We rolled our 06 28 CCD

[bobchevy89]

Sorry about your loss. But am glad you are both ok. Don't think the brake controller would have helped.when trailer brakes are locked up tires heat up real fast and act like grease.only one word of advice don't pass a semi going down hill,he is trying to get up speed for the next hill.you got caught in his big cushion af air he was pushing.that is what helped to make you fish tail. next time pass when the truck is going up hill..but still glad only metal was hurt.
Bob

[2airishuman]

hi david and june…

really good to read no one was injured…

I agree with marc so sorry for the accident…

and any premature judgments here…

losing the a/s is horrible but a new one goes along way in healing.

from your other posts you seem adventurous, spirited and happy with the
airstream for wanderlust..

i hope you can hang on to those traits…

and get back to airstream travels….

cheers
2air’

[roamingwesty]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

hi david and june…

...losing the a/s is horrible but a new one goes along way in healing.
...
and get back to airstream travels….

cheers
2air’

...And post your new A/S toy one fine Thursday in the Thursday thread maybe!

Sorry to hear it. Glad no one's hurt.

Ricky

[hiker]

Wishing you a speedy recovery to your new Airstream life. Post pics when you get your new rig

[Foiled Again]

Got some coming your way. At least you two came through it safely. Don't let it get you down, but come back to Airstreaming and see you down the road. Whew - I'm sure we've all had close calls that could have gone wrong oh so easily.

I moved my Airstream between camps and noticed I picked up a nail in a tire somewhere on a 10 mile journey. Never exceeded 40 mph... but it could have been open road and a serious accident.

Accidents happen in seconds.. speculation after the fact lasts for a long time, but if you end up a better driver and a better Airstreamer, it ends up being all good.

SAFE journeying in your new AS - and look at the 27 Safari FB SE... Very nice (and the rear dinette is much roomier than the side one).

Paula Ford

[68 Overlander]

David.
Merry Christmas that you are all safe after that horrible experience. If you get a chance, please post the particulars so we can learn from it. What were the road conditions?
As already mentioned, reaching for the manual override on the brake control is controversial and needs addressed. It's a moot point for your situation and maybe would not have made a difference but manufactures generally do not recommend it for fishtailing. Many of us were taught to use the override and it could in fact work in "some" situations but definitely not all.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by bobchevy89

Sorry about your loss. But am glad you are both ok. Don't think the brake controller would have helped.when trailer brakes are locked up tires heat up real fast and act like grease.only one word of advice don't pass a semi going down hill,he is trying to get up speed for the next hill.you got caught in his big cushion af air he was pushing.that is what helped to make you fish tail. next time pass when the truck is going up hill..but still glad only metal was hurt.
Bob

While I've never had a situation as serious as this happen to me I did, earlier in my towing life, notice the issue of attempting to pass a truck going down hill and the effect it made on the trailer. I learned early that its much smarter to fall behind and do the passing on the up side of the hill.

For those of you new in the game also note that you can get into a similar situation going downhill if a semi blows by you. Since we have our share of hills in Missouri I've made it a habit to look back prior to coming down a large hill and noting if I am going to have a semi pass by while on the downside of the hill. Many times I have either increased speed to keep them from catching me on the downslope or have slowed prior to the downhill to let them get by before we are both on the downward slope.

Also note that when you get into a yaw condition applying the trailer brakes in most cases is only one half of the corrective action needed. You also need to attempt to accelerate the tow vehicle as you manually apply the trailer brakes. Those two actions together cause the trailer and tow vehicle to pull against each other, in effect straightening out the yaw. Granted attempting to accelerate while going downhill in a yaw condition is pretty spooky.

Jack

[SnorkyII]

This is the second Airstream I know of that has rolled in this area. The Nadlers from San Diego also rolled their Airstream in the same area a year or two back.

Sam

[guy99]

Originally Posted by SnorkyII

This is the second Airstream I know of that has rolled in this area. The Nadlers from San Diego also rolled their Airstream in the same area a year or two back.

