I thought I would share the dums#*t move I made while maneuvering my open trailer at Sebring over the weekend.
After getting set up with the ramps, trailer, and car in place, the slope was not ideal for the clearance I needed so I decided to move the trailer. I diligently removed the ramps of course. So I started to drive the pickup truck with the trailer in tow, but the first turn maneuver felt weird so I got out and noticed the tailgate was down, and now a bit mangled by the trailer jack. Bad way to end a great weekend. Just sharing for those invaluable lessons learned. I always wondered how other tailgates I’ve seen over the years got this way!

 

Yeah. I have that Tshirt —luckily only put a mark in the plastic trim before I realized.

 

Ouch

 

Another bone head move is to disconnect the trailer when loading or unloading. I luckily still had my wheels choked when I drove The car into the trailer but I’ve heard some horror stories.

 

Sorry to read of your paddock incident, but thanks for sharing so the rest of us can be reminded to stay vigilant.

 

If you have a trailer, you WILL have trailer stories.
Wifey knows to stay TF away when I am loading. I get downright ugly if interrupted, or even asked a question.
Forgot to clasp the ball on my open trailer. Extended trailer ramps onto wood helper ramps. Drove up and as soon as the front tires were on the trailer, hitch went straight up and forward. Luck it missed the tailgate. Front car tires on trailer. Trailer ramp on ground. Rear car tires at top of helper ramp. Fakked!

 

Know the feeling, UNFORTUNATELY

 

Yeah, that’s another T-shirt I’ve got.

 

Halfway to event towing my gooseneck. Look in center mirror and see the break away chains hanging from the stem bolts. Forgot to attach them and never closed the hitch onto the ball. TONGUE WEIGHT!

 

As they say -- there are usually multiple stories if you trailer...

Let someone borrow my hitch, NP, I've got a spare. Load up the trailer -- go to put the car in -- up goes the front of the trailer -- fortunately I had the chains on and I was pointing up hill -- so I didn't have any damage to the tow vehicle -- The spare hitch was the next ball size smaller -- therefore no locking of the hitch!

I'm often more nervous getting to/from, loading, unloading, then I am on the track!

Mike

 

Been there, done that. Loaded the car with the hitch not clasped on the ball. Fortunately had the safety chains hooked up. The funny part of it was I didn't really notice what was going on - I have a 24' enclosed trailer and the rear is pretty close to the ground. It felt funky as I drove up the ramps - took a peek out the side door and finally figured what the heck was going on!

 

Ah, trailer tales
A trailer is an accident waiting to happen:
Growing up, our boat trailer broke an axle in consecutive years at the same spot on the local road
I failed to finishing torquing the race trailer lug nuts and lost a wheel on the NY Thruway (took 100+ miles to come off, but when it did, it took the studs with it)
Once the morning after a late night return home I partially unfolded my trailer ramps, got interrupted, came back to the trailer and started to back the 993 race car out. Right off a partially-deployed ramp and dropped a few inches before landing on the car's frame(?)
There are probably others that I have conveniently forgotten
Oh, and the time I got pulled over in VT, deemed to be a commercial truck driver (really? In my F250 hauling my own race car) and told to sit for 12 hours to meet federal maximum driving hours standards. Story recounted in a semi-famous Rennlist thread about 15 years ago.
Oh, and the time I wedged myself between the car and the trailer wall trying to reach a tie down, couldn't get back out, realized I was the last guy in the paddock, and wondered how long the night was going to seem (note: I finally wiggled free).
I guess now I realize why I have sold the trailer and the car and taken up rowing.

 

At the end of a day my friend was doing something at event with his pickup. GF decided to load his car for him. Side access door had no hold open catch so a stack of tires kept it open. As she drove in the trailer front went up. OOPS! So she backed out as the door closed halfway over the tire stack and trailer came down. Door suffered badly and I think it is still a piece of plywood.