Question about towing bad experiences!

[Pmedic4]

Just reading several posts about 'hitch failures', 'power to break-away switch', and 'others', and was just wondering if anyone has had or know of someone who their RV come free:
1. What speed were you going?
2. When did you notice?
3. What failed?
4. Did the break-away switch work?
5. How did the RV react? Did it stop in a straight line? Skid sideways? Roll and crash / Crash and roll??

Have a hard time believing this would happen at full highway speed, with most happening when your just starting out, but then again, it is possible.

Not trying to pick on anyone, just hoping someones experiences might prevent a catastrophe for others. Personally, as a firefighter/EMT, the one situation I was aware of was a car being towed by a Tow-truck, came loose, went across the median on the interstate and struck another car -with fatalities. Not one of my favorite stories, but also no break-away switch to stop it.

[Hoojs12840]

Mine happened while I was hooking up. Keep in mind I was inspecting and checking the hitch, so I noticed prior to anything tragic happening. If you check your hookup every time, it would be almost impossible to lose a trailer.

It would take a catastrophic failure of steel if you checked it properly before you started moving. These systems and designs have been around for decades for a reason.

If you are not familiar, or do not hitch very often, develop a checklist. After years of driving commercially I have very solid habit's that help.

Jason

[Ken / Claudia]

This is aliitle different than your questions but, makes a point. Co-worker says he will get the 24 ft boat hitched and ready. The trip to the river is about 25 miles each way to the launch. After the patrol, I guide him back into the parking spot and unhitch the trailer. I notice that he left the 2 inch ball on the hitch, that trailer uses a 2 5/16 ball. It stayed on during the launching and recovery, bounceing up/down on the freeway, that boat/trailer is 8,000lbs. I think we were just lucky.

[gearhead]

My story is kinda like being around an accidental gun shot. You never forget it.
Many years ago I rented a 2 axle U-Haul trailer. The young man at the rental place told me to get in my truck while he hooks up he trailer and I can turn lights and indicators on while he watches. He puts it on the hitch ball and we check the lights. All is well. After many miles of towing at 60mph on 2 lane roads it jumps off the ball. The breakaway brakes worked. The unloaded trailer bounced all over the highway behind me. The adjustment knob on the hitch was very loose and apparently never snugged down. Never trust anyone! Check it yourself.

[gearhead]

More...my wife's dumb butt brother in law towed a heavy 2 axle trailer with 2 5/16" hitch from Detroit to Houston on a 2 inch ball. Discovered it when he got home. .

[poncho62]

I have driven a few hundred feet with the ball hitch open.....I make a habit of hooking up, driving 1/2 a block or so and stopping to check everything......Good thing I checked. Have a 5th wheel now and do the same thing.....best to check everything twice

[BulletOwner1]

...my wife's dumb butt brother in law. .

Wouldn't that be your brother????? :D

While hooking up the boat I slipped in the stinger, backed up and hooked up, pulled ahead. As soon as I went forward I heard a bang and jerk on the PU :eek: , hit the brakes, and immediately heard another bang with jerk :eek: ! Didn't put the pin in the stinger, pulled out the stinger, hit the end of the safety chains, pulled the boat back towards the truck, and put a nice dent in the tailgate from the winch tower :banghead: !

[gearhead]

Wouldn't that be your brother????? :D

While hooking up the boat I slipped in the stinger, backed up and hooked up, pulled ahead. As soon as I went forward I heard a bang and jerk on the PU :eek: , hit the brakes, and immediately heard another bang with jerk :eek: ! Didn't put the pin in the stinger, pulled out the stinger, hit the end of the safety chains, pulled the boat back towards the truck, and put a nice dent in the tailgate from the winch tower :banghead: !

That would be my wife's sister's husband.
What's the stinger?

[Stublejumper]

X2 on the stinger

[TandE]

I'm sure the stinger is the portion that goes into the reciever on the truck. Most time people call it a shank.

Travis

[HappyCamperMN]

I'm sure the stinger is the portion that goes into the reciever on the truck. Most time people call it a shank.

Travis

AKA - draw bar

[BulletOwner1]

Yep, that's it. Sorry for the lack of detail.

[gcracker]

Had a very scary instance with a gooseneck horse trailer many years ago.

