Yea that guy is one of us. He made a bad mistake, but I appreciate his willingness to hang those pictures and the story out there so we can all learn the easy way. I don't know much, but as a contractor for FEMA hired about 500 drivers to deliver thousands of travel trailers. After witnessing a few ugly incidents my advice would be:
1) Be SURE EVERYTHING is right before you start a pull. NEVER rely on luck; it will let you down. If there is ANY doubt in your mind don't try it. It's just not worth the gamble. You really CAN wait to get that truck home.
2) Check your tire pressure. Don't trust dry-rotted or worn out tires.
3) Check your brakes - again - even if you "know" they work. Don't even think about pulling a trailer or towed vehicle without brakes. A little rain or a dope pulls out in front of you and you can have a life-ruining experience.
4) Have enough tongue weight! It's a lot more fun to find out you don't have enough tongue weight with a scale such as:
http://www.sherlinedirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=13
than with an out-of-control wag. You just can't imagine the feeling when you become sure that your rig is now past the point of no return, is defintely going to jacknife, is definitely about to trash your trailer and load and maybe towing vehicle, and unless you are real lucky today people are going to get hurt - bad. You can only hold on and wait what seems like an eternity to find out how bad the mess will be.
5) Don't overload your tow vehicle, hitch, trailer, tires, anything. Any apparently indestructable heavy steel object can break if overloaded: leaf springs, trailer balls, trailer hitches, trailer frames, wheel spindles, chains...
6) Don't get over confident. Take your time. Go slower than you could and leave more margin to stop. Drive as if you are sure all other drivers and mother nature are conspiring to get you.
I've seen plenty of drivers - rookie and old-salts - get away with breaking all the rules. Usually you will, but one day you quit being lucky and it's you and YOUR new truck in those pictures.
1) Be SURE EVERYTHING is right before you start a pull. NEVER rely on luck; it will let you down. If there is ANY doubt in your mind don't try it. It's just not worth the gamble. You really CAN wait to get that truck home.
2) Check your tire pressure. Don't trust dry-rotted or worn out tires.
3) Check your brakes - again - even if you "know" they work. Don't even think about pulling a trailer or towed vehicle without brakes. A little rain or a dope pulls out in front of you and you can have a life-ruining experience.
4) Have enough tongue weight! It's a lot more fun to find out you don't have enough tongue weight with a scale such as:
http://www.sherlinedirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=13
than with an out-of-control wag. You just can't imagine the feeling when you become sure that your rig is now past the point of no return, is defintely going to jacknife, is definitely about to trash your trailer and load and maybe towing vehicle, and unless you are real lucky today people are going to get hurt - bad. You can only hold on and wait what seems like an eternity to find out how bad the mess will be.
5) Don't overload your tow vehicle, hitch, trailer, tires, anything. Any apparently indestructable heavy steel object can break if overloaded: leaf springs, trailer balls, trailer hitches, trailer frames, wheel spindles, chains...
6) Don't get over confident. Take your time. Go slower than you could and leave more margin to stop. Drive as if you are sure all other drivers and mother nature are conspiring to get you.
I've seen plenty of drivers - rookie and old-salts - get away with breaking all the rules. Usually you will, but one day you quit being lucky and it's you and YOUR new truck in those pictures.
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