Sadder but no wiser

Well, I guess I have joined Denny's exclusive club as having totaled our TM and TV and lived to tell about it, but at least maybe the rest of the forum can help me with the post-mortem and learn from my mistake(s). I have learned everything I know about towing, trailers, hitches, etc. from this forum and tried to follow it to the letter as far as I understood it. [My husband was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor back in December, and since having an RV has always been a dream of ours and we both had to retire from our jobs to deal with his health issues, we took the plunge in late March and have greatly enjoyed our travels with the TM. By necessity, though, I had to deal with all the research and purchasing decisions, hooking, unhooking and setting up (although he can help me raise and lower the shells) since he has severe speech and short-term memory problems.]

We have a 2002 Ford Explorer XLT (4.6L V8 engine, 3.73 LS axle ratio) with factory Class III/IV towing package-- our TM is a 2005 3124KB. The Ford's manual gives the following: max GCWR 11,600 lbs. and max trailer weight 7,300 lbs. Since the 3124 unloaded is supposed to weigh 3190 lbs, and the TrailManor site said to allow 1,000 lbs for options (we have the A/C, awning, kitchen cabinet and extra drawer, and TV antenna), I thought we would be well within weight limits if we didn't try to take the kitchen sink. We bought the Equalizer WDH (don't know size but got the one recommended by vendor for weight of trailer and told him to err on the safer side in all cases) and the Prodigy brake controller and had it installed by a reputable local dealer that specializes in hitches, etc. He also showed us how to connect it and he adjusted it to the fifth link on the chains. I always connected it the same way he originally showed me. I didn't measure it but when all connected it looked perfectly level with the car. Paid special attention to always having the TV tires at the proper inflation and the TM tires at recommended 65 lbs of air. Traveled about 4500 miles on several trips, longest trip was back in the spring, about 3000 miles. Our car tires are the original Michelin's (I don't know the name but the invoice says P235/70R16 A/S OWL tires) with about 48,000 miles on them. The last time they were routinely checked at the dealership (at 46,000 miles) they showed no unusual wear or damage, all tires at the 4/32-6/32 tread depth- 7/32 or greater is the best rating on the form, ours was the middle rating so I knew they weren't perfect but were still safe, I thought.

We left north Georgia at about noon and drove straight home, mostly on I-85, except for two short stops of about 15 minutes each. I noticed no unusual handling problems, it was the usual easy handling, no wind and no sway from any passing 18-wheeler, but the temperature was in the mid-90s, and I averaged around 60-65 mph, occasionally maybe 68-69 when passing. At around 4:00 pm, about 42 miles from home, I heard a loud noise and immediately knew I had a flat tire. I let off the gas and started to apply just a little braking. At first I thought I was going to be able to stop safely, and I still had control, but at some point before I got my speed down very much I started swerving (it turned out later that THREE tires on the Ford were blown out, a passerby who stopped said he saw the left rear tire go flat and sometime after that I started to swerve, so I don't know if I lost control when the other two tires blew or if they blew later when I ran off the road). Anyway, I went some distance swerving all over both lanes and eventually skimmed the right guard railing (I thought for sure I was going through that railing and into a deep ravine on that side) but it deflected me back onto the road and I then went off the left side onto the median which had some depth, sort of a flattened V-shape. At that point the car turned to the left and the TM tongue buried itself into the mud at the bottom of the ditch. That brought us to a relatively smooth stop with the TM at right angles to the car, and the back end of it just off the pavement. Neither of us were hurt, the air bags did not deploy, and we really weren't even thrown forward or sideways in the least, because it was more of a sliding stop than an abrupt stop. When the tow truck came and dug out the mud/dirt around the hitch, unbelievably everything was still connected and NOTHING on the hitch/ball/bars/receiver mechanism was even bent that I could see. However, it turns out that the tongue of the TM is bent slightly upward from the frame. The Explorer has crumpled rear body panels and bumper, left side window of the cargo area is broken but the rear hatch window is unbroken with no damage to the back raise-up door.

The TM upper shell front left corner is busted open pretty badly, front and back bumpers broken off, and looking under I could see that the sewage pipe to the toilet is disconnected, didn't really look broken but I couldn't tell for sure. Called Progressive which insures the TM (had replacement cost coverage, thank goodness) for roadside assistance, but they could not get in touch with a towing service right away and meanwhile the State Trooper was hassling me to "get this thing out of here" so I agreed to use the towing service on call after getting an okay from the Progressive representative, who still didn't have anyone on the way. They had to put the Ford on a flat-bed tow truck due to the three completely demolished tires, but they thought they could connect and pull the TM since its tires were fine. However, when they tried to tow it, it was all over the road and they said it was shaking apart and they would have to leave it and return to it with the flat-bed after they dropped off the car. The tow truck owner said he thought the TM would be totaled--especially since you couldn't tell what sort of damage was on the inside. I think at the LEAST the front upper shell would have to be replaced. Since it's Sunday I haven't talked to anyone else, but I assume Progressive will send an adjuster. I just wonder if they will think that a regular RV dealer could fix it, because I doubt anyone but the TM factory could really work on it with that extensive structural damage. Am I within my rights to insist that the TM factory do the repairs if they don't total it out?

