2017 WGI Perc/Winds World Championships - UD ArenaApr 14, 2017 by Michael Gilley
How Weight Distribution In Your Trailer Can Save You From Disaster
How Weight Distribution In Your Trailer Can Save You From Disaster
Weight distribution is key to having a safe trip when pulling all that percussion equipment.
As the 2017 WGI Percussion/Winds World Championships approach, April 20-23, hundreds of trucks, semi trailers, and box cars will be making long journeys to Dayton. Please be SAFE! When loading up all that percussion equipment, props, and of course the floor, be aware of your weight distribution.
Check out this very simple experiment that shows the effects of weight distribution on a trailer being pulled behind a car. Notice that when the weight is located towards the front of the trailer, how much more stable the trailer rides behind the vehicle. And when the trailer encounters a push from the back end, the model car is able to recover itself.
However, when the weight is located towards the back of the trailer, that causes the car to have less traction on it's back wheels and lifts the car off the ground. When the trailer encounters the same push as before, the car goes into a violent swerving motion and has to be recovered before flying off the treadmill.
STRAP IT DOWN
Another key point is making sure that once you have the weight distributed correctly to make sure everything is strapped down!
During the course of your trip, road vibrations will cause the straps to loosen over time and allow for your cargo to shift. Loose cargo and that newly shifted weight can result in situations like the one in the video.
So, make sure you are using plenty of straps and are routinely checking everything to make sure they haven't loosened up. Every time you stop to change drivers or get gas. Check out your cargo just to be safe. Give those ratchet straps a couple of cranks.
STREAMING: Available only on FloMarching. A yearly FloPRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE
• Follow us on Instagram @FloMarching
• Follow us on Facebook
Check out this very simple experiment that shows the effects of weight distribution on a trailer being pulled behind a car. Notice that when the weight is located towards the front of the trailer, how much more stable the trailer rides behind the vehicle. And when the trailer encounters a push from the back end, the model car is able to recover itself.
However, when the weight is located towards the back of the trailer, that causes the car to have less traction on it's back wheels and lifts the car off the ground. When the trailer encounters the same push as before, the car goes into a violent swerving motion and has to be recovered before flying off the treadmill.
STRAP IT DOWN
Another key point is making sure that once you have the weight distributed correctly to make sure everything is strapped down! During the course of your trip, road vibrations will cause the straps to loosen over time and allow for your cargo to shift. Loose cargo and that newly shifted weight can result in situations like the one in the video.
So, make sure you are using plenty of straps and are routinely checking everything to make sure they haven't loosened up. Every time you stop to change drivers or get gas. Check out your cargo just to be safe. Give those ratchet straps a couple of cranks.
How To Watch
ON TV: Now available on Roku 3 and Apple TV 4STREAMING: Available only on FloMarching. A yearly FloPRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE
Join The Conversation On Social
• Follow us on Twitter @FloMarching• Follow us on Instagram @FloMarching
• Follow us on Facebook
