Super Truckers Take Heed - f350 towing a supposedly 710JD Backhoe Fatality

[Gale Hawkins]

I good friend had a triple axle 5th wheel camper ( heavy ) pulled with a f 350 . He had a small rope attached to his break away switch and it went in his back window . It was his "Hail Mary " device . He did this because his plug came loose going down a long grade one time . he stopped , but there was a large pucker factor involved .

That is a low tech option that should help in a case like this.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

"Another difference most people don't consider: The rig in question is an 8-10,000 trailer, 24,000 load, and a 6-8,000 p'up, so, 38-42,000 lbs gross. Hooked up and loaded, the four wheels, (not tires) of the p'up might be carrying 12,000 lbs, and the trailer is carrying 26-30,000.

A tractor-trailer loaded to the fed formula weighs 80,000 lbs. 46,000 on the six wheels of the tractor, and 34,000 on the trailer.

Ok, a couple of scenarios:
Break one wire and lose trailer brakes, 42,000 lbs being stopped by 4 brakes designed for 12,000 lbs, over 300% overload.
or
Two or more things go wrong, and you lose trailer brakes, 80,000 being stopped by 6 brakes designed for 50,000 lbs, 60% overload

A sudden change of direction is needed, 12,000 lbs trying to control 30,000 lbs
or
46,000 trying to control 34,000"

Very very accurate post from the heavy equipment forum about this accident. Thanks to mitch for the post!

 

[4570Man]

"Another difference most people don't consider: The rig in question is an 8-10,000 trailer, 24,000 load, and a 6-8,000 p'up, so, 38-42,000 lbs gross. Hooked up and loaded, the four wheels, (not tires) of the p'up might be carrying 12,000 lbs, and the trailer is carrying 26-30,000. A tractor-trailer loaded to the fed formula weighs 80,000 lbs. 46,000 on the six wheels of the tractor, and 34,000 on the trailer. Ok, a couple of scenarios: Break one wire and lose trailer brakes, 42,000 lbs being stopped by 4 brakes designed for 12,000 lbs, over 300% overload. or Two or more things go wrong, and you lose trailer brakes, 80,000 being stopped by 6 brakes designed for 50,000 lbs, 60% overload A sudden change of direction is needed, 12,000 lbs trying to control 30,000 lbs or 46,000 trying to control 34,000" Very very accurate post from the heavy equipment forum about this accident. Thanks to mitch for the post!

But when you break the air brake lines, doesn't the trailer brakes lock up and then quickly deplete the air supply and then locking the truck brakes?

 

[DK35vince]

But when you break the air brake lines, doesn't the trailer brakes lock up and then quickly deplete the air supply and then locking the truck brakes?

Only axles with spring brake on the air can.

 

[bdog]

But when you break the air brake lines, doesn't the trailer brakes lock up and then quickly deplete the air supply and then locking the truck brakes?

If you lose your air lines to the trailer the trailer brakes will lock up due to the spring brakes. The tractor has a tractor protection valve that will prevent this scenario from depleting the truck air.

 

[Soundguy]

It's tough balance between overly strict regulations and free market. I don't like when the government says what you can/cannot do. But if the rules here were more strict, accidents would be less likely. You can't allow a s-10 to tow a d-6 and it would be dumb to require a freightliner to tow a kubota bx.........

The problem is, the govt seemingly can't scale a response. If presented with a pebble as a problem, it reaches for a backhoe, not a broom.

Let the govt handle this and we will all need semi trucks to haul a bag of mulch home...

 

[Soundguy]

If you lose your air lines to the trailer the trailer brakes will lock up due to the spring brakes. The tractor has a tractor protection valve that will prevent this scenario from depleting the truck air.

I guess an air pump or tank failure on a rig nigh leave a mark though...

 

[DK35vince]

If you lose your air lines to the trailer the trailer brakes will lock up due to the spring brakes. The tractor has a tractor protection valve that will prevent this scenario from depleting the truck air.

Not all axles have springs brakes though.
Some of our trucks at work have spring brakes on both drive axles, some only 1 drive axle.
Same with our trailers, some on both axles, some on 1 axle. The 40,000 lb trailer I pull doesn't have any spring brakes on the trailer and only 1 axle on the tractor.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Plenty of speculation about what failed or if the driver had a medical situation. Bottom line is if the backhoe weighed 24k, it was an accident waiting to happen. At the end of the day, should you kill someone, are you going to just say whoops?

I know from first hand experiance what it feels like to pull a tandem dually trailer with a one ton Dodge and the same trailer with an FL70 and there is just no comparison. FWIW, not tooting my own horn but I have been there done that, both good and bad since 1967 when I the boss said "take that dump truck and get a load of stone", okay....

Actually, most of the hotshots I see are doing things right, etc. I wish I could say the same for way to many of the ones with tandem axle single wheel or triple axle goosenecks. Flying low, tail gating, insufficient tiedowns, you name it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't know how many have driven old Highway 49... most of my friends that live in the area called it a twisty b***tard...

In some places it is impossible for a trailer to track inside the lane... one curve and dip after another .