I knew I was wrong, but I did it anyway

[BigE_]

Sounds as if you may have had too much weight on the back end of the trailer. Try moving the CG forward some, that should help.

Agreed

I had to tow my van home once, so I took my 16' car hauler down to pick it up. I had to back onto the trailer to get the van on there, and even with the back end of the van almost hanging over the front of the bed, I knew I had too much weight in the back. The tongue was heavy enough that I couldn't lift it, but it was close. I actually ended up moving the van forward a couple of times on that trailer.

Well, it was a 250 mile ride home involving several hills (I-5 between Roseburg and Grants Pass). Coming down one of them going around a corner, she started to do the sway thing a little. Shook me up a bit, and I was really glad I was only doing about 55. I reached down, hit the trailer e-brake just a little, and everything straightened out just fine.

I'm *really* glad I was in the 2500HD crew cab and not the little Blazer this time around!

 

[mustangsallysdad]

I have been searching this site for info on trailer deals, and what the best rig might be for my needs for some time. The reason was,that I knew my 19' 9000# bumper pull was not big enough for my current machine. That being said, I had a small job lined up about 25 miles away. I loaded up the machine, and headed down the road. I was coming down a moderately steep hill at about 65 mph, when I looked in the rear view, and saw the trailer start to fishtail. In the blink of an eye it started to oscillate, and it was in the other lane. I hit the brakes, and steered in to the other lane to straighten it out, and was able to get it under control. My friend was behind me in his car, and said there had been no indication to him, that this was going to happen. I checked the tires,and the bearings they were a little warm, but that was all. I kept it under 50 the rest of the way. The thing I want to point out, is we sometimes know we need to do the right thing, and we do the wrong one anyway. In my case I kept saying to myself, "it's OK, your going to to replace the trailer soon." To make a long story short. The trailer is now for sale. I have ordered a goos neck hitch for my truck. Once the hitch is in I will order the trailer.

When I was younger and inexperienced, I once towed a 23' boat with a Jeep CJ-5...notice I said "once". When the object you are towing is longer and heavier than the tow vehicle...well, let's just say it wasn't very smart. I guess experience comes from such stupid mistakes...if that old Jeep is still around I'm sure the "bite marks" are still in the driver's seat.

 

[Diamondpilot]

When I was younger and inexperienced, I once towed a 23' boat with a Jeep CJ-5...notice I said "once". When the object you are towing is longer and heavier than the tow vehicle...well, let's just say it wasn't very smart. I guess experience comes from such stupid mistakes...if that old Jeep is still around I'm sure the "bite marks" are still in the driver's seat.

Been there done that. When I was about 10 my uncle had a 28' Pontoon Boat and a CJ-5 when I was a kid. The boat sat on one of the old style trailers that was narrow and tall making the CG high. I can remember looking back at the trailer swaying and the toons nearly touching the pavement. Scary.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

I would just like to add, thanks for sharing. If people don't tell storys like this, the rest of us won't learn anything.

 

[davygp38]

When I was younger and inexperienced, I once towed a 23' boat with a Jeep CJ-5...notice I said "once". When the object you are towing is longer and heavier than the tow vehicle...well, let's just say it wasn't very smart. I guess experience comes from such stupid mistakes...if that old Jeep is still around I'm sure the "bite marks" are still in the driver's seat.

I notice I put down, that the trailer was 19 foot, it is 16 ' The truck I was using, was a ford F250 super duty. I feel like the truck is plenty big enough to pull the weight, it is the trailer size, that led me down the path. Because the trailer was only 16', I could not get the load balanced. I also am convinced that the TLB was too heavy for the trailer. I want to point out, that even though the axles could theoretically Handel the load, the tires could not. Now that I have been looking for a new trailer, I have been asking about the tires, and most are just car tires

 

[Highbeam]

What's this worry about not towing anything longer or heavier than the tow vehicle. Happens all the time. Even my huge F350 diesel only weighs 7500# and is around 20' long. Most medium sized and larger RVs are longer and/or heavier.

Thanks for sharing. Did you ever find a bulging tire or something that caused the wiggle? Did you then tow the tractor back home? I assume you did.

 

[valley]

We could all trade stories like that. I had a similar thing towing a 27' sailboat, all was well until it started raining and I put on the brakes. It just pushed the truck along until it was ready to stop. Glad you can look back at it now.

 

[Wesdor]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Your title says it all and most if not all of us have "been there and done that". It would have been easier not to say anything at all, but that wouldn't have helped anyone else.

You did the right thing and made all of us who read this think about safety. Glad you survived and didn't have an accident.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree, the 65mph was too fast, and of course you know that now. I realize how easy it is to get comfortable driving a certain speed, everything is going fine, so no problem keep going 65mph. How overloaded were you?

Another question for everyone, I have seen trailer wag once before, and it was also going down a hill. Is this where it will normally happen?

?? i'mnot sure speed alone was the issue.

I've pulled my 16' bumper pull for thousands of miles in search of antique tractors.. on the interstate I drive same speed as the rest of the traffic.. ie.. 70 or so

does the trailer have ebrakes?

was it loaded correctly.

bout' the only place I get funny trailer sensations on a well loaded trailer is on i-10 in lousiana where they have the bucked up concrete roads near the 18 mile bridge... there.. I slow down or the trailer jumps..

( however.. I will add that I'mnow getting a larger trailer.. gooseneck, and have a heavier tow vehicle, just for safety and piece of mind on those long hauls.. )

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

What's this worry about not towing anything longer or heavier than the tow vehicle. Happens all the time. Even my huge F350 diesel only weighs 7500# and is around 20' long. Most medium sized and larger RVs are longer and/or heavier.

Thanks for sharing. Did you ever find a bulging tire or something that caused the wiggle? Did you then tow the tractor back home? I assume you did.

yep.. my prodigy brake controller has boost settings for if your trailer is larger/longer than the tow vehicle.

soundguy