So o o o o . . . .

I know we were lucky in a lot of different ways--that no one else was involved, we weren't hurt, and the hitch held up so well it kept the trailer from coming into the Explorer on us, and probably the trailer kept the Explorer from rolling over. But I can't help but go over and over what I could have done differently or what I did wrong. Probably a better driver could have controlled the swerving better (although I will say it didn't seem as though the trailer was swerving from side-to-side or fishtrailing--it was pretty much staying right behind us like we were just driving down the road, it seemed that it was the Explorer that was swerving) and gotten the thing stopped while still on the road--I couldn't. But as to the CAUSE of the tires blowing out like that? Was the trailer too heavy for the car? (all tanks were empty, nothing really heavy inside the trailer, just dishes, cleaning supplies, bedding, a couple of lawn chairs, a small TV, a few canned goods, nothing in the frig, nothing excessive in the car, just an ice chest, tool box, clothes) Or is the length of trailer too long for the wheel base of the car? Was the WDH adjusted too tight or too loose? Was I going too fast? Were the tires too worn for towing (I checked the tire pressure on TM and TV before we left and everything was fine)? Am I just a poor driver (first accident in 25 years--but I've never towed before). I cannot think of anything that was different this time from any of our other trips except that it's August--but it was in the mid-80s when we went out to Big Bend in April--we drove about 5-6 hours each day on that trip).

I apologize for the length of this post--I know I will probably never really know what happened, but if our towing rig is flawed I'd like to know it so I don't make the same mistake again--that is, if I have the courage to get on the road again with a trailer. I hate to let this ruin everything for us, especially when we were having so much fun. But--it was pretty scary. If anything here can help someone else avoid a similar experience, perhaps something good can come of it. Please tell me what you think.

Kathy and Joe
Montgomery, AL
Grounded--literally!

Kathy...so sorry you had such a terrible thing happen. It must have been terrifying for you wondering if, and when you were going to stop. Hopefully the insurance adjuster (or a mechanic) might be able to shed some light on what might have happened. As you said, thank goodness you weren't hurt and no one else was involved. Take care, and thank that Guardian Angel that must have been watching over you.

First let me say how sorry I am for you problems, sometimes it is just our turn. Even if we do the best we can, some little thing goes wrong and that just causes everything to go wrong.

I think you are right, your trailer saved you. that trailer is much larger than your TV. Hindsight is always 20/20 but two things I thank that could have changed things would have been 1) a bigger TV (I keep trying to drive this home, and for this every reason) and, 2) had you applied the trailer brakes instead of the truck breaks you most likely would have come to a more controlled stop. That last little bit of knowledge might only come from having towed a great deal as a young man.

I'm glad you are both ok and hope that you will still be able to enjoy camping again, make it like a horse - get right back on.

[Bill]

Kathy -

I am mystified. But you have exactly the same tow vehicle I have, and a slightly larger TM. I have towed probably 30,000 miles with my TMs, in many different road and weather conditions, and have experienced a TM blowout, so let me make a few observations that may or may not be of value to you.

1. Progressive seems to be a good company. I don't happen to use them, but last year I was rear-ended by someone with Progressive, and the company treated me very well.
2. I have always described the Explorer as an adequate tow vehicle. When I say "adequate", I mean that I wish it had a bit more power/torque at high altitude - but I have never had any kind of handling problem with it, even through a few emergency maneuvers, and down a very steep and winding mountain road with one TM brake failed. It has always been perfectly good in handling. I have never experienced any sway, even when we had the blowout.
3. The Explorer's OEM Michelins are great tires. I got 80,000 miles on my first set, and replaced them with the identical tires about 20,000 miles ago. I cannot imagine what would make 3 of them blow simultaneously, unless you were already sliding sideways on the pavement at that point - or possibly had locked the Ford's brakes. Even then, I have a problem with the idea that they would blow like that.
4. At 11,600 pounds, the Ford has a ton of GCWR rating. When my TM is at the point of overload, the Ford still has lots of margin, even with 300 pounds of "stuff" in the Ford's wayback area.
5. Doesn't sound like your TM was overloaded - and if it had been, the TM tires would probably have quit long before the Ford's tires.
6. Sounds like your speed was right, your tire pressures were good, your hitch adjustment was good, and so forth.
7. If there had been a load of spilled nails in the road, for example, that could have caused your tires to blow. But other vehicles would have had trouble, too, and you don't tell us that is so.

