General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This message was self-deleted by its author [View all]A HERETIC I AM
(24,367 posts)Not hard, it's just that you have to have enough room, that's all. That design is what's known as a "Stinger Steer" or just "Stinger" meaning its 5th wheel and therefore its point of articulation, is located behind the drive wheels and low to the ground. In the pic above, the 5th wheel is just forward and below the front bumper of the white car on the front of the trailer. It changes the way it turns vs. a normal tractor trailer.
Honestly, turning left is always easier than turning right in any tractor trailer. Making a left means I have the oncoming lane of the street I am turning onto, to allow the trailer to straighten out. Turning right, I have no such luxury. If I am making a right hand turn, I often have to crowd the lane next to me if there is one or even wait till traffic clears and use the oncoming lane to swing to my left before turning the truck to the right. If I don't do such a maneuver, the trailer wheels will track across the corner, potentially taking down a street sign or any other obstruction that might be present. "If it ain't tight, it ain't right" as they say.
One of the biggest problems with open-rack auto transporters like that one is the potential for contact between the cars on the tractor and those on the trailer. Turning too tight to either direction or jack knifing the rig could cause the vehicles to touch and major damage can occur.