http://mtstandard.com/news/wind-blows-over-truck-camper-on-i--see-photo/article_4bc151d4-1711-5bac-a16f-f8eba2474a25.html

frontin40 wrote:http://mtstandard.com/news/wind-blows-over-truck-camper-on-i--see-photo/article_4bc151d4-1711-5bac-a16f-f8eba2474a25.htmlYes, good reminder...I have no problem finding the "wind forecast", I call it at 35 or 40.But where do you people find out what the "gusts" are forecasted to be?Example...https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=phoenix+wind This web site is usually good, the wind speed is usually accurate but gusts can be a lot more and are not listed.

I saw a TT almost go over on I-10 in Texas a couple of months ago. The winds were gusting to 40-45mph. We elected to pull off the highway and add an extra day to our trip.The picture is interesting. It looks like three propane tanks, the battery and the stinky slinky have been moved away from the wreck. You can see them in the lower right of the picture. I find it a little odd that a 71 year old man would have racing stripes on the side of the Tahoe! But what the heck, we baby boomers can have racing stripes if we want them.Seriously, I'm glad no one was seriously injured or killed.

Deceiving title on article. The wind didn't blow them over, it caused some drift or sway, driver over-corrected, snd then flipped it. Gotta wonder what kind of hitch, was it properly adjusted, and was the TV /TT weight proportionately safe?Also, how fast were they moving when it happened? The faster you are moving, the less tire to roadway contact there is, so a lateral force, like wind, can cause a lot of sway.

Fire Instructor wrote:Deceiving title on article. The wind didn't blow them over, it caused some drift or sway, driver over-corrected, snd then flipped it. Gotta wonder what kind of hitch, was it properly adjusted, and was the TV /TT weight proportionately safe?Also, how fast were they moving when it happened? The faster you are moving, the less tire to roadway contact there is, so a lateral force, like wind, can cause a lot of sway.x2But does get mighty windy up there.

Deceiving title on article. The wind didn't blow them over, it caused some drift or sway, driver over-corrected, snd then flipped it. Gotta wonder what kind of hitch, was it properly adjusted, and was the TV /TT weight proportionately safe?No the article is not deceiving. 'Short wheel based TV' and wind gusts or just any type of side wind will start the TT swaying and a short wheel based tow vehicle can NOT handle it.Article states SUV and gusting winds.On a 'calm day' towing a TT with an SUV, it's a constant "tail wagging the dog". Add wind and you have zip zero control. Not surprised to see that accident in gusting winds with a SUV tow vehicle.Been there did that. Newbie, first TT, and a Tahoe. First trip out west and hit that windy stretch on 70 in Tulsa. The TT was only a 20 ft. AND had sway bars. Wind and my short wheel based SUV?..... I pulled off the road spent the night and in the morning turned around and went back home. Sold the TT and retired the Tahoe to only being allowed to getting groceries.

a reminder to be careful out there | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

Hannibal
Explorer
Apr 16, 2016
Also reminded me of this YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwOqARlw1EI
Hannibal
Explorer
Apr 16, 2016
The tires on the TV remind me of a time I put aggressive off-road tires on my pickup truck. It was squirrely by itself. With a trailer it was scary.
One trip out the Florida panhandle a few years ago put us in a cold front squall line. Scary windy with our 32' 5th wheel. When we reached our campsite and turned on the news, there were three 18 wheelers blown over in the stretch we had just drove through. We were lucky.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Apr 16, 2016
Thanks for the reminder to be safe. Always a good idea.

If the wind it blowing over 20 MPH or with gusts of over 25 I stay home.
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 15, 2016
apr67 wrote:
Dudes, that is a Suburban, not a Tahoe. Its not short wheel based.
LMAO. I wasn't going to say anything till more armchair experts had chimed in.. Reading comprehension is often lacking as some rush to judgement on these kinds of incidents.

He had a catastrophic blowout, (I blew up the pic) and probably a wind gust at the same time.

Sometimes you just have a bad day
apr67
Explorer
Apr 15, 2016
Dudes, that is a Suburban, not a Tahoe. Its not short wheel based.
hohenwald48
Explorer
Apr 15, 2016
GrandpaKip wrote:
3oaks wrote:
Amazing, how the armchair annalists know the exact cause of accidents without being remotely involved with the actual accident investigation! :@

And they then start arguing and correcting each other. All part of the entertainment factor of rv.net.

It is amazing how much factual data a couple of folks on a web forum can glean from a single picture. I'm surprised nobody has told us how fast they were travelling at the time of the accident.
GrandpaKip
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2016
3oaks wrote:
Amazing, how the armchair annalists know the exact cause of accidents without being remotely involved with the actual accident investigation! :@

And they then start arguing and correcting each other. All part of the entertainment factor of rv.net.
RwaSmith
Explorer
Apr 15, 2016
rbpru wrote:
I tow a 25 ft. Dutchmen Lite with an F-150 4x4. Winds in excess of 25 mph with gusts of 35 to 40 will put me onto secondary roads driving at 45 to 50 mph.

Out west we found the wind report on the morning news, in Indiana not so much.

I commented to the DW that our TT is only 10 ft. tall I wondered what the effect was on a 35 ft 5vers? The axle centered hitch is supposed to be more stable.

I have used this for Indiana wind speeds.

Indiana wind
rbpru
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2016
I tow a 25 ft. Dutchmen Lite with an F-150 4x4. Winds in excess of 25 mph with gusts of 35 to 40 will put me onto secondary roads driving at 45 to 50 mph.

Out west we found the wind report on the morning news, in Indiana not so much.

I commented to the DW that our TT is only 10 ft. tall I wondered what the effect was on a 35 ft 5vers? The axle centered hitch is supposed to be more stable.
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2016
Anybody notice the right rear wheel on the trailer missing tread :h/