Influence of the vertical load exerted by the trailer on the coupling device on towing vehicle's steerability and stability

摘要

The paper concerns an analysis of the steerability and stability of a motor vehicle towing a trailer during the double lane change manoeuvre. As results of experimental road tests carried out on an airfield runway, time histories of the following parameters were determined: steering angle, lateral acceleration, and drift angle of the towing vehicle, as well as angular velocity of towing vehicle yaw. The tests were performed for various states of the vertical load exerted on towing vehicle's coupling device.