Pulling a Unigo

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Brighteyesue
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I know this has been a dormant thread, but think I need to share what happened to me over the weekend. I wasn't sure if I should piggyback on this thread (https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84015&page=3) or not.

From the beginning I had Unigo wiggle. Over this holiday weekend I took a trip from Cincinnati to Kansas City and the bolts from the Unigo sheared off separating the trailer from the bike in the middle of a highway.
Not only do I feel fortunate to be alive, but now the trailer frightens me. A fellow ST Owner helped me in Kansas City repairing the hitch. Since I was attending a wedding, had no tools, no expertise and had no way to get the trailer home kts1911 offered to take my bike to his house and work on the hitch. Without his help, I would have been in a pickle. THANK YOU KARL!!!!!! You went above and beyond and I thank you Sir!

After Karl (kts1911) fixed the trailer hitch and latch, I was able to pull the trailer home. We took it for a test ride and again it wobbled at any speed over 65. On the way home, I learned to manage it somewhat.

The wobble is airflow related. On the highway, I travel with my stock windscreen up all the way. At about 5-6 car lengths behind a semi, I feel the wobble begin which necessitates a lane change. At 2-3 car lengths behind a truck in the adjacent lane, the wobble begins again. I found 3 ways to manage it – decrease speed L, tuck behind windscreen, or power throttle through (initially increases wobble) and risking a speeding ticket. I ended up choosing a combination of tucking behind the windscreen and applying more throttle until beside the truck cab and then resumed legal speed. On the way home, I packed nothing in the trailer that I could not sacrifice or leave behind since I lost confidence that it would stay attached (Zero reflection on Karl’s work).

To Unigo’s compliment, once the hitch bolts failed and it separated from the bike, it skidded and bounced along the freeway, hitting every side and it stayed closed without cracking apart. If I was willing to stay below 70 mph and/or stay behind the windscreen, I would be happy with this trailer. However, since freeway speeds are typically above that I feel basically unsafe towing the trailer. I do think the wobble is maybe manageable, but I also think the hitch could fail again unexpectedly and that frightens me. Side gusts of wind leave the Unigo unphased but headwinds and buffeting from large vehicles effect it badly in my opinion.


After the trailer hitch failed, I had to fetch it from the oncoming freeway traffic, then load the contents onto the bike. Once loaded and underway, an 18 wheeler ran me off the road. Never have I had so many close calls in one day. I think next Memorial Day weekend, I will most likely stay home.
 

Dinkie Diesel

------------Jeff------------
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That is some bad news! Glad you didn't go down. The bolts shearing is something you just wouldn't expect. Curious how that happened. Karl is a pretty good guy and it's great he was able to help.

Between your story and Mellow's, I think I am spooked from any further interest in a Unigo. Perhaps there are a great many satisfied cutomers using a Unigo but there seems to a few complaints as well.
 

Imrubicon

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kts1911 offered to take my bike to his house and work on the .

day. I think next Memorial Day weekend, I will most likely stay home.

I still like my Uni-Go but it does slow me down , though I havnt yet towed my new camper (new to me ) wit the ST yet I know it too will slow me down also.
From talking to those that pull trailers slowing down is the biggest issue as we all seem to traval a little faster then the posted .

I keep thinking of selling the Uni-go as I have a bigger trailer now for my camping but it doesnt eat much out in the garage .

What size bolts if you remember did you need to use so that you could run the crash bars and the hitch at the same time ?
Did you sell you Uni-go as you had loat faith in it ?

I almost always stay home on those crazy holliday weekends
 

Mellow

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That sux... glad you're okay.. That's the main thing.

Are you running Dual Compound tires? I have a suspicion that may also be an issue. I also think that running a higher tire pressure - 44-46 may help.

You said you've always had a wiggle, was the wiggle worse this time around?

I've read lots of stories about Wingers that don't have issues and the unigo I had on my wing would only wiggle in the triple digit mark...
 

sirepair

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Glad you made it through this in one piece, Sue and that you were able to make it back too!

Has anyone tried extending the drawbar length on the unigo? They seem to be very short (part of the appeal, I guess) and my experience with pulling trailers with cars/trucks says shorter trailers are more likely to wiggle.

Other issue is suspension setup. I know I had to add a good bit of preload to the rear shock with the loaded trailer attached, otherwise it felt like I had a very large pillion rider on back.

I have virtually no wiggle with my home-built trailer at speeds up to triple digits. I do notice "it's back there" a bit more in dirty air (it's as aerodynamic as a brick!) but that's about all. I think the longer drawbar length has alot to do with it's stability.

As far as the bolt shear goes; did these bolts come with the trailer or did you have to buy them when you got it? I would guess that they have been over-torqued if more than one failed. I would suggest grade 8 bolts for replacement.
 
