• From: Queens, NY
  • Registered: 2014-05-17
  • Posts: 604

Topic: assisted trailer

Cant find them now. But back in the day, looking at some vintage stuff I saw assisted trailers.
They have engine and all the goodies.
Anyone know how they called and if there are any available to purchase?

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  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,111

Re: assisted trailer

They're called pusher trailers. They have their own Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusher_trailer

and are apparently still a thing, although the internal-combustion examples here are homemade:

http://www.evalbum.com/type/PGTL

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • Spank
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Re: assisted trailer

I like this quote from one of the links posted:

1/26/2014 The pusher has basically been pointless, too much trouble to hook up and all it does is point out the limits of my EV conversion. It has now not been used in several years.

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  • From: Queens, NY
  • Registered: 2014-05-17
  • Posts: 604

Re: assisted trailer

haha, neat.
Was thinking of full size trailer.
So you could tow a larger trailer with smaller tow car.
Was just curious. I saw before full size semi-trailer with auxiliary engine to drive its axles.
was done so a smaller truck could tow it. Probably was a horrible idea, that is why its not around.

https://www.facebook.com/greatglobsofoil/
This car....Is said to have a will of it's Own. Twisting its own body in rage...It accelerates on.
1978 Opel/Buick Isuzu(C>B>C>B) , 1996 Nissan Maxima OnlyFans (B) , Sold 1996 Ford Probe GT(B),
  • From: Merrick, NY
  • Registered: 2009-05-13
  • Posts: 2,155

Re: assisted trailer

The biggest problem with this idea is while the engine could get it going, stopping, handling, etc are probably all complete shit.

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  • bshorey
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Re: assisted trailer

kakarot1232001 wrote:

haha, neat.
Was thinking of full size trailer.
So you could tow a larger trailer with smaller tow car.
Was just curious. I saw before full size semi-trailer with auxiliary engine to drive its axles.
was done so a smaller truck could tow it. Probably was a horrible idea, that is why its not around.

Pulling ability is only half of the equation when towing, and quite frankly it's not really the important half.

Braking and turning capabilities are much more important.  Without enough mass in your tow vehicle, your ability to control the trailer while panic stopping or going around turns is greatly compromised.

bs

  • From: Queens, NY
  • Registered: 2014-05-17
  • Posts: 604

Re: assisted trailer

getting off topic here guys and gals.
not talking about actually towing anything.
asking about the pusher trailers.
I saw long ago in vintage magazine/book about them. Was curious if they still existed.

https://www.facebook.com/greatglobsofoil/
This car....Is said to have a will of it's Own. Twisting its own body in rage...It accelerates on.
1978 Opel/Buick Isuzu(C>B>C>B) , 1996 Nissan Maxima OnlyFans (B) , Sold 1996 Ford Probe GT(B),
  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,111

Re: assisted trailer

...has basically been pointless, too much trouble to hook up... not been used in several years.

Now I want one.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • From: Very Rainy Washington State
  • Registered: 2011-06-27
  • Posts: 1,157

Re: assisted trailer

mharrell wrote:

...has basically been pointless, too much trouble to hook up... not been used in several years.

Now I want one.

When you are towing the SAAB with the SAAB, you could hook it up behind the SAAB.

~ Van

13X losers (or is 14 now?) refusing to learn from our failures.
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  • From: Queens, NY
  • Registered: 2014-05-17
  • Posts: 604

Re: assisted trailer

stimpyvan wrote:
mharrell wrote:

...has basically been pointless, too much trouble to hook up... not been used in several years.

Now I want one.

When you are towing the SAAB with the SAAB, you could hook it up behind the SAAB.

~ Van

SAAB Inception 0_0
The pusher can be also SAAB.
so it be SAAAAAAB

https://www.facebook.com/greatglobsofoil/
This car....Is said to have a will of it's Own. Twisting its own body in rage...It accelerates on.
1978 Opel/Buick Isuzu(C>B>C>B) , 1996 Nissan Maxima OnlyFans (B) , Sold 1996 Ford Probe GT(B),
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Re: assisted trailer

kakarot1232001 wrote:

getting off topic here guys and gals.
not talking about actually towing anything.
asking about the pusher trailers.
I saw long ago in vintage magazine/book about them. Was curious if they still existed.

I'm sorry, I thought it was you that said this:

"haha, neat.
Was thinking of full size trailer.
So you could tow a larger trailer with smaller tow car. "

bs

  • From: Queens, NY
  • Registered: 2014-05-17
  • Posts: 604

Re: assisted trailer

bshorey wrote:
kakarot1232001 wrote:

getting off topic here guys and gals.
not talking about actually towing anything.
asking about the pusher trailers.
I saw long ago in vintage magazine/book about them. Was curious if they still existed.

