Let me start by saying I am not the tow weight police or the guy that goes to the CAT scales to set up my truck and trailer, I do know the towing capacity of my truck and what the proper setup should look like. I took my longest trip yet with my tt this week, about 700 miles round trip to the beach and I saw some really dangerous tow setups. My first concern was at a rest area, I saw a lady towing a tt with a more than capable TV but the setup had the hitch head down almost to the ground and scraping the pavement and the front wheels of the truck barely touching the ground. The WDH used bars with chains and she was only on the first link. I offered to take it up a couple of links to try and level it out a little but she thought it was fine. I saw dozens of people with golf carts in the truck bed causing the trailer to be nose down and the truck to sit way up in the front. I also was passed by several people towing at 70+ mph weaving in and out of traffic. I guess I do not have a question here but I did not realize how many people knowingly or unknowingly put themselves and others in danger while towing a tt or fw . I usually frequent one campground all summer and I do not see this type of thing very often.

Wife says I'm not a nice guy. Let me prove it. When you run across people that have set ups that are dangerous not only to themselves but to the public (including you) and they think nothing about it, don't help them. Period. There I'm a bad guy. By the way... might of saved them crashing into you. But I've helped people change tires if they had a spare. I've given gas to people, I given bungee cords and rope to people, etc...But when somebody needs a jump and their battery is caked over with corrosion because lack of maintenance and they don't even know where the hood latch is or their back bumper is falling off because they scrapped a driveway with their nose high 5th wheel by about 3 feet. Just keep on going about your business the life you save could be your own.

Often the folks with funky setups are only doing what their friendly RV salesman told them would be just fine. The ones driving 75+ are morons.

It is all but impossible to determine what is safe or unsafe for another person.You can set their rig up to spec. only to find they feel it is twitchy, bouncy, too stiff, too soft or unstable etc.Certainly it is good to offer suggestions which might improve a person's ride but the results can be mixed.How would you feel if someone thought your rig was unsafe?

Hate seeing rigs on the road that are no were close to being setup correctly. Then again I just put a new shank insert on the new truck because it sits higher than the old truck. So if you see me going down the road and I'm not set up correctly. Then feel free to flag me over and yell at me.

I'm a truck driver( as well as we travel with our TT several times a year vacationing) so I've seen all types of set ups. The other day a guy passed me towing at least a 30' TT with a lifted 4x4. The thing is, the truck was wayyy down in the rear but the TT was wayyy high in the front. Imagine how that thing handled. He was going the other way so I couldn't watch him.

Travel Trailer Towing Safety Concerns | Good Sam Community

path1
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
Wife says I'm not a nice guy. Let me prove it.

When you run across people that have set ups that are dangerous not only to themselves but to the public (including you) and they think nothing about it, don't help them. Period.

There I'm a bad guy. By the way... might of saved them crashing into you.

But I've helped people change tires if they had a spare. I've given gas to people, I given bungee cords and rope to people, etc...

But when somebody needs a jump and their battery is caked over with corrosion because lack of maintenance and they don't even know where the hood latch is or their back bumper is falling off because they scrapped a driveway with their nose high 5th wheel by about 3 feet.

Just keep on going about your business the life you save could be your own.
drsteve
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
Often the folks with funky setups are only doing what their friendly RV salesman told them would be just fine. The ones driving 75+ are morons.
rbpru
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2015
It is all but impossible to determine what is safe or unsafe for another person.

You can set their rig up to spec. only to find they feel it is twitchy, bouncy, too stiff, too soft or unstable etc.

Certainly it is good to offer suggestions which might improve a person's ride but the results can be mixed.

How would you feel if someone thought your rig was unsafe?
Calicajun
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
Hate seeing rigs on the road that are no were close to being setup correctly.

Then again I just put a new shank insert on the new truck because it sits higher than the old truck. So if you see me going down the road and I'm not set up correctly. Then feel free to flag me over and yell at me.
Mr_MrsSchleppro
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
I'm a truck driver( as well as we travel with our TT several times a year vacationing) so I've seen all types of set ups. The other day a guy passed me towing at least a 30' TT with a lifted 4x4. The thing is, the truck was wayyy down in the rear but the TT was wayyy high in the front. Imagine how that thing handled. He was going the other way so I couldn't watch him.
dee74
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
Well after reading a couple of posts I realize I must have hit a nerve. I am not trying to encroach on anyone's freedoms to do what they want, just making some observations. I would never say anything to these people I observed, except for one I offered to help which was unusual because usually I just mind my own business. I would definitely want to hear from an experienced person if they thought I could improve my setup, I am always learning something new. Tow how you want and drive how you want to. My only concern is the safety of my family.
path1
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
dee74 wrote:
Well after reading a couple of posts I realize I must have hit a nerve. I am not trying to encroach on anyone's freedoms to do what they want, just making some observations. I would never say anything to these people I observed, except for one I offered to help which was unusual because usually I just mind my own business. I would definitely want to hear from an experienced person if they thought I could improve my setup, I am always learning something new. Tow how you want and drive how you want to. My only concern is the safety of my family.

I'm glad you posted and concerned about your family's safety. I wish more people were. You would think a little light would go off in some peoples head if their hitch was dragging.
GaryWT
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
It is rare that I pass many people when towing as I usually go about 62. Once in awhile I pass a car or other trailer being towed but not often.

I have seen what you have, various odd set ups. Usually just while traveling so nothing I can do other than home that they make it safely where ever they are going. Always interesting to see others that are towing blow by you like you are sitting still.

The issue I see often is the small SUV towing a 30 foot + trailer. Maybe they are within the advertised tow limit but they have to be over in everything else.
bluie5
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
Saw the same thing this weekend. I can't believe that the drivers think the vehicle is handling correctly. Over weight SUVs and 1500 series trucks weighted down with no WD hitch. What took the cake though was an improperly set up rig filling his fresh water tank from the non-potable water hose at the dump station.
webwrangler
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
bluie5 wrote:
What took the cake though was an improperly set up rig filling his fresh water tank from the non-potable water hose at the dump station.

Darwin award!

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