Trailer towing, a word of caution

My son has been hauling cars on my car hauler for awhile from Tenn to Az and back. He got here about a week ago from Tenn to my home in South East Az, Today he was going to take a car to Phoenix. About 1/2 hour after he left, he called and told me that the trailer had come off the hitch. Going about 55 an a rural paved road he hit a bump and the trailer came off of the hitch. The trailer tongue hit the road and scraped the chain link where they attach to the tongue almost in two. Fortunately the chains kept the trailer straight. We got it back on and the chains fixed and he continued on his way. We got complacent and didn't double check the hook up. We have hauled cars and my 2N many times. So, no matter how many times you haul, ALWAYS double check. Another thought, I have a utility trailer with only one chain. No way that trailer will stay straight if it comes off. Another chain will be added tomorrow. To keep this farm related, the first hay was cut on a farm close to us yesterday.
 

A good reminder I rarely use a chain behind an implement and the tractor, but I ALWAYS put a keeper tension clip through the hitch pin. But one time I was headed out a little late to bale hay and couldn't find a clip. half a mile from home going down hill on a washboard dirt road, the baler came off and down into a deep ditch. There was fortunately no damage, but I was even later to bale the hay.
 
I think many of us have learned the hard way to pay attention to our trailers and tie downs. In about 71 or 72 I was coming home from a camping trip towing a tongue heavy 2 wheel travel trailer behind my Bronco and noticed on a rough stretch of US 67 there seemed to be some noise coming from the rear. Pulled into a parking lot and checked. I had driven over 100 miles with the hitch unlatched. :oops: It hadn't come open, it was a Bulldog hitch and I had forgotten to close it. Sure was glad that trailer was tongue heavy.

2nd lesson, about 6 or 7 years ago I was loading the night before a tractor show when it started raining, so I decided to tie the tractor down the next morning. Thankfully it was a cub, not my H. Yup, next morning I climbed in truck and started to pull out of carport and when I glanced in the mirror I realized the cub was rolling. Thank goodness I had put the tailgate in the trailer. After calling myself a few nasty names I got out and put the tie downs on.
 
I padlock the latch on mine after hooking to truck so it can't come unhooked. Some thing would have to break for it to unlatch.I also cross chains so if it did come unhooked it would be cradled by the chains.
 
(reply to post at 15:50:24 04/01/17)
I assisted at an accident once where a boat trailer came unhitched and the tongue went through the windshield of an oncoming car and took the driver in the head injuring him seriously. I had to take his 8 or 9 year old son and try to find the camp they were staying at, which took quite a while, and advise Mom, transport them to the hospital. Not fun. And all because Bubba couldn't be bothered with chains.
 
The safety chains saved me once on my empty 16' flat bed when I forgot to change the ball from 1-7/8 to 2-5/16.

Dusty
 
I have pins on a chain I use to lock the hitch. Also have got in the habit of doing a complete walk around starting and ending at the hitch. This way I am checking behind myself. I started this because I once towed my 16 ft flat bed 20 miles without latching the bulldog. Lucky it didn't come off.
 
Exactly, hooked up trailer and drove 15 miles to pickup a tractor and as soon as i drove it on the trailer the hitch popped off the ball. I had failed to replace the 2 inch ball with the 2 5/16 inch.
 
I had one of those toggle-ended pins that holds the hitch in the receiver. I was hauling something on my 16-foot trailer when I heard a strange noise. I checked and discovered that the receiver pin was missing, for whatever reason. Fortunately my safety chains were short enough to allow the hitch to back out of the receiver far enough to fall out, so the trailer was still attached to the ball.
 
I use the locking receiver pin . It keeps people from taking receiver hitch and ball and keeps pin from falling out.
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I have a pin on a chain and don't use it after finding it had fell out or somebody pulled it out. I then went to a pad lock that won't fall out.
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(quoted from post at 23:17:54 04/01/17) I had one of those toggle-ended pins that holds the hitch in the receiver. I was hauling something on my 16-foot trailer when I heard a strange noise. I checked and discovered that the receiver pin was missing, for whatever reason. Fortunately my safety chains were short enough to allow the hitch to back out of the receiver far enough to fall out, so the trailer was still attached to the ball.

I had one of those toggle ended pins come out once too. They must wiggle and wear and get loose with time.
 
I have something like yours to hold hitch in receiver . Only problem, Last time I tried to remove it, the lock was so rusty it wouldn't come off. Thanks to Indiana putting salt on roads. I had to use cutoff wheel on grinder to remove it.

I use a padlock to lock hitch lever in place. Keep lock in hitch to deter thieves.
 

You also don't want to leave a draw bar in the receiver too long. I oil the inside of the receiver tube at least twice a year.
 
I lube the lock several times a year and I take off receiver every fall because I don't pull trailer in winter.
 

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