Trailer Safety

[whozleft]

OK, here's what happened. Attached my trailer to the Venture last Sat. Checked everything to make sure i was working, hitch locked, etc. Going down I-70 in downtown Columbus Ohio I hear a big bang. My wife looks back and we're dragging the trailer. I slow down very carefully and pull off. Guess what I found. The ball was in the hitch but was broken off the drawbar. Who ever heard of that happening? I'm sure it was defective somehow. My trailer was empty at the time and I was only going 60 mph at the time.

 

Now what to do? Don't have parts with me and no extra ball. Hate the thought of leaving the trailer alongside the road for any length of time knowing it may get thrown in the back of a pickup while I'm off getting a new ball. Luckily we were at an overpass. I saw a drain hole and lo and behold there's a rebar running through the whole. I was able to cable the trailer to the rebar to at least feel like I had done something to secure it, and we were only a 1/4 mile from the next exit. Two blocks down was a U-Haul dealer where I bought a new ball.

 

Within 1/2 hour I was back hitching the trailer back up to the bike and running down the road.

 

Moral of story? I'm not sure you could ever know the ball shaft would be snapping clear off. But thankfully I had bought new safety chains and they kept the trailer with the bike. That's good since there was a car only about a car length behind me when the thing let lose. I wouldn't have been able to cope with it if my trailer came lose and someone else got hurt. So please make sure you ALWAYS have safety chains. I know several people who don't want to mess with them.

 

the only damage is a couple spots on front of the trailer that must have hit the road soemhow. That's much better than personal injury. I was going to get the bottom half of the trailer painted sometime anyway. Now it'll just take a little body work.

 

Guys, be careful out there.

 

God is good!

[WV Terry]

Glad you were not hurt !! We had a close call going thru Columbus on Friday afternoon on 270 by-pass. We were following friends who were behind an Overnite tractor that was pulling tandem trailers. In front of the Overnite rig was a dump truck that exploded a tire. By the time the rig went over the tire casing along with it's two trailers, pieces were coming out the back higher than the top of the trailer. Naturally we were in heavy traffic & could not change lanes. My friend's wife had a small piece of tire hit her on the face & his saddlebags got some scuffing but that was all. The good Lord was looking out for us !! Next time we will not ride thru near rush hour.

[Freebird]

Very unusual I think. I have never heard of a ball breaking off like that. Great example of why the safety chains are needed though. Glad you are OK and hope that I don't ever hear of that happening again.

[greg_in_london]

I've said it before, but it's still funny how different countries have different takes on this. In the UK a trailer equipped with an over-run brake is supposed to have a cable which is designed to snap once it has put the (hand)brake on on the trailer, if the hitch comes apart.

Possibly the assumption is that the rig is most likely to come apart when the trailer is still stationary. This system prevents it rolling away out of control. If it comes off when towing, the brakes will go on, protecting pedestrians (do you have them in the US?).

 

'Security' chains don't seem to be encouraged at all.

[Gray Ghost]

protecting pedestrians (do you have them in the US?).

 

We do have pedestrians, but like in so many things, our different dialects mean the name changes slightly. Many drivers here just refer to them as "targets":whistling:

[Guest tx2sturgis]

My guess is that you may have overtightened the nut on the ball shank. Probably caused a crack in the metal. It may have been a poor quality import.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

[rooster1]

Anyone Know Where You Can Rent A Camper Trailer In Tampa Fl To Pull Behind My 06 Venture. Taking A Trip To The Mountains In June Would Like To Do Some Camping.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Anyone Know Where You Can Rent A Camper Trailer In Tampa Fl To Pull Behind My 06 Venture. Taking A Trip To The Mountains In June Would Like To Do Some Camping.

 

I could be wrong, but I doubt seriously that anyone would ever rent a trailer, to pull behind a bike, because of a huge liability issue.

 

Oh sure, you might find a buddy that would let you use one, but a commercial enterprise has to consider lawsuits, in case you have an accident, blame it on the trailer, hire a lawyer, and then sue them out of existence.

 

For the few millions in insurance coverage it would take to cover that, renting a trailer that the bike manufacturers state is NOT to be pulled with their bike...and the income of a few measly hundred dollars per unit for renting them out for a week or so...nah...aint gonna happen dude.

 

Like I said...I could be wrong.

 

Just go buy one, then sell it after your done.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BOO]

I've said it before, but it's still funny how different countries have different takes on this. In the UK a trailer equipped with an over-run brake is supposed to have a cable which is designed to snap once it has put the (hand)brake on on the trailer, if the hitch comes apart.

Possibly the assumption is that the rig is most likely to come apart when the trailer is still stationary. This system prevents it rolling away out of control. If it comes off when towing, the brakes will go on, protecting pedestrians (do you have them in the US?).

 

'Security' chains don't seem to be encouraged at all.

 

Yes we have the brakes on some trailers, here in Illinois after the trailer gets to 3,000 gross pounds (weight of course) then they have to have brakes and only electric. But the chains are real important for keeping the trailer under control.

Jerry

[Billet]

Wasn't by chance one of those bargain balls from Harbor Freight? Just can't expect much for 99cents.

Just thankful no one was hurt!!