2017 Comet Gathering Pics

[tntrash]

Back home safe and sound! Our gas tank started leaking in the trunk before we left. Had to bag all our stuff up in trash bags. I think the redkote has failed. I only put one can in it when I did it and think that was not enough. Time to either recoat it or get a new tank.

We had a blast this weekend! Great seeing everyone AND their cars.

Doug, Dawn, Noah, and Eli

[Ratical]

Home and unloaded and unpacked. Time to rest before l have to return to work tomorrow. Hope everyone makes it home safe and is planning on returning next year.. Thanks to everyone that came and made 2017 Gathering another great year..

[Jims65cyclone]

I haven't seen any pics of Jim'scyclone. has he made it to PF?

Borrowed the son-in-law's trailer again. He was just letting it down of the jacks from installing four new tires when I got to his house Thursday afternoon. Neither he nor I noticed that the shackles on the front axle had flipped over at the wishbone connector between the axles when he had it off the ground. It pulled fine going home empty. Loaded up the Comet and cinched everything down to leave first thing Friday morning. Left on time (proud of myself), but when I got on the expressway about 7 miles from the house and got up to about 45 mph, it suddenly started VIOLENTLY swaying back and forth, and trying to slow down too fast only made it worse. I almost took out a couple of cars and lost the whole rig before I got it off on the shoulder. Once I was able to break the vacuum my butt had pulled on the seat, I got out to see what the heck had happened. I thought maybe I'd had a flat or the surge brake had locked up on one side or something. The hubs weren't hot, but the two front tires were super hot while the rear two weren't. That's when I noticed the shackles. The whole load was riding on just the front axle! The rear axle had just enough weight on it to make the tires turn. I white-knuckled it to the next exit, but since I had crossed the river, the only way back was the same route on the expressway. I turned on the flashers and limped back at 35 mph until I could get back off the expressway. When I got home, I got after it with the floor jack and pry bar, but no luck, even after I offloaded the car. After killing an hour, I decided I needed to get on the road, so I put the Comet back in the garage and backed the trailer out of the driveway. I figured one less Comet wouldn't stop the show, and I wanted to get up there and "engage". After pondering it over the weekend and putting in a couple of hours of effort after I got home this afternoon, I got it straightened out again. Hopefully, I'll have better luck next year.
Jim

[WesleyK]

Another blessed event with the best of folks...2nd year attending...first with 65 comet via tow dolly...grateful fer fellowship ta all an especially pugs for the parts an Ryan for the ride in yer 65 comet ta remember what smilin is all about...best of times for sure...tow dollyed from Blountville, Tn...guess was 150 miles each way ta comet gatherin 2017

[lavron]

Glad to hear you made it back home safely Wesley with that Comet.

See Ya,
Mike

[redhotcomet]

Jim, I've been in a vehicle where the trailer has swayed out of control like that, its terrifying. Especially when you're not the one driving! Pulling a skidsteer on a car trailer with a half ton truck (overloaded), had the weight too far back (not enough tongue weight). At about 80 kph (50 mph) it started swaying real bad and the guy who was driving HAMMMERED the brakes. Wrong move. It spun us around and we ended up in the median between the divided highway facing the wrong way. Luckily there was no one else around us and the ditch was slippery so we didn't end up going over. Glad you made it out OK!

I did some reading on it and it seems like the best thing to do if it ever happens is to either slow down gently, or try and power through it until the trailer settles down and you can stop safely. And don't try to steer into the sway like you would without a trailer. Hold the wheel straight ahead. Its amazing how fast it happens though. Glad you made it out relatively unscathed!

[poboyjo65]

Redhot,Jim I've had this happen a couple times. both times I expected to find a hole butt bit in the seat. about 45 -50 mph is when it began both times. the last time I met a car during this wild ride who was hugging the yellow lines & would not give an inch. I guess he had a death wish because he had to see me coming, he's just lucky it was in a sway to the other way when I got beside him. the first time speeding up would bring it out of it but you also built up speed which when you let off would start the slide show all over again. it was pushing the back tires making them squall each way. the second time speeding up didnt help that much but I gently brought it to a stop. But I only had lumber on the trailer, I probably would have had a heart attack is my comet had been on there!

[redhotcomet]

Its amazing how many guys (around here anyway) you see going 120+ kph (75+ mph) down the highway towing a trailer without a care in the world. I guess they've never had a trailer sway experience. I guess most of them are campers or boats, where the load placement doesn't vary too much. But then there is the fact that most trailer tires are only rated to 105 kph (65 mph) and it just makes me shake my head.

DOT pulled me over while hauling grain, checked out my license, insurance, truck and trailer lights, etc. While she is writing up the spot check sheet (passed no problem btw), a guy with a trailer goes by with a ratchet strap dragging behind him. The steel hook is bouncing off the pavement. Made me laugh. She must not have noticed because she let me go and went the other way.

[Jims65cyclone]

Something is wrong with the trailer suspension apparently. After I got it set back right Sunday evening, my s-i-l came by and picked it up on his way home from eating out. He said it pulled OK on the way home, but it seemed like the surge brakes were acting sort of jerky when he'd put on the brakes. When he got home he said he heard a POP as he was backing in the driveway. Got out to check it out and found the front shackle on the passenger side had inverted again. The right rear trailer tire was 2" off the ground! Made me glad that I HADN'T worked on it Friday morning and thought I had it fixed, then reloaded the Comet and set off for PF again. I can imagine hitting one of those bumpy transitions on the x-way as you start to cross a bridge and have one side invert and throw me into a sway. Nowhere to go on a bridge. I never go over 65 when pulling a trailer, but that would have been about 64 mph too fast. He's going to tear into it and try to figure out what's wrong. It's no use to him, either, until he can fix it.
Jim

[rickks1958]

Glad I stopped by and got to talk to you guys. Great cars. I was the guy from WV with the 63 red S22 convertible. It was there in pics only. Hope to bring it in person next time.
Rick Snodgrass

[mopar 346]

That would be awesome, sorry I missed the pictures, I have the white sports hardtop that was there. Glad you made it by and look forward to meeting you next time.

Kevin