was this one of you guys??

From what I see as soon as the trailer came through the tractor trailers wind cone the trailer started to sway, this is not uncommon especially since the truck looks to be a little tail heavy. A cross wind aggravates the situation although I couldn't tell from the video how much if any wind was present. If the driver had used the brake controller the trailer brake light should have lit up so I have to assume he never touched the brakes.

I would think instead of trashing the operator and providing no real useful information we as a group should be discussing this and maybe providing useful information that might help keep someone else out of this situation.

What I would have done in this situation, I have been here a couple times towing rigs for work that weren't set up quite right, is as soon as I felt the trailer start to sway I would have got my finger on the trailer brake controller and started to apply the trailer brakes which usually takes care of the problem right away. If I reacted to slow and the sway got excessive I would have applied the trailer brakes and powered up the truck to pull the trailer straight. Once the rig straightened out I would pull over and rework the hitch setup.

To tell you the truth passing a tractor trailer is my ultimate test of how well my truck trailer combo is set up. When I hook onto a new trailer I feel the rig out and avoid passing big rigs on the freeway until I have a feel of the combo and am confident that its set up right and running well. You know you have a good combo when you pass a big rig going down hill in a Wyoming cross wind and the trailer doesn't wiggle. From my experience speed isn't really an issue if the rig is set up right. As for the feel well its all in your rear. Your butt is connected to the seat and will give you the first indications that something is getting loose before you see it in the mirrors.

Roscopcoletrain wrote:

2012Coleman wrote:
That TT was violently swaying for at least 5 seconds - never saw a brake light. What an idiot - lucky it didn't take him with it.

dumb question, but when you apply the trailer brake without touching the tv brakes, do the lights come on?

Maybe not, but doing so would have solved the issue.

Video might show 07-15-2015 but it is much older than that. I have seen it several times in the past.

He just didn't want to follow the truck, his wish came true.

The good and bad news: The trailer broke free of the truck. The truck came to rest with the windshield facing what was left of his trailer.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
'Never even know it's back there when I tow"

I think this sums it up... So many think they can overcome or ignore basic physics. I see the same thing with some boaters. They think if they have enough power or the right equipment they can just power through gravity, wind, inertia, etc when the reality is the harder you fight them the harder they fight back.

2012Coleman wrote:
That TT was violently swaying for at least 5 seconds - never saw a brake light. What an idiot - lucky it didn't take him with it.

dumb question, but when you apply the trailer brake without touching the tv brakes, do the lights come on?

Farmerjon wrote:
click

Wow!!!

Double Wow!!

With the sag in the rear of the F250 I would say he wasn`t using any WD hitch! judging by the thinking of some that "I have a HD truck so I don`t need a hitch like the little trucks use" that was probably the thinking here. I see it all the time on the road (and on here). And you can see he never even tried to stop the sway and he had more than enough time!

"I was told a 3/4 ton would fix all my problems!"

Hensley Arrow schmensley arrow