What would happen in real life if you tried to drive onto a moving trailor as KITT does in knight rider?

Question

Would you grip the trailoer and shoot off the end or would you just roll on.

Answer 1

Just build up speed before hand and knock it into neutral before the driven wheels hit the ramp, and let your momentum carry you up off the road. Then back into a low gear and into the trailer.

Answer 2

Yes - just drive up the ramp and slam on the brakes.

Kitt obviously managed it all by himself. The Hoff didn't even have to steer or anything!

BUT - the Minis in the Italian Job had a much more difficult time as they were front wheel drive. They had to get the front wheels on and then slam on the brakes but still retain enough forward motion to get the back of the car in.

Some pretty good driving required to do it properly

Answer 3

It would happen just as it does in the show!

If you have the lorry travelling at 50 mph and KITT travelling at 60 mph, then it ends up with the same effect as KITT driving up the ramp of a stationary lorry at a speed of 10 mph. This is because the speed of each vehicle relative to the other is only 10 mph difference.

So long as you were lined up with the trailer properly (and there were no bends coming up in the road!) and you kept your speed up (i.e. not slowing as you went onto the ramp) you should be able to drive on with no problems at all.

Answer 4

Here's what would happen:
You do 60mph and edge up onto the tailboard of the trailer. Your car is almost stationary in relation to the trailer but your wheels are now doing 60mph. Your wheels spin at 60mph. The torque steer in your car pulls you to one side and down the side of the ramps. You are now doing about 80mph because your wheels were gripping doing 60mph on the trailer already doing 60mph. Best case senario you are doing 80mph on two wheels. Worst case is you are doing 80mph on as you roll. If it was really going to be done you'd need a handbrake for the front wheels which you would slam on as you touch the ramps but still allow the back wheels to turn on the road. Then just drive up as though you weren't moving. In real life basically, if you do if fast enough its irrelevant that your wheels are spinning or if they vapourise on contact, you will fly out over the trailer! Why, were you thinking of trying it!?

Answer 5

if yer in a front wheel drive car (wheels pulling) ud have some problems with grip when the car leaves the road and touches the ramp...there u would need enough torque to give u the umph to het up on the rap...rear wheel drive is easier...u just need enough power to give u the umph to get the back tires on the rap but in that case most of the cars already on the ramp...in any case u need to be going at least 10 mph faster than the trailer...mucho love...

Answer 6

They did used to drive the car onto the trailor, if that helps, you need to ease the accelerator off as soon as you get on, and the wheels will just slow down to your new speed, the truck absorbs the momentum.

Answer 7

well somebody obviously did it more than once for the tv show, although I am sure they were someone with some experience behind them, I think it would turn out ok, I would give it a try if I had the opportunity

Answer 8

I think that the driver would have to brake really hard, as the car's speed would suddenly be relative to the trailer...I think. Funny, I was thinking about this recently too...

Answer 9

i think you would still go on but not as smoothly as the wheels would be still be travelling at a great speed, and you would need to brake before you crashed into the inside of the lorry!

Answer 10

funnily enough we was asked the same question on sunday at an off roading event. so with my brother driving our transporter and me in my 4x4 we tried it and it works fine. i did have to brake really hard once all wheels were on though.