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Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Video shows travel trailer wipe out
Watch what can happen when a gust of wind grabs a travel trailer as it's being towed down the road. This isn't pretty, but it serves to show that it's not nice to fool with Mother Nature. High winds? Pull your RV over and wait for the breeze to calm.
This struck a chord with me, as it happened to me several years ago. Fortunately our van did not tip, but we lost a beautiful bunkhouse model trailer. Also fortunate was the fact that none in my family was injured.
My wife and I looked at this and it brought back memories of May 2004. We had, and still have, a Chevy Trailblazer 6 cylinder that we used to tow a 25 foot trailer. The tow rating on the Trailblazer is 6500 lbs and the trailer was rated at 5200 lbs loaded, but we were probably under 5000 lbs. Driving down the interstate just shortly after entering from an on ramp and still picking up speed, an 18 wheeler cattle truck, empty, came flying by. It was estimated by us and by those who witnessed the accident that the trucker was probably doing at least 90 and we were about 55 and climbing. The wind from the semi hit out trailer and made it swing to the right and clip the right side of the Trailblazer and then swing back and clip hard the drivers side. As it was swinging back again, the Trailblazer was bouncing up and down and then we could feel the vehicle falling over on the drivers side. We landed hard and people behind us helped us, and our two Chihuahua's, out of the car. My wife got a scratch on her hand, I had no injury at all and the Chihuahua's were just fine since they were in their pet carriers. The trailer was still hooked to the car and was laying on its left side with its rear end overhanging a deep ditch between the east and west interstate lanes with out configuration in a straight line totally blocking the east bound side and the vehicle on the pavement. Vehicles got by on the shoulder. We had an anti-sway and equalizer hitch on, but that did not prevent the sway. They were properly connected. Nothing broke loose on the connection but one equalizer bar got bent. The trucker who flew by probably never saw what happened and he was over the hill in seconds while we were bouncing around. Our lesson learned was from the tow truck driver that an SUV should never tow a trailer that is more than about 2 feet longer at most than the length of the SUV, and all trailers should preferably be towed by a pickup or full size van with 8 cylinders. 6 cylinder should be left for pop-ups and very light trailers under about 3200 pounds. He said he sees many accidents each year just like ours in which a medium size SUV is pulling a trailer that is really too big. We were only about 100 miles from home heading out on our vacation when this happened. The trailer was totalled by the insurance company, but our Trailblazer was repaired since it was somewhat new at the time, sustaining nearly $10,000 in damage. Repairs took one month.
Talk about a nightmare flashback! We had a GMC Envoy pulling a 25 ft. trailer. Same situation as anonymous - everything was hooked up correctly and we were under the tow rating for the vehicle. We were hit with a gust of wind, combined with a relative newbie driver, and we lost control. Just thankful that when we hit the guardrail it threw us back toward the middle of the highway instead of the ravine we would have headed down. But somebody up there was looking out for us. There was no traffic next to us; there was a concrete median which kept us from hitting on-coming traffic; an EMS worker going home from Branson saw the accident, called for help, and stopped; a car full of nurses were several cars behind us and stopped to help; and most importantly - my sister and brother-in-law were following and able to help with all the details that need attention after an accident. My husband had a bump on his head, but after being checked out at the hospital in Springfield we were still able to make our reservations for Dixie Stampede! We now have a truck and 5th wheel!
why do people drive so fast with an rv. we are having fun. slow down, save gas and be safe. this is a good example. slow down and live................... i am a pa in er and you do not want to meet me this way................
I tow a 25' 5500# TT with a V8 4Runner. Made me a little nervous with a std WD hitch and 2 friction sway controllers. A bit twitchy in crosswinds. So I bought a Hensley Arrow. Night and day! VAST change. Never any twitch or sway from wind or passing trucks. If not for the Hensley, I would have had to buy another tow vehicle...and I don't have room or desire for a giant truck. I never exceed 55-60 mph, in ANY case.
Just curious how many who were involved in these accidents had any type of WDH or sway control. Even in high winds we always maintain control, the trailer has never swayed.