Hooked up the truck and trailer the night before we were leaving in the dark while being tired to save time the next day. Next day got home from work, loaded the 2 horses in the trailer and drove 2.5 hours to a trail ride campout. When we got to the campsite I noticed the hitch was sitting on top of the ball instead of down around it! I immediately had to sit down and re-evaluate Time Saving vs. Safety when prepping for a trip.

[{tpc}]

The only thing I forgot to do so far was put the d-ring in once while towing back from the storage place which is about 7 miles down the road. I realized it after getting ready to back it in the driveway. Nothing happened thankfully and it never opened back up, but I am sure it could have.

Not really a bad experience, but during our last tow (first long tow, about 300 miles or so), I was experiencing quite a bit of sway, much more than I expected. Fooled around with the anti-sway a bit, but it didn't seem to help all that much. It was only after I got off the highway and stopped at a mcdonalds, did it hit me that I was towing with 2 more people in the truck and more gear, but I still had the WD bars set up to an empty truck with 1 or 2 people in it. Tightened them up a link, and it was a night and day difference. I think what was happening is the front end was lighter making the sway more pronounced as I was steering.

Got home sunday. Monday traded in car for a bigger truck. :p

[vampress_me]

Ours was many years ago. Have a heavy bumper pull horse trailer. Hubby and I were hooking it up together at a friends to head over to their other place to grab our horses which was 2 miles away on bumpy gravel roads. Got to other place to realize neither one of us had closed and latched the hitch around the ball. Chains were hooked up, breakaway was hooked up, just not the hitch. We both about died when we saw that AFTER loading the horses in. Lesson learned - never trust someone else when hooking up even if it is your hubby/ wife, and always do a thorough walk-around inspection no matter how far you are going. Lesson has been followed for 20 years with no problems (now I'm going to knock on wood!).

[Pmedic4]

Well, even a Dualie isn't big enough for some RVs!

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwOqARlw1EI"]

At about 48 seconds.

[So Cal CPA]

While towing home through Los Angeles on the 405 I had one of the wheels on the trailer completly fall off and go bouncing down the freeway. We watched as it hit the center median and thank god it did not bounce over and into oncoming traffic. No reports of accident or injury that I am aware of.

When I say fall off I mean the wheel was still attached to the drum via the lug nuts and bolts.

This was not our fault in that the boat and trailer were brand new from a dealer in Orange County. Sat on the 405 for 4 hours until the dealer could send a maintenance crew with a new wheel and hub that fit. Made the guy go around and jack up all tires and check the wheel bearings, lock nuts, and of course lug nuts. Got home safe.

[{tpc}]

Well, even a Dualie isn't big enough for some RVs!

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwOqARlw1EI"]

At about 48 seconds.

That was crazy. It appeared to be fairly windy that day, at least from the sound on the video. That trailer was crazy long though, looked almost as long as an eighteen wheeler. :eek:

[{tpc}]

While towing home through Los Angeles on the 405 I had one of the wheels on the trailer completly fall off and go bouncing down the freeway. We watched as it hit the center median and thank god it did not bounce over and into oncoming traffic. No reports of accident or injury that I am aware of.

When I say fall off I mean the wheel was still attached to the drum via the lug nuts and bolts.

This was not our fault in that the boat and trailer were brand new from a dealer in Orange County. Sat on the 405 for 4 hours until the dealer could send a maintenance crew with a new wheel and hub that fit. Made the guy go around and jack up all tires and check the wheel bearings, lock nuts, and of course lug nuts. Got home safe.

To add to this I had a similar situation happen near me. Wasn't with a trailer but it adds to properly torquing down everything.

I was taking my kids to the apple orchard, driving down a 2 lane road (one lane either direction). Wrong place wrong time I guess but approachign me in the left lane is an older camaro beat to hell. As it got within maybe 10 car lengths? or so, I watched the rear drivers side tire (the side nearest me), fly off the car and bounce over me. That wasn't the worst though. The ligs sheared off and one hit my windshield face level on the drivers side, so right in my face.

That was some crazy stuff. I saw it all happening but nothing I could do it happened so fast and we were going 50 mph down the road. Kids didn't know what happened until I pulled over and went back to the other guy for insurance...which he didn't have. I probably should have had a mouthful of lugnut but apparently windshield glass it fairly strong stuff.

I think the kid said he used a air ratchet to torque down the lugs...didn't understand why it happened....luckily noone was hurt and the cheap sob wouldn't even help with my deductible!