If swaying/fishtailing started, then Windy is right - applying just the trailer brakes would probably have straightened it out. And yes, a longer wheelbase would have helped, though that doesn't seem a big deal to me on a smooth, straight, and level road (note that it can be a big deal when you are descending a steep tight downhill turn). Unfortunately, when sway starts, the driver's natural reaction is to saw the steering wheel back and forth in an attempt to correct it. This is virtually always the wrong reaction, and makes the fishtailing worse. As hard as it is to resist doing this, it is important to hold the wheel steady and apply the trailer brakes.

So the question is, why would sway have started? And the standard answer (don't know if it applies in your case) is that the TM was loaded very heavy in the rear, so that the tongue weight was much less than it should have been. Did you have bikes back there? A pair of golf-cart batteries? Lots of cargo behind the axle? You seem to indicate not, so I don't have any other ideas.

Sometimes these things are simply a mystery, and you never figure them out. This may be such a case. I'm glad it came out as well as it did.

Bill

Kathy & Joe,

First, I am ever so greatful that both of you are safe and well. Your guardian angel did his work well.

If I may offer my take on what happened here, I would say
* the rear TV tire blew out
* Kathy applied TV brakes lightly
* The TV & TM slowed smoothly
* The TV began to swerve due to the flat tire, braking, and TM weight
* Kathy probably tried to fight it.
Somewhere along the way, the TV lost 2 more tire pressures, either at the guard rail or sliding in the ditch on the left.

I would suggest some things based on my experiences.

1) I believe that applying trailer brakes rather than TV brakes would have straightened this out and kept it straight. I believe that the sound of blowout should have had the drivers hand immediately go to the controller before the vehicle is showing any signs of instability. Braking of the rig should have been done using the TM brakes only and not touching the truck brakes. And braking should have been very light. As long as the rig is running straight, get off the power (accelerator) and use the time to gather wits and make a plan. Where do I pull off safely? Where is the traffic around me?

2) The driver should know where the brake controller is located and be able to grab onto the brake lever without taking eyes off the road. For me, the controller is right off my right knee-cap. I practice grabbing it and moving the lever periodically. Like at the start of a trip to feel the TM braking effectiveness.

3) Tire bubbles. Last trip out, I was slowed to a crawl by a fire in the dessert here in Arizona. The road ahead was closed. During the slow creep, I felt the TV lean or tip side-to-side like the road was tipping me back & forth. I called my son with a Weekend Warrior in front of me and he reported smooth as glass in the same lane. So I was sure I had a bad tire. I pulled off the road at the fire turn-around and found a big bubble under the tread on the right rear TV tire. (I didn't find an identical one located 180 degrees around the same tire). So I moved the rig to get into the shade and my son & I put on the spare. I consider my guardian angel had done me an extreme favor and I was elated over that for the whole weekend. Actually, I still am elated about it.

I was running OEM Michleans as well. I had been to my tire dealer to have him look at my tires about 20 miles earlier. I was towing my TM at the time and had him look at the TM tires also. He said the TV tires would be good for the remainder of the summer and then two should be replaced. I am certain the bubbles were there at the time, but they were not recognized by the tire guy. He simply measured tread depth.

Kathy, this tells me that you did everything that could have been done prior to the trip and I admire her thoroughness.

My tire had no doubt been damaged when I first bought the TM. The dealer had set the WDH improperly such that a great deal of my TM and TV weight was on the front TV tires. One tire went bad shortly after getting home and it was recognized by the same symptoms of weaving the truck (empty at the time) back and forth at slow speeds. Also, at very slow speeds, the steering wheel would pull slightly, then return as the tire went around slowly. The second tire was on the rear (had been rotated) when it went bad.

I can't over-emphasize the importance of being aware of tire conditions as felt by the driver.

And lastly, I had a Coleman popup sway on me one time. I was rolling down hill and going too fast. I was in the left lane and hit a hump in the road on the left side of the rig only. This initiated a very scarey sway. I didn't skid, but things were really going south fast. I grabbed the trailer brake and the rig straightened out immediately. This was a real white-knuckle and heart thumping experience.

Kathy, thanks for sharing your story. I understand your hesitancy to resume driving. I hope this helps you understand what happened. I need to convince myself that I can prevent these things from happening as well.

If anyone has other pertinent Lessons-Learned, I would like to learn them as well. No sense learning these things first hand!

