Trailer Tragedy

Steve@Advance · Sep 15, 2015

No safety chains! How many of us are guilty of taking the same chances? I have too many times!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/boat-trailer-slips-off-truck-fatally-strikes-si-cyclist/ar-AAeiF5A?li=BBgzzfc

old · Sep 15, 2015

I always use safety chains but then again I also have a class A CDL and if something happens and all the cops tend to throw it at you harder because a person with a CDL should know better

Bryce Frazier · Sep 15, 2015

To me, safety chains are like seat belts. So STUPIDLY simple, and easy, and yet it could save your life. Talk about the absolute lowest level of lasiness..

jeffcat · Sep 15, 2015

Always hook the chains on my little 4x8 trailer. Pulled out of the drive way a couple of years ago and got about 400 feet down the road and hit a little bump. Ca CHUNK and then SCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC. I had hooked everything up and forgotten to lock the hitch leaver. Hopped off the hitch ball and dragged down the street a little. Did feel a little silly!

Oregon Tractor Jack · Sep 15, 2015

A break away "deadman" electric brake system is another item that should be used if your trailer has electic brakes. I always connect and test my system everytime I hook up. You would be suprised at how many people don't use them. The common theme is: "I want that trailer as far away from me as possible if it comes loose." Stupid is as stupid does and that is what kills people.

DLMKA · Sep 15, 2015

I borrowed a trailer from a neighbor a while back. Got home and started driving trailer up and the tongue on the trailer went up. Stupid me forgot to switch the hitch to the 2 5/8" ball from the 2". Glad I figured it out then and not with a load going down the road at 60mph.

rrman61 · Sep 15, 2015

Had a ball break while pulling an empty stock trailer one time.the chains held but the trailer very nearly yanked me into the guard rail of an elevated bridge!Good thing I was driving a 3/4 ton truck.I guess it's better having them then not but they can still wreck you!

fixerupper · Sep 15, 2015

A safety chain has saved my butt three times so far. Last time was with a seed tender loaded with four pro boxes of seed corn. Ball wasnt latched and it would have dumped over backward in the ditch if it wasnt for the chains. Someone else hooked it up but i was at fault for not checking the hitch before i took off.

old · Sep 15, 2015

Never heard of a 2-5/8 but have heard of the 2-5/16.

MichiganMike · Sep 15, 2015

A few months back I was driving behind a truck and trailer. All of a sudden he started losing control. He was taking both lanes, on a busy blacktop road. I slowed way down and drove on the shoulder, so that the vehicles behind me could see what was going on. The kid got it stopped. My brother and I stopped to see if he needed help. I thought the trailer had came loose. It hadn't , It was a tilt trailer that had tilted going 55 mph. Talk about a kite in a tornado. The Kid was hauling the trailer for his dad. The dad had just bought it. I looked at the lock down on the trailer. It was rusted up and would not work. I ask him if he had a ratchet strap. He did, so he started to strap the bed down with it. The way he was running the strap, it would have been cut by the metal. I told him how to route it, so it would not get cut. I told him to drive slow. I did commend him on keeping the trailer out of the ditches. Also check the tilt locks /latches...MTP

bill mart · Sep 15, 2015

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oldtanker · Sep 15, 2015

I always use safety chains and tie my loads down. I witnessed a stack of crushed cars fall off a semi trailer onto a car in Louisville KY in the late 80's. Killed all 5 people in the car. Driver had not secured the stacks in accordance to the company policy. Was supposed to have 3 chains and binders per stack, the driver had only put on one. The driver did get prison time over that. About 2 weeks later saw a guy drop a new bass boat on the interstate because he could spend 20K for a boat but couldn't spend a few extra bucks on tie downs. That made me very aware of trailering safety.

Shortly after I retired we had a guy here buy a new pontoon boat. Very nice expensive one who lost the boat pulling it at 55 (he claimed) in high winds, no tie downs, just the winch strap at the bow. Totaled the boat. It picked up off the trailer and flipped over before slamming into the ground. No injuries but still an expensive mistake.

Rick

37chief · Sep 15, 2015

Every time I hook up on goes the chains. There are on all the time. I park my truck for winter, then the trailer comes off. Now as for tie down chains when I started out I usually only installed one chain some times two. Then set the brake and off I would go. Until I had the tractor, and mower roll off the trailer at a light going up hill. I now install four chains one at each corner, make sure the brake is set, and tractor is in gear. That my friend will make a believer out of you, to make sure your tractor is chained correctly. Plus it's the law. Stan

JayinNY · Sep 15, 2015

I always use the safety chains. Only thing I don't use is the break away cable hooked to the truck. I don't even know after 17 years if the battery is even any good anymore!

