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I finally got my 1993 Festy with tiedown bracket-attached hitch working, and pulled my first heavy load, a crate from AK that weighs well over 1,000 pounds on a "Harbor Freight" 4x8 folding trailer on 12" wheels. I had about 3-4" of rear suspension travel left, and don't think it ever bottomed out.
I picked the crate up at the Ice Road Truckers terminal at the port of Tacoma and hauled it 40 miles up I-5 to Seattle. Lots of strange looks from SUV drivers, and 18-wheelers left me plenty of room as they passed. I got it up to 50mph in 4th on some brand new sections of concrete road surface, but had to slow down to 35mph on some regular old pavement, else it would have shaken itself off the road. Hills, perhaps about 3-4% grade, required dropping back to 3rd gear.
The tires were fine on the way down to the terminal with maybe 35psi in them. When the forlift put the create down, the trailer wheel rims came to within an inch of the road surface. I had to pump them up right there to 60psi before departing.
I chickened out on the last 500', a winding driveway wtih 16 degree slope next to a stream, and had a neighbor bring it down the last bit behind his Jeep. I really didn't want to end up ruining an immaculate 105K-mile Festy by jackknifing and going over the edge.
I never did bother finishing the wiring -- just took my chances that the highway patrol had enough donuts to last the day without pulling over a hard-working Festiva.
It never ceases to amaze me what these 63hp machines on 12" wheels can do!
I picked the crate up at the Ice Road Truckers terminal at the port of Tacoma and hauled it 40 miles up I-5 to Seattle. Lots of strange looks from SUV drivers, and 18-wheelers left me plenty of room as they passed. I got it up to 50mph in 4th on some brand new sections of concrete road surface, but had to slow down to 35mph on some regular old pavement, else it would have shaken itself off the road. Hills, perhaps about 3-4% grade, required dropping back to 3rd gear.
The tires were fine on the way down to the terminal with maybe 35psi in them. When the forlift put the create down, the trailer wheel rims came to within an inch of the road surface. I had to pump them up right there to 60psi before departing.
I chickened out on the last 500', a winding driveway wtih 16 degree slope next to a stream, and had a neighbor bring it down the last bit behind his Jeep. I really didn't want to end up ruining an immaculate 105K-mile Festy by jackknifing and going over the edge.
I never did bother finishing the wiring -- just took my chances that the highway patrol had enough donuts to last the day without pulling over a hard-working Festiva.
It never ceases to amaze me what these 63hp machines on 12" wheels can do!
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