Tractor hauling accident
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Cord
Veteran Member
I think the coupler was a symptom, not the cause. The fact that the trailer landed on top of the tractor would suggest the tractor was not properly secured to the trailer. If it was loaded improperly or shifted during transit a sway could have started resulting in the loss of control. I'd guess the trailer detached and speared the median causing the tractor to come off and barrel roll.
rustyshakelford
Veteran Member
Even though the guy has lots of experience hauling heavy loads I wonder if maybe he had the tractor loaded just a little off to where it needed to be. Going downhill could've been just enough to get it swaying and it got away from him. That wasn't much of a load for a 2 5/16 hitch so I can't imagine it was due to overloading.
Brett
Brett
Wagtail
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That'll buff right out!
Looking4new
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Soldier415
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Maybe I am a complete moron but in that situation wouldn't you be applying trailer brakes only instead of simply speeding up to outrun the trailer?
EXACTLY!!! Speeding up is the worst thing to do. Just because you've done a lot of hauling with a trailer, does not mean you know what you are doing... maybe you are just lucky.
Did you see that he rebuilt that tractor :shocked:
Soldier415
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Seeing things like that remind me of why I bought a longer trailer than the bare minimum, and why I load tongue heavy.
CobyRupert
Super Member
Maybe.
Hard to say. Sometimes a trailer that has little or negative tongue weight will track straight as long as there's lateral force on the hitch and other linkage. ((e.g. acceleration or being pulled up a hill). Think of a chain. The problem with trying to (hard) brake a trailer that is undergoing major side-to-side sway is that it'll just kick the trailer into a sideways skid / jack-knife. Maybe that's why he was trying to "outrun" it, that is, pull it out of the sway and retry slowing down. It didn't work.
Once in a sway you're kind of at it's mercy. Braking can be the worst thing to do too.
Qapla
Veteran Member
He did mention that he recommends a trailer with brakes on both (all) axles. My guess would be he only had brakes on one axle, if he had brakes at all. If he did have brakes on only one axle, it may not have had enough bite to properly slow/pull the trailer.
Even though he also said to avoid "cheap" tires, his trailer tires look in tact - so, it doesn't appear that he suffered trailer tire failure.
I agree that it looks like the tractor may not have been securely tied down
Even though he also said to avoid "cheap" tires, his trailer tires look in tact - so, it doesn't appear that he suffered trailer tire failure.
I agree that it looks like the tractor may not have been securely tied down
1stDeuce
Gold Member
Another fella who went for a "trailer ride". And by reading his post, it doesn't sound like he has any idea why this happened. That is unfortunate. I'm glad that he wasn't hurt, nor anyone else...
As many of you seem to know, there is only ONE reason that trailers sway constantly, and it is insufficient tongue weight. That sway may go away when you accelerate, or go uphill, but it will come back stronger when you then try to slow down, or when you go downhill.
The ONLY solution is to get more weight on the tongue. Tires don't matter, nor do brakes. Nor does ANYTHING else. If you have insufficient tongue weight, the trailer is GOING to sway under some condition, and if the conditions are right, the sway will be violent enough to drag a 3/4 ton truck around like nothing, even with a trailer that DOESN'T outweigh the truck.
For those of you reading with interest, know this: IF you tow a trailer, and you see or feel it swaying back and forth, you need to IMMEDIATELY and carefully slow down and stop. (Using the trailer brakes only will stabilize the trailer while you slow.) Then move some weight forward on the trailer.
PLEASE ensure you have sufficient tongue weight when towing, and be aware that sway that seems to happen on it's own IS A WARNING that the trailer may try to kill you or others if the situation is not corrected.
FWIW, most 2011 or newer Ford/GM/Dodge trucks should have "trailer sway control" as part of the stability control system. This system is NOT meant to help in windy conditions, or to be a solution to towing trailers that are unstable, it is an emergency system that will activate to stabilize the system and SLOW YOU DOWN if it detects recurring trailer sway. If this should happen to you, take the opportunity to stop and re-load the trailer to keep the situation from activating again.
