Scaaaaaaaary 80 Feet!!!!

[Bootguy]

I went to put the tractor on the trailer today, it was parked on a slight decline. i got the tractor 3/4 of the way on the trailer and it unweighted the rear wheels of the truck enough that the whole thing started to slide down the hill!! The truck jackknifed and it came to a stop about 80 feet from where I started. I have never been that scared or felr soooooooooo helpless. I had some scratches on the sheet metal of the truck and it crushed the box that housed the hydraulics for the trailer, but that was it. It could have been MUCH worse. I have only put the tractor on this trailer a couple of times, and never even considered that it would displace that much weight on the truck. I was able to load up and get home. I am now drinking heavily! tomarrow will be another day!

 

[jimmyjack]

why'd u stop ???? you should have kept driving the tractor onto the trailer , ive done that once when i first got into construction ,you cant take your time crawlin up a trailer , its on or off not sitting on the tail of the trailer

 

[td25c]

Glad to here you were not injured and the damage was minimal Bootguy.I always carry some wood cribbing on the loboy for chocking the trailer tires and cribbing up beween the beaver tail and the road to prevent a "unsmooth moment".Dont feel bad,I've recoverd several rigs where the truck ends up in the ditch with the trailer wedged into the cab.Moving equipment can be more dangerous than operating .

 

[dogboneshd]

glad to hear your O.K.

 

[roddyo]

Comments from the Peanut Gallery

I went to put the tractor on the trailer today, it was parked on a slight decline. i got the tractor 3/4 of the way on the trailer and it unweighted the rear wheels of the truck enough that the whole thing started to slide down the hill!! The truck jackknifed and it came to a stop about 80 feet from where I started. I have never been that scared or felr soooooooooo helpless. I had some scratches on the sheet metal of the truck and it crushed the box that housed the hydraulics for the trailer, but that was it. It could have been MUCH worse. I have only put the tractor on this trailer a couple of times, and never even considered that it would displace that much weight on the truck. I was able to load up and get home. I am now drinking heavily! tomarrow will be another day!

I know it's a scary feeling when the truck starts rolling but you got to get on the Gas and break the weight over on the trailer to make it stop.

Look at it this way.

You ain't got nothing to lose by giving it the Gas, Your already moving.

 

[mudmaker]

I did it once a couple of years ago, but I was able to just keep going on up to get it to stop. One thing about it, you only do it once!!

 

[tonka]

always load on level ground!

 

[AtlasRob]

Good to hear you are ok Bootguy. Dont feel too bad about it, you aint the first and you wont be the last.

Glad you posted though, as it will highlight it for those that haven`t considered the possibilities of trailer brakes not holding.

Theres those that consider it a stupid mistake that should never happen,:notworthy and there are those that have experienced the adrenlin rush and learned the hard way with no desire for a repeat and hopefully let others learn from our ( who me ) mistakes.

You might find this thread of intrest

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=8983

 

[Bootguy]

I learned alot in that 45 seconds, it WILL NOT happen again. A few hundred $$ and alot of pride is all it cost me, it could have been far worse.

 

[Red Bank]

Bootguy, I want to thank you for posting this, I read it the other night and yesterday I had to haul my tractor out for a little job. Loaded up on a trailer I usually do not use with no problems. Got to the job, homeowner with his friend was shocked when I unloaded the tractor and it caused the rear end of the truck to go up in the air, luckily I was backing off in a higher gear than I usually do, got the tractor off, everything was ok, when I loaded up to leave, I decided I should probably chock the trailer tires, everything was good. Had I not have read this post and been reminded of what I need to try to remember (safety!) who knows what could have happened. Thanks to Bootguy and everyone who posted, especially Jimmyjack for the advice on get it on and off fast!

 

[jimmyjack]

well i want to stress safely and quick ...not so fast your not in control...
most times if the tag trailer as air brakes those brakes will hold the truck if it should come up a little , but i have seen them roll anyway
i see more guys have the issuse of trucks rollin when they drive up the beavertail with a tracked machine and stop at the top of it to keep it from slamming on to the deck but u can do it slow but dont stop thats the problem theres no weight on the ramps anymore and theyre nothin on the trailer yet

just remember dont panic

 

[bill onthehill]

I had a similar experience loading a 953 on a beavertail tag behind a single axle international. It was on fairly level ground but covered with about 3 inches of snow that was still coming down. As jimmyjack says don't stop and all will be good. I only slid about 35 ft. but it made an impression on me. Started using expanded steel wheel chocks after that and never had a problem. I have lifted the back of the truck off the ground a lot but never had a problem as long as the trailer is chocked well.

 

[wolcottseptic]

that happened to a friend of mine loading a pc 50 blew out 2 of the trucks tires and bent the hitch so bad it had to be replaced

 

[mudmaker]

Does anyone use drop down legs on the back of the trailer?? I used a friends g/n for my backhoe once that had them and they worked great. I just feel better supporting the back of the trailer instead of having the back of the tow vehicle coming off the ground. Seems less chance of damaging equipment.

 

[ghitch75]

thats when a mikey lock brake comes in handy....locks front and rear wheels with hydro brakes.....

 

[Bearmtnmartin]

Everyone who's been in the game for a few years has a loading equipment story. I once loaded my rubber tire hoe on my trailer, not realising that the rain was freezing and the deck was a sheet of ice. My hoe shot off the trailer sideways. I still don't know how it managed to land on its wheels. That one was scary, but another time I was unloading the father in laws hi hoe off his tilt deck tag. My tag has ramps, and we both pull them with a gravel truck. So I forgot to release the latch on the tilt deck. I just walked it off. Put the bucket on the ground, walked the hoe until the deck went down, and climbed off. when the hoe was mostly off I swung the house around and realised that the ass end of the gravel truck was 4 feet in the air. Oops. My customer was watching and he didn't seem to think anything was wrong, so I just let the truck down and went to work like that was how I always did it. Sorry to hijack the thread, but you brought back a few memories.

 

[ConklinMark]

Scary indeed, but I think you see from all the responses what to do next time. Always prep to load safely and when it happens charge forward.

 

[stock03]

A friend of mine said he did the same thing with his set up. He as a duelly dodge, and he said when he drove his tractor onto the goose-neck trailer, it lifted the back of the truck and caused the truck to slam into the trailer. Besides a new paint job, no one was hurt.

 

[OneWelder]

Ghitch that is not always true- trucks with dual port master cylinders would only have one of th ports plumbed into the Micro - lock- if both are joined you lose the safety advantages- Also micro locks are notorious for for leaking off - then the chase is on
Micro locks are very useful - you just should not trust them

 

[NormanSheffield]

Thanks for the post. I will learn from your experience.