Test welds / failure comments

[Sodo]

Couldn't be anything else, such as forgetting to set the hitch and attach the safety chains. Yup probably 120v MIG welds. You guys are nuts, MIG welds are strong, this hitch is bomber!

Frontside

backside

 

[ericher69]

By definition, it should be the duties fault. It's called proper follow distance. You should be far enough back that if the vehicle in front suddenly stops, you can stop with out hitting. Now, if trailer is traveling forward with tow vehicle, momentum will keep it going forwards even if it releases. Bottom line cop died; cops fault. If anyone should have know not to tail gate it should have been a cop...

Ignorance at play again!

How is it the cops fault that he died?

You ever witness a trailer coming undone from the tow vehicle? Didn't think so!

I have. The tongue dug into the pavement and the whole trailer stopped immediately and allowed a pile of cars to run into it!

Think a little before typing!

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[paulharvey]

Ignorance at play again!

How is it the cops fault that he died?

You ever witness a trailer coming undone from the tow vehicle? Didn't think so!

I have. The tongue dug into the pavement and the whole trailer stopped immediately and allowed a pile of cars to run into it!

Think a little before typing!

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

Actually I've lost one before; doesn't change Follow Distance. You as a driver are responsible for keeping enough distance between you and what your following to allow for emergency stops.

I didn't see that he was going opposite direction, so that does change it; but people are really quick to lynch someone after an accident when both parties nearly always have some blame.

 

[Jim in ICT]

Never said anything about the size of the welder used to build the trailer. Around here, they probably used a Lincoln tombstone. Most likely was a coupler failure of some sort; worn parts, poor fit up, adjustment, no coupler pin, etc. It's fairly evident that safety chains failed or weren't used. I'll update when I hear the trailer's inspection has been completed.

Why didn't you weld the backside of your trailer hitch? Looks to be plenty of room for a mig gun in that space. I also would have tied in the corner where your two welds meet on the front side. Just me.

Couldn't be anything else, such as forgetting to set the hitch and attach the safety chains. Yup probably 120v MIG welds. You guys are nuts, MIG welds are strong, this hitch is bomber!

Frontside

backside

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I don't know the particulars of this incident - but a trailer coming at me from the other lane would suck!

When I use to drive a propane truck, the boss was in front of me with the tank trailer - he had a 500 gallon tank on.
The coupler was old, the safety chain (only one left) was even older. (yes I tried to get him to change them out)

The trailer came uncoupled in front of me on a bumpy dirt road, hit the dirt and broke the chain - I was able to stop my propane truck in time.
He had them changed when we got back....

 

[Reverser]

I don't know the particulars of this incident - but a trailer coming at me from the other lane would suck!

When I use to drive a propane truck, the boss was in front of me with the tank trailer - he had a 500 gallon tank on.
The coupler was old, the safety chain (only one left) was even older. (yes I tried to get him to change them out)

The trailer came uncoupled in front of me on a bumpy dirt road, hit the dirt and broke the chain - I was able to stop my propane truck in time.
He had them changed when we got back....

WOW, Dave!!! Terrifying experience.
Being called in on RR crossing accidents over the years, I know what happens with propane truck explosions. Unfortunately, it takes a near miss a lot of times to wake people up to something they're doing that's dangerous. Your boss's lackadaisical attitude jeopardized a lot of lives.

Years ago, I saw a trailer come off the back of a pickup ahead of me on a busy 2 lane highway, as we were going down a hill. Fortunately, it went to the right and down an embankment instead of into oncoming traffic. If it had went into the oncoming traffic, there would have been nothing the oncoming traffic could have done to avoid the trailer. And at 70mph, there would probably have been fatalities.

 

[Reverser]

I don't know the particulars of this incident - but a trailer coming at me from the other lane would suck!

When I use to drive a propane truck, the boss was in front of me with the tank trailer - he had a 500 gallon tank on.
The coupler was old, the safety chain (only one left) was even older. (yes I tried to get him to change them out)

The trailer came uncoupled in front of me on a bumpy dirt road, hit the dirt and broke the chain - I was able to stop my propane truck in time.
He had them changed when we got back....

He probably had to change his britches, too. :laughing:

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

This looks like a weld defect to me. The arrow is where the joint is improperly joined, and the red line is tracing what looks to be a crack or pull starting where the weld is not properly tied together. If it is not a crack, there will eventually be one there I suspect. The weld will start to crack at the weakest point...and that is the weakest point from what it looks like.

 

[k0ua]

A long time ago when I was a teenager, I saw a trailer come uncoupled from the tow vehicle. I think it was an air compressor, but not sure. I was a passenger in a vehicle on Interstate 44 (4 lane highway) going in the opposite direction. I first noticed a large "rooster tail" of sparks as the tongue hit the concrete. Then the tongue caught and the whole trailer became airborne and flipped end over end, as it disappeared out of my sight below a hill. With a closure rate of over 140 MPH, the whole scene unfolded in seconds. I don't know the end results. I was glad we were no where near it though.

 

[LD1]

Am I missing something?

What does a trailer hitch coming uncoupled from the ball have to do with welding?:mur: