Stacker Breaks Loose From RV Last Night....
11-13-2010, 09:56 AM
#1
Nordschleife Master
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Stacker Breaks Loose From RV Last Night....
One of my friends on their way late last night to this weekend's races at Buttonwillow. Large late model Fleetwood RV rated to pull 15k and the hitch welds broke loose from the frame on the I-5 northbound near the grapevine. Apparently the welds were only spot welded! Remarkably no one was killed or injured. The 3-axel stacker's trailer brakes did their job and stopped the trailer in a straight line, it never left it's lane. Unfortunately, there was a 18-wheeler behind them who couldn't stop in time and whacked the trailer pretty good. They had the trailer towed to the track and I'm leaving my hotel now and will post some pics when I can. 1 cup car inside and we'll see if it's OK when the sun comes up shortly...
Proabably a good idea to check the hitch welds/bolts on any vehicle that's hauling a trailer. It's a miracle that no one was injured. He kept calling me every half-hour in a state of shock thinking about what could have happened if the trailer had jumper the center barrier.....
Proabably a good idea to check the hitch welds/bolts on any vehicle that's hauling a trailer. It's a miracle that no one was injured. He kept calling me every half-hour in a state of shock thinking about what could have happened if the trailer had jumper the center barrier.....
11-13-2010, 09:58 AM
#2
Drifting
WOW!! Glad/Luck no one was hurt.
11-13-2010, 10:38 AM
#3
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Step back, and THANK your lucky stars!
Spot welds on 15K rating? Must have been some Big Boy welds...
Any warning signs before it gave way?
Thank goodness nobody was injured.
Spot welds on 15K rating? Must have been some Big Boy welds...
Any warning signs before it gave way?
Thank goodness nobody was injured.
11-13-2010, 11:46 AM
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Same thing happened to a friend of mines coach this year with a stacker trailer. I'm pretty sure his is a Fleetwood, could be wrong though. Thankfully his didn't come completely off thanks to a car passing him and flagged him down. The hitch tore at the welds.
11-13-2010, 12:01 PM
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same thing happened to me earlier this year in my 2003 Monaco... with 10k trailer.. I was lucky and happened to stop the coach to check something else and while I was inspecting everything which I do each time stop .. I noticed the hitch looked very low...the weld was almost completely broken... I was 1 mile from Interstate 84 in NY... usually travel it at 70 - 75 mph... I was very lucky .. so now it is part of the daily inspection
11-13-2010, 01:54 PM
#7
uninformed gas bag
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Lucky Dogs
What about the safety chains? Were they on the hitch side of the welds?
So did they ticket the semi driver for following to close?
What about the safety chains? Were they on the hitch side of the welds?
So did they ticket the semi driver for following to close?
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11-13-2010, 02:38 PM
#8
Formula One Spin Doctor
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One of my friends on their way late last night to this weekend's races at Buttonwillow. Large late model Fleetwood RV rated to pull 15k and the hitch welds broke loose from the frame on the I-5 northbound near the grapevine. Apparently the welds were only spot welded! Remarkably no one was killed or injured. The 3-axel stacker's trailer brakes did their job and stopped the trailer in a straight line, it never left it's lane. Unfortunately, there was a 18-wheeler behind them who couldn't stop in time and whacked the trailer pretty good. They had the trailer towed to the track and I'm leaving my hotel now and will post some pics when I can. 1 cup car inside and we'll see if it's OK when the sun comes up shortly...
Proabably a good idea to check the hitch welds/bolts on any vehicle that's hauling a trailer. It's a miracle that no one was injured. He kept calling me every half-hour in a state of shock thinking about what could have happened if the trailer had jumper the center barrier.....
Proabably a good idea to check the hitch welds/bolts on any vehicle that's hauling a trailer. It's a miracle that no one was injured. He kept calling me every half-hour in a state of shock thinking about what could have happened if the trailer had jumper the center barrier.....
Unbelievable .. all very lucky ...............................
11-13-2010, 10:12 PM
#9
NASA Racer
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same thing happened at the Glen club race last year. guy got to the gate and said "will my stacker get through the tunnel okay?" guy at the gate said "what stacker". It had come off on the hill on the way up to the Glen and rolled harmlessly off to the side of road.
11-13-2010, 10:19 PM
#10
Three Wheelin'
I also heard a story like this once before. In that case it was a large tag-along trailer behind an RV, and the guy did not have equalizer bars. Apparently the RV was rated such that it didn't require them, so he didn't use them. The problem was that at that weight, he was far exceeding the hitch's capacity without the equalizer bars ...
Scott
Scott
11-13-2010, 10:22 PM
#11
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Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, JR, your buddy got very lucky.
I have heard many of these stories involving RV's or toter homes with hitches. A number of them have happened to folks I know. Seems there is a major weakness in these sorts of vehicles is a hitch allegedly rated for 15,000 pounds is merely spot welded.
Anyone here a tort lawyer?
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
I have heard many of these stories involving RV's or toter homes with hitches. A number of them have happened to folks I know. Seems there is a major weakness in these sorts of vehicles is a hitch allegedly rated for 15,000 pounds is merely spot welded.
Anyone here a tort lawyer?
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
11-13-2010, 10:34 PM
#12
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Very fortunate, especially on the Grapevine!!! I don't even want to think what could have happened if that trailer got lose on that downhill section.
11-14-2010, 09:01 AM
#13
Race Car
But no, Doc's coach is an American Eagle but you know, the chassis prepare companies could very well be the same before final fitments and branding.
Same thing though.....spot welds only.
T
11-14-2010, 11:08 AM
#14
Lifetime Rennlist Member
Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, JR, your buddy got very lucky.
I have heard many of these stories involving RV's or toter homes with hitches. A number of them have happened to folks I know. Seems there is a major weakness in these sorts of vehicles is a hitch allegedly rated for 15,000 pounds is merely spot welded.
Anyone here a tort lawyer?
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
I have heard many of these stories involving RV's or toter homes with hitches. A number of them have happened to folks I know. Seems there is a major weakness in these sorts of vehicles is a hitch allegedly rated for 15,000 pounds is merely spot welded.
Anyone here a tort lawyer?
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
11-14-2010, 12:47 PM
#15
Race Director
Lane, you were thinking the same thing as me when you clicked on this thread title.....!?!?!?!
But no, Doc's coach is an American Eagle but you know, the chassis prepare companies could very well be the same before final fitments and branding.
Same thing though.....spot welds only.
T
But no, Doc's coach is an American Eagle but you know, the chassis prepare companies could very well be the same before final fitments and branding.
Same thing though.....spot welds only.
T