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I am quite concerned about this as I'm the one that sold you the trailer. Really glad you're OK, and you had someone to help get you back to Cinci.
 

Papa

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That really sux Sue. It could have been worse in many ways. Glad you are OK.
 

indypup

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:eek: Wow that sux big time. Glad you are ok. I'll be going to OH-STOC this weekend and will be pulling the uni-go. I've upgraded my suspension since last pulling the uni-go and am curious if that helps any with the wiggle. I don't have the wiggle unless I'm in dirty air and going 70+ MPH. I have the Honda side/mirror air deflectors though and an over-sized windshield and I keep it the lowest position most of the time. I also have bakerbuilt airwings that disrupt the airflow somewhat. I think I've only used Storm1's or the OEM bridgestones at 42 PSI cold too. I'll let you know what I find out this weekend.
 

Chance

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So.. how'd you get your trailer TOO kc? Once it let go.. did you have to leave it or were you able to figure out another method of towing? And while I'm at it.. a few more details about the guy running you off the road please? Did he put you in the ditch..or onto the shoulder?

Glad to hear that you are ok & I really appreciate all the information you've provided.
Peace.:eek::
 
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I talked with Sue and know some of the answers, but I'll let her do that. For those of you that have a Uni-go hitch, check the bolts that hold the plate to the U-bar. All 4 of hers sheared off. I know how big those 4 bolts are and find it hard to believe they all broke, but break they did. Check them guys, this is a disaster waiting to happen!!!
 
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Brighteyesue
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What size bolts if you remember did you need to use so that you could run the crash bars and the hitch at the same time ?
Did you sell you Uni-go as you had loat faith in it ?

I almost always stay home on those crazy holliday weekends
Bolts that go through tipover bars and hitch on the sides of the bike are 10mm X 1.25mm thread pitch in a 60 length.

I am unsure of the bolt size for the ones that sheared off - they go through a plate to the tubular hitch frame.

Unigo has not been sold, but probably will be.
 
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Brighteyesue
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Are you running Dual Compound tires? I have a suspicion that may also be an issue. I also think that running a higher tire pressure - 44-46 may help.

You said you've always had a wiggle, was the wiggle worse this time around?

I've read lots of stories about Wingers that don't have issues and the unigo I had on my wing would only wiggle in the triple digit mark...
I have Avon Storms on the bike and a Metzler on the Unigo. The MEtzler jsut had Dyna Beads put in before this trip hoping that woul fix the wobble issue.

I usually run 40 pressure on my bike tires. I have also heard Wingers say a Unigo behind them is flawless. I think it is an ST air issue.
 
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Brighteyesue
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Glad you made it through this in one piece, Sue and that you were able to make it back too!

Has anyone tried extending the drawbar length on the unigo? They seem to be very short (part of the appeal, I guess) and my experience with pulling trailers with cars/trucks says shorter trailers are more likely to wiggle.

I have virtually no wiggle with my home-built trailer at speeds up to triple digits. I do notice "it's back there" a bit more in dirty air (it's as aerodynamic as a brick!) but that's about all. I think the longer drawbar length has alot to do with it's stability.

As far as the bolt shear goes; did these bolts come with the trailer or did you have to buy them when you got it? I would guess that they have been over-torqued if more than one failed. I would suggest grade 8 bolts for replacement.
This Unigo has the latest/greatest suspension and the hitch length is stock. The bolts were stock and Karl placed in there were stainless and not hardened. This allowed me to get the trailer home.

Soon, I plan on taking the ST and Unigo to the Unigo shop and seeing what, if anything can be done.
 
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Brighteyesue
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So.. how'd you get your trailer TOO kc? Once it let go.. did you have to leave it or were you able to figure out another method of towing? And while I'm at it.. a few more details about the guy running you off the road please? Did he put you in the ditch..or onto the shoulder?
I belong to GWRRA Roadside Assistance and called them. They sent a flatbed for the little Unigo. Although it was big enough that I could have loaded the bike on there too, I couldn't stand the thought of my ST on a trailer :rolleyes:.

On that portion of I-70 there is a narrow shoulder and a band of rumble strips. Since I loaded everything from the trailer onto the ST, my luggage was about as tall as my head. After re-reading this, I mis-stated the situation. He ran me to the shoulder, not off the road. With the bike being extra top heavy from the added luggage, the turbulence from the truck and knowing the bike is wider than the shoulder, it shook me up. But really, all 3 incidents happened so close together that it was more of a cumulative effect.
 

KTD1911

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i didn't want to use stainless hardwhare on the unigo but that was i could find that would fit the countersunk holes use d SAE threads cause i had. to drill three of the sheared bolts out only one would back out with easy out so retaped to a 5/16 X18 thread and got her on the road, not a permanent fix if i had my way. i would have welded the plate to hitch along with the bolts .
 
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