Trailer Disaster!

[Thom]

I did not sleep well last night cause I was considering the responses regarding my trailer size from yesterday. This morning it was neat to see others who see trailering as I do. I know my trailer does not fit the "norm", it fits me! I spent all of last year working on her welding, painting, greasing the bearings, and learning everything I could about trailering. Upon finishing my project I found that my tongue weight exceeded what most considered safe. Upon advice from members here I re-engineered the trailer and bought a heavy duty hitch. The results: 7,854 miles since July 10th. Attained the summit of Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina on Blue Ridge Parkway. Attained the pass on Mt. Bighorn near Cody, SD at elevation 9666' Got 44mpg near Bend, Oregon driving at a consistent 63mph on a calm windless day. Got 26mph driving 80mph on a terrible windy day along the Interstate in Idaho. Have had to emergency brake several times due to cars pulling in front of me. All of that and never knew the trailer was behind me. Please before anyone says yhea, but the trailer came off in went into a ditch. The part that came undone was assembled by the manufacturer. It had little to do with the size of my trailer. It would be the same as saying "See I told you Motorcycles are dangerous that's why your front tire blew!" You most remember I use to jump out of airplanes, actually as a jumpmaster I use to throw people out of airplanes! Dangerous? You bet! Exciting? You bet!

 

I know some will never agree with me on any of this. OK, I respect your opinions, and I thank you for trying to help all of us stay safe. This thread, I hope, is about the kindness that can still be found out in a world where it always seems to be about greed, fear, and hatred. Yhea, I ain't buying that either! It's about how proud I am about my trailer and the heck with you naysayers!!!

I gotta ask ? about the ball , i have heard about the bolt shearing on a ball and i am a little

worryed , i am a heave trailer puller like you and on my trl. hitch i have the ball that came from the dealer when the hitch was installed back in 1986 i assume , it is the chrome ball that has the bolt that screws up into the bottom of the ball , not the 1 with all thread and a lock washer and nut or the 1 that has a casted shaft on it . i would like to know witch 1 did you have and did it shear or come unscrewed ? if it is the same as mine and it sheared , it would be the 3rd one i have heard to happen and i got to change it .

About the naysayers , don't let them worry them , that is what is kwel about this site , you get both sides .

Thom

PS i hate you and people like you !!!!!

i have been thrown out of a perfectly working plane 3 times and it A'INTgonna happen again :moon:

pps if you scream like a girl at 4000 ft. and nobody can here , do they still laugh ?

[1joeranger]

The threaded rod, which I call an all thread, unscrewed from the ball. The all thread, nut, and lock washer are gone. The ball itself was still attached to the trailer hitch which I now have as a souvenir. Hope this helps!

 

So you are a 3 jump commando! You should know there is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane!!

[Thom]

The threaded rod, which I call an all thread, unscrewed from the ball. The all thread, nut, and lock washer are gone. The ball itself was still attached to the trailer hitch which I now have as a souvenir. Hope this helps!

 

So you are a 3 jump commando! You should know there is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane!!

Commando !? nope just a navy airdale , i used to have fun throwing Navy pilots out the side door of a helo every 6 mos until some jerk told the boss i have never qualified jumping with a rag on my back at 4000ft. 80 ft ok but nothing higher .

air-sea rescue HS-7 on the sinking Sara

Thom

[wizard]

We just got back from Sturgis today, and like you, the Tar Strips in Wyoming were the worst. The Venture didn't mind them in the other states, but Wyoming, Oh my gawd!

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I think pulling a half-ton trailer with a motorcycle is foolish, and shows a lack of common sense, and a total disregard for your passenger, yourself, and your fellow road users.

 

The manufacturers GVW for the bike is being exceeded, which means the frame, suspension, and brakes are all being over worked.

 

Luckily I will never be riding in the same county as you.

 

Having said that, you need to buy a heavy duty hitch and ball, and make sure its a one-piece hitch ball, and DONT overtighten it. Use a large lockwasher and maybe even some locktight.

 

You are very lucky. My advise? Invest in the lottery!

 

[bryan52577]

I did not sleep well last night cause I was considering the responses regarding my trailer size from yesterday. This morning it was neat to see others who see trailering as I do. I know my trailer does not fit the "norm", it fits me! I spent all of last year working on her welding, painting, greasing the bearings, and learning everything I could about trailering. Upon finishing my project I found that my tongue weight exceeded what most considered safe. Upon advice from members here I re-engineered the trailer and bought a heavy duty hitch. The results: 7,854 miles since July 10th. Attained the summit of Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina on Blue Ridge Parkway. Attained the pass on Mt. Bighorn near Cody, SD at elevation 9666' Got 44mpg near Bend, Oregon driving at a consistent 63mph on a calm windless day. Got 26mph driving 80mph on a terrible windy day along the Interstate in Idaho. Have had to emergency brake several times due to cars pulling in front of me. All of that and never knew the trailer was behind me. Please before anyone says yhea, but the trailer came off in went into a ditch. The part that came undone was assembled by the manufacturer. It had little to do with the size of my trailer. It would be the same as saying "See I told you Motorcycles are dangerous that's why your front tire blew!" You most remember I use to jump out of airplanes, actually as a jumpmaster I use to throw people out of airplanes! Dangerous? You bet! Exciting? You bet!

 

I know some will never agree with me on any of this. OK, I respect your opinions, and I thank you for trying to help all of us stay safe. This thread, I hope, is about the kindness that can still be found out in a world where it always seems to be about greed, fear, and hatred. Yhea, I ain't buying that either! It's about how proud I am about my trailer and the heck with you naysayers!!!

 

RJLAMO,

A Good post! And I am with you. It is about safety, and how you ride. And with that said, I would think "one" would have to see you ride and how you ride before ever calling you "Foolish". I ride and drive totally different when pulling a trailer in "ANY" vehicle, you have to. I have pulled many trailers with many different "motorcycles" over 34 years from a Honda XL 350 to the RSV I have to day, 14 different bikes, sizes, and brands all together. I had to make most of my hitches cause no one else did. Made my first hitch for the XL 350 to pull the lawn mower from one farm to another, yes on gravel roads too. Back then you never seen motorcycles pulling trailers and I got a lot of funny looks. "Like stupid kid is going to kill himself". Now you see people all over the world pull trailers with motorcycles. Even some of the "old" guys that use to look at me funny.

I pull two grain wagons to the elevator full of grain all the time, which also exceeds the GVW of the pick-up. But then so do ALL the other farmers I have ever seen. But if I drove the truck like I had no wagons / trailers then that would be "foolish".

I have drove semis for a number of years also. With most "legal" loads, being nearly 3 times the tow vehicle/tractors weight. So I would say I have much more trailer experience than "some". If some new what was holding the semi trailer to the tractors, you would not drive on the roads with them.

 

I had the Honda Spirit 1100 in for service this spring and asked the dealer to check the brakes and install new ones if he had to. He said brakes were fine. WOW, 11 years 38,000 miles of trailer time with it and "NO" need for brakes? Must drive sensible, and not on the brakes all the time? NAW, just "luck" or the stupid dealer did not want to make an extra buck and wanted me to get killed so he could be sued. Yep that's it.

 

It amazes me that some judge everything in black in white and don't take into account anyone's experience or skill. Yes in most things in life you must have skill, luck will not get you by.

 

If you don't feel safe, if you don't feel comfortable, then by all means, DO NOT DO IT! And that goes with EVERYTHING in life.

 

Enjoy what you have and life in general.

Bryan