Check your hitches

[Buzz 502]

   John Fisher and I live about twenty minutes apart and for the past ten years or so have conveyed together to the Big Show. It gives you peace of mind knowing that if you have mechanical problems there is help nearby and a couple of times there were problems. This year the trip was uneventful if you don't mind driving the four and a half hour trip home in a driving rain. After we split up a few miles from home John had a near tragedy. As he turned on a back road about three miles from home, his trailer jack drug on the road. He thought that he had forgot to raise it when we pulled out so he pulled over to check. What he found was scary. The whole receiver had broken loose from his motorhome and was hanging down. The rear metal plates when the receiver was welded to the motorhome chassis had rotted away. The front ones were holding, barely. The part that was hanging down was also where the safety chains attach so if the front plates failed the trailer with five 'Horses on it would have come loose and been a runaway missile. The consequences could have been deadly, at the least the trailer and 'Horses would have been wrecked.
  
 Lesson learned? Get under your tow vehicle and check the welds, condition of the metal, etc. Basically the structural integrity of the receiver especially if you tow a boat trailer and/ or live near the seashore. John was lucky, you might not be.
   
 

[JAinVA 4,619]

Sounds like calcium chloride at work.Thankfully no one was hurt but when will this insanity end.Brake lines failing because of corrosion from calcium choride has become
epidemic in the northern states.I made three trips during the winter months through New England during the winter of 09 in a new truck and the resulting rust is alarming
to see.I would almost rather see no road treatments in the winter months than put up with the corrosion.Sodium chroride is hard on steel but was bad for the EPA's vision
for the world but calcium chloride is not the answer.Anyone who has had to deal with weighted tractor tires and corroded rims knows what I mean.If you live where they treat the roads in the winter with a LIQUID then definitely check under your vehicle for rust.Luck.JAinVA

[squonk 41,171]

I'll tell you something about motor homes. I worked in an RV dealer 25 yrs. ago and spent a week at the Winnebago plant. When the chassis come in it's chop and hang where ever and how ever. The frames were comprimised and I saw a few scary hitch arrangements on the rear of a lot of RV's. I'm not saying they are built like that now. but the extra long, short wheel base ones would have a lot of stress towing anything.

Edited July 6, 2015 by squonk

[Ed Kennell 38,326]

Now, That is a scary experience.  Glad no one was hurt.   Just curious, does NJ have a vehicle inspection program? 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Sounds like calcium chloride at work.Thankfully no one was hurt but when will this insanity end.Brake lines failing because of corrosion from calcium choride has become
epidemic in the northern states.

I'll second that. Pre-treating the roads with a brine liquid was new to me when I moved to Maryland from Illinois. It must be an East Coast/Mid-Atlantic thing.  I bought a 2001 GMC in 2011 with only 29K miles that was previously owned in PA. Two years ago at 43K miles I had to spend $1,100.00 to replace the brake lines. Luckily the pedal went to the floor about a mile from home but it was towed to the repair shop. When able, I plan on checking the receiver's integrity after reading this..

[stevasaurus 22,769]

glad you and John are OK Buzz.  You are right, when the safety chains use the receiver hitch, you would have had a big, free wheeling, bullet rolling down the road.  Scary indeed.

[Buzz 502]

Now, That is a scary experience.  Glad no one was hurt.   Just curious, does NJ have a vehicle inspection program? 

Not much of one. The only thing they check anymore is pollution.

[19richie66 17,508]

Also be sure to check the latch on the trailer tongue for play and make sure it latches solidly on the ball. I lost a boat and trailer on a freeway,safety chains snapped and the boat/trailer passed me. Luckily there was no one in front of me and everyone behind me looked like a restart at the Daytona race. I managed to get back in front of it and try to slow it down until what was left of the trailer jack caught a groove in the road and it made a sharp right turn,went all the way back across three lanes and down an embankment. Believe it or not, the trailer and boat both survived. The only casualty was the wheel on the trailer jack. I drove about 20 miles an hour back to the shop after I got to it and hooked it back up. Found out the inside of the trailer tongue was worn out and the latch was bent. also someone else had hooked up the trailer to the truck for me to use.I always check and recheck the latching system now on any trailer I tow. I don't take anyone's word for it anymore. They won't be the ones responsible if something goes wrong.
   I'm glad to hear no one was hurt and you guys made it home ok.

[Racinbob 11,114]

Great to hear everything is OK. Lots of great comments here that should be taken to heart. I showed this thread to my wife. More than once during our RV'ing years and even on the trip to the big show this year she questioned why I had to check everything at every gas station, rest stop, etc. Tires, trailer bearings, trailer light connection, safety chains..........you get the idea.

[JAinVA 4,619]

Trailers that become diconnected and run away are no joke.A young fellow I worked with many years ago was the victim of such an accident.Trailer got loose from the towing vehicle crossed the medium and the tongue went through the left wheel well and lodged in the seat back inches from his couisins head on the passengers side.Took his left leg off and he got and ride in the Nighting Helicopter.I do a lot of traveling with tractors and parts much heavier than any GT and
I check everything at any stop.I have heard many scary stories from members on here about what they have found during and after road trips.Check everthing you can when on the road.I would never want to think someone got hurt because I didn't.Luck,JAinVa  

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Thank for the heads up. Glad no one was injured in this mishap.
My jack also hit the pavement several times on the way to the big show, but it was my fault...It wasn't cranked up all the way....Long story.
I did check my hitch & load straps every time we stopped on the way up and back.