boat pulling mishaps

[big walleye]

Thay probably did Trap but the water in the ditch was to low.

[Mr. Rig]

A few years ago we were returning from a trip, at night, turning left off the highway into a gas station where my buddy had left his car.  A guy plowed into me from behind going about 60 mph.  Next thing I knew I was drifting into the gas station and my boat was sailing by me, stopped by the gas station sign.  Fortunately I stopped before I hit the gas pumps.  Got out, realized the tongue of the trailer had punctured my gas tank - gas all over the place - and that we had been very, very lucky that the sparks the trailer was throwing up as it slid over the gravel didn't ignite everything!  Nobody seriously hurt.

ps  boat and trailer were write-offs, Jeep was repaired.  The motor was OK as the hood of the guy's car had hit the bottom of the skeg and just popped it up.  I bought the boat (17 foot Lund Pro Fisherman) back from the insurance company (cost me $600 - and they put $7000 in my jeans - hell the 3 ped seats and the wave wackers were worth more than that), jacked it up in my garage and used a marine repair compound to take the lip off the bottom of the hull which had been left there by the impact.  Have used it like that now for 4 or 5 years and it planes quite well - not perfect, but what can you do for $600!!!  doesn't leak.  Those Lunds are tough boats!

[TroutFishingBear]

One time we had one of our personal pontoon boats fall off on the highway going 75 mph, but we stopped and got it. Lucky no one was coming (We changed the way we bungee them together to the trailer now )

[swampbuckster]

Haven't lost a boat or a camper-yet. But a few years back, me and my buddy took my dad's 4 wheeler and trailer out to the lake ice fishing and on the way back, we turn a corner, I look in my rear view and say to my friend, "Where is the 4 wheeler at?!" I started panicking thinking about the last 2 miles we drove from the lake. Wondering where the 4 wheeler was. Drove all the way back to the lake and never seen the 4 wheeler or tracks leading into the woods as to where it might of come off. So now, REALLY freaking out, we turn around and drive back again looking. This time slower. Finally, at the last 30 yards before we turned around, I seen tracks leading into someones yard. Me and my friend get out, follow the tracks and find the four wheeler about 50 yards off the road in someones backyard. The way it left the ramps on the trailer, the fourwheeler backed down, hit the road, spun 180 degrees around and then rolled to the side of the road all the time on four wheels. Put it back on trailer, put the four wheeler in gear, the e-brake on, and secured the gate ramp down as best we could! Luckily, the four wheeler never was harmed and luckier that my dad to this day doesn't know about it! Oh yeah, and don't trust zip strips. NEVER!!!

[crappieman12887]

just happen to be repairing a mishap,a friend lost his boat of the trailer as he was towing home the other night,seem the eye bolt broke out of the boat,so the bottom looks like someone took a grinder to it,boat and pavement dont mix ,but i feel all could have been pevented if he would have had a second strap on,bill

[The Rocket]

About 4 weeks ago, my uncle John had a similar problem with his boat trailer.
We were going fishing to our favorite lake in southeast Colorado. He left about an hour before we did. He had his 02 F-150 and his Sylvan 1800. He was driving on a highway near a small town called Elisabeth when one of the lug nuts on the drivers side of the boat trailer sheered off at 75mph. The rest of the lug nuts sheered off within seconds. The tire bounced over the truck and almost hit the hood. He managed to keep the truck from crashing.
When the lugs nuts sheered off, the were extremely hot, and the landed in the ditch. Thus,
Starting a grass fire On our way down, we were passed by the fire department. And 20 minuts later we found John next to the road with one messed up trailer
It is a miracle that he didn't wreck his truck at 75mph!


This pitcure is looking back from where the tire landed. 150 yards from where John stoped.

[JigAwhopper]

Someone could correct me if i'm wrong,  but i don't believe that the boat trailer tires  are rated for 75mph!  I never go that fast,  and try to keep it under 65 at all times.  Those are small tires and will overheat easly.  Also when i tow, they recommend to disengage OverDrive.  On my f-150 i like to keep the rpms under 2500.  Hopefully that will help  my trans and the engine to last a bit longer.  When i go fishing now,  everyone is passing me now,  but i don't care anymore.  I'm not there to go racing                            J.

