really bad day.....trailer totaled(maybe,hopefully)

[midnightpumpkin]

Eric,

Just out of curiosity, what brand/model brake controller were you using?

John U

[midnightpumpkin]

Sorry, double posted!

[milzat]

Glad to hear everyone is okay.

Also glad to hear you made out well with the insurance company.

I was just going over a small bridge overpass but there was just a slight bump going onto the bridge and I'm wondering if maybe it was enough to just get the back tires on the truck to lose traction and it just went south from there. It's about the best explanation I've come up with so far.

This may not have happened with a fifth wheel in tow, being weight is applied directly to the rear axle of the tow vehicle, as opposed to a weight distribution hitch, which applied weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle.

I am now second guessing myself as if this and that bridge bump caused the weight on the front end to lift the rear of the truck just enough to lose traction and cause the skid. I don't know, but it's just a theory that I've come up with.

I believe you're correct.

[LadyWindrider]

When the ball came unhooked, the extra distance between the truck and trailer let the bars pull out. Not uncommon, when the ball comes unhooked. My question really is, whey did it come unhooked. Having seen pictures of boats holding trucks, or campers holding trucks, off the sides of mountains and bridges, with noting attached but the ball, makes me wonder how/why did it get unhooked? Just something to ponder.

[eandsphotography]

Windrider... that is the million dollar question isn't it? kinda makes you second guess yourself as to whether you closed the locking latch on the ball in the closed position. I've hooked it up a hundred times, but you begin to second guess yourself and question whether you did or not.