Trailer came loose - not mine

[mwgkkg]

Another article of a trailer coming loose in Kansas. Second time in three months. Both times people were killed.

Two Kansans killed when their minivan hit by loose trailer | The Kansas City Star

I don't think we can remind people enough when they are asking questions about trailer weights, hitches about making sure they tow with the correct weights and equipment. I'm very new at towing travel trailers but spent months researching what my truck can tow, understanding all the acronyms, ratings and true weights. I know people don't like hearing from the "weight police" on this site but it's better than what just happen here in Kansas again.

I had a couple RV dealers keep trying to sell me that my 2011 F150 3.7L could pull a 6-7K lb trailer and even the smaller 5th wheel. Please don't buy into this crap without researching for yourself.

OK, I'm done now. Have a great weekend.

[Terier]

The link didn't provide any details other than the trailer coming loose. Do you think it was related to weight?

[mwgkkg]

I'm trying to find out. I don't think the winds were too high yesterday.

[OldCoot]

Never mentioned whether it was a 5er or tt or if safety chains and break away brakes were operative, etc. Doubtful if it was weight related as much as it was improper hitching.

[mwgkkg]

Here is a link for the August accident. It was a lawnmower trailer with now hitch pin or chains.

No charges filed weeks after deadly trailer accident | Local News - Home

[racerx]

I am not going to get into the weight police thing. I would however like to advise to check your trailer connections anytime you leave your trailer hooked up and then depart the area and return. Even a quick trip into your local store or restaurant. Some people think it is funny to undo your trailer connection when parked and unattended. I have had this happen.
The article never states what type trailer. Could have been a utility trailer.

[OldCoot]

One of the things I like about my setup on the 5er, the hitch is padlocked, Butch's bed saver engaged , emergency brake tethered and with the hard cover tonneau cover installed, you can't even get to the hitch release without removing the left hand side of the tonneau cover which in itself is about a 5 minute job if you know what you're doing.

[mwgkkg]

I agree Racerx. I could have started the thread wrong, thinking it was a travel trailer. Sorry about that.

I know before I purchased a travel trailer, I never paid that much attention to trailer setup (mainly a hitch pin). Most of my towing was small utility trailer and sail boat from the storage yard to the crane.

[mcnabbwr]

Agreed with the improper hitching. Last spring I had a oncoming landscape trailer disconnect and go between me and the car behind. It wasn't hard to determine the cause when you have a two inch hitch setting on a 1 7/8 ball. Some people just don't get it.

[asquared]

We padlocked the coupler on our old tt and padlock the 5er hitch. Years ago, I did once have a uhaul come off the ball. That was the only time I neglected to check someone else's job on hitching to my vehicle. Safety chains held. It was a bumpy ride stopping from 35 mph but I got it safely stopped. I was lucky and never forgot it. When I was younger one of my friends allowed her horse to be trailered out of state by a hired horse hauler for someone to use in the special Olympics. Coming home they were following the guy towing the horse trailer on hwy 95 when the ball sheared off. The chains broke and the trailer went into a ditch in the median and rolled over instantly killing the horse. My old riding instructer and my old farm manager had taken two very valuable horses to a competition somewhere in New England (I forget exactly where now). The highway they were on was filled with large bumps and potholes. Eventually the trailer bounced off the ball, and despite brake cable and chains rolled onto its side. Luckily neither the stallion nor the mare were injured and they walked right onto another horse trailer but the trailer was totaled.

Point is human error caused all 3 of these preventable events. Please make sure your ball/hitch (5er or tt) is rated for what you are towing. Take time to double check your hitch work. If there are two of you, have the other person double check it. We painted the jaws of our 5er hitch orange so it would be easier to see that the jaws are properly closed around the kingpin. We also do a pull test with the fiver to double check we aren't high hitched. As previously stated recheck your hitch, chains and pigtails anytime you stop somewhere even just for gas. Stay safe everybody.

