Safe towing--not!

[joshuabardwell]

Driving on the highway today, I saw a car with its flashers on. It wasn't having trouble or anything. Just driving with its flashers on. Then I realized that the travel trailer in front of it also had its flashers on. The car was acting as a chase-car. Once I got a little closer, I saw why.

 

[joshuabardwell]

As I passed, I got a better look at the WD setup the guy was using. Yes, he had a WD setup? But then why was his rear end so far down? See for yourself.

Yowza! Check the angle on those tension bars!

 

[tcartwri]

I guess all I really see is a triple axle toy hauler strapped to a 1500 series Tahoe.... He tried to level it out with the bars, but I guess he ran out of links on the chain! :laughing:

Hope he had a good hold on the pry bar when he was setting those!

 

[radioman]

holy cow! did you see the cracked plastic on the rear bumper in second video? I am willing to bet the hitch is broken, hanging on via a thread!

 

[bcp]

At least bent.

View attachment 279201

 

[Ductape]

You hung around that thing taking video longer than I would have.

 

[joshuabardwell]

You hung around that thing taking video than I would have.

It shows my devotion to TBN. As soon as I saw it, I said, "I gotta post this!"

 

[Ductape]

Touche'

 

[joshuabardwell]

At least bent.

View attachment 279201

I can't conceive of how the hitch could be at that angle. We know the WD shank is at a right angle to itself, as shown in my edit of the image. But how could the receiver itself be at that angle? Even if it's bent, how did it get bent up like that? At least it explains why the spring bars are at the wrong angle relative to the trailer.

 

[foreman Etexas]

View attachment 279272

I can't conceive of how the hitch could be at that angle. We know the WD shank is at a right angle to itself, as shown in my edit of the image. But how could the receiver itself be at that angle? Even if it's bent, how did it get bent up like that? At least it explains why the spring bars are at the wrong angle relative to the trailer.

Maybe it got bent back try to slow that thing down

 

[Scooby074]

Sketchy for sure.


Who says we need more vehicle compliance officers?

 

[foreman Etexas]

Should have got an

 

[joshuabardwell]

Maybe it got bent back try to slow that thing down

You say that, but you might be onto something. I bet you this guy's hitch was level and his spring-bars were proper when he started towing. I bet you this damage has occurred on this very trip. I bet you his hitch is hanging on by just the back screws, or something like that.

 

[bcp]

Probably the car is bent, not the hitch.

Bruce

 

[jejeosborne]

The head angle is improperly set. It is angled up and it is adjustable. This is why he has no chain links left. The bars don't look like they have much tension on them with little bow. All out of adjustment. How does he plan on making a turn without the required links for movement? Nobody has commented on the fact he also has low profile TV tire which are great for towing as well. NOT! Similar to my example I posted last week but at least this joker made an attempt and bought a WD hitch. Maybe his toy he is hauling is a moped.
Jeff

 

[joshuabardwell]

The head angle is improperly set. It is angled up and it is adjustable.

I believe that you're right there, but that doesn't explain why the shank itself is at the wrong angle relative to the vehicle's frame.

 

[bcp]

Large photo:

View attachment 279307

 

[jejeosborne]

I believe that you're right there, but that doesn't explain why the shank itself is at the wrong angle relative to the vehicle's frame.

You are correct. At least he has the emergency brake cable attached. Oh wait, maybe that is what is flapping down in the picture! I think I might have had to call 911 on that one.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Continuing to look at the photo, here are my thoughts. The chain length was never right, no matter what. Therefore, the angle of the torsion bars was never right, no matter what. There is no configuration that I can imagine that would get those bars into the right orientation with that number of links on the chains. It is impossible to judge whether the head angle on the WD system is correct because the shank itself is angled back. It's entirely possible that the head is not even capable of enough downtilt to get those bars horizontal. I still cannot imagine how the hitch itself is oriented relative to the vehicle's frame in order to produce the back-tilt on the WD shank that is seen in the photo.

 

[joshuabardwell]

You are correct. At least he has the emergency brake cable attached. Oh wait, maybe that is what is flapping down in the picture! I think I might have had to call 911 on that one.

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.