Sad end to an 80 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter crawlin60
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we need to go to each and every u-haul joint and cut the dam trailers in half
U-haul terrorist?
the next question will be.....why do you hate u-haul
. yes i do ,they are unsafe
Just got done pulling a 6'x12' Uhaul from Phoenix to New England(loaded). It makes my skin crawl when I see stuff like that. I've done it before and have been pulling trailers my whole life so I knew what to expect but fully loaded it is a white knuckler at times. Its all in the way its loaded.
This LA times article is useless without contact info for parts.....
I have had this happen to me once pulling an improperly loaded trailer behind a 1985 4Runner. Absolutely one of the most terrifying events of my life; however it occurred as result of multiple errors on my part, and had nothing to do with the condition of the trailer I was pulling - which I can guarantee you was in FAR worse shape than the crappiest U-Haul trailer out there, and it didn't have brakes either. Shame on these news outlets for not having the stones or intellectual honesty to lay the blame on the idiots who are responsible for the crash. Statistically speaking (my degree entailed a LOT of Stat courses) looking at safety the way the NHSA or the NTSB compiles stats based on millions of miles driven, you are much safer pulling a U-Haul trailer than driving between the hours of 12:00 and 3:00 AM. I have ZERO sympathy for anyone who feels the trailer get wiggly several times and does nothing to change it. I do feel sad for the Cruiser though. A real sad waste of a perfectly good truck.
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Yep, front page.
According to the article, the state trooper determined the passenger that was thrown from the Cruiser was wearing a seat belt. The driver crawled from the wreckage. U-Haul had not performed a safety inspection on the trailer for 8 months but rented it 19 times even though there had been previous complaints about the brakes. I have rented several vehicles from U-haul & they were complete pits, from broken rear view mirrors to bald tires. Wherever i have rented, new looking vehicles were out front, but my vehicle was hidden in the rear of the lot. Renting trailers with inoperable brakes is totally unacceptable. Renting oversize vehicles & trailers to people with little or no experience puts everyone at risk. When I have rented, U-haul employees never asked if I had any experience & never offered any guides to loading or safe operation. When I rented a utility trailer, the lights did not work but I was told they were not required during daylight. I still don't know if this was accurate.
You have no sympathy for the girl who is confined to a wheelchair? Really? Even if the accident was her fault? Really?
You're only sad about her car? Really?
Really?
Santa, is that you?
treerootCO
Where are my keys?!
To quote Poser...
Sternberg fell victim to a peril long familiar to U-Haul International: "[ending up in a ball]" a leading [result] of severe towing accidents.
That is why I bought a 3/4 ton...
It doesn't matter how well you balance the load. It does help but if the load is heavier than the car pulling it, you WILL end up in a ball. Besides the obvious lack of maintenance, U-haul trailers probably outweigh an 80 when empty.
Sternberg fell victim to a peril long familiar to U-Haul International: "[ending up in a ball]" a leading [result] of severe towing accidents.
That is why I bought a 3/4 ton...
It doesn't matter how well you balance the load. It does help but if the load is heavier than the car pulling it, you WILL end up in a ball. Besides the obvious lack of maintenance, U-haul trailers probably outweigh an 80 when empty.
the cruiser weighs 6000 lbs and has a towing capacity of 5000 lbs. When I looked into renting a car trailer U-haul was pretty tough when authorizing the rental with what I wanted to tow.
And if you are towing more than the truck weighs then your not following the factory guide lines.
And if you are towing more than the truck weighs then your not following the factory guide lines.
I wonder what help VSC on a 100-series would have provided. Without a trailer the system is incredible. With a trailer.......hmmmmm......I wonder how that would change the dynamics?
1997 Toyota Landcruiser Curb Weight: 4,933lbs.
Not sure where these 6k lbs. figures are coming from unless the rig was loaded bigtime.
Not sure where these 6k lbs. figures are coming from unless the rig was loaded bigtime.
Curb weight is one number, actual weight on the road is another. My totally stock 93 weighs 5300, my 97 weighs 5350.
Comment on the suggestion that Uhaul have a video or try to train people on safe towing. In the US, if they did that out of the goodness of their heart then basically our attorneys see that as accepting responsibility to train drivers on safe towing. Whamo - huge liability compared to simply renting trailers. So it's not going to happen. If the US gummint requires something like that - different scenario and their liability is not hugely increased. Welcome to the USA.
DougM
Comment on the suggestion that Uhaul have a video or try to train people on safe towing. In the US, if they did that out of the goodness of their heart then basically our attorneys see that as accepting responsibility to train drivers on safe towing. Whamo - huge liability compared to simply renting trailers. So it's not going to happen. If the US gummint requires something like that - different scenario and their liability is not hugely increased. Welcome to the USA.
DougM
This is a little off of the subject. I had a new roof installed on my Pop Up and when I picked it up today I was asked if I had a anti sway bar. Thinking that the RV guy didn't know anything about LCs I just blew it off. My camper is a 10' model Coleman, I'm not sure what it weights but after reading this thread I'm now concerned. Does anyone know what the RV guys was talking about?
It matters HUGETIME how well you balance the load. A trailer of ANY weight can cause the tow vehicle to lose control if it is loaded improperly. A Dodge Diesel Longbox will drive dangerously, indeed, if there is excessive weight behind the axle of the trailer.
It is also the right and responsibility of the driver to ensure they have a safe vehicle. The DRIVER is responsible for any trailer attached to the tow vehicle. If it appears to be dangerous, if there are obvious flaws, which this driver initially identified, then she should not have used it because they would be liable if there was an accident. Most drivers would not do a pre-trip inspection to that level, which is why the onus should be (and is supposed to be) on U-Haul to rent good, safe trailers.
It is really sad to hear about this tragedy, especially due to the fact that the renter saw a problem with the trailer and told U-Haul about it. That said, you must drive with ANY trailer differently. Variables in stopping, and avoiding sudden road hazards, reaction times is very different when towing any trailer. You simply must slow down, and drive with greater care and precaution.
It is so sad to hear the outcome of this story.
I can remember towing a non name brand twin axle trailer behind a 1975 Pontiac Parisienne with a 455 big block through the Rockies, with NO trailer brakes. I weighed it on a truck scale and the total of the car, trailer, contents, driver (me, about 220 lbs) and passenger was just under 13,000 pounds. We made it no problems, but when I think back, it was probably more luck than anything else. I remember going through the steepest parts I was getting about 3-4 mpg imperial.
