Wild Towing Video

[sandman2234]

Sorry to disagree with Renze, and Builder has it right, load it correctly and your ahead of the game.
The factor of increasing speed isn't what your after, you are after a chance to convert the side to side energy into straight line energy, and from my experience, that takes some horsepower to accomplish. Given the overloaded trailer most people would be towing, and the underpowered tow vehicle, there is a good chance your not going to be able to accomplish it anyway. However, slowing the towing vehicle down also doesn't work, it is the trailer that needs to be slowed, which is accomplished by a quick touch of the trailer brakes. In the case of surge brakes that are activated by the shortening of the coupler, your on your own to get that to work. I guess that is why I prefer electric brakes, but if you could have surge brakes on one axle and electric brakes on the other, maybe that would work.
I think Builder has the best answer. Prevention is way better than trying to fix the problem at highway speeds.
David from jax

 

[Builder]

I agree with builder, get the right size truck, and trailer, load it correctly and test the brakes. Or if not please drive on US hwy 27 in Havana Fla. I havent extracted anybody from under a truck /trailer combo for about a year.

After watching that video, you have to think that if that load wasn't secured to the trailer, innocent people would have died that day.

Was that a police cruiser doing the filming? If it was, why didn't he pull him over?

 

[ray66v]

Camera appears to be hand held, behind the driver. Unlikely that would happen in a Police car, (camera usually mounted on dash). Police cars have the now standard screen between the back seat and the front seat, (would block the shot). There was certainly some special radio equipment. Perhaps a Volunteer Fireman? Or other Official, hopefully collecting evidence.

 

[texasjohn]

My experience, obtained from hauling 2-horse trailers, 27 ft cattle trailers, 18 ft flatbed trailers behind various pickups, cars would indicate you should.

Tie the load down completely

drive a realistic speed

no fast swerves for any reason

if a problem does develop, slight/slight+ acceleration while keeping nose forward (avoid over steer)

Yes, applying the trailer brakes ONLY is possible, but not likely..I have to reach down and move a lever... hard to do while wildly counter steering, etc.

Best to just avoid that whole scene by very careful driving... like you are on eggshells... do NOTHING fast, acceleration, stops, swerves, anything...

 

['Bota Fan]

Was that a police cruiser doing the filming? If it was, why didn't he pull him over?

Looks like the inside of a Crown Vic taxi. The driver is a Grade-A nut. His passenger ain't much smarter for worrying about getting it on film instead of his own safety.

 

[ray66v]

[QUOTE='Bota Fan]Looks like the inside of a Crown Vic taxi. The driver is a Grade-A nut. His passenger ain't much smarter for worrying about getting it on film instead of his own safety.[/QUOTE]

Not wide enough inside for Crown Vic. Plus the right mirror is visible at the beginning, and it appears to be the wrong type for CV. I am thinking a small SUV, or mini van.
I do think you on to something with the Taxi though. Taxi would have a stack like that, and messy dash. And would be crazy enough to drive along side that idiot.

 

[JHTFarmer]

He got lucky!!!

Chris

Lucky in that it was a UNIMOG he was towing. Amazing vehicle... Low center of gravity. Surely would have flipped with any other truck of that size on that trailer..

 

[robbieo11]

in loking at the dash are loks like a dodge caravan
However i would have backed right off for a while instead of passing him
amazig vid

another reason my max speed towing is 45mph
period

 

[JayDavis]

I agree, like with a drunk driver, it is better to be a safe distance behind them than in front. Then you control the distance between you two, not the other way around IMHO.

 

[Roady]

I had this happen once while hauling my 67 chevelle behind my short wheelbase pickup. It was the most helpless feeling. I managed to pull out of it but I swore to fix the problem before I hauled it again. A couple of mods to my trailer hitch and a anti sway bar and it never happened again. Now, I never tow anything without it. I'm surprised I don't read more about the use of them here on the forums. I don't even see alot of people use them. For those of you that have never towed with one, try it. You will never be without one again.

Roady

 

[Builder]

I had this happen once while hauling my 67 chevelle behind my short wheelbase pickup. It was the most helpless feeling. I managed to pull out of it but I swore to fix the problem before I hauled it again. A couple of mods to my trailer hitch and a anti sway bar and it never happened again. Now, I never tow anything without it. I'm surprised I don't read more about the use of them here on the forums. I don't even see alot of people use them. For those of you that have never towed with one, try it. You will never be without one again.