[fozsey]

Someone could correct me if i'm wrong,  but i don't believe that the boat trailer tires  are rated for 75mph!  I never go that fast,  and try to keep it under 65 at all times.  Those are small tires and will overheat easly.  Also when i tow, they recommend to disengage OverDrive.  On my f-150 i like to keep the rpms under 2500.  Hopefully that will help  my trans and the engine to last a bit longer.  When i go fishing now,  everyone is passing me now,  but i don't care anymore.  I'm not there to go racing                            J.

JW,

Trailer tires have come a long way in the last 20 years. If the tires are matched to the axle weight rating, in good shape and properly inflated, they should have no problem maintaining most posted speed limits within reason.

For example, a common boat trailer tire size is 5.30 X 12 ST. With a Load Range of a C and the tire inflated to the maximum pressure of 80 psi, this tire will carry a load of 1040 lbs and is rated by the Department of Transportaton to be able to maintain 80 mph with no tire breakdown. That means that as long as the combined weight of your trailer, boat, and gear doesn't exceed 2080 lbs and everything else is in check, you will have no problems traveling at the posted speed limit.

The DOT requires that all tire manufactures rate their tires this way. In this case the 80 mph indicates a speed that the tire is tested and certified to be able to withstand assuming it is properly inflated and not overloaded. Chances are the tire would be capable of more, but the tire manufacturer won't certify it.

As far as towing in OD, there is much controversy over this subject. When the OD transmission came out in light trucks the rule seemed to be that towing in OD wasn't reccomended. Today, there is some debate between truck makers as to tow in OD or lock OD out. Personally, I always tow in OD. I drive a diesel pickup and have no problem towing with it. I just replaced the transmission at 175,000 and I asked the owner of the transmission shop about it and he stated that as long as the transmission isn't shifting in and out of OD, always tow in OD. If I lock out OD in my pickup towing my tach will be redlined (3400rpm) at 70 mph. Transversly, if I tow in OD my tach will drop down to 2200 to 2400 depending on the speed of course.

Based on The Rocket's story, pictures and without any additional information, I would most likely conclude that the lug nuts were loose and thus caused the failure. If he was traveling at a slower speed he might have averted the problem for a time, but it woiuld have eventually happened anyway unless he caught it by checking his lugnuts.

[JigAwhopper]

Hey Fozsey,  now i'll have to go and  read my trailer tires and see what they say .  I got a new set last year and perhaps there was a lower speed restriction on the ones I replaced.    As for the OD,  my owner manual recommends to turn off the overdrive while towing to prevent the transmission from oscillating to lower gear all the time and burning it up.  Diesel engine might have more torque and does not have to downshift as much as mine.    My next truck is gonna be a diesel!                                      J.

[Out4Trout]

A couple of years ago coming back from an ice fishing trip up north we lost a trailer tire about one mile from home. We checked all the lug nuts before we started started also. It was about a 250 mile trip back - just glad it happened close to home and not up in the willie wacks.

[techyfisher]

I have a 92 explorer that had the transmission rebuilt in 1998. I have been towing with it since pulling my dad's 17' boat and the last 3 years my pop-up camper. I always leave it in OD unless I get into very up and down terrain and have experienced no adverse affects yet. Oh yeah I also have 183,000 miles on it. So I don't believe pulling in OD is a bad thing.

[big walleye]

First of all pulling anything at 75 MPH makes me shake my head. I beleive pulling at that speed you are simply looking for trouble. Second I pull my boat in overdrive and only shut it off when going up huge hills. I currently have 306,000 kms on my Ford F-150. The transmission has went so I decided at the time to replace the transmission but I do not beleive I would of had to. The key is to maintain your transmission by changing the fluid and not over wroking it at high speeds.