CUCV towbar for rent/loan between Tampa and Atlanta?

[BigJay]

The really sad part about this whole story is that a $100 to $150 antisway bar probably would have prevented the loss. For those that tow trailers it is some of the cheapest security that you can buy. If you have ever had a trailer sway from a passing truck then you know how scarey it can be. Nothing you do will stop it and it will put you wherever it wants you to go. The antisway bar stops the sway before it starts. I pull a 33 foot camping trailer with a F150 and use 2 antisway bars on it. I also tighten them as tightas I can when I leave home and recheck them around 50 miles. Something to think about for anyone towing a trailer. I really think there should be a law requiring them on tag-along trailers.

Anti-sway bars are VERY nice. But the real problem was not having enough weight on the tongue.. and he couldn't put more on because the F150 wouldn't handle it well. I tow my 3/4 ton suburban on a smallish(similar to his) tag trailer all the time.. but I do it with an F350 with quite a bit of weight on my hitch.

I don't have a whole bunch of experience with the anti-sway stuff, but I don't think it makes an impropperly loaded(sorry Joe, hated to use that phrase) trailer any safer does it? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I am?

Personally I'm about to drag my Suburban 1500 miles across the country and I really really wish I had the $$ to get a gooseneck before the move. I do hope to get an antisway setup at least before I go.

-Jay

 

[lstmate]

The anit-sway may not totally make up for hitch weight problems but... I have towed trailers for the last 25 years behind several different vehicles and different styles of trailers and have experienced my share of sway problems and I do know that once the anti-sway is installed ALL sway problems stop. With the anti-sways on my 33 foot camper I can pull it at speeds upto 80 MPH straight and true without any swaying. Probably the worst scenario in this case is that the sway would have been manageable but I really think it would have stopped the sway all together as long as all wheels were on the ground to get traction. But that is one of those things we will never know, it's a day late and a dollar short....

 

[RallyRebel]

Here's a stupid question. Dunno what part of Atlanta the truck is at but do you feel up to bringing any parts south? I have the canvas of a GP Medium tent and some smaller stuff at Clinto's house in Stratham GA. I might could beg Clinto to bring the stuff to where you are if you're up to it. The tent probably weighs 250# and maybe 100# in small stuff.

Stratham is up by Lawrenceville which is where the truck started out before the big flip. Now it's about 60 miles south of there in Stockbridge. If the other haul offer doesn't work out I could possible do it next weekend as I have to go to Lawrenceville to pick up my rally VehiCROSS to bring home. Plenty of room in it since it's gutted for rally and the back of the pickup should be relatively empty as well.

I don't have a whole bunch of experience with the anti-sway stuff, but I don't think it makes an impropperly loaded(sorry Joe, hated to use that phrase) trailer any safer does it? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I am?

No worries, I've towed a lot of heavy stuff with my Dad's F150 and that trailer and it's always been great and I've learned where to set the tongue weight. My 1934 Caterpillar Twenty-two crawler weighs more than the CUCV and tows great with that combo, but is much more compact with a lower CG. So I feel the larger size and higher CG of the CUCV made a marginal situation much worse and the close pass by the semi was the trigger. If I had taken a side road like I plan to tomorrow then this likely never would have happened. But all in all it's working out well. We'll see how this next trip goes!

Since this all transpired I've purchased a Talbert 50-ton lowboy to use with my '70 Transtar, so while that would be a bit overkill (there's no kill like overkill!) I think that will be the transport of choice until I complete my 26' Mack rollback project.

Joe

 

[clinto]

You guys let me know how I can help. I am zip code 30666, am on the member's map.

 

[rizzo]

update?

 

[pigfoot63]

Sorry for you bad luck, I have a towbar if you decide to go that way. I'm up in Gainesville, Ga. but I work in ATL. be more than glad to bring to Stockbridge if you need it.

 

[Westech]

well I was Googling junk and came across this post. All I can say is you used the wrong trailer. That's about it.

 

[wikallen]

Correct me if I am wrong, but do I only see a bumper hitch on the F150? A class III receiver, and some bolt on overload springs would have been at least what one should have had to do this job with a 1/2 ton.

Looks like a great strapping job.

 

[Hal O'Peridol]

Hate to be the bad guy here, but there is no way you should have tried to tow that rig.

From what I see.....

Tow vehicle, Ford f150 half ton

Bumper ball hitch.

CUCV one ton truck.

No brakes on trailer http://www.planetarydomination.com/M1028/P4220051.JPG

Not enough tongue weight.

CUCV too far back on trailer.

What was the weight capacity of the trailer? Curb weight on a 1008 is almost 6000 pounds.

At least you should have had a heavier, longer and lower trailer with brakes and anti sway bars. Tow vehicle should have had a receiver hitch. And you probably should have had a F250 as a tow vehicle. Lucky you didn't cause someone else to get hurt.

 

[vkirchner]

I just towed my son's Camaro back through there last weekend thinking about a wreck like that all the way home to Ohio. Scary situation but I am glad to hear everyone is okay.

 

[K9Vic]

Holy old post batman, but yeah I have discussed this with other CUCV friends of mine and the under rated towing method.

 

[Boss Doug]

This happened in 2007! I think it's a little late to be beating him up now don't you??

 

[Westech]

Hey I just said I was Goolging.......and its good to bring a post back up and not just repost like most of the FNG's and besides I see you knuckle heads doing this kinda stuff OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!!!!!!

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

I tow all kinds of stuff with my ford F150 short bed no wrecks yet. heavy heavy stuff more than what my trailers rated for.

The only thing he did wrong was go to fast and more tongue weight would have helped.

I just hauled in 8500lbs of scrap on my 4500lbs rated trailer. top speed 40mph When hauling over the limit you must be very careful and be very alert!!!! always.

glad no one got hurt and he kept his rig shinny side up.

 

[Dave Kay]

HOLE-E-COW! What a major bummer! But what luck too---- that nobody was hurt... except for your wallet which I figure might be feelin' a lotta' pain I guess.