Roady

I had to upgrade my F-350 from the laughable stock anti-sway bar to a Helwig anti-sway bar. Made the truck feel like a tank when towing after I put it in.

 

[Roady]

I think your talking about the suspension sway bar builder. Click on the link in my first post. This one attaches to your hitch and trailer. Maybe they are called something different, I just always called them a anti sway.

Roady

 

[Builder]

I think your talking about the suspension sway bar builder. Click on the link in my first post. This one attaches to your hitch and trailer. Maybe they are called something different, I just always called them a anti sway.

Roady

Yeah, what you're talking about is load distributing hitch bars.

 

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

Always make sure that your load is properly secured.
Unsafe Towing video here

This is about, what I saw while visiting my son in Va, a few weeks ago. We were on 95N about 30 miles into Va and on the southbound lane, we saw a pickup, with a travel trailer. It must have just happened, the trailer was on its side and in the center median. Truck looked OK but the travel trailer was totaled. Everyone looked OK Bad camping trip
OK now we are going back home to NC on 95S, around the 295 exit, we saw smoke in the north bound lane ahead. As we got close, it was a fairly new tour bus. all the people were outside, safe I hope. It looked like about the center of the bus had caught fire, smoke and fire everywhere, guess they wouldnt forget that trip.

 

[unimog_jason]

The story behind this video is the owner of the Unimog on the trailer was hauling it to a local dealer for service. He rented a lightweight U-Haul car trailer that was grossly undersized for the job.

This particular Unimog has a camper body on back and has a rather high centre of gravity. He used straps over the axles which is generally considered the wrong way to secure a Unimog since the springs have a tremendous amount of give. When most people transport Unimogs they use chains from the frame to the trailer to remove the bounce and sometimes will also put chain or straps over the axles for added insurance.

Add up all of the factors and it pretty easy to understand why things happened as they did.

The owner just pulled onto the highway when the video was shot, after the incident he quickly turned around and went home.

Jason

 

[Roady]

Yeah, what you're talking about is load distributing hitch bars.

No, that's a entirely different thing than what I use.

load distributing hitch bars

Anti Sway

Just not sure what the correct term is.

Roady

 

[Builder]

I don't think I've ever seen that. Is it like a giant dampner or shock absorber?

 

[Roady]

I don't think I've ever seen that. Is it like a giant dampner or shock absorber?

The slide material is made from the same material as automotive break pads. The harder you crank the handle down, the more resistance is created between the hitch and the side of the trailer tongue it's mounted on.

It's hard to explain, but it's exactly like THIS

I've found that it's really forgiving when hauling loads that you have too much tongue weight of not enough. With my tractor and 16ft flatbed trailer, I don't have much area to play with as far as weight distribution. Some people mentioned earlier that's the number one cause of problems like the person was having in the video. With that sway bar, 65mph and the trailer stays right where it should. If I notice any movement in the trailer, I just pull over and give it a half turn and problem solved. Nice thing is also, these things can be picked up for 50 bucks or so.


Roady

 

[ray66v]

When most people transport Unimogs they use chains from the frame to the trailer to remove the bounce

Most people who have any sense, chain the vehicle down until the suspension bottoms out, no matter what kind it is. Even the truckers who deliver the new cars do this.

If you happen to know this guy, please tell him to stay home before he kills someone.

 

[Builder]

The slide material is made from the same material as automotive break pads. The harder you crank the handle down, the more resistance is created between the hitch and the side of the trailer tongue it's mounted on.

It's hard to explain, but it's exactly like THIS

I've found that it's really forgiving when hauling loads that you have too much tongue weight of not enough. With my tractor and 16ft flatbed trailer, I don't have much area to play with as far as weight distribution. Some people mentioned earlier that's the number one cause of problems like the person was having in the video. With that sway bar, 65mph and the trailer stays right where it should. If I notice any movement in the trailer, I just pull over and give it a half turn and problem solved. Nice thing is also, these things can be picked up for 50 bucks or so.


Roady

Ah yes, now I remember seeing one of them. I guess I can't use one with my load distributing hitch?