[Old Bear]

... I think the kid said he used a air ratchet to torque down the lugs...didn't understand why it happened....luckily noone was hurt and the cheap sob wouldn't even help with my deductible!
No insurance required in that state? Various states I have lived in, he would have at least been cited by the police. In a couple of states, he would have been arrested, the car would have been impounded and the license tag lost. And then I would have him in civil court at a minimum. Yea, I can be a jerk when it comes to dealing with stupid people.

[TandE]

That was crazy. It appeared to be fairly windy that day, at least from the sound on the video. That trailer was crazy long though, looked almost as long as an eighteen wheeler. :eek:

From the looks of the front of the trailer when it spun around it appears to be a resident style or park model. One that usually stays in a single spot. Most are around 37-43 feet long.

Travis

[zuley]

Here's my story sad but true, about a trailer we once had... Heading home from vacation towing our Coleman popup behind our brand new Jeep GC on hwy 401 just east of Oshawa. (that's in Ontario for you non Ontarians) The MTO had saw cut out a section of pavement about 2 inches deep, the width of the lane and about eight feet long. They had not marked it or left any warning. Traveling about 100 kph when we hit the cut out I saw in the rear view mirror the trailer bounce up. It started to sway once it hit the ground. I was thinking we had a blown tire not realizing when the trailer popped up it dislocated from the ball. The little cog in the hitch receiver actually broke the top of the ball off. The sway was getting worse. I was trying to use the trailer brake switch inside the vehicle to woe up but the wiring had pulled out when the trailer disconnected. As well the breakaway switch, unbeknown to me, was defective. The trailer ended up breaking the chains and passed me heading into the rhubarb. Luckily we had an OPP officer following us and witnessed the whole thing. She pulled into the centre lane and hit the rotators so that traffic could not pass us as the trailer was doing its little dance heading down the highway. Trailer managed to stay on it's wheels in the ditch with moderate cosmetic damage. In the end our insurance company put a claim into the MTO which they accepted without a fight, so there was no black mark on our insurance history. We were fortunate to have had the police officer witness and forward to our insurance company her account of the accident. Our dealer ended up allowing us more on a trade than we had paid for the thing three years prior after it was repaired.

[Pmedic4]

Actually I'm pretty pleased to see there aren't many issues that people have experienced towing.

The one example I posted was from very windy conditions, and a very long RV. As someone said, most the the equipment we can buy has been tested, approved and proven over years of towing so there should not be stupid failures of the hitches and towing gear.

Let's enjoy this season!

[Ken / Claudia]

Afew years ago while on patrol I noted a fixed load trailer bounceing alot, likely due to no springs, just soild axle. Within seconds it was moving side to side still bounceing. I turned on the police lights and before the driver slowed the coupler came undone and dropped the tougue onto the crossed safety chains. It stayed attached by the chains. It appeared that the latch on the coupler opened due to the high speed bouneing but, it may have not been locked/closed correctly. The driver and passengers hooked it back up and the coupler locked closed.

[JRTJH]

Sometimes we get caught up in the "my equipment is safe, so I'll be OK" syndrome. Occasionally even the best equipped rigs and most alert drivers can be dealt an unexpected hazard that creates a situation that can't be controlled.

The Mackinaw Bridge between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan rises some 200 ft across the Straits of Mackinaw. Wind gusts can come out of "nowhere" and often do. Large vehicle traffic (including RV's) is controlled at 20MPH across the bridge and in windy conditions large vehicles are not allowed onto the bridge. We've sat in the UP for several hours waiting for the winds to calm before being allowed to cross with our fifth wheel.

Last July, on a "clear day with limited winds" this 18 wheeler was near the top of the bridge and "out of nowhere" a gust of wind estimated to be "about 60 MPH" hit this rig from the side blowing it over. There wasn't any controlling it in the single lane of travel with a side-rail/tire guard only a foot away while towing at 20 MPH.

While I don't think anyone but the driver knows exactly what happened, this incident demonstrates that even the heaviest of rigs aren't "invulnerable"...

No matter what you tow, keep all of your equipment in top shape and stay alert to the "unexpected"... You never know when you'll need to react to something that hits you, "out of the blue".....

[allmi01]

I got bit by black ice on jan 2 this year in Indiana. Luckily, the rig jack knifed at 45 MPH (going slower as it had snowed and the roads were "clear" but at 2 degrees, black ice will be there from what moisture is left from the salt melting snow.)

damage was C pillar, right rear and back windows on the TV and racked front cap, and left rear damage to the TT.