What an experience. We all hope that the same thing won't happen to us. You are definitely fortunate that under the conditions you went through that even more serious results didn't occur.

Any blow outs that I have heard of on the TM were so minor that people in the tv were hardly aware. On a couple occasions the driver continued down the hiway until notified by a passing car.

There are some things to remember, first don't panic as this may exacerbate the situation. Secondly, especially if the trailer is weaving, you should use the manual control on the brake controler. This will usually bring the trailer into immediate control. Next head for a spot on the side of the road where you are clear of traffic. Get off as far as you can in a level spot as changing the tire will be made difficult by passing semis and could be made dangerous if the trailer is leaning down the road bank.

We seem to forget, especially in the case of immediate emergency that the manual control on the brake control is most likely the answer to getting your trailer under control. Lengthy down hills are scairy when pulling a trailer. First of all, slow down before you start down hill. The weighty combination of your tow vehicle plus your trailer will cause you to gain speed. If you are already traveling at a speedy rate, you will find it more difficult to bring all to a slower speed. Also, you may begin to experience swaying of your trailer. You can reach for the Manual control now. Swaying in a sense is when your trailer is trying to pass your tow vehicle. If you use your foot brake, the brakes on the tv could quickly become super heated and cause brake fade. Also, it could add to the sway of your trailer. But if you use your trailer's brakes and then your foot brakes, you should be able to slow all down. Remember that manual control on you brake controller.

Hal

Kathy,

As a newbie to twing as well, I very much appreciate your post. I am real glad to hear you survived your ordeal without damage to what really matters...you or your husband. Your post and the responses to it may help many folks like myself when we need to respond to a blowout. Thanks!

Jim

[Denny_A]

.......N.E. Wisconsin feel your pain and trauma.

Teddy (DW), who was driving, was unable (emotionally) to drive on the interstate or our nearby divided state hiway for a few months after our unplanned departure from the road. We took a circle trip around Lake Michigan this spring - she just couldn't bring herself to drive.

We're very happy that you survived intact and unhurt (physically). Departing the road with our Trailer pushing was a terrifying event for us. Your accident had to have been (in my view anyway) several levels more traumatic than ours.

No advice from me. You've had enough to last awhile already.

Best to you and Joe,

Denny_A

[fcatwo]

It's tragic that it happened Kathy but it's good of you to share your experience so vividly with us. It's possible that we oldtimers here are a bit cavalier when we tell newcomers that the TM won't sway because the truth is that any vehicle will sway under the right circumstances and if it's towing something it is likely to be worse. While it's likely you would not have lost control had you been driving a dual-rear-wheel, crew-cab pickup weighing twice as much and 50% longer than the Explorer you were certainly within it's acceptable limits.

Our personal intent when we decided to move up from a minvan to something a little more tow-worthy was to get something like an Explorer/Trailblazer but we couldn't find one that would swallow our tandem bicycle. Although a little shy on wheelbase they compensate by having short rear axle to hitch overhang. They are very expensive but a Hensley WDH could also likely have prevented the situation you experienced.

I should preface my next statement by saying that although my middle initial is "C", it stands for Calvin and not "chicken". Chicken might be more appropriate because I never run a set of tires more than 30,000 miles before replacing them. This is partly because I have noticed that 75% or tire problems occur in the last 25% of tire life and partly because we have never owned a 4X4 but see snow now and then and I like to have good tread. Also, 90% of our miles are high speed hwy driving and much of that towing the TM. Others obviously do very well running tires for their rated life but
I just like fresh rubber on the road. I also pump my tires a few pounds higher than the vehicle manufacturers recommend as do many other people who tow. I guess what I'm getting at is that IMO your tire guy did you no favor by telling you to run your old tires two more months. Generally speaking, origional equipment tires are not as high quality as the ones you will replace them with. Some go right from their dealer to a tire shop and replace them with higher quality tires before running them at all. I'm a little too cheap to do that.

Finally I will say that although I mentally practice grabbing the manual trailer brake lever while towing I don't remind my wife to do the same when she crawls behind the wheel and she drives about 20% of the time when we are towing. I'll make sure to do that from now on.

Originally Posted by fcatwo

I also pump my tires a few pounds higher than the vehicle manufacturers recommend as do many other people who tow.

Is it really okay to over-inflate a bit on the tire pressures? I've always been a little timid to do so, even though under-inflation is really bad on the tires.

Kathy, I'm so glad you and your husband weren't hurt. I'm very appreciative that you chose to share your experience; I had honestly never mentally prepared myself to use the manual braking while towing, but my wife and I both just re-read the instructions to our Prodigy.

I cannot believe how much I continue to learn everyday from this forum. Wow.

- Mark