Pusher trailer

[jugs]

hows this for a mad idea (from another forum) talk about the tail waging the dog

on a wet road I can see that jack-knifing on the first bend

A front clip from a VW Golf diesel is one of the cars I have seen described configured as a pusher trailer.

You take the front of a front drive vehicle and fit a towbar plus remote for the acellerator control. Start the pusher and let it idle then put the trans in 'D'. Jump in the front vehicle and open the throttle.

 

[Shox Dr]

I believe Army use powered trailers, but it does beg the question why you would want one for the road.

 

[stuvy]

if the golf had a race tuned engine and used tons of fuel then there is an advantage to using the diesel behind it to get to a show or track etc, id never do it to one of my cars as it seems a bit gay

 

[bill_gj]

I think military poweed trailers are via a power take-off from the main engine/trans, aren't they? No problems with synchronising the efforts on all the wheels.

 

[Robotstar5]

Rubery Owen built some powered trailers for the Land Rover 101 - link

 

[overload]

For a second there - I though the golf had a massive rear spoiler until I realised it's in the background!! Lol

 

[moose]

Hi The powered trailer that was used for the 101 was via a drive through differential, Scottorn was the company that made them, via Reynolds Boughton, other companies might have had a go, I actually a Scottorn 6x6 Range Rover that has the third axle driven via the same systems as used on the driven trailer. My car is 6 wheel drive.

The reason the trailers never got to production, it was found they could jack knife the unit and try and over take the 101.

 

[Justme]

I thought that the 101 powered trailer was dropped after off road testing where the 101 & trailer passed all the tests around the off road track & they then found that the power to the trailer was not working so they ditched it as it was obviously not needed.

Could be urban myth but that was the scuttle butt back in the day.

 

[DuncanM]

There are a few EV owners in the US with pusher trailers to give them enough range to get to meets. Nutty idea if you ask me...

 

[madkayaker]

that could be how to make a gwiz useable big trailer with a proper engine in it!