Sometimes all you can so is try to keep things straight as possible and hand on for the ride. Even if I had been towing with the F350 dually, I'm not sure the results would have been different.

Maybe someday I'll get my TT back form the shop. waiting on parts from Keystone (front cap and rear wall).

You just never know.

Mike

[{tpc}]

Sometimes we get caught up in the "my equipment is safe, so I'll be OK" syndrome. Occasionally even the best equipped rigs and most alert drivers can be dealt an unexpected hazard that creates a situation that can't be controlled.

The Mackinaw Bridge between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan rises some 200 ft across the Straits of Mackinaw. Wind gusts can come out of "nowhere" and often do. Large vehicle traffic (including RV's) is controlled at 20MPH across the bridge and in windy conditions large vehicles are not allowed onto the bridge. We've sat in the UP for several hours waiting for the winds to calm before being allowed to cross with our fifth wheel.

Last July, on a "clear day with limited winds" this 18 wheeler was near the top of the bridge and "out of nowhere" a gust of wind estimated to be "about 60 MPH" hit this rig from the side blowing it over. There wasn't any controlling it in the single lane of travel with a side-rail/tire guard only a foot away while towing at 20 MPH.

While I don't think anyone but the driver knows exactly what happened, this incident demonstrates that even the heaviest of rigs aren't "invulnerable"...

No matter what you tow, keep all of your equipment in top shape and stay alert to the "unexpected"... You never know when you'll need to react to something that hits you, "out of the blue".....


Wow that dude almost went swimming!! I've crossed that bridge many times, and sometimes even in a car it doesn't feel the greatest. I've also walked it a few times, and well walking it is not as nerve racking, just try not to remember the things you saw the next time you drive over it. Thankfully I was younger then, so the memory is foggy, and I am sure its totally fine. :)

[Barbell]

We were leaving the campground at Cherry Point MCAS last October, when the fifth wheel separated from the truck. Cause was a defective Reese 16K hitch. I had pull tested after hooking up and all was well. Then loaded the family and went about 10 feet when trailer dropped on the truck bed. The pin in one side of the latch was not properly welded and came out. Reese squealed like a stuck pig for several months but finally paid about $6400 to fix the truck. No damage to the trailer. They also gave me a new hitch.

[sourdough]

Bought a new RV, WD hitch etc. and had it set up and installed at the Camping World dealership. They brought the trailer/pickup around to me and said you're good to go. So I did. Drove 60 miles home in 30 mph winds and a rough road. All the way I heard clanking and banging but did not see anything when I got out to look. Got home and unhitched the trailer. When I pulled the hitch out of my receiver I turned white as a sheet. I grabbed the ball to hold on to to carry it. When I picked it up the ball almost pulled out of its mounting hole. They had put the ball into the hitch and just started the nut and never tightened it. I had 2 thread left before the nut came off. Lesson learned; check, double check and re-check, plus, never trust someone else to do the critical stuff. I had a 8500 lb missile I was about to launch at someone due to their lack of attention.

[bsmith0404]

Bought a new RV, WD hitch etc. and had it set up and installed at the Camping World dealership. They brought the trailer/pickup around to me and said you're good to go. So I did. Drove 60 miles home in 30 mph winds and a rough road. All the way I heard clanking and banging but did not see anything when I got out to look. Got home and unhitched the trailer. When I pulled the hitch out of my receiver I turned white as a sheet. I grabbed the ball to hold on to to carry it. When I picked it up the ball almost pulled out of its mounting hole. They had put the ball into the hitch and just started the nut and never tightened it. I had 2 thread left before the nut came off. Lesson learned; check, double check and re-check, plus, never trust someone else to do the critical stuff. I had a 8500 lb missile I was about to launch at someone due to their lack of attention.

I had a nut come off about 20 years ago while pulling a car dolly, had pulled my boat cross country just a month earlier. I always checked that it was tight. My dad had one come loose a few years back as well, his had only been on the hitch for about 10 years before it came loose. We now tack weld the nut. The receiver is cheap so I have one set up with a 2" and another with a 2 5/16". I still check that the tack weld is good before hooking up, it's not fun to have a trailer bouncing around all over the place when it's only held on by the safety chains.