This struck a chord with me, as it happened to me several years ago. Fortunately our van did not tip, but we lost a beautiful bunkhouse model trailer. Also fortunate was the fact that none in my family was injured.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I looked at this and it brought back memories of May 2004. We had, and still have, a Chevy Trailblazer 6 cylinder that we used to tow a 25 foot trailer. The tow rating on the Trailblazer is 6500 lbs and the trailer was rated at 5200 lbs loaded, but we were probably under 5000 lbs. Driving down the interstate just shortly after entering from an on ramp and still picking up speed, an 18 wheeler cattle truck, empty, came flying by. It was estimated by us and by those who witnessed the accident that the trucker was probably doing at least 90 and we were about 55 and climbing. The wind from the semi hit out trailer and made it swing to the right and clip the right side of the Trailblazer and then swing back and clip hard the drivers side. As it was swinging back again, the Trailblazer was bouncing up and down and then we could feel the vehicle falling over on the drivers side. We landed hard and people behind us helped us, and our two Chihuahua's, out of the car. My wife got a scratch on her hand, I had no injury at all and the Chihuahua's were just fine since they were in their pet carriers. The trailer was still hooked to the car and was laying on its left side with its rear end overhanging a deep ditch between the east and west interstate lanes with out configuration in a straight line totally blocking the east bound side and the vehicle on the pavement. Vehicles got by on the shoulder. We had an anti-sway and equalizer hitch on, but that did not prevent the sway. They were properly connected. Nothing broke loose on the connection but one equalizer bar got bent. The trucker who flew by probably never saw what happened and he was over the hill in seconds while we were bouncing around. Our lesson learned was from the tow truck driver that an SUV should never tow a trailer that is more than about 2 feet longer at most than the length of the SUV, and all trailers should preferably be towed by a pickup or full size van with 8 cylinders. 6 cylinder should be left for pop-ups and very light trailers under about 3200 pounds. He said he sees many accidents each year just like ours in which a medium size SUV is pulling a trailer that is really too big. We were only about 100 miles from home heading out on our vacation when this happened. The trailer was totalled by the insurance company, but our Trailblazer was repaired since it was somewhat new at the time, sustaining nearly $10,000 in damage. Repairs took one month.
ReplyDeleteTalk about a nightmare flashback! We had a GMC Envoy pulling a 25 ft. trailer. Same situation as anonymous - everything was hooked up correctly and we were under the tow rating for the vehicle. We were hit with a gust of wind, combined with a relative newbie driver, and we lost control. Just thankful that when we hit the guardrail it threw us back toward the middle of the highway instead of the ravine we would have headed down. But somebody up there was looking out for us. There was no traffic next to us; there was a concrete median which kept us from hitting on-coming traffic; an EMS worker going home from Branson saw the accident, called for help, and stopped; a car full of nurses were several cars behind us and stopped to help; and most importantly - my sister and brother-in-law were following and able to help with all the details that need attention after an accident. My husband had a bump on his head, but after being checked out at the hospital in Springfield we were still able to make our reservations for Dixie Stampede! We now have a truck and 5th wheel!
ReplyDeletewhy do people drive so fast with an rv. we are having fun. slow down, save gas and be safe. this is a good example. slow down and live................... i am a pa in er and you do not want to meet me this way................
ReplyDeleteDid anybody notice the radar speed in the bottem right corner of the video 66mph, seems like that is a little fast with any kind of wind!
ReplyDeleteTry a Hensley Arrow!! No Sway!! and a larger tow vehicle.
ReplyDeleteI tow a 25' 5500# TT with a V8 4Runner. Made me a little nervous with a std WD hitch and 2 friction sway controllers. A bit twitchy in crosswinds. So I bought a Hensley Arrow. Night and day! VAST change. Never any twitch or sway from wind or passing trucks. If not for the Hensley, I would have had to buy another tow vehicle...and I don't have room or desire for a giant truck. I never exceed 55-60 mph, in ANY case.
ReplyDeleteJust curious how many who were involved in these accidents had any type of WDH or sway control. Even in high winds we always maintain control, the trailer has never swayed.
ReplyDeleteThe longer the wheelbase of your tow vehicle, the more control you maintain.
ReplyDelete