Often thought that some whacked out person could easily pull the pin or lift the latch on the trailer. Time to rethink my procedures.
UTTransplant said:I showed him what the chains were for, how to attach them, and to make sure they were crossed under the tongue. No one showed him any of that when he bought the new boat and trailer. Sigh.
Yup, no safety chains. They were carefully wrapped around the trailer. He didn't have a clue what they were for. I let my 14 and 18 year old sons tell him.Rene T said:Are you saying he wasn't using the safety chains? If that's the case, it's just stupid. Comma sense should have stepped in. Didn't he wonder what those chains were for?
1PlasticMan1 said:When moving, I use the standard pins with the snap on devices so that the pins stay in place. My reasoning is from a video I saw last year of a coach catching fire, and rescuers were able to seperate the toad from the coach before it also caught on fire. Whenever I stop without the locking devices in place (potty break, lunch, etc.) I always check to make sure that the chains, pins and surge break line are properly in place before moving on.
1PlasticMan1 said:Sad story, but I question the use of lockable pins on the coach hitch and trailer coupler. I have locks for them, but only use them when camped. When moving, I use the standard pins with the snap on devices so that the pins stay in place. My reasoning is from a video I saw last year of a coach catching fire, and rescuers were able to seperate the toad from the coach before it also caught on fire. Whenever I stop without the locking devices in place (potty break, lunch, etc.) I always check to make sure that the chains, pins and surge break line are properly in place before moving on. Am I wrong about not locking the coach hitch and trailer coupler?
Gregg said:Horrible for sure. I wonder if they had safety chains. Assuming not. I normally do not use a padlock on the tongue connection and many times just use a receiver pin with a locking pin. Often thought that some whacked out person could easily pull the pin or lift the latch on the trailer. Time to rethink my procedures. A whole lot more at stake than just material damages.
JnHinMT said:Funny that you bring that up. A co-worker was towing a 5x8 cargo trailer behind his Subaru a couple of years ago. He stopped at the grocery store to pick something up, came back out and headed home. He got about 3 stoplights away from the grocery store before the hitch slide all the way out of the receiver and the safety chains caught the trailer.
While he was in the store somebody pulled the pin out of his hitch. It only took accelerating a few times for the hitch to slide out of the receiver.
After him telling me that, I lock everything I can, and every time my truck/trailer combo is out of my sight I do a walk around before I drive away.