Sam

I5 between Redding and Weed and between Yreka and Medford, Or. have some very bad spots for trailers. There are trouble spots both north and south bound the main problem is deceptively steep grades with turn which tighten up or reverse near the bottom. You would be amazed at the trailers I see doing 75 on this road.

Between Weed and Yreka they road is pretty flat but winds can be awsome. Once I was driving this section in our Yukon and pulled off on a ramp (can't remember why), I almost couldn't get the door open because of the wind - a smaller, lighter person would not have been able to. Getting back in was a real challenge.

[68 Overlander]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Also note that when you get into a yaw condition applying the trailer brakes in most cases is only one half of the corrective action needed. You also need to attempt to accelerate the tow vehicle as you manually apply the trailer brakes. Those two actions together cause the trailer and tow vehicle to pull against each other, in effect straightening out the yaw. Granted attempting to accelerate while going downhill in a yaw condition is pretty spooky.

Jack

Jack is correct and one could even argue to not touch the trailer brakes at first but like he said, that takes guts when your going downhill on wet pavement.
We use Michelin's video (with permission) to illustrate the corrective action following a blowout in an RV and I believe the same principles hold true for the inertia encountered in "excessive" trailer fishtailing. I mean when the end is coming around, or getting ready to.

[Foiled Again]

I'm from the other coast, and it's dead flat for 50 miles inland, so though I have gone camping up in the Allegheny mountains I'm sure I'm unprepared for the awesome Rockies. I'd like to gain as much knowledge beforehand as possible.

Now I'm going to admit to what may be a massive dumb thing, or maybe I'm doing it right. I honestly DON'T know. I always readjust my Prodigy brake control every time I go on a trip - six times so far this year. I do it as I'm pulling out of the campground where I normally stay. I brake hard and I tighten up the trailer brakes until they start to grab just BEFORE the truck brakes do. When I'm parking it, I loosen up the controller so that the tow vehicle does all of the braking.

My thinking is that on the road I want the trailer to drag the truck, not push it in a panic stop. (That actually happend on my very first trip towing. A dump truck cut right in front of me, and braked hard to make an exit ramp on the Baltimore beltway. Other than scrubbing the upholstery afterwards I was fine. The trailer stayed dead straight behind the tow vehicle. Don't ask what I was doing on the Baltimore beltway... I knew it was dumb, but I figured that it wouldn't be busy early Sunday morning. - Wrong! )

I've presume that tire wear and brake wear on both the tow vehicle and the Airstream will require making these adjustments - and since I drive the Big Dawg when I'm not towing, the brake controller setting could change.

A few months ago I blew the roadside rear tire on the tow vehicle going up a steep grade in West Virginia - and I think the Reese Dual Cam and Airstream actually saved me from what could have been a lot of drama!!!! Going 65 mph on a 7% uphill grade in a Suburban 2500 with big tires without the added stability of 4 trailer tires?.... Coulda rolled it. Easily.

Anyway Folks, am I right or wrong on the brake controller?

(Oh last chuckle. I just found that Airstream is now including video tape on trailer towing safety. It was in my overhead bin, but I'm too short to see the bottom of the bin. Got on a stool looking for something else and found it. The irony? The new Airstream has a TV, and a DVD player included, but NO VCR! Uh d'oh! Why not put it on DVD and have it playing when I picked up the unit?

Paula Ford

[Silvertwinkie]

Paula.

I can't see that hurting. I tend to set mine once per season unless on my per trip braking test I feel it needs an adjustment. You never know when you take your car to the car wash, what gets bumped or changed. So far my Prodigy hasn't, but my mirrors, seats, and child saftey locks on the back doors have been changed nearly every car wash.......

[claybags]

WOW!!! What can one add but"really glad you are OK". The material stuff is easily replaced. That stretch of I5 is nutsy at best. We had semis passing us in a snowstorm last Feb. coming over the Siskiyous. It was all I could do to see at 20 mph in blinding snow and wind, and these guys are blowing by me at 60 mph!! Don't ask why we were coming over the mtn's towing a trailer the first week of Feb.
But...you are all Ok ! Have a great holiday seaso, it will only get better.
Cheers, Jeff

[DFord79]

I am so glad you are ok. Things happen that we are not always prepaired for in life. Hope the insurance works out.

