Accident and Roll Overs with trailers. Including the other guys fault.
- Thread starter Borrego60
- Start date
ExpoMike
Well-known member
I haven't seen one roll yet but I have seen 3 come REALLY close. In all three cases (which I was behind the trailer) the driver ended up hitting a rock too fast, which bounced the trailer up on that one side. In one case I watched for about 1-2 seconds as the trailer was deciding on whether to flop or not. It came back onto it's wheels. Another time the trailer bounce and the only reason it didn't flop was the awning hit a rock outcropping that prevented it from going all the way over.
Having had a lot of experience towing our Kamparoo, I find many drivers forget they have the trailer behind them and don't think ahead enough to pick lines that will allow the trailer to clear whatever it is they are moving around/over.
First rule of towing a trailer offroad is... remembering you are towing a trailer.
Having had a lot of experience towing our Kamparoo, I find many drivers forget they have the trailer behind them and don't think ahead enough to pick lines that will allow the trailer to clear whatever it is they are moving around/over.
First rule of towing a trailer offroad is... remembering you are towing a trailer.
Rezarf <><
Explorer
First rule of towing a trailer offroad is... remembering you are towing a trailer.
Well said. Mine tracks so nice I get used to it "not being there" that all of a sudden I realize my speed is too high and my line didn't quite work for the trailer.
I lost a 23' travel trailer and the Explorer that was towing it. It was trailer sway, a too-small tow vehicle, and my own inexperience. No one was hurt. Our replacement trailer has a Hensley Arrow hitch, which eliminates sway. We've towed all over the place for 7 years since with the Hensley, and never the hint of a problem.
cchoc
Wilderness Photographer
I was on my way from Zion to the North Rim in 2007 in my D90 pulling a Bushwakka Fargo trailer with RTT and, as I just passed the Best Friends shelter, there was an asphalt truck coming up the hill towards me. Just as I got next to it what I think was a PT Cruiser pulled out right in front of me. I swerved to avoid hitting it but went into the ditch. I tried getting back on the road but the trailer swung around as I did and I went over on my right side and then rolled down the hill on the other side of the road, 3 or 4 times I think. The trailer ended up in a small tree and the safety chains broke, but they slowed the Defender enough that I got it stopped after I rolled back upright.
While I was rolling my ARB fridge broke loose from its mounts and was bouncing around in the back of the D90 along with all my gear. As it turned out my worse injury was a burn on my shoulder from the seat belt. I also had a bruise that looked like a tatto of the seatbelt and it felt like I had been kicked in the crotch repeatedly. The D90 and trailer were both totaled. I couldn't get the door open to get out and take pictures and the EMS people strapped me to a board and carried me up the hill, so unfortunately I don't have any crash scene photos.
The other driver didn't stop, and I may have swerved too much to avoid them. I probably would still have the Defender if I had just hit them instead of swerving.
While I was rolling my ARB fridge broke loose from its mounts and was bouncing around in the back of the D90 along with all my gear. As it turned out my worse injury was a burn on my shoulder from the seat belt. I also had a bruise that looked like a tatto of the seatbelt and it felt like I had been kicked in the crotch repeatedly. The D90 and trailer were both totaled. I couldn't get the door open to get out and take pictures and the EMS people strapped me to a board and carried me up the hill, so unfortunately I don't have any crash scene photos.
The other driver didn't stop, and I may have swerved too much to avoid them. I probably would still have the Defender if I had just hit them instead of swerving.
rusty_tlc
Explorer
I rolled a 22' Travel Trailer on I80 in the Truckee area. I'm not sure what exactly happened but we think a strong gust came down a side canyon and started the trailer rocking, that combined with a rough stretch of road and she tipped over on the side. Luckily the hitch and safety chains broke and we didn't lose the truck.
The really bad thing was there were something like six wild fires in the Canyon at the time and the trailer was blocking both lanes of traffic. CHP wound up directing traffic onto the shoulders so fire crews could get through. I was mortified to be the cause of that.
The really bad thing was there were something like six wild fires in the Canyon at the time and the trailer was blocking both lanes of traffic. CHP wound up directing traffic onto the shoulders so fire crews could get through. I was mortified to be the cause of that.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
A 23' trailer behind an Explorer? Wow, just wow....