Gchase24 · Sep 15, 2015

Safety chains are required in Texas. Been pulled over by local cop just to check gooseneck chains .Always hook them up.Friend had them hanging not hooked up got ticket by city cop.

Early B · Sep 15, 2015

About 10 or so years ago, some low lifes stole a car trailer a couple towns over from me. Just set the tonge down on the ball and speed off. A few miles down the road, they lost the trailer when it popped off the ball going over a rise in the road at who knows what mph. The run a way trailer struck an oncomeing car head on killing the driver. They never found out who did it.

stonerock · Sep 15, 2015

Bryce, I must be pretty lazy because I don't wear a seat belt, that's my call not theirs. years ago my dad was hauling a dozer, tandum trailer, pental hitch broke put a tri-axle ford dump truck and trailer on its side in the ditch, he told me to never hook safety chains up again and I don't that was 30 years ago

stonerock · Sep 15, 2015

what is the fine for no safety chains??

Billy Shafer · Sep 15, 2015

200.00 dollars in Texas.I know that for a fact.

big daddy · Sep 15, 2015

I also use a crossing pattern on my safety chains,many people do not. I hook the right chain to left side of truck and the left chain yo the right side of truck, the thought-being if the hitch comes un-done trailer tongue will not fall to the ground, but will be cradle up by the safety chains until I can get stopped, while keeping trailer in line behind me

showcrop · Sep 15, 2015

(quoted from post at 08:55:58 09/15/15) A break away "deadman" electric brake system is another item that should be used if your trailer has electic brakes. I always connect and test my system everytime I hook up. You would be suprised at how many people don't use them. The common theme is: "I want that trailer as far away from me as possible if it comes loose." Stupid is as stupid does and that is what kills people.

Must be a left coast thing. I have never heard that common theme.

showcrop · Sep 15, 2015

Well how about farm implements? Does everyone use safety chains on those trailers too?

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Sep 15, 2015

Which is worse? Trailer coming loose but chained to the truck and maybe wrecking the truck OR the trailer coming loose from the truck and either killing someone's family or maiming them for life? Then the injured's family come after you in court and take everything you worked hard for because you were unwilling to attach safety chains required by law?

fixerupper · Sep 15, 2015

In Iowa all farm trailers and wagons need a safety chain but I don't know about towed farm implements. Brian I agree with you. A vehicle can be replaced or painlessly fixed. Not so with a human.

W_B · Sep 16, 2015

stonerock, remind me to stay away from you when you are pulling a trailer. You can kill yourself, but don't put others in danger because of some stupid advice you got once.

thdrduck · Sep 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 23:22:58 09/15/15) Bryce, I must be pretty lazy because I don't wear a seat belt, that's my call not theirs. years ago my dad was hauling a dozer, tandum trailer, pental hitch broke put a tri-axle ford dump truck and trailer on its side in the ditch, he told me to never hook safety chains up again and I don't that was 30 years ago

I've been through a windshield once... they are much harder then they look. Seat belts may not save your life but at least they will keep the mess inside the vehicle. No one wants their little kid seeing someone spattered all over the road. And... they call them "safety chains" for a reason. Just my nickle minus 3.

showcrop · Sep 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 08:52:15 09/16/15)

(quoted from post at 23:22:58 09/15/15) Bryce, I must be pretty lazy because I don't wear a seat belt, that's my call not theirs. years ago my dad was hauling a dozer, tandum trailer, pental hitch broke put a tri-axle ford dump truck and trailer on its side in the ditch, he told me to never hook safety chains up again and I don't that was 30 years ago

Click to expand...

I've been through a windshield once... they are much harder then they look. Seat belts may not save your life but at least they will keep the mess inside the vehicle. No one wants their little kid seeing someone spattered all over the road. And... they call them "safety chains" for a reason. Just my nickle minus 3.

Also it really isn't fair to the rescue people who have to try to save a splattered idiot.

stonerock · Sep 17, 2015

well W-B the stupid advice was given to me by my father, so you are calling my father stupid?

stonerock · Sep 17, 2015

showcrop, so now your sayin Iam a idiot, well I don't stoop to call people names so I hope that GOD can help you

showcrop · Sep 17, 2015

(quoted from post at 16:06:40 09/17/15) showcrop, so now your sayin Iam a idiot, well I don't stoop to call people names so I hope that GOD can help you

Sorry Stonerock, I didn't catch that you had already splattered. Was it bad?

Bryce Frazier · Sep 18, 2015

My thoughts exactly... I think there has been a misunderstanding!!

showcrop · Sep 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:19:05 09/18/15) My thoughts exactly... I think there has been a misunderstanding!!

And perhaps a touch of hypersensitivity.

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