Safe towing--not!

[WD40]

Someone went and bought a nice new Toy Hauler RV, and a dealer only interested in a sale didn't check to see if they had a enough truck to pull the trailer. The dealer also didn't make sure the owner knew the right way to hook everything up.
Doug

 

[Ken]

You know, at the time, I was simply dumbfounded and then went on about my way, but I have since wondered whether I should have called it in. I try not to be a busybody and live-and-let-live, and I especially don't like calling the cops on people, but the more I think about this, the more dangerous it seems. I thought about trying to flag the driver down, but what was I going to do: tell him his rig was unsafe on the side of the road? That's not going to go over well.

Traveling on interstate and was passed by driver with expensive bass boat with the tye strap dragging 20 feet behind the boat.Boat was only held to trailer by front tow rope and riding on one fender then a bump on other fender. Indicated to him a problem and he stopped and so did I and he told my to mind my own business.got back in car and hope the best with him.
ken

 

[aczlan]

Traveling on interstate and was passed by driver with expensive bass boat with the tye strap dragging 20 feet behind the boat.Boat was only held to trailer by front tow rope and riding on one fender then a bump on other fender. Indicated to him a problem and he stopped and so did I and he told my to mind my own business.got back in car and hope the best with him.

A fool he was. I would have noted his plate numbers, then called 911 to report a unsecured load. Having that come off and through someone's windshield would be unpleasant (at best).

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

Look at the bumper and the creases in the body. That truck is all kinds of tweaked. Its just not up to the task.

The GM factory hitches have always left a lot to be desired being hung off the bumper. Now the new 2.5" GM hitches are much better but only found on the 3/4 tons and up which is what this fool needs.

Chris

 

[clee4020]

You know, at the time, I was simply dumbfounded and then went on about my way, but I have since wondered whether I should have called it in. I try not to be a busybody and live-and-let-live, and I especially don't like calling the cops on people, but the more I think about this, the more dangerous it seems. I thought about trying to flag the driver down, but what was I going to do: tell him his rig was unsafe on the side of the road? That's not going to go over well.

About as safe as videoing while driving down the interstate...

 

[joshuabardwell]

About as safe as videoing while driving down the interstate...

:duh: Stay on topic! This isn't about me! :hissyfit:

 

[94BULLITT]

Not only is that a heavy load for a half ton but that is a really short wheelbase to tow that with. Maybe the hitch is crooked because the frame is bent?

 

[aczlan]

Was traveling in company vehicle and had other things to do than call 911 then hang around until the local police to arrive. And something about the attitude of young adults that has changed. Kind of think the value of life is less.

I have called in to report people driving foolishly (ie: both tires over the double yellow line on a curve with oncoming traffic) and have never been asked to stick around to speak to the officer, they just get a name and phone number.

Aaron Z

 

[94BULLITT]

That may have not been his first time pulling that, I noticed he had clip on mirrors.

 

[crashz]

Looks like the driver (over)tightend up the WD hitch bars so that he could level out the truck as much as possible, trying to not look dangerous. Probably hit one pot-hole and bent the hitch (also attached to the bumper on these models). Just the rebound from one bump, and the porpoising action of the huge trailer and light truck will bend parts, but couple that with over tightening the WD hitch and a known weak truck side mount = bad things to come.

One good panic stop away from sandwiching the whole mess.

Guys like these keep the DOT officers employed and our government agencies at war with the public.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Looks like the driver (over)tightend up the WD hitch bars so that he could level out the truck as much as possible, trying to not look dangerous. Probably hit one pot-hole and bent the hitch (also attached to the bumper on these models). Just the rebound from one bump, and the porpoising action of the huge trailer and light truck will bend parts, but couple that with over tightening the WD hitch and a known weak truck side mount = bad things to come.

That is the most plausible explanation I have heard so far.

 

[orezok]

The angle of the hitch is changed in the hitch head itself. Note that the stinger in the hitch is angled up, not adjusted with the two bolts on the head. In this case the angle is "changed" in the receiver on the TV. The receiver is bent up. I suspect that he has so much tension on the bars that it bent the receiver.

 

[hawkeye08]

We towed with a 2008 Yukon XL Denali for for several years. The hitch is integrated into the bumper and flexes like shown in the video above. It took extra washers in get enough tilt in the head to set the WD bars parallel and there was too much flex for me. We were not towing heavy, well within the tow vehicle limits. It is obvious that tongue weight is too heavy for that tow vehicle....

We tow with GMC 2500HD now and don't have that issue.

 

[joshuabardwell]

We towed with a 2008 Yukon XL Denali for for several years. The hitch is integrated into the bumper and flexes like shown in the video above.

It sounds like what you are saying is that the factory hitch on that vehicle is intentionally designed so as to defeat WD systems. When the WD tries to level the vehicle out, the bumper/hitch flexes instead of transferring the torque to the vehicle as a whole. I can't understand the point of such a design. It seems to me like the vehicle is simply not designed to tow anything that would require a WD system.

 

[Dutch445]

It sounds like what you are saying is that the factory hitch on that vehicle is intentionally designed so as to defeat WD systems. When the WD tries to level the vehicle out, the bumper/hitch flexes instead of transferring the torque to the vehicle as a whole. I can't understand the point of such a design. It seems to me like the vehicle is simply not designed to tow anything that would require a WD system.

if the hitch is only a bumper mounted hitch, factory or not, it certainly can not be designed for WD system, can it?
and again, what would that vehicle's tow rating be? that could all be part of it, if only rated for 5000 lbs i would
say they are overloaded from looking at the pic.

 

[joshuabardwell]

if the hitch is only a bumper mounted hitch, factory or not, it certainly can not be designed for WD system, can it?
and again, what would that vehicle's tow rating be? that could all be part of it, if only rated for 5000 lbs i would
say they are overloaded from looking at the pic.

I can't actual identify the vehicle to say what the tow rating is. Can anybody else? I don't think there's any doubt they're overloaded!

 

[foreman Etexas]

Cadillac Escalade looks like..
A trailering capacity of 7,600 lbs.29 when properly equipped

 

[joshuabardwell]

Cadillac Escalade looks like..
A trailering capacity of 7,600 lbs.29 when properly equipped

Wonder if those low-profile tires are factored in. Dry weight for a Fleetwood RV Gear Box toy hauler is 5,370.

 

[farmboy12]

Another thing you could point out, is that the trailer weight itself is not too much for the truck, but that the tongue weight is. Those trailers are designed for an extra 2k lbs to sit behind the rear wheels. So, if that's the case, than the trailer may not be over the truck's capacity by too much, and really just lacking the weight in the back to keep the tongue weight down.


Kyle