I was on my way from Zion to the North Rim in 2007 in my D90 pulling a Bushwakka Fargo trailer with RTT and, as I just passed the Best Friends shelter, there was an asphalt truck coming up the hill towards me. Just as I got next to it what I think was a PT Cruiser pulled out right in front of me. I swerved to avoid hitting it but went into the ditch. I tried getting back on the road but the trailer swung around as I did and I went over on my right side and then rolled down the hill on the other side of the road, 3 or 4 times I think. The trailer ended up in a small tree and the safety chains broke, but they slowed the Defender enough that I got it stopped after I rolled back upright.
While I was rolling my ARB fridge broke loose from its mounts and was bouncing around in the back of the D90 along with all my gear. As it turned out my worse injury was a burn on my shoulder from the seat belt. I also had a bruise that looked like a tatto of the seatbelt and it felt like I had been kicked in the crotch repeatedly. The D90 and trailer were both totaled. I couldn't get the door open to get out and take pictures and the EMS people strapped me to a board and carried me up the hill, so unfortunately I don't have any crash scene photos.
The other driver didn't stop, and I may have swerved too much to avoid them. I probably would still have the Defender if I had just hit them instead of swerving.
I would have hit the idiot unless there is a safe way to avoid them without over-correcting(which 90% of drivers tend to do in avoidance situations).
Borrego60
Rendezvous Conspiracy
I caught myself doing the same thing,I try to be very safe in driving offroad and ya gotta think what IF. Seems speed is #1 factor combined with another element or cause.Ya you get excited when you reach dirt and ready to tear it up or, is there a mental picture in your mind saying Caution becareful and safe you are towing a trailer and things are alittle different.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
You like to "baja" it do you? Go drive a solid axle rig for awhile and it will train you to slow you down a lot when you get off the pavement.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.
That's what everyone says, but no one does. :ylsmoke:
Borrego60
Rendezvous Conspiracy
I do not take that as an attack, non do I think it was intended to be but I think you miss judged me.I myself do not Baja my tundra,it is my daily driver. I have had a solid axle rig 84 toyota 4x4 so I have driven both for a long time. I am just saying that ya some people tear it up when they hit dirt and throw caution out the window,I have caught myself too when off pavement before the dirt trip starts thinking, is it worth the fun and then breaking something, getting hurt and a large expense to follow. Not for me. if I am towing a trailer or not.
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jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
No attack at all. Although I envy IFS on dirt roads and small bumps, it does tempt the driver to go a bit faster than they should at times. Even when I air down to 15psi to help with the rough roads, it still doesn't compare to an IFS setup. But when I get into the bigger rocks and such, I'm very glad I have solid axles.
Alright, back on topic.
TRegasaurus
Adventurer
My dad lost his truck and 22' trailer in Texas due to a sudden strong thunderstorm downdraft. They were pushed into a bridge abutment then rolled over.
My dad’s 1976 GMC 3/4 ton truck and trailer were a complete loss, in fact the truck was nearly sheared in half by the impact but by some miracle my parents came out with only minor cuts and scrapes.
Borrego60
Rendezvous Conspiracy
No attack at all. Although I envy IFS on dirt roads and small bumps, it does tempt the driver to go a bit faster than they should at times. Even when I air down to 15psi to help with the rough roads, it still doesn't compare to an IFS setup. But when I get into the bigger rocks and such, I'm very glad I have solid axles.
Alright, back on topic.
Totally agree.IFS is the cushy ride over what you stated,I would perfer soild axles, say the by pass road to sheeps canyon or serious rock driving.Pros use then so something is working. I had a buddy of mine roll his horizon last month in Borrego srpings in Canyon Sim nombre going around a corner and and hit a rock off camber abit and right over.Speed I do not think was the factor but the rock and off camber angle was.I think he said he was going slow.
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/Don_t+Ask.JPG.html
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/IMGP1193.JPG.html
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/IMGP1195.JPG.html
I would guess as it happened in the last shot.
Alright, back on topic.
Totally agree.IFS is the cushy ride over what you stated,I would perfer soild axles, say the by pass road to sheeps canyon or serious rock driving.Pros use then so something is working. I had a buddy of mine roll his horizon last month in Borrego srpings in Canyon Sim nombre going around a corner and and hit a rock off camber abit and right over.Speed I do not think was the factor but the rock and off camber angle was.I think he said he was going slow.
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/Don_t+Ask.JPG.html
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/IMGP1193.JPG.html
http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/v/Run+Photos/040211/IMGP1195.JPG.html
I would guess as it happened in the last shot.
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