Towing Safety (Please Read)

Rented a trailer and got the Ferret trailered up, I think backing in would have been a bit better but the tolerances were so tight on the trailer, literally I had an inch either side that I had to go forward to get it right.

Had to cross the front chains because the run was too short for the binder.

Went around very slowly testing braking and watching for load shifting, ultimately (after much testing) I got on the freeway and got to freeway speed with zero issue, it handled very well in all situations. I'm glad I waited the extra time to gather advice and read more documents as it gave me great confidence that what I was doing was correct and safe.

Thanks again for all the advice.

halftrack said:

This really should be under safety but that forum does not allow attachments.

This came across my desk and thought I would pass it along. It goes along with Bruce's post about brakes and bringing trucks back safely. You towbar guys (myself being one) should read this.

Click to expand...

Will share with my Safety Department. Thank you very much for the send! Much can be taught and learned from this. DMLII sends respectfully

SucceSSful trailering

smashcrashy said:

Rented a trailer and got the Ferret trailered up, I think backing in would have been a bit better but the tolerances were so tight on the trailer, literally I had an inch either side that I had to go forward to get it right.

Had to cross the front chains because the run was too short for the binder.

Went around very slowly testing braking and watching for load shifting, ultimately (after much testing) I got on the freeway and got to freeway speed with zero issue, it handled very well in all situations. I'm glad I waited the extra time to gather advice and read more documents as it gave me great confidence that what I was doing was correct and safe.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Click to expand...

That's it! If you take a guess at the half way point of the ferret, for argument let's say right side of the spare tire, you've got the center of load slightly behind the front axle.

You might have a little more then 40% of the load ahead of the front axle and might be slightly tongue heavy but you're home, safe. No sway sweetness.

Congratulations!

Below are a few more load 40% forward shots and to show the limitations on even bigger gear.........data plates for:

Class 5 hitch on 2011 chev dually.
2 - axle - 8 wheel 2008 trailer.
2011 Chev dually door sticker.

Hitch assembly with 8 ton pintle

m1010, let me get this correct (from an investigators point of view)
1. 16,000# pintle
2. 17,000# receiver
3. 20,000# trailer
4. Unknown GCVWR for the truck. What does the towing guide say, that is the governing factor.

Limiting factor is the pintle and 1600# tongue weight, Trailer is over-capacity for the receiver and pintle.

Any feeling for the actual tongue weight? OR if you have exceeded the GAWR fro the rear axle? (Not likely the load looks to well distributed.)

That assembly is 23,000+ rated, in the event of any incident or even a roadside inspection we would not make you happy.

Load maximum

Exactly why I put it up there sir and thank you, all input for safety is valuable. If someone sees the gear required to pull a 3.7tonne ferret and farms it out to a commercial carrier because they didn't want to damage their utility trailer, then everyone wins.

Even with the newest, well rated off the shelf dually and double double trailer, we're still "limited" by the weakest link.....Sometimes it's the driver. My next hitch choice was 10 tonne which makes the pintle snap just after the hitch collapses under the truck, should I be inclined to pull loads heavier then ratings indicate.
2006 2500 HD Tow Hitch

Truck is registered at 11,790kg, including trailer, load and gear in the box as we all know. Also need to consider the chain-box on the tongue.

This 24' trailer and Duramax configuration does NOT regularly carry much more then 4000 kg. Bobcat and extra Bucket. In the case of the 6x6 at max. 5,443kg we're pushing the limits around 10,993kg.......would you not agree?
Trailer purchase was originally intended for lite, bulky loads and to be pulled by a tandem gravel truck, which is an appropriate pulling vehicle for the trailer.

The Duramax's LT235 80R17, Load range E rubber, dually, is rated at 1285kg (2835lbs). My DOT math indicates that 5140kg (11340lbs) on the back axle is maximum and ridiculous. This is also in conflict with the class 5 hitch which is less then the trucks over-all rating.


2011 duramax actual weights



Front Axle no load 2140kg
Back axle empty box no trailer 1710kg.


Trailer empty is 1700 kg
S-185 Bobcat with bucket 2823kg


All respect intended and I know we're lucky to have you as a resource, but I think we would make you very happy if you inspected our fleet. You'd walk away satisfied that I'm doing what I need to do. http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/T06.pdf
Or you'd finally force me to retire and I could focus more on building MV's.



I have never considered being stopped by our commercial police unit a threat. It gives me an opportunity to have trucks gone over by some of the best and in 14 years and 4 inspections, no one in my company has ever received a load ticket.....or even a burned out light ticket. We only carry our own gear within 10km of the City limits so 'sneaking around' is not an option. I know, the day is early and my time will come.



Doing everything we can to keep it legal and obviously the most important thing is going home at the days end, with all our fingers and toes.

Still love to hear more general information about the failures you have investigated What is the most common incident? Thanks again for the support and assistance. It's great to have back-up.



Is this the type of truck/ trailer that should have required an inspection? These guys scare me.

Towing Safety

Not sure why a truck is dragging a tank down the highway but once he comes around the bend, I'm sure they start thinking the same thing.

Zooming in it looks like the tank starts to pull the back end of the truck around then a little over-steer to correct and..........well, I just hope no innocent motorists were injured.


Watch Car Accident with Tank Video | Break.com

It's a Czeck or Russian OT-90 or maybe a BMP-1, and apparently has no tracks on it. Being towed on it's road wheels only. For starters, the truck was going far too fast. You are supposed to go at a crawl if towing that kind of thing. Yay-hoos.

And that's why I towed my Deuce/M105 down the street with my Dodge half ton like that (slow). Even barely above idle it still towed faster than I wanted, plus I had a driver and brake operator inside the Deuce.