operator killed trailering tractor

NewToy · Jan 16, 2006

If your trailer has one of those breakaway e-brake setups couldn't you pull the cable out when loading and put it back when your done? I was leaving a motel one day in Atlanta when this elderly gent was having trouble with his trailer. He had unhooked it to park for the evening and when he went to hook it back up he didn't have it coupled properly and pulled out and the trailer came unhooked. I went over to help him get it reattached and was ready to leave and he came over and said his rig wouldn't move at all. He had pulled the e-brake cable out and when I put it back in for him the truck was running and it was still in gear. Here I am between his truck and trailer and the whole thing took of almost running me over. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to snatch the cable out stopping the whole rig. I had no idea he had left it in gear when he had gotten out to see why he wasn't moving. I almost had a real bad day!
John

tillerkiller · Jan 16, 2006

( I almost had a real bad day! )

I have a friend that has pulled every manner of trailer that you can put behind a pickup with all sorts of loads "have a real bad day" a while back.

Another friend of his loaded a skid-steer onto a trailer (not hooked up to a pickup or anything) and called my friend to pull it about 2 miles from where it was to the next job site.

Friend with the pickup backs up to trailer and hooks it to truck and away he goes. Doesn't think anything about where the skid-steer is on the trailer, after all, the other guy loaded it without even hooking it up to a pickup.

The tongue weight was too low (how could it be if the skid-steer was loaded without the trailer being hooked up at the time?). The trailer got to bucking, which lifted the rear wheels of the truck off the road every time the trailer hit a big enough bump. The story gets real dramatic right here, what with all the jack-knifing and crossing lanes of traffic and the skid-steer bouncing off the trailer and landing on the road and all.

If it happened to my friend it could have happened to me. I'm real carefull around trailers. Real carefull.

Soundguy · Jan 16, 2006

( All it would take to minimize the problem is to design the brakes so it takes a 12 volt power source to release them. )

Couple problems. 1, In this setup, your vehicle is using power.. wasting power, just driving down the road. that is.. it's using extra fuel to replenish that electrical power.. using fuel.. contribuiting to poloution.. etc.
2, with the electric release.. how do you then modulate the application pressure.. you certaintly don't want an all or nothing setup... And if you want it setup like air brakes.. then i forsee millions of people neeidng to get cdl-C or D class licenses just so they can then go get a brak endorsement.... count me out on that... My vote is for remembering to stick a chunk of wood under the trailer... and let darwin weed out the ones who don't...

Soundguy

MossRoad · Jan 16, 2006

I keep a chunk of wood to stuff under the trailer rear when loading. Even though it is a twin axle trailer, if the load is heavy enough, it can make the tow vehicle light on the rear. I suppose if your tow vehicle is 4WD(mine isn't) and engaged the fronts would hold it in park, wouldn't it?

tawilson · Jan 16, 2006

Even if it's an automatic? Not sure. Probably blocking the trailer wheels would be the simplest way to keep it where you want it. If there is any manuals or instructions anywhere on loading trailers, I"m sure that is on the list.

ttowne66 · Jan 16, 2006

tawilson

Great idea. All trailers (that do not have the rear axle far enough back to avoid the weight imballance) should come with either your set-up or something like it. Along with a warning lablel stating that you need to use these weight stabilizers for safe loading/un-loading.

nobull1 · Jan 16, 2006

If you can see the square stock protruding up wards on both sides in the back of my trailer. It is 1 3/4"? square stock with holes every couple of inches. This fits into a piece of 2" square stock with one hole that is welded to the trailer. The 1 3/4 piece has a foot on the bottom approx 4x4 so as not to push into the ground. One of the benefits of this is you can adjust for uneven terrain while keeping the trailer level. I have many times loaded the excavator onto the trailer while it wasn't hooked to the truck and the legs easily held the weight. Simple, safe and permanently attached. Just remember to lift them up before taking off /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

George2615 · Jan 16, 2006

Roy,
I don't mean to hijack the thread nor take away from the seriousness of this safety issue. This is in response to your query.

I have used wood ramps in the past for light things like a riding mower, motorcycle or 4 wheeler under 800#. Now I use aluminum ramps for those items that are rated for 1500#. I'd never use wood ramps for a tractor or a car.

My previous trailer was a 16' dual axle beavertail w/ fold down ramps that I built myself. When I bought the tractor and first loaded it, the back end of my truck came off the ground (negative tongue weight). From then on I used jackstands under the back end of the trailer to prevent negative tongue weight. I'd set them about 2" below the back and the tractor would compress down to the stands and stop. Once the tractor was on and moved forward the back lifted enough to get the stands out.

My latest trailer is a 20' tilt bed. After tilting it up w/ the jack, the front axle of the trailer is actually off the ground. I posted a trailer pic back in Sept that shows this. I don't know how to link you to it though. Loading the tractor on a tilted bed does'nt seem to produce any negative tongue weight since the back end of the trailer is touching the ground. My only concern on a tilt bed is that if you are loading by yourself you hope that what you are loading has a park position or very good brakes to hold it in place on the tilted deck till you can get off to lower the deck down. It's best if there are two people, one to stay on the vehicle being loaded and a second to lower it down.

George

DKinWA · Jan 16, 2006

I either did a lousy job of explaining the concept or I really do need a sign as someone suggested /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Yes. I am advocating a change in brake design, but I'd liken it to the change to the new ABS brake systems. Pretty much a transparrent change, but there are some definite benefits to having it.

As far as wasting power, I doubt a well designed system would need more power than a parking light might use. You'd only need enough power to release the spring brake and possibly lock the spring so it didn't release prematurely. The rest of the brake would function just like they do now. If you figure you wouldn't need a break away battery anymore, the energy issue might be a wash in the long run.

Right now, I can drop a pup trailer on my dump truck faster than I can drop my 14' boat trailer on the same slope. With the pup trailer I don't have to find a block of wood and I don't have to worry about it sliding down the hill either.

Soundguy · Jan 17, 2006

( I suppose if your tow vehicle is 4WD(mine isn't) and engaged the fronts would hold it in park, wouldn't it?
)

I think it would. Even on my 16' trailer.. when i load a 3000-3500# load.. if the traielr isn't blocked.. it will unload my truck rear a bit... Not completely.. but it does get lighter..

Soundguy