What does a runaway trailer really do?

[Soundguy]

wow.. actually broken between the slots.. wowzers!

 

[JDgreen227]

I have never towed a trailer without safety chains, and the chains I use have a quick link to attach to the hitch or there are rubber retainers on the S-hooks to prevent them from coming loose. Both my travel trailer and UT have a front jack, and there is a foot on the jacks I leave about 3 inches from the road surface to prevent the trailer tongue from dropping to the road should for some reason the chains fail. Not sure if anyone has ever seen this website:

Dangerous Trailers.org

 

[Soundguy]

almost makes you want to put rollers on the front leading edge of your trailers..

 

[JDgreen227]

almost makes you want to put rollers on the front leading edge of your trailers..

My UT jack can be fitted with with either a skid or dolly wheel by removing and replacing a pin but my thoughts are if the trailer is going to be riding on the front jack better to have some friction than have it free rolling and bouncing off the tow vehicle underside.

 

[Soundguy]

if it's off the ball, it's being drug.. and is likely back at the limits of the safety chain.. menain it shouldn't be bouncing off the underside of the tow vehicle.. unless you hits was somehow way under the tow vahicle..

 

[JDgreen227]

if it's off the ball, it's being drug.. and is likely back at the limits of the safety chain.. menain it shouldn't be bouncing off the underside of the tow vehicle.. unless you hits was somehow way under the tow vahicle..

What about when you try to stop the tow vehicle and the trailer is unbraked? It's gonna keep moving ahead and bang off the underside. Hitch on my Lesabre is well under the car and I have to use safety chains longer than I would prefer to attach it to the loops.

 

[timswi]

I always make sure that my brake away cable is just a tad shorter than the safety chains that way if it comes off the ball it would hopefully engage the brakes but keep it chained to my truck so that I can control it to a safe stop.
That is a good idea, DP. I will do that today.

I also jack the back of the truck up after hookup to test the latch.
Another good idea, timswi. (Do you mean jack the trailer up til it lifts the truck rear?). I may not go that far but I will start testing the hookup w/ the trailer jack.

Bob

I jack it up until the back of the truck starts coming up a few of inches..I don't get carried away..I also check that the coupler didnt roll up..I think that's what happened in my case, not really sure though.

 

[Soundguy]

What about when you try to stop the tow vehicle and the trailer is unbraked? It's gonna keep moving ahead and bang off the underside. Hitch on my Lesabre is well under the car and I have to use safety chains longer than I would prefer to attach it to the loops.

why would you wnt an un-braked trailer? i personally wouldn't use one myself...

i guess if you do have an unbraked trailer.. then just let it skid. it's going to be a light / light duty trailer anyway.. especially if it's on a class I hitch, and light enough to not have to have brakes by law..

( edit : or is that a class II hitch.. my lil moble device screen is so small I can't tell .. I know it's not a class III or IV )

 

[timswi]

why would you wnt an un-braked trailer? i personally wouldn't use one myself...

i guess if you do have an unbraked trailer.. then just let it skid. it's going to be a light / light duty trailer anyway.. especially if it's on a class I hitch, and light enough to not have to have brakes by law..

I agree..I also have a 5x10 utility trailer with metal sides...Goes around 1200# empty with a gross of 2900#...If it got loose, it wouldn't be good..Single axle and no breaks.

It serves it's purpose but I think I'll use my tandem most of the time now that I have one.

 

[Soundguy]

Actually.. I'll call 'my bad' on myself for that comment. I origionally wasn't even considering an unbraked trailer. i do realize there are many of the smaller sub 5000# single axle jobs out there that won't have brakes, and COULD get under the tow vehicle. I'm so used tot he larger ones i just didn't even think of the lil ones.. so my appology to JDgreen227... you bring up a perfectly valid point.