The Anatomy of a Towing Accident -- What is?

[rmkrum]

As an engineer, I would contend that the difference in velocity is what kills. 😀

(I also say the glass is too large)

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[Wolf Alaska]

Towing my 34' all aluminium Featherlite SURV trailer with my V-10 Ford Excursion 4X4, I felt totally safe & wasn't worried about anything on the road.

Then, in 2012 on a road north of Sheridan, WY; I came upon a trailer rollover that had just happened. The trailer was a heap of debris in the median.

The rolled over Ford Execursion was disconnected & sitting on its wheels in a paved median crossing. Every window was broken by its multiple rollovers. Several occupants were injured & laying on the pavement except one who was tossed down an embankment.

We stopped & joined about 10 other people & rendered what aid we could. I mainly helped direct the sparse traffic as it backed up. Others with medical training aided the injured while we waited on EMT's to arrive (about an hour).

This event has a profound impact on me. I am much slower on the highway, more patient, & stop to check the equipment more often.

My one bit of advise to the OP: do NOT accelerate downhill to build up speed to climb the next hill.

Let's Roll !
Wolf

[WherryWillie]

My rig -- 2016 Ram 1500 and AS 26U -- were purchased before I got to the bottom of the distinction between towing capacity and payload and how the tongue weight of the trailer counted in the payload. I think both the Ram salesman and the AS folks did a poor job of explaining that. In both cases the people and literature talks only about towing capacity with no mention of the related limitation of payload.

My point is that AS should help its customers with this issue: put tongue weight in the literature, along with total weight, with an explanation of how it relates to the TV's payload capacity.

I do appreciate this conversation. I basically follow the speed limits and of course slower -- while towing -- for ramps and curves. I agree, slowing down is a safe move. However, sometimes you end up in heavy traffic going 70. Maybe this is going to kill me, but in these instances it feels safer to go with the flow (at 70) rather than be an obstacle in the road at 65. Trying to change lanes, which must be done from time to time, moving slower than the rest of the herd, is its own hazard.
Thanks,

[xrvr]

The gross weight is on the id tag on the exterior of the trailer. The tongue weight is readily available from AS.com and elsewhere. Hope this helps. One must do his own research, much info is only available that way. The forums is the best research tool available, do your homework on here and any info you need is available.

[RAH]

This website has several airstreams (and other trailers) with lots of picture of the aftermath of towing accidents. www.iaai.com. Scary stuff that provides a lot of reasons to take an extra measure of safety when towing.

[Piggy Bank]

I may be wrong regarding others, because I have not checked.

I DID check the owners manual for my tow vehicle.

It clearly advises not to tow at speeds over 65 MPH due to stability and the extra time it affords to react while driving.

Have you checked your owner's manual?

Yes we all know that a lot of that literature is done up by the lawyers. But try as one might, it will always be true that you, as a driver, have more time to react at a slower speed.

And while I agree that from time to time during a day's drive there will be occasions where one must speed up to meet a situation for safety, that is precisely why it is important to be at a safe "base" level that gives you the time to process information, and that you have marginal capacity to speed up if needed.

[xrvr]

Owners manual? We don't need no owners manual! Good point, most of the problems on the forums wouldn't be problems if people read their manuals.

[overlander63]

One of the things in the owner's manuals is the admonishment not to tow over 65mph, because the speed rating of ST tires is 65. Anything over that dramatically increses the chances of tire-related issues.

[J. Morgan]

FWIW, my trailer as it is equipped tows very, very, well behind both of my half ton tow vehicles.


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[switz]

We installed Kodiak 12" Dacromet Finish Rotors with Stainless Steel calipers on our Classic. Due to the lithium battery installation, the front battery box became the home for the electric/hydraulic brake pump. Not mentioned by the vendor was the complete incompatibility of the Brake Rite II pump with any truck's built recently. So the trip home was very challenging through the mountains.

We bypassed the Ram built in brake controller, a one wire modification, and installed the Tuson brake controller that plugs into the ADB port. That cured the erratic brake operation.

