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Post by vikx on Jan 16, 2016 21:09:56 GMT -8
This is a great thread and important to all of us.
Sway bars really do help, our 19' Deluxe came with one. They are not a cure all, but worth looking into if you are experiencing sway.
NOTE: Do NOT back the trailer with the sway bar in place. They can be ripped right off the trailer. Easy to remove before backing.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jan 17, 2016 7:28:27 GMT -8
This is a great thread and important to all of us. Sway bars really do help, our 19' Deluxe came with one. They are not a cure all, but worth looking into if you are experiencing sway. NOTE: Do NOT back the trailer with the sway bar in place. They can be ripped right off the trailer. Easy to remove before backing. Yep... I have only experienced sway when towing with my Blazer which has a very short wheel base. Wheel base, power and braking are the most critical aspects of towing.
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gary350
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Post by gary350 on Jan 17, 2016 18:15:29 GMT -8
Bob says he was pulling the camper trailer with a Dodge Ram 3500 with duel wheels and 5.9L Cummins diesel engine.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jan 17, 2016 18:17:35 GMT -8
Dang! Well it wasn't the fault of the tow vehicle. That must have been some blast when those trucks blew by.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Jan 17, 2016 18:36:16 GMT -8
I may have missed it earlier, but how large a camper was it? I suspect there may have been some factor like light tongue weight or uneven loading....not placing blame, just sayin'....possible suspects for causes of towing and sway problems.
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Post by vikx on Jan 17, 2016 21:05:36 GMT -8
Now that's SOME TRUCK! So sad both were totaled.
I'm wondering now about the trailer and issues as well. Duallies are so stable. I once had a stock combo hauling 4 horses dip into a break on the road edge. It hit the spring bolts, but the Dually just straightened if right out and up onto the road.
I miss my truck.
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on Jan 18, 2016 7:06:20 GMT -8
I agree that we could all learn something valuable from more info about this, if the folks involved are willing to share. We aren't going to make any wise guy comments at their expense & their input could save lives. Of course, sometimes incidents like this happen really fast and for no apparent reason... that's why we call them "accidents".
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Post by danrhodes on Jan 18, 2016 8:27:56 GMT -8
Now that's SOME TRUCK! So sad both were totaled. I'm wondering now about the trailer and issues as well. Duallies are so stable. I once had a stock combo hauling 4 horses dip into a break on the road edge. It hit the spring bolts, but the Dually just straightened if right out and up onto the road. I miss my truck. As an aside, I always have fun trying to identify which "Vik" each comment came from...It is really not very easy to tell.
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gary350
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Post by gary350 on Jan 18, 2016 9:24:48 GMT -8
More information plus the State Trooper report is now available.
There was another semi truck several 100 feet behind the first 3 trucks the driver saw the wreck. The truck driver said, it looked like the first 2 trucks got the camper trailer out of control then the 3rd truck clipped the back left side of the camper trailer knocking the camper trailer over on its side, truck was too far away to get tag number or company name. As the camper trailer slide off the highway it pulled the pickup truck with it. The pickup truck hit the cement over pass first. Everything inside the trailer that was attached to the floor and walls broke loose and flew forward. Truck bed is crushed and pushed forward into the truck cab crushing it.
The trailer body has a large dent on the left rear corner now facing up. It appears something has hit the left rear of the trailer. Measurements show the dent in the rear of the trailer is consistent with the height and shape of a semi truck.
My friend said, this was a brand new camper trailer we picked up in northern Indiana we were on our way home. It was a duel axle 25' Vista Cruiser 23DSR 3650 lbs.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jan 18, 2016 9:53:54 GMT -8
I'm very surprised that the last truck driver did not get on the CB and tell the other trucks to stop. At the very least, these guys know who they are following and can probably tell the police at least what company one or more of them were driving for being that he saw the collision. These "professional" drivers are guilty of leaving the scene of an accident not to mention causing it. I hope they can find the culprits...
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Post by chametzoo on Jan 18, 2016 10:09:25 GMT -8
Wheel base, power and braking are the most critical aspects of towing. Read more: vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/5876/camper-trailer-wrecked-interstate-highway?page=2#ixzz3xcYDkAfEYes that's true… add balancing the trailer and TV to that short, but essential list. This adds lots of stability and helps the TV and trailer become a more integrated unit and less likely to respond poorly to challenging circumstances, like wind and rain. First the tongue weight to trailer weight ratio should be in the neighborhood of 10%. That's just a starting point. It is also helpful to distribute some of that tongue bearing from the rear suspension of the TV to the front. That requires weight redistribution and helps keep the front, steering wheels of the TV firmly planted to the road surface. Without that, there will not be optimal balance and the potential, under extreme circumstances, for instability. I fear that the first two semis set the trailer into an oscillation, which can be alarming to the TV driver and may have caused an overcompensation with the steering wheel… then the third truck ran into the wobbling trailer. What a shame. I don't see anywhere in previous posts, what the TV/TT set up was like in the first place. I myself wouldn't tow ten feet without my Andersen weight distributing/anti sway set up in place. I've mentioned this unit before in this forum and I don't mean to sound like a sales rep… 'cuz I'm not, but it works amazingly well and accomplishes weight distribution and sway prevention in a totally different way than conventional units. It also has a couple of other advantages as well. www.andersenhitches.com/catalog/andersen-nosway-weight-distribution-hitch.aspx. Accidents usually happen when several things go wrong at the same time. Having a balanced rig is one thing that can be made "right" when facing adverse road circumstances… that plus the many other good recommendations made in this thread in the wake of this unfortunate crash. The rest is up to "fate"… fate was kind to the occupants of that TV.
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on Jan 18, 2016 17:05:22 GMT -8
Thanks Gary for the update. Looks like this was just a terrible nightmare. Too bad they couldn't ID the guy who "clipped" the camper. I'm guessing that all of the semi drivers involved were going well over the speed limit (in close formation), meaning very little space between each vehicle, which certainly would create a lot of wind. I just looked up a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 on NADA and it says the tow rating is 16,150 lbs...so that was not an issue! Who knows? They might have been able to regain control if the doo-dah hadn't hit the trailer. In the end all that really matters is that they are probably very traumatized but physically OK. Wish them a Happy 2016 from all of us at VTT.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2016 21:03:14 GMT -8
Too scary. I am also glad everyone was ok.. I know they were not having this issue but as mobiltec had said, the principle of towing half your capacity I feel is dead on. My 3.3 v6 Frontier is a rugged little truck, rating right around 5500. So you divide that and get maybe a little more than 2500 range. Well my Compact now weighs 1800, and I am sure between us and the dogs and gear its up towards that mark of half the capacity. And to be honest I struggle at higher speeds a little bit going up hill. Not a problem never usually in a rush anyway. Just demonstrated in a real world scenario that there is no way my truck is gonna do 3k more pounds! So really, all these ads saying for these little vintage trailers that you can tow with anything that's not exactly true. Down the street less than 50 mph maybe you can get a short distance but if you are planning on towing one with a Civic on the highway, nay nay. Let alone the safety factor.
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Post by vikx on Nov 11, 2016 22:54:35 GMT -8
Thank you Rich! You are so correct. Too many figure they can tow more than "real life" possible. If a person is going to haul anything over 2000 pounds, I recommend 5000 tow capacity and more.
One member who purchased a 66 Kit lucked into a pristine 2000 Chevy Z71 tow vehicle. She is thrilled to have "more" than really needed. You never know, there might be a Westwood just around the corner...
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