What is off-tracking?

What is off-tracking?

• A. The amplification of side-to-side movement through the rear of the trailer
• B. When the rear wheels follow a different path than the front wheels while making a turn
• C. When the rear wheels of a trailer lock up, causing the trailer to swing around
• D. When the wheels of a tractor lose traction and the vehicle veers off the road

Answer: (D)

Off-tracking is a turning geometry effect. It happens when the rear wheels don’t follow the exact same path as the front wheels while the vehicle is turning, especially in long vehicles with a trailer. Because of the longer wheelbase and the way the trailer pivots at the hitch, the trailer’s wheels arc on a different radius than the tractor’s steering wheels. This means the trailer may swing inside or otherwise not track the same path as the front, requiring extra space to complete the turn safely. It’s not about losing traction, wheel lockup, or any loss of grip; it’s about the rear wheels taking a different path during a turn.

Off-tracking is a turning geometry effect. It happens when the rear wheels don’t follow the exact same path as the front wheels while the vehicle is turning, especially in long vehicles with a trailer. Because of the longer wheelbase and the way the trailer pivots at the hitch, the trailer’s wheels arc on a different radius than the tractor’s steering wheels. This means the trailer may swing inside or otherwise not track the same path as the front, requiring extra space to complete the turn safely. It’s not about losing traction, wheel lockup, or any loss of grip; it’s about the rear wheels taking a different path during a turn.