As many of you seem to know, there is only ONE reason that trailers sway constantly, and it is insufficient tongue weight. That sway may go away when you accelerate, or go uphill, but it will come back stronger when you then try to slow down, or when you go downhill.
The ONLY solution is to get more weight on the tongue. Tires don't matter, nor do brakes. Nor does ANYTHING else. If you have insufficient tongue weight, the trailer is GOING to sway under some condition, and if the conditions are right, the sway will be violent enough to drag a 3/4 ton truck around like nothing, even with a trailer that DOESN'T outweigh the truck.
For those of you reading with interest, know this: IF you tow a trailer, and you see or feel it swaying back and forth, you need to IMMEDIATELY and carefully slow down and stop. (Using the trailer brakes only will stabilize the trailer while you slow.) Then move some weight forward on the trailer.
PLEASE ensure you have sufficient tongue weight when towing, and be aware that sway that seems to happen on it's own IS A WARNING that the trailer may try to kill you or others if the situation is not corrected.
FWIW, most 2011 or newer Ford/GM/Dodge trucks should have "trailer sway control" as part of the stability control system. This system is NOT meant to help in windy conditions, or to be a solution to towing trailers that are unstable, it is an emergency system that will activate to stabilize the system and SLOW YOU DOWN if it detects recurring trailer sway. If this should happen to you, take the opportunity to stop and re-load the trailer to keep the situation from activating again.
rd_macgregor
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The aftermarket brake controller in our old GMC had a manual sliding lever/button(?) to apply the brakes to the trailer alone. However, the brake controller is built in to our new RAM and doesn't seem to have any way to apply the brakes to the trailer except by pushing on the brake pedal. Am I missing something, or has the option to apply the trailer brakes by themselves been taken away?
lucky llama
Silver Member
My 2014 f350 has a manual trailer brake lever.
Soldier415
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2015 Chevy 2500HD has trailer brake lever
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
Does the owners manual mention it?
rd_macgregor
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I'll have to check, but it isn't obvious (and reading the maual will endanger my "man" credentials, won't it?).
JPRambo
Platinum Member
My new to me 2013 Silverado has traction control and stability control but did not have a brake controller til I installed it. Manual says stability control is for the trailer sway correction by applying the trade brakes.
Fallon
Super Member
Hitting the manual switch on your brake controller when the trailer starts swaying can save your life. Hitting your brake pedal when away starts will just make things worse really quickly.
The new Ford's with the integrated brake controller will hit the trailer brakes automatically if it senses problems. My friend with a several year old Ecoboost F150 is glad for that feature. Younger nephew was driving his rig in the convoy & something happened causing a fair bit of trailer sway. Controller threw the brakes on the trailer right away. Really good as the nephews first reaction was to hit the brake pedal. But the controller got things under control before that became a bad mistake. I assume most other manufacturers have that as part of the integrated stability control if there is an OEM controller option.
Cord
Veteran Member
I know what you're trying to say, but I think you took it a bit too far. I have a trailer to use as an example. My aluminum snowmobile trailer has a tandem axle and is 29' long with a V nose. This trailer has never felt stable and would be prone to "sway". The problem was especially bad when passing semi's. The air coming off the semi would push the v-nose to the left forcing you to counter steer to the right. As you get to the front of the truck the air drops off and now that counter steer puts you on the center line. You need to now steer to the left and this sets up a trailer sway. I could never balance the trailer right to correct this condition. I finally changed the tires from a B range to a E rated tire. The additional sidewall stiffness is just what the trailer needed. Oh, it still gets pushed around, but the sway settles down very quickly. It's also less sensitive to cross winds. My point is, there is more than one reason for trailer sway and tongue weight isn't the only solution.
My truck does have sway control, and even with the stiffer tires I can feel it work sometimes. Usually it's when a good cross wind blows the trailer sideways. It's really weird because you can actually feel the steering wheel turn slightly to help correct the sway.
