Stupid mistake nearly cost me
Last week I spent about an hour getting my Reese WD bars properly set up and took it for a test run, 30 MPH winds with 45 MPH gusts and it towed like a dream. I don't even use anti-sway.
When I got back to the house I began the detach process, chocked the wheels, put a cinder block under tongue jack and raised jack enough to take most of the weight off the hitch, what I FAILED to do was disconnect safety chains 1st. I didn't notice they were hung up (crossed) on the underside of the hitch so as I raised the trailer it put pretty heavy tension on the chains. Next step was to use the bar to release the spring bars from the snap-up brackets. I noticed the 1st one released with some force but I was able to handle it. When I went to lower the other side I had a quick thought 'I shouldn't stand too close to this bar', thank GOD I had this thought and shuffled left a bit. When the snap up bracket released it did so with tremendous force, the bar flew out of my hand, hit me in the hip and then drove 6'' into my lawn. I said a few choice words and doubled over in pain but I'm very thankful that bar didn't go through my foot! Over a week later and I still have one hell of a nasty bruise on my side. So, the moral from this moron is to always stand clear of the bars when lowering snap-up brackets AND make sure all tension is released from the bars before you lower them!
When I got back to the house I began the detach process, chocked the wheels, put a cinder block under tongue jack and raised jack enough to take most of the weight off the hitch, what I FAILED to do was disconnect safety chains 1st. I didn't notice they were hung up (crossed) on the underside of the hitch so as I raised the trailer it put pretty heavy tension on the chains. Next step was to use the bar to release the spring bars from the snap-up brackets. I noticed the 1st one released with some force but I was able to handle it. When I went to lower the other side I had a quick thought 'I shouldn't stand too close to this bar', thank GOD I had this thought and shuffled left a bit. When the snap up bracket released it did so with tremendous force, the bar flew out of my hand, hit me in the hip and then drove 6'' into my lawn. I said a few choice words and doubled over in pain but I'm very thankful that bar didn't go through my foot! Over a week later and I still have one hell of a nasty bruise on my side. So, the moral from this moron is to always stand clear of the bars when lowering snap-up brackets AND make sure all tension is released from the bars before you lower them!