I'm sorry, I thought it was you that said this:

"haha, neat.
Was thinking of full size trailer.
So you could tow a larger trailer with smaller tow car. "

bs

In the magazine there was a tractor trailer rig.
Showing different configurations possible,
and the largest configuration had a same drive train from the truck in the trailer, driving the wheels of the trailer. And then had another trailer attached to that trailer.
They also had pictures of that large rig, so it was not theoretical.

Just was curious if any of that ever evolved and moved on.

Just like 5th wheel attached to the roof thing. Wacky 60-70s ideas.

https://www.facebook.com/greatglobsofoil/
This car....Is said to have a will of it's Own. Twisting its own body in rage...It accelerates on.
1978 Opel/Buick Isuzu(C>B>C>B) , 1996 Nissan Maxima OnlyFans (B) , Sold 1996 Ford Probe GT(B),
  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,111

Re: assisted trailer

kakarot1232001 wrote:
stimpyvan wrote:

When you are towing the SAAB with the SAAB, you could hook it up behind the SAAB.

SAAB Inception 0_0
The pusher can be also SAAB.
so it be SAAAAAAB

Well, that would give me something to do with my third 96.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5643/20823528894_a801a7a6a3_z.jpg

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • Registered: 2012-11-27
  • Posts: 167

Re: assisted trailer

Always thought this could be a good idea for fuel efficiency.  A smaller turbo diesel main engine running at near WOT to maintain speed on the flats.  Add a light weight, high output gas engine for climbing hills.

  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: assisted trailer

fyremanbill wrote:

Always thought this could be a good idea for fuel efficiency.  A smaller turbo diesel main engine running at near WOT to maintain speed on the flats.  Add a light weight, high output gas engine for climbing hills.

Why would you use a trailer then?  Why not have both motors onboard a single vehicle?  Seems to me like the way this setup works with an assist trailer is if you lived in Tahoe and worked in SF.  Leave home, head down hill and drop assist trailer at bottom of hill.  Chug along to work.  Leave work, pick up assist trailer at bottom of hill and blast your way home.

What we need is a way to transfer power from the engine in the Lemons car to the trailer. 

1.  At bottom of Grapevine, fire up Lemons/assist trailer combo.
2.  Blast up Grapevine.
3.  Lemons motor blows up at top of Grapevine
4.  Sit at track drinking beer all weekend.
5.  Drive home and tell wife the race car blew up.

Saves on laundry to wash sweaty driving gear.

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  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,111

Re: assisted trailer

cheseroo wrote:

Why would you use a trailer then?  Why not have both motors onboard a single vehicle?

Yeah, that is precisely the problem, which is why most of the current interest in pusher trailers for cars seems to be in the EV community for use only when needed for longer trips. Even here, however, the guy Spank quoted above who described his own trailer as "pointless" later went on to say:

All good things must come to an end. I have purchased a used 2013 Nissan LEAF. There is no practical way to upgrade the [homebrew EV conversion] Civic to even approach the range, utility, comfort, and safety of the LEAF.

Still, this makes for an interesting read on the subject:

http://insideevs.com/explained-mitsubis … der-story/

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • Registered: 2012-11-27
  • Posts: 167

Re: assisted trailer

cheseroo wrote:

What we need is a way to transfer power from the engine in the Lemons car to the trailer.

Roller dyno connected to a recycled pickup axle under the trailer.  Functional cruise control on the race car...what could possibly go wrong!

  • Spank
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Re: assisted trailer

fyremanbill wrote:
cheseroo wrote:

What we need is a way to transfer power from the engine in the Lemons car to the trailer.

Roller dyno connected to a recycled pickup axle under the trailer.  Functional cruise control on the race car...what could possibly go wrong!

I was toying/fantasizing on how to gut the Toronado and make it so the mini could drive up into it like a wheelchair would ramp up through the back of a chair accessible van. Sorta like a mini lifeboat.

Measuring it out, the Toro engine could have actually stayed in the Toro ,and the mini would have come up to the dash rail and fit within the rear bumper of the Toro.

One option was figuring out how to use the mini drivetrain to run a dyno drum that was then belt or chain driving the Toronado wheels. The other was coming up with how to operate the Toronado motor by using controls mounted inside the mini.

I ended up just scrapping that second Toronado instead.

I have automotive ADD.

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