Couple wrecks trailer 20 minutes after buying it

Could have been as simple as driver did not know to put on trailer brakes and not tow vehicle brakes. I always test my brakes as I am pulling out of driveway for peace of mind. It is not instinctive to manually apply trailer brakes, it is normal to try and brake tow vehicle which can make it worse.

Can't tell you how many of these I see pulling into CG's over the past 10 years!
Certainly not a scientific test of percentage on the road, but I full time and I see one in EVERY CG I have stayed at.

Sad cause you know the salesman said the deadly saying....
"sure your car can tow that RV"...sign here. :(




How they can't feel the front tire roll while 'trying' to drive, is beyond me.

I followed a guy towing a 33ft (approx) with a F250 with no WD or sway control. bed loaded with bikes and a grill. The back end was really low and the front was up. any dip he went over had the truck rocking like a ship in the sea! I cant imagine how the ride was and it definitely couldn't have been safe. But he had a 3/4 ton so he probably thought he was OK.

On I75 headed north, from the intersection toward Orlando, we have seen numerous wrecks involving new trailers and many times new pickups or suvs.
I have no idea if they had sway control.
But the old theme sure your truck or rv can handle that comes to mind. A light weight single rear tire pick up or suv and a heavier trailer is a disaster waiting to happen. Just like the lengthy trailer loaded,with watermelons entering the interstate and semi flying by at the same time. The trailer turned that pickup every which but loose and ended up in front and tore every thing up.
If you are going to tow a trailer, regardless of speed the tow vehicle needs to have more weight over therear wheels and with sway control. I have no idea about the peculiar construction show of the trailer. I don't believe it is factory though.
Don't recall new Fifth wheels lying in the median and side of the Interstate. That popular RV Dealer, I wonder if they have a sign over their door, Oh sure your 1/2 ton truck or light suv can handle it?

With what I have seen on the roads I am surprised we don't see this more often then we do.

RollandB wrote:
Driver was cited for driving too fast. Right there is a hurdle to jump over on the liability question.

Has there been an update to the original link? Because: "Hodgson originally said the driver will be cited for driving too fast, but later said she wouldn't be cited after all."

So I was wondering if there was an update that changed that.

Driver was cited for driving too fast. Right there is a hurdle to jump over on the liability question.

JaxDad wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:
In closing, as to the actual cause, I'd guess Chinese ST tires.......Blowout........Or possibly contaminated brakes from using EZ lube.

The picture seems to show 4 round tires without noticeable pieces missing. The story clearly related the drivers comment that it was a progressively worse sway that finally resulted in the trailer rolling over.

If it was contaminated brakes you would hope that at least setting up the brake controller would reveal a lack of brakes.

Jax....that's called humor. Since no one had posted it on a serious note I figured I would save someone the time lol.

dodge guy wrote:
There is a fine line between "SOLD AS IS" and knowing elling a unit that has been compromised! and yes despite what the paper work says the dealer does hold some responsibility! I`ve worked at a few dealers in my life. a dealer will get rid of a car that has frame damage. they wont sell one despite the "SOLD AS IS" on the paper work.

Some dealers may operate as you claim, most don't. If a dealer takes in a trade and does not want to put it on the used lot for whatever reason, say it's Big Ben's MegaFord, the largest Ford dealer North of Southwest Eastgate, he sends it off to the auction. Then its snatched up by Billy Bob Jim's Gently Used Motors, and put on his lot. It still gets unloaded on the vehicle buying public no matter if it had frame damage, flood damage, almost anything.


In my experience a lot of RV dealers are a few rungs down the honesty ladder from auto dealers. I can take you to any used lot at any RV dealer and show you units with massive delam, worn out old tires, brakes and running gear that the service history is unknown etc, and they'll sell them in a second AS-IS. Then the buyer hooks up and heads on down the happy happy highway.

Dealers are not worried about recourse for anything by purchasers, that have insurance for such things.

CA Traveler wrote:
What is the estimated weight of the trailer?

Just curious as my 2014 3.6L Grand Cherokee is rated at 6,200 lb towing.

Doesn't matter, as you're dealing with some of the "you need a Dooley to tow a popup" crowd.
It obviously was too much for those people in that vehicle under that set of circumstances.....as evidenced by the yard sale.