[fx2]

I had my boat come unhitched right after I bought it (this was 10+ years ago). Luckily I was only going about 10 MPH and the chains held. The latch was broken, I have never forgot the feeling of dragging that 19 footer to a stop and it makes me extremely diligent in checking everything before I move any TT, even if a short distance or if we just made a short stop, thats the best time to do a once over and make sure all is good and no one messed with anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Weezer]

Two weeks ago I saw a trailer come loose, RIGHT in front of me! (Bobby, if you read this it was right in front of Riverwood, at the main gate across from the auction facility)

A guy in a sedan was pulling a UHaul box trailer, when suddenly that trailer was swapping LANES! He got it under control and pulled off into a parking lot. Only had ONE safety chain and it was so long the tongue of the trailer was stabbing into the road surface. Obviously a case of incorrect trailer ball size.

Thankfully *I* was behind him and no one was in the inside lane or that trailer would have certainly knocked them over into oncoming traffic. Additionally that is a low speed traffic area. He couldn't have been doing more than 30 MPH and the trailer was wild enough at that speed.

[Shinny]

I always pad locked my TT, crossed the safety chains underneath the hitch and made sure they were hooked in opposite directions. My e-brake cable was always locked in a hole on the frame of the truck. My 5'er hitch is padlocked so the arm can't be pulled and the e-brake is hooked via pad lock to the hitch frame rails. Always safety first, in my book.

[GASPEDDLER]

I had an old 15 foot utility flatbed trailer come uncoupled as I was pulling into the bank drive thru some years ago. The POS trailer didn't have any chains and let me tell you it's very disconcerting to see your trailer/load pass you by. Luckily the tongue dug into the asphalt and came to an uneventful stop. Young, dumb and full off...well you know the rest.

[fast murray]

At work we used to have 3 trailers with 3 different ball sizes and the pickup had one of those adapt-a-balls. I was new and didn't know which was which and I had the little trailer (which had a 2 5/16" ball) come off the 2" ball I was using. It was no big deal as I was driving slowly through an intersection but now all our trailers are pintle hitches. I think if I bought a boat I'd put a pintle on it!

[wbdavey]

Don't forget to check the NUT that holds the ball to the hitch. Friend of my pulled a boat home - about 30 miles and noticed the nut was gone! Luckily, the roads were smooth and the tongue weight was heavy enough to keep the ball from jumping out of the hitch.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Weezer

Two weeks ago I saw a trailer come loose, RIGHT in front of me! (Bobby, if you read this it was right in front of Riverwood, at the main gate across from the auction facility)

I'm reading it now. WOW!!!

[Miller303KDS]

I have a friend that bought a brand new 32' Jayco and was bringing it home from the dealer. The dealership installed the WDH and pinned through the truck receiver but not the WDH. He drove 60 miles like that on the interstate without incident. After the first traffic light he stopped at he accelerated at the green and the WDH came out of the receiver. He had to get it towed back to the dealer where they had to weld on a new coupler to the trailer after the damage. Always connect your own trailer. Don't trust anyone else to do it.


2014 Coachmen Catalina 303KDS

[Jestercyco]

2X on do it yourself. After towing race cars for 25 years, you can see some wild things with trailer hookups. Always double check!!!!! I have my DW check also when we are hooked up, she is good at it.
Jester

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Jestercyco

2X on do it yourself.

3X's that. I was in a hurry one morning to leave the shop, and had my guys hook our bumper-pull tire trailer up to the truck while I was getting paperwork inside. I came out and did a cursory glance to make sure the coupling hitch was closed, chains hooked and electrical plugged in.

I made it just a few hundred yards from the shop, and when I bounced across the RR tracks, it came off the ball. Luckily the chains did their job, and I just have some dents in the bumper, where the tongue slid under it while I was trying to get stopped.

What had happened, was I have one of those universal 3 ball hitches, that slides into my receiver. My guys weren't paying attention and left the 2" ball up, when the trailer has a 2 and 5/16th coupler.

I was lucky but ALWAYS do my own coupling after that. It just takes one little thing.