I read some of the comments regarding the accident. If I am being redundant then so be it. I have read advise in these forums and in several places it says that its best to haul your AS with a light duty truck because a heavy duty with cause damage to your AS. If the AS falls apart with a heavy duty truck.....I guess I won't be buying a second one. You have to get the tool thats right for the JOB DONE SAFE. THIS is not critisizing anyone here. Just plain good sense from someone who has hauled loads most of my life. Buy a proper hitch as most do....but most of all...Buy a tow vehicle that will do that job without ....I repeat... without strain. I will only tow with a ONE TON dually,,,,and thats going to be replaced with a Ford F-450 in a couple of years when the NEW Fords are a year or so old. I have had my trailer fish tail with my one ton on a couple of occasions because of... 1. I was going to fast for conditions. 2. I was day dreaming and didnt see the corner comming in the rain.....If there is space I put the gas too it and it streightens it right out. IF YOU HIT THE TRAILER BRAKE WHEN THE TRAILER IS FISHTAILING...THE TRAILER WILL SOON BE LEADING YOU...NOT YOU LEADING IT. If you are limited to room...then the truck brakes have to take control...and if your driving a half ton truck with a 28 foot trailer...guess what...the tailer wins. Buy a hammer big enough to drive the nail on the first hit....WAS GOOD ADVICE MY DAD GAVE ME..LOL.

Seriously folks...I see so many people limping along on the way to tragedy. 3/4 ton trucks hauling 5,000 campers. Half ton trucks trying to pull a load twice the size of what the truck is made for. Insurance companys and now some state laws will punish for these mistakes. Be prepared and get a truck the will contrill your load. As you can see I feel real strong about this. Its because I had a driver killed because HE would not listen to proper loading of His truck.

[DFord79]

ONE more note....I have pulled my trailers all year. I live in snow country. I put chains on the truck and on the trailer if its slick.....I can go anywhere. Never had a problem in the slick.

[DFord79]

Ideally you want you brake controller and your truck brakes to brake at the same time with the same force without either locking up. You never want anything to lock up on either. Thats why they invented anti lock brakes. If you trailer locks up first thats dangerous. Your trailer will come around on you.

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by DFord79

ONE more note....I have pulled my trailers all year. I live in snow country. I put chains on the truck and on the trailer if its slick.....I can go anywhere. Never had a problem in the slick.

Can you elaborate besides chains what tips and tricks you learned in different types of snow?

Also what do chains on the TT do?

[DFord79]

I always buy reinforced bar chains. I don't like cable chains not enough grip and I find they are not any easier to put on. OLD FASHIONED REINFORCED chains give the best traction. I also carry a chain repair tool with extra cross links. If you break a link its easy to repair and a pair of converals and something (old blanket etc) to lay on. I rarely brake a chain link. The only time I have broken links is when I was forced to drive on pavement with little or no snow on it. I lay out the chains on the ground and drive over them. Lock then around the wheels and pull forward and retighten them. Use Stretchers too. Then drive a short distance and recheck for tighness and never drive over 30 miles an hour with chains on. I prefer 20 mph. Putting on chains is a messy business when its wet out. If the weather is bad and I need chains at home and my truck is parked under my car port or in my garage I have a hydrolic floor jack that makes putting them on much easier. You can get them on tight the first time when you can jack you rig up. I use the same reinforced chains for the trailer. They cost more but are worth it. I have used chains several times on my trailers over the years. YOU would be amazed at how well a one ton dually 4x4 with chains on both ends and your trailer with chains on just one set of tires will do in the snow or ice. If you have a tandem axel you only need one wheel on eash side chained up on your trailer. This experience came from Elk hunting in the snow with 3 foot drifts accross the road when we woke up. Without the chains on the 4x4 and the trailer too I would have never gotten out till spring. The guys with jeeps were chaining up on that occasion.