Note On Trailer Safety
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,313
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From: Rio Rancho NM
Note On Trailer Safety
After reading the thread on towing a Toyota, I thought I'd post this little tidbit of safety info. 2 years ago a guy here at work lost a finger trying to slide an adjustable trailer jack base up into the jack sleeve. We had a heavy work trailer, thought to be fully hitched to the tow vehicle. Unbeknownst to the poor guy, the hitch was not fully down on the ball. He stuck his hand UNDER the base, started to pull the pin out while pushing up on the base to raise it, when the hitch fell down onto the ball. Since the base was so close to the ground, it crushed one of his fingers. The bone was crushed and shredded completely flat to the first knuckle. He lost the tip of his finger. I was off work that day but I heard you could hear him scream for blocks in every direction. After 2 years, he still has pains and numbness associated with the injury. FYI for everyone - NEVER put your hand, finger, tongue, or any other bodily appendage you plan to keep under the base of a trailer - ever.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2008
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Yeah that pretty much sucks 
Even the simplest common-sense thing like this can bite you in the a$$ if you don't pay attention to all the little detials.
Another word of advice - towing is not something to take for granted. If you don't know what you are doing, and don't know how to read the manual to determine if your truck/SUV can handle the load....then seek a professional! I see Ford Explorers and other light duty SUV/small trucks towing loads all the time that you just know are beyond the threshold of stupidity and of course safety
Not saying I am a pro at it, but at lease I'm smart enough to do my research regarding tow capacity, load balance, tie-downs, etc...... With so much heat being put on truckers and the safey logs of their rigs - I'd hate to see the percentage of pickup truck/trailer combos out there that are beyond the tow vehicles capacity and of course not even loaded/secured properly 
But I understand the towing guys have their own forum for those discussions....guess there is a forum for everything!
Even the simplest common-sense thing like this can bite you in the a$$ if you don't pay attention to all the little detials. Another word of advice - towing is not something to take for granted. If you don't know what you are doing, and don't know how to read the manual to determine if your truck/SUV can handle the load....then seek a professional! I see Ford Explorers and other light duty SUV/small trucks towing loads all the time that you just know are beyond the threshold of stupidity and of course safety
Not saying I am a pro at it, but at lease I'm smart enough to do my research regarding tow capacity, load balance, tie-downs, etc...... With so much heat being put on truckers and the safey logs of their rigs - I'd hate to see the percentage of pickup truck/trailer combos out there that are beyond the tow vehicles capacity and of course not even loaded/secured properly But I understand the towing guys have their own forum for those discussions....guess there is a forum for everything!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Gladwin,Mi
I tow with my truck for a living....75% of the time I am towing a customers trailer(camper/boat trailer).Before I even attempt to hook up everything is checked...bearings/tires..condition of the frame ect(I even throw grease in the bearings/air in the tires)....And after all that passes my standards...after hook up is lights,short trip down the road for brakes.I also go through the entire inspection at every stop.The last boat trailer I almost passed on because the surge brakes were mediocre.....I had the owner agree to get them fixed in route if they became any worse.
