Truck camper towing at least a 30 ft TT crash....

[zenbuck]

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_jersey&id=9252773






Luckily no serious injuries.. It is very windy on this bridge! I hope nobody here does this..

[msmith1199]

Chris Bryant wrote:
I actually do know the rig- the show has several of them. This is a very long wheelbase truck, with a very short rear overhang, and a standard long drawbar hitch. I've towed hundreds of thousands of miles with a similar setup.

You are clearly correct. The camper in the photos appears to extend behind the truck only because the truck has crashed and the camper is partially coming off. You can also tell by the design of the rear of the camper that it does not extend past the bed because otherwise it would be flat across the bottom, versus having the cut outs.

[msmith1199]

The guy doing the reporting was in a helicopter and the accident just happened and was being cleaned up. It's a very rare occasion when I would ever defend the media because we know how messed up they are, but how exactly would they get this information on a story that is this fresh? Don't you think that since the freeway was closed it was more important to get the story out versus the minute details?

[d3500ram]

Uhm, is there a camper in that photo? I don't seem to see it. :h

Chris Bryant wrote:
An upright picture of the same rig, with another in the background:


🙂

:B

[Chris_Bryant]

An upright picture of the same rig, with another in the background:


🙂

[RCMAN46]

A ford truck. Note the drivers door.

[d3500ram]

No overhang on the camper (sans camper mounted tailight.) It is an 8'-0 or 8'-6. Most likely no hitch extension is needed.



Better view so you don't need to tilt yer head:

[DiskDoctr]

06Fargo wrote:
Glad the people were not seriously injured or worse.

Of course if they had done a proper side wind calculation of the loading per square foot vector times the GCW of their GCWR rating, they would have known they could have encountered wind that exceeded the delta W rating of the hitch preload factoring in the China bomb tires...:h um divided by the rear spring rate x the air bags...:h (I never was very good at computer desk accident analysis... anyway

LOL. Of course, if their load was "properly distributed" they would have been impervious to the wind. After all, if loaded properly, not even sway control is necessary as sway is *impossible* :R 😛 (At least if you tend to believe recent sway control threads here 😉 )

[noteven]

Glad the people were not seriously injured or worse.

Of course if they had done a proper side wind calculation of the loading per square foot vector times the GCW of their GCWR rating, they would have known they could have encountered wind that exceeded the delta W rating of the hitch preload factoring in the China bomb tires...:h um divided by the rear spring rate x the air bags...:h (I never was very good at computer desk accident analysis... anyway

On the Great Plains we have a shorter scientifical explanation for this:

"The wind blew them off the road." (or bridge in this case)



Windage

[Chris_Bryant]

I actually do know the rig- the show has several of them. This is a very long wheelbase truck, with a very short rear overhang, and a standard long drawbar hitch. I've towed hundreds of thousands of miles with a similar setup.

[popupcamping]

it isn't extended beyond the bed. It is just sliding off. Look at the cab over part. It isn't over the cab:W. It is an 8 footer

[Rockrash]

Here is a thread about a similar accident.

http://www.nc4x4.com/forum/index.php?threads/well.142314/

[tatest]

There is more to safe towing than weights vs manufacturers specs. In crosswinds, center of pressure vs center of mass vs pivot points are important to stability, and crosswinds on the Great Plains and in a few passes regularly blow over empty semi-trailers that would have likely been OK if parked for the duration or moving much more slowly. Neither are motorhomes or motorcoaches immune to being pushed by the wind past a driver's ability to maintain or regain control.

This was a high risk combo for crosswind problems, most of the wind force behind the truck. DDs FIL lost a 30 ft TT to a high speed gust, but no camper and it didn't take the truck over, but did pull it off the road.

No telling whether this was a "getting dicy out there, but I'm good to handle it" situation like most of the truck incidents, or it was a surprise, no hint of trouble coming. Highway patrol sometimes shuts down roads for several hours to a day or two, to prevent a rash of wind accidents. Sometimes they'll let cars, singles and semis through, but make doubles, triples, and high profile lightweight vehicles park and wait out the storm.

[Chris_Bryant]

Lumpty wrote:
These were circus/carnival workers traveling from Orange County, NY to somewhere outside of DC.

Please- there is a HUGE difference between Circus and carnival- they are an act with the Big Apple Circus.

[Lumpty]

These were circus/carnival workers traveling from Orange County, NY to somewhere outside of DC.