means you lose some of your breaking efficiency as they will easily lock up and skid without the weight holding them on the ground.