Posting Guru
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From: Gladwin,Mi
surge brake are hydraulic..the tongue of the trailer is basically a brake pedal and master cylinder.When you apply your brakes the tongue compresses(brake pedal) and applies pressure to the brakes
Posting Guru
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From: Gladwin,Mi
here is a pic of a tonge for surge brakes....first time you tow with them they scare you a bit...big "THUD" when you take off when the tongue releases.There is usually a valve or qick disconnect on the brake line somewhere...to cut the MC form the brakes for when you back up
RV Protection Products: Hydraulic Surge Brakes
RV Protection Products: Hydraulic Surge Brakes
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
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i hate towing surge breaks esp in mountain area's. and sowaxeman iv seen a lot of what your talking about as well, but i have seen a lot of them sitting onside the road with a dot cop behind them, the problem is though the highway patrol and local cops don't know what legal and what is not or even care to look
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2008
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Are surge brakes still made, and are they legal everywhere? I heard a few years ago here in IN that they were on their way out and possibly going to be outlawed 
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Gladwin,Mi
Every boat trailer I see has them...I have never heard of them going away
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: MICHIGAN
I think electric brakes may have a little trouble after dunking them in the water all the time, surge brakes would be necessary for this application IMO. I agree with ron, never heard of them going away.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
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iv seen some boat trailers with electric over hydrolic setups witch is where an electrically operated master cyl applys breaks to hyro trailer breaks. iv also towed 1 boat that just had plain electric breaks but it was an 32foot bayliner im sure they dont intend the trailer to be used more than 2ce a year and the breaks would be fine with a quick rinse. surge breaks are most common. most trailer rental places fit all there trailers with surge as well so that anyone can tow them and and trailer breaks, no controllers needed.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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All good points and let me just say- I fired one of my drivers last week because he pulled up to the shop with a 9000# skid steer held on by ONE TIE-DOWN STRAP. Everytime he has loaded a trailer I never saw the chains tight and rarely in the right spot. If the trailer doesn;t have the right binding equipment, don't tow anything. One part of my rant with this driver is that IL law requires 1 tie down device per 10ft or equipment on the trailer. The chains should be pulling the equipment apart or pulling the two ends together, not vertical chains unless inbetween the outside ones. And check it often- I have the habit of glimpsing at the chain in my mirrors when taking every turn. Loose chains will get you a ticket in IL too, as I'm sure many other states. Just my $.02!!!
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Langley, BC, Canada
After reading the thread on towing a Toyota, I thought I'd post this little tidbit of safety info. 2 years ago a guy here at work lost a finger trying to slide an adjustable trailer jack base up into the jack sleeve. We had a heavy work trailer, thought to be fully hitched to the tow vehicle. Unbeknownst to the poor guy, the hitch was not fully down on the ball. He stuck his hand UNDER the base, started to pull the pin out while pushing up on the base to raise it, when the hitch fell down onto the ball. Since the base was so close to the ground, it crushed one of his fingers. The bone was crushed and shredded completely flat to the first knuckle. He lost the tip of his finger. I was off work that day but I heard you could hear him scream for blocks in every direction. After 2 years, he still has pains and numbness associated with the injury. FYI for everyone - NEVER put your hand, finger, tongue, or any other bodily appendage you plan to keep under the base of a trailer - ever.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
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(Originally Posted by powrstrkr
After reading the thread on towing a Toyota, I thought I'd post this little tidbit of safety info. 2 years ago a guy here at work lost a finger ....)
I did a similar no-no.
While hooking up my plow I stuck my finger in the big pin hole to see if it was close to lining up... just then it shifted just a bit and tried to shear my finger off like a cigar cutter. Left a crease in the fingernail and a cut on the print. Just a fraction of a second of stupidity.
Good reminder on the chain thing too.. Never too many chains.
After reading the thread on towing a Toyota, I thought I'd post this little tidbit of safety info. 2 years ago a guy here at work lost a finger ....)
I did a similar no-no.
While hooking up my plow I stuck my finger in the big pin hole to see if it was close to lining up... just then it shifted just a bit and tried to shear my finger off like a cigar cutter. Left a crease in the fingernail and a cut on the print. Just a fraction of a second of stupidity.
Good reminder on the chain thing too.. Never too many chains.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,081
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From: Gladwin,Mi
All good points and let me just say- I fired one of my drivers last week because he pulled up to the shop with a 9000# skid steer held on by ONE TIE-DOWN STRAP. Everytime he has loaded a trailer I never saw the chains tight and rarely in the right spot. If the trailer doesn;t have the right binding equipment, don't tow anything. One part of my rant with this driver is that IL law requires 1 tie down device per 10ft or equipment on the trailer. The chains should be pulling the equipment apart or pulling the two ends together, not vertical chains unless inbetween the outside ones. And check it often- I have the habit of glimpsing at the chain in my mirrors when taking every turn. Loose chains will get you a ticket in IL too, as I'm sure many other states. Just my $.02!!!
I agree Cowboy.......IMO chain binders are extremely dangerous too.You have to watch your *** when binding down,and releasing them.I used to drive flatbed....I was KO'd by one when I was letting it loose....after a long day and not paying attention.Luckally it only broke my nose and KO'd me for a few.
And a tie down per 10ft is mandatory in every state.