Going down mountain now, there is plenty of trailer brake available if needed. I set the cruise or select an appropriate gear in the transmission to control the speed with the Cummins exhaust brake system. I maintain several hundred feet of distance to the next vehicle since 19,200 pounds does not stop as fast as a motorcycle or car.

Note that using the engine exhaust brake is NOT recommended on slick roads.

[xrvr]

Good post, very informative, thank you.

[Piggy Bank]

Originally Posted by overlander63

One of the things in the owner's manuals is the admonishment not to tow over 65mph, because the speed rating of ST tires is 65. Anything over that dramatically increses the chances of tire-related issues.

I was referring to the tow vehicle (Toyota) owner manual, not the trailer manual.

Do you know, are all trailer rated tires only rated at 65?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

I was referring to the tow vehicle (Toyota) owner manual, not the trailer manual.

Do you know, are all trailer rated tires only rated at 65?

All ST tires are rated at 65, unless specified otherwise on the tire itself.

[PKI]

Believe the ST spec requires tires built to that standard must have a minimum rating of 65 mph. Believe that some XT tires have higher speed ratings. My neighbor has a set on his boat trailer that are rated for 85 mph if I recall his saga correctly. Good luck - Pat

[Boxite]

The new Carlisle HDs I bought are rated at 81 mph, but I'm sure not going to tow that fast. 65 is what is comfortable and good gas mileage.

[Ultradog]

Originally Posted by Jacob D

If you want to tow faster than 65 you have no business on the road with other citizens.

but the most important thing is to know the limitations of yourself and your equipment and act accordingly even if that means not leaving the driveway.

Arbitrary rules are, well, arbitrary.
If your comfort and skill levels and condition of your equipment limit you to 65 mph that is perfectly ok.
But I disagree that your personal limit should apply to every one.
My AS never leaves my property. But I tow a lot with my equipment trailer. I keep it in tip top shape and have pulled it many thousands of miles. If the speed limit is 80 and road, traffic and weather conditions permit, I will drive it 80. And I would do likewise with my AS.
Why?
Because it's legal to do so, I'm comfortable doing so and I'm confident in my equipment.
I like driving my old
tractors. Some people wouldn't even get on a tractor if it didn't have ROPS (roll over protection system) ie, a roll bar and seat belt. Many people would like to make rops mandatory - even old ones like I have.
Myself? If I bought a tractor that had rops I would immediately remove it.
Why?
Because in many ways they're a hindrance. And, it's still legal to drive tractors without it. Plus, I'm comfortable doing so and I'm confident in my equipment.

[J. Morgan]

On Monday according to my GPS I averaged 69 mph between Rockwall TX to my front door in Benton, AR, (Including a fuel stop)

Does that make me bad?


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by Jacob D

.....If you want to tow faster than 65 you have no business on the road with other citizens......

Kinda harsh don't you think. People have different equipment, different skills, and from place to place, different conditions and you want to personally say anyone who tows faster than 65 shouldn't be on the road.

Some use a Hensley or ProPride, many do not. Others use different sway control, and some don't use any. Some use Tire Pressure Monitors, many do not, and so on. I have my preferences, and what I think increases safety and what I think is more than I need, but not willing to ground those that don't agree.

+d

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by dcasr

Kinda harsh don't you think. People have different equipment, different skills, and from place to place, different conditions and you want to personally say anyone who tows faster than 65 shouldn't be on the road.

Some use a Hensley or ProPride, many do not. Others use different sway control, and some don't use any. Some use Tire Pressure Monitors, many do not, and so on. I have my preferences, and what I think increases safety and what I think is more than I need, but not willing to ground those that don't agree.

+d

We just got back doing a 5k tour from the Midwest out to Yosemite in CA and other parts west. On the way back on I-80 on sections of boring straightaways I had my cruise control set on 70. I only past up about 6 worn out looking trailers and MH. On the other hand I was past up by countless fifth wheels, motor homes and rvs. There was one short single axle Airstream Safari passed me up like I was standing still. Must have been going close to 80. So much for going 65 being the norm.

[HiJoeSilver]

I think most people are oblivious to the fact that ST tires are only rated for 65mph, and that going faster significantly increases your chances of a blow out that can end up very badly.