rjr

After spending nearly $5000.00 getting my trailer brought up to Connecticut code and maintenance brought up to date. I was REALLY unhappy when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the middle wheel hanging at an odd angle, belching smoke.

Of course it happened at the worst possible time. Saturday afternoon, I95, heavy traffic, shoulder barely as wide as my boat, truck full of young children.

Traffic and space did not allow for a close inspection so I would wait at the back of the trailer. When there was a break in the traffic I would sprint past the trailer only slowing down slightly as I passed the wheel to see if I could figure out what to do.

I was glad to see the State Trooper THAT pulled up behind me. It may have been false comfort as his lights didn't seem to slow anybody down. He asked ME!!! what to do. I told him that if he could give me a lane I would remove the wheel and we could probably get moving. He said that he could not close a lane, and ask about calling a "heavy duty" wrecker. I told him that they would close the highway completely. He didn't think that would work either, but was anxious to get something done because traffic was going to get worse not better.

Finally, I just yanked the trailer up the exit ramp that was 50 yards up the road. I got the wheel off, jacked up the axel and put a 2 X 4 under one toggle and the 2 X 2 1/2 drawbar adapter under the other. That worked well enough to get me back to the shop that did the work.

I believe that they are going to take responsibility for the whole thing which will not be cheap. The axel, wheel, tire, brake, and hub were all damaged, probably destroyed.

Lessons learned:

1. I should have gotten the kids and their Father out of the truck, over the guard rail, and well off the highway. Dad was helping but the safety of the kids came first. I figured they would be safe in the truck. Then an 18 wheeler came blowing past, inches away. If he had hit we all probably would have died.

2. I wasn't expecting problems and didn't really understand what needed to be done to get the center axel off the ground. I was very fortunate that I happened to have the blocks and jacks necessary to do the job. In the future I will be better equipped.

3. They say that if you want something done right you better do it yourself. I don't really want to spend the day repacking wheel bearings but maybe I should.

This is my first year dragging a 40' trailer. I would love to hear what you guys with more experience do. What did I over look? How would a wrecker get a 40' foot trailer with a 15,000 pound off the highway? What would it cost. Trailering insurance seems like a much better idea than it did before this happened.

Jassman

great post..a lesson to be learned by all. I pull a 49' trailer..I always carry a large air compressor, air tool, 24 volt as a back up. 3 ton floor jack, tire repair kit...BUT..I forget to bring blocks like you suggested..Ive never had a problem..and I thank god that lucks been on my side. I also check air pressure on both dually and 6 tires on trailer as well as check to see if greased up enough..

I think getting the children out of harms way like you suggested is the most important thing..the rest of it is all material stuff anyways. Thanks Jeff

Chris Sunkin

I get laughed at all the time. I'm hyper-nervous about things going wrong and I travel like I'm going to invade a foreign country. I just learned long ago that you need to think through all the possibilities and be prepared for them before they occur.

There's a good likelihod that a flatbed and crane would have been used had things been really bad. One axle- they'd have just chained it up and had you drive.

As far as the axle lubing- the center-lubing spindles seem like a cheap investment when you read stories like this.

handfulz28

Make sure you know how much actual coverage is offered. Sometimes it might be as little as $150. You probably couldn't get a flatbed tractor trailer to show up for that.

PARADOX

Trailers problems.. GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrr
I been trailering boats since 1972. More horor stories that you can imagine.. The last time I fliped the boat, trailer and truck due to a fulty (new) tire. Now I travel with my garage, tools, chains a small forest of lumber,and always ready to have the unexpected happen. Honestly,, I can't take a 50' semi with me so... I'm not ready but mentally I'm prepared.
Good comment, howver.. safety.. kids and people first. My boat was replaced,, truck fixed.. no broken bones..
Glad you and kids are OK.

rjr

Sort of a P.S. but 2 X 4's don't make very good blocks for the toggles, and a pile of 1X pine is even worse. I was fortunate that my Ford has a 2 5/16 receiver because I had the 2" adapter and a 2" tow bar to use when the wood splintered not to far down the road.

This is the second problem in two weeks. Last week the bolts holding the brake caliber to the axel all (5) fell out. It's enough to make you want to give up the trailer. The outfit that did the work is a large company that services 18 wheelers. My 40' ft. trailer is the smallest one in the lot. Maybe they figure its no big deal.

There are other threads with people asking how small a truck they can get away with to tow their boats. As Chris has said they all can tow but can they stop the load. I have found out that an F-350 dually can stop a 15,000 pound load with little problem under ideal conditions. Hopefully I will never have to find out how it will do under conditions less than ideal.

never enuff

I agree--your first priority was the safety of the passengers in your vehicle---Good thinking!!!! I too carry about everything I can think of that can possibily go wrong--2 spare tires, 2 jacks, extra hubs, 1/2 my roll-a-way tool box etc etc. and just hope I have the right thing when I need it or someone else does that I can help. Whenever you hook onto a trailer, no matter how well prepared you think you are-- IMO
Good post--thanks for reminding us all
Jay

J.B. Marshall

[QUOTE=Chris Sunkin;2622533]I get laughed at all the time. I'm hyper-nervous about things going wrong and I travel like I'm going to invade a foreign country. I just learned long ago that you need to think through all the possibilities and be prepared for them before they occur.




Chris I hear you on that... I get the same thing, about being so boy scout ready.

I have been trailering boats and snowmobiles for years and every time I go I always get nervous about it and the possibilities that can occur. I consider myself fortunate as I have only experienced a flat tire on a major highway and it occurred just as I was approaching the off ramp.

Most important aspect of any trip is the safety of your passengers and others around. Glad to hear you made out ok and all arrived safely.

rjr

A final P.S

Atlantic Star did the work on the trailer. The problem was a disconnect between the service writer and the shop. Being VERY paranoid about bearing failure I had SPECIFICALLY, and REPEATEDLY ask that ALL wheel bearings be repacked and resealed. For reasons that are not clear to anybody the service writer did not put that on the shop order so the shop only repacked the axel they put the brakes on.

Atlantic Star really stepped up though. They made a token attempt to get me to pay for the parts. When I refused they didn't say a word except to apologize for all the problems. The parts can't be cheap even at wholesale, Axel, Hub, Bearings, Brakes, Alloy 10 bolt wheel, and tire.

Be safe!

Jupiter Sunsation

A few weeks back I got to change 5 or 6 tires on a trailer in one weekend. Almost as fun, by the 3rd tire I had it down to nascar tire change speeds but was running out of spares.

A week later, I see a buddy and he asks was that you changing tires on the side of I95 about 100 miles from home? I said yeah, why didn't you stop. He replied he was running 90 in the left lane and was a 1/2 mile away when he realized it was me................. D ! C K H E A D ! ! !