Opsss

[Ketchup]

This website has turned into a ghost the past year or so, so lets post a situation i had yesterday that will make ya laugh or give me that mad emoji. 
 

Bought a new enclosed trailer on Tuesday, adding to the 3 i have. I pull trailers 5 days a week of some type. We camped at Ruark this past weekend with the 5th wheel while better 1/2 pulled the boat. After getting home i unhooked the boat from her rig as she had to run somewhere and hooked it up to mine. I normally put it right in the shop after returning home, but it was late Sunday so it stayed hooked up to the truck til yesterday morning. At 4:30am yesterday i backed it in the shop, then hooked up the new work trailer and off i left. Headed south on 65 crossing over Sunshine that sucker came disconnected from the truck. Any idea what i forgot to do? Nope, i latched it on. 
 

The boat needs a 2” ball and the trailer is a 2  5/16 like my others. My normal routine is to unhook the boat, remove the slide in hitch with the 2” ball and stick it on the tongue of the boat trailer and put in the 2  5/16 sleeve and go. Well i forgot that small step, and left me with this situation. 
 

I keep my chains fairly tight and cross them when hooking up which saved me. What happened tho was that the jack of the trailer went under the flatbed of my truck so I couldn’t pull forward to reattach it, nor back up. So 1/4” by 1/4” i pulled it over to the side enough to pull the truck forward. Got it rehooked and stopped at Lowes and bought another 2  5/16 ball setup and all is good. 
 

Just glad there was very little traffic and that the trailer stayed attached with the chains. 

[Quillback]

Just yesterday I was on I-49 southbound, one of those enclosed trailers was just off the left land and the pickup hauling it was parked in the break down lane.  Some tire rubber in the road, so I am thinking it was maybe a blow-out.  Trailer had disconnected itself somehow, couldn't get a good look as traffic was moving through and had to keep my eyes on the road.  The trailer did not take out any other vehicles, but I am sure it was a scary moment.

When I started reading your story, I was thinking was that Ketechup?  

 

[BilletHead]

   All of us screw up. Just takes a man or woman up to admit it.  Thanks for the reminder you guys. I can tell you I am My mother's son and the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. She has dementia. I see more and more of my future as I forget things more often. 

[Ketchup]

5 hours ago, Quillback said:

Just yesterday I was on I-49 southbound, one of those enclosed trailers was just off the left land and the pickup hauling it was parked in the break down lane.  Some tire rubber in the road, so I am thinking it was maybe a blow-out.  Trailer had disconnected itself somehow, couldn't get a good look as traffic was moving through and had to keep my eyes on the road.  The trailer did not take out any other vehicles, but I am sure it was a scary moment.

When I started reading your story, I was thinking was that Ketechup?  

 

Quill, that wasn’t myself but a similar situation. When my trailer came free it must have locked up the breaks because when i stepped out there was a strong smell of rubber. Possibly what happened to the guy in your comment.  
 

The only damage to the trailer was the v-nose hit the ball as i was stopping. I was able to bang 99% of that out.  
 

BH, i hear ya. I always thought i was mostly like my dad, but the older i get the more i see in my mom.  

 

[Dutch]

I’ve had a few of those mishaps.  I had a utility trailer come off while crossing a railroad track.  It had stock panels on it and they were sticking out the front.  The safety chains held but the trailer bounced back and forth putting dozens of dents and scratches into the end gate of my leased truck.

[Flysmallie]

I had a bass boat come off when I stopped at a tollbooth in Oklahoma. Scared the crap out of me. 

[MrGiggles]

17 hours ago, Ketchup said:

Quill, that wasn’t myself but a similar situation. When my trailer came free it must have locked up the breaks because when i stepped out there was a strong smell of rubber. Possibly what happened to the guy in your comment.  
 

The only damage to the trailer was the v-nose hit the ball as i was stopping. I was able to bang 99% of that out.  
 

BH, i hear ya. I always thought i was mostly like my dad, but the older i get the more i see in my mom.  

 

Most trailers with brakes are supposed to have a breakaway system that will apply the brakes if they ever get disconnected from the tow vehicle. The little cable that you clip onto the bumper somewhere is what trips them.

I lost one once going over a whoopy section of road that's near here. That trailer has the squeeze type coupler, not the flip lever like I was used to, just forgot to close it. Chains caught it but the jack was toast, thankfully was empty so I just lifted it back on the ball and got back on the road. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Possible solution to keep the trailers with different size ball adapters.  I have 2 trailers with different sizes.   I haven't pulled the second one, but I keep the slide in adapter with each trailer.   I've thought of spray painting the hitch and receiver to match each other to keep a similar situation from happening.  I don't tow often,  but I would be very worked up if that happened to me.  

[fishinwrench]

It's like launching without a bilge plug.....If you're lucky you will escape excessive damage or injury, and unless you are a total dumba$$, you will ONLY DO IT ONCE !     

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

and unless you are a total dumba$$, you will ONLY DO IT ONCE !     

Let's see there was the one time on Lawtonka, twice on Table Rock, once on Pomme..........dang it!