What do you do if your trailer becomes uncoupled? (1 Viewer)

[890man]

If you are driving down the road at about 50 with a small trailer and it comes off the ball and is just hanging on the chains, what do you do? I had this happen to me about four months ago. I slowed down but the trailer just started to fishtail a little then the it got worse until the chain mounts broke and the trailer ended up on its back. I didn't know how to react. No one was hurt but it was pretty damn scary. What would you do?

 

[photogod]

Don't brake, just lift yor foot off the gas and coast to a safe speed before applying the brake. It has never happened to me but i bet it was a bit harry to see that trailer doing the jig behind you!? I have been rear ended with a Willys on a U-Haul trailer once and just about jacknifed the truck and trailer. It was winter and the roads were icy and some dame hit me because she locked up the brakes on her car and slid into mine. Luckly I had just droped it into 4 x4 so as the jack knife started I just barely tapped the gas and we straightened out. Had I not been in 4x4 I would have hit the ditch for sure with tons of damage and a totaled restored 1946 Willys.

 

[REZARF]

Had a boat come undone once, my buddy was driving, we jammed on the brakes... the boat/trailer rammed us pretty hard a few times but the safety chains held.

Someone forgot to seat the coupler onto the ball before locking it up... what an idiot.

Sincerly,

The idiot.

 

[sirenmoses]

Happens to me every now and then, usually because I forget to secure the tongue on the ball. (needs new coupler: quick fix is a pin that sometimes gets left on the chain where I store it, rather than through hole on top of coupler designed for theft-prevention lock).

My personal sequence goes: hitch/load trailer, drive off. Wonder a few miles later if I remembered the pin, listen intently for grinding/scratching/s****ing sound after each bump. If sound heard, or safety section of brain engages, brake & pull over to rectify.

Helps that I was taught to cross chains underneath trailer tongue to act as weightbearing cradle. Amazing how few Uhaul techs don't do this!

Sometimes I also have to jump on the tongue to get coupler to set. The part that holds neck of ball gets crossways and doesn't want to slip into place.

Luckily it has only jumped w/a light load & trailer is well balanced -- prolly a different story w/firewood etc. And I don't take it on the highway, it's just a utility trailer, for now. Tow chain hasn't snapped but quicksnap gate got bent...

Yes, new coupler is in the works, along w/either new fenders, reflectors, uprights to hold roof top tent and some repair welding, or with a different trailer, depending on opportunity & cash flow.

Hope this helps, another idjit

 

[890man]

Yea, I didn't lock it down all the way. My first thought was to slow down and not apply the brakes which is what I did but the thing just started going crazy. I was also on a bridge with no easy way to pull over. I think the other problem was the chain setup. I think I had too much slack. The hitch couldn't hit the ground but did hang down quite a bit. Since that time, I have shortened the chains. If the trailer is doing the jig, are you screwed or should you do something like speed up a little to straighten it out, slam on the brakes or just pray?

 

[D'Animal]

If the trailer comes off I use the back of my tow rig to stop the trailer. It depends on the driving conditions and terrane whether I hit the brakes or just let it coast to a stop. I would rather bend up my bumper and tailgate than have the trailer dart across into oncoming traffice.

Crossing the safety chains is a law in CA.

I have a few buddys that CHP officers and they will pull someone over for this infringment. This is generally done on sunday afternoons with people pulling boats. They stop them and let them know about the law of the crossed chains and generally end up busting them for DUI.

Helps that I was taught to cross chains underneath trailer tongue to act as weightbearing cradle. Amazing how few Uhaul techs don't do this!

 

[brownbear]

They stop them and let them know about the law of the crossed chains and generally end up busting them for DUI.

Good. I hate seeing fawkers come off the lake all pissed up and hook up the boat and trailer and head out. Makes me want to stand at the launch with baseball bat hitting them like penquins......

 

[petescoffee]

Crossing the safety chains is a law in CA.
.

DItto. This way it catches the tounge of th trailer before it hits the ground.

 

[davegonz]

Damn..didn't know about crossing chains. Thanks for the info!

 

[stayalert]

I would accelerate slightly set the crusie and calmly turn to the right and ask my wife to take the wheel. I would then unbuckle and climb over the center console, over the center row of seats, ruffle my kids hair and wink at them as I went by, then I would open the lift gate and reach down and grab onto the tonugue with one hand and fasten it back on with the other....The rest is pretty much a reverse of the first several steps.





























If it happened when my wife wasn't with me I'd cry like a little girl

 

[REZARF]

I would accelerate slightly set the crusie and calmly turn to the right and ask my wife to take the wheel. I would then unbuckle and climb over the center console, over the center row of seats, ruffle my kids hair and wink at them as I went by, then I would open the lift gate and reach down and grab onto the tonugue with one hand and fasten it back on with the other....The rest is pretty much a reverse of the first several steps.





























If it happened when my wife wasn't with me I'd cry like a little girl

LOL, good one.

Rezarf <><

 

[890man]

Yea, I was alone. How about tire iron on gas pedal to set speed and rope to secure steering wheel.







I didn't know about crossing chains but it makes sense. I had them out to each side but not crossed. I will do it right next time. Thanks for the input. I guess I had the right idea but screwed up the setup. I did get about 40 miles before it went.

 

[Scubajeep]

If it happened when my wife wasn't with me I'd cry like a little girl

 

[stayalert]

um ...was that out loud;p

 

[79fj40moneypit]

This guy I worked for used to hitch the trailer up (it had no safety chains or pin) and fly down the road foot to the floor all the time, well one day he did the trailer thing fast as he could go and the trailer became disconnected went right past him hit a bump became airborne flew into a used car lot and went right through a suzuki samari frickin totaled it. He ended buying the sammi from the dealer so they wouldn't file a insurance claim. And do you think the guy would have learned from that hell no he's still doing the same thing, frickin idiot.

 

[C6H12O6]

I just borrowed a really heavy 5x10 trailer from my cousin. Only one safety chain, the lights are wired up incorrectly, 15 psi in one tire, 21 psi in the other, both wheels had rotting, nearly-ready-to-fail valve stems... Yikes. I filled the tires up and kept my fingers crossed it would hold until I got to the dump. I already had the trailer filled, or I probably would have pulled the wheels and had the valve stems replaced.

Accident waiting to happen.

 

[gavman]

Had it happen once with electric brakes, Activate the switch and come slowly to a halt...no probs.
I think lifting your foot of the gas and coasting is the best advice that i could give...

 

[toyrunner95]

i had this happen in wyoming with a 30 foot travel trailer, i had the chains crossed but the problem came when the ball BROKE OFF!!! thats right BROKE OFF, BROKE THE F*&$ OFF!! apparently the nut came undone on the bottom and it just sheered, anyway, i tried applying the breaks but the eletric brakes would kick in and make the trailer fish tail, i got lucky when i gassed it to dodge being rammed by the trailer and got the emergency brakes to avtivate on the trailer, (its a small box with a wire in it that when it goes tight it applies the brakes on full, on the trailer and literally draggs you to a halt) i rosted the trailer brakes and needed new tires but i kept it on the road.

i was 20 and scared chitless.

the best way to handel this would be to downshift and let the trailer hit you, try to keep the trailer in contact with you, DO NOT BRAKE! if you do and the trailer has brakes it will cause problems. turn the flashers on and ride it out. stay on the road as long as possible, avoid deep loose gravel like a runaway truck lane or something.

 

[sirenmoses]

wow. a good reason to check your ball....

had to say it!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Damn..didn't know about crossing chains. Thanks for the info!

X2!