4X4Dodger, thanks!
I've posted these photos before, and everyone imaginable has come up with all sorts of reasons for the tongue failure over the years. Bottom line is, it was just a thin steel tubing, over time, (2 years of ownership), causing a flexing motion that finally just wore the metal in 2. The trailer was not over loaded, the WD bars were not overly tight, I was not speeding, driving reckless, or was neglecting proper care of my camper.
After thinking about this event for several years now, I am convinced it was because of the actual material used to make the A-frame tongue. The material was just too thin for long term survival.
There are still some folks around that deny there was a time period when manufactures were skimping so much, it really did put the purchaser at great risk. Had I not been going only about 35 mph when my failure happened, and I was on a back country Indiana Road outside of Frankfort, Indiana, and crossing over one of the bridges that crosses I-65, it still gives me strange dreams at night thinking about what would have happened if the tongue would have separated completely and I was going faster.
You know, in a situation like this, safety chains, crossed, uncrossed, or not even attached, would make no difference at all.
I'm grateful I had no trailer damage, except one scissor jack twisted beyond use. But that one jack saved the entire bottom of the camper frame from dragging and who know how much road it would have eaten up.
When Keystone installed the new frame, I was leary for a long time. But after a couple more years of ownership, I finally had a secure sense about the trailer again. I never did have any more problems with the frame, the structure, the welds, or anything. And I checked and double checked time and time again after this event. The rest of the frame, axles, tires, wheels, everything remained 100% sound and was still a good trailer the day we sold it.
In the end, I still like the split level frame better. I do like the extra clearance between the ground and the bottom of the frame. (And I'm the old f-a-r-t that won't get a 5er because of the steps. Now I've got steps! 3 more than my Springdale! So, there is always a trade off.
And still, this experience still puts path1 and me in an elite "group" of "survivalists"!??? We survived tongue failure and lived to share the photos! That's not a group I want to encourage anyone to join though!
