Good example of why I prefer more truck than a half ton

[Bldrinker]

Depends on your definition of small, the expedition is about 17', trailer looks like it's easily twice that just comparing the two

Lol.

 

[sam darakjy]

Even so called experienced towers on this forum seem to say all the time how they push their capacity to the max especially on 1/2 tons. But I have air bags, sway bars and 10 Ply tires so all is good!

 

[Papamugger]

Airstream owners are the worst - they always want to pull with something stylish like a BMW, Most 25 foot and longer Airstreams have hitch weights in excess of 1000 pounds, add a little cargo in the trailer and TV and you are way over real quick. We were right on or just a little over the Weight with our 25FB so we bought the 2500 cummins, no issue with weight now

 

[Sandevino]

I saw a few similar wrecks on I-30 - half ton truck and double axle trailer. WIND was the cause of the wreck for the accident I witnessed.

 

[mtwofeathers]

This is the first of 2 overturned travel trailers on I-10 today alone!

View attachment 220689

I see many losing control with a light truck pulling an RV. Quartzsite arizona next to freeway all winter you can actually capture them in person losing control.

 

[sam darakjy]

This guy also thought his 1/2 was capable of the job.

 

[bootucker10]

look at the center of gravity , it should be over the axle .. . the mfgr of camper would not advise this .

 

[Marshall]

There are a hell of a lot of people that don't have a clue about what it takes to tow a trailer, just hook and go like it is a drive to work in the city and drive like that. I seen a fellow with a high 30 -35 foot 5 wheel with 2 AC's on top try to drive under a AW drive thru one time, Bit that cost a pile of money. Stupid.

 

[Marshall]

This guy also thought his 1/2 was capable of the job.

View attachment 220923

That would maybe work with the old long wheel base regular cab trucks when they where real trucks.
I use to have a 77 Datsun / Nissan long box 1/4 ton that carried more weight than my Rams, but the Rust,LOL.

 

[jawzs2]

He should have had his tie down strap a few feet more towards the front

 

[Tunaman]

It helps to know how to drive...2500 versus 1500 makes no difference. Did he have load leveler hitch? Was it balanced properly or the trailer a ft out of level like 1/4 of them out there. Did behave brake hookup? I seen many 18 wheelers out of the rd too.

 

[Tunaman]

I bet they did too!
Why try towing something that big with a 1/2 ton?

What was the weight???

 

[leroys73]

RVs and boats:
A person can make the payments and think they know how to operate the thing.
Many people equate the word TRUCK with "it will tow or haul anything that will fit on it or in it".
They do not know a thing about equalizer hitches or the proper way to adjust them. Often the dealer doesn't either and don't care.

Just as in boats a person will spend 50 to 100K for the boat and "save money" on the trailer, the hitch, and even the tow vehicle.
I guess that is "Getting the cart before the horse".

As said, many dealers just push the rig out the door. To compound the problem many trailers are equipped with marginal tires. Just read Trailer Life. Tires has been covered in there frequently.

Now, **** does happen, even with experienced operators. A sudden crosswind coupled with in attention. A blow out very well could catch a person in a bad spot.

Most are operator error.

Amen on the 2500. That is why I have one, just in case I decide to buy more than I really need.

 

[JohnnyMac]

RVs and boats:

Not so much with a trailering, but while I was in the Coast Guard, we'd stop some millionaire in Marin Harbor (outside of San Fran) with his multi-million dollar yacht and have to sit there and watch him crash into the dock about 15 times at different angles before he'd finally get it moored up, just so we could go aboard and write him a ticket for waking out every other boat in the harbor. Lots of money, not lots of brains. A guy with money like that really should hire a skipper to run his boat.

 

[Narg]

There is one thing none of us know. Was the trailer/SUV loaded properly? Or were they massively overloaded. A small family weighs a heck of a lot more (with luggage) than most people realize.

 

[ramffml]

He should have had his tie down strap a few feet more towards the front

He should have rachet strapped the front of his camper to his mirrors. That would have held 'er steady!

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

About truck campers.
I bought a 1 ton DRW for my Arctic Fox.
I researched this thoroughly and watched internet videos. There was no other option.
What if you get a rear wheel flat with a half ton?
I have seen people stretch it and see their trucks sway in a turn. That can be unsafe on a forest road.
I like the stability of a DRW and have actually used my 6WD to to climb steep gravel hills to get to camp sites.
The only thing I had to agonize over was diesel or gas. I went gas because the camper loaded weights about 5600lbs.
There is no way a half ton can haul that.
The 6.4L Hemi with the 8 speed tranny can move 5600 lbs easily up the steepest grades on gravel. Gas mileage sucks. I get 9.5 to 10 mpg on forest roads and 13 mpg on freeways.
Mileage isn't a big issue for me because once I get to a camp site I stay for a couple of days.
One thing I must always be aware of is that I don't have extra brakes for the extra weight.
Also, one must stick pretty much to the posted recommend speed limits at the turns on the twisty forest roads..
I think I made the right choice.

 

[GsRAM]

This guy also thought his 1/2 was capable of the job.

View attachment 220923

Wow, look at how that frame bent right at the cab/bed area. The things people (try) to do....Crazy stuff. I have no words.....and that does not happen often! Lol

 

[kurek]

Lot of newbies pulling trailers this year, if you want to have a family vacation there's no flying to europe or to disneyland or taking a cruise or seeing the big apple.. Well, the one thing you can mostly get away with in 2020 is camping or road trips.

But it's legal to hitch up a trailer without having any experience or any parental guidance in your youth.

We could speculate at why this wreck happened.. Well most of us who have towed a few times know a dozen different ways a tow can go wrong even if you're within the GCWR.

What I see most often is people failing to include tongue weight in the GVW of their tow vehicle (or just carelessly loading it down like if it fits it goes..)

Makes me nervous when I see an ambitious tow on the road near me, I keep my distance and get past them quick

 

[MoPowered]

I bet they did too!
Why try towing something that big with a 1/2 ton?

Well, they tow something that big for 2 reason’s
1. They have no idea how much is really safe to tow with.
2. The Trailer Salesman said they could tow with it and has no Idea how much is really safe to tow with.
Damn lucky nobody got hurt and I tow a 3,000lb Travel trailer infrequently with my Power Wagon and I wouldn’t tow any more 4,000lb trailer. My wife’s Uncle has driven Semi’s his whole life and he said he would never tow a travel trailer heavier than his personal truck. He likes to keep the weight as close to half his truck weight because of the aerodynamics of the travel trailer’s.