What the Tourist Trailer Means to the Car Manufacturer

James H. Booth

doi:10.4271/370149

1937-01-01

What the Tourist Trailer Means to the Car Manufacturer 370149

AUTOMOBILES used for towing trailers present many overload problems to the car designer. Results of these overloads often do not make their appearance until considerable mileage has been accumulated by the car and trailer. The average car owner is not aware that towing a trailer imposes the same load on all driving members of the car as that of a 20-passenger bus.

The car designer not only realizes these overloads, but also is faced with the problem of providing a suitable hitch that will permit the bumper to function as normal, and the trunk door to open. The author believes that the time is past when it is necessary to destroy the appearance of an automobile by cutting bumpers and substituting ugly pieces of iron to accommodate a trailer.

Closer cooperation between the car designer and trailer designer is needed to overcome the difficulties when a trailer is involved. Height of hitch, point of attachment, addition of extra spring leaves, tires, tire pressures, rear axle and gears, transmission, shock absorbers, brakes, cooling, gasoline consumption, electrical system, and all the units in the chain of parts comprising a finished automobile are affected by towing trailers.

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What the Tourist Trailer Means to the Car Manufacturer 370149

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