Trailer snaking accident

[Vespasian]

Sure theres no hard and fast rules regarding righting a snaking trailer...

 

On a top gear show they proved slowing was as good as accelerating out of it... might be you have decelerate slowly or accelerate slowly out of it..

 

I expect if you stick your foot on the brakes, the weight of the trailer and its load will push the truck like a bull in a china shop gone berserk...

[jrose]

Cheers everyone

 

The road was slightly wet and the camber just there is a bit pronounced, so I was reluctant to accelerate in case this made things worse! Although maybe that is what I should have done?

 

The load was as pretty evenly distributed as possible, two bundles of slab wood up against the head board and then trimmed off flush with the tailgate. If having it slightly nose heavy helps I will make sure all trailers are loaded that way in future, I've always been told load over both axles but that may not have been the best advice.

 

Does anyone know if there is any sort of advanced trailer driving course available, that covers more than the standard B+E? I would book myself on one tomorrow if I thought it would give me this sort of training, as it's something you don't want to have to encounter again in the real world!

[aspenarb]

Cheers everyone

 

The road was slightly wet and the camber just there is a bit pronounced, so I was reluctant to accelerate in case this made things worse! Although maybe that is what I should have done?

 

The load was as pretty evenly distributed as possible, two bundles of slab wood up against the head board and then trimmed off flush with the tailgate. If having it slightly nose heavy helps I will make sure all trailers are loaded that way in future, I've always been told load over both axles but that may not have been the best advice.

 

Does anyone know if there is any sort of advanced trailer driving course available, that covers more than the standard B+E? I would book myself on one tomorrow if I thought it would give me this sort of training, as it's something you don't want to have to encounter again in the real world!

 

Dont beat yourself up over this, your truck /trailer choice are sound and there is nothing wrong with your driving. Just spend a little more time on load weight distribution and you will be fine.

 

Bob

[jrose]

Dont beat yourself up over this, your truck /trailer choice are sound and there is nothing wrong with your driving. Just spend a little more time on load weight distribution and you will be fine.

 

Bob

 

Thanks Bob, just been a bit shaken up by this as I've been driving and towing for 10 years now and this is the first time I've had something.like this happen. Just trying to learn from it ☺

[Richard 1234]

Glad your all ok!

As others have said even loading with a slight bias to the nose and you will be fine.

[Alinicoll]

I'm glad to hear you're both okay Joe. That sounds really nasty

[swinny]

I have obly ever had the trailer snake once on me and that was bad enough. That was through bad weight distribution as concrete barriers wernt put over the axle properly when i collected some, that was approx 40-50 mph on a bit of a lumpy stretch going round a corner. I can tell you that it would have been daft to accelerate out of it! I backed off straight away and griped the steering wheel and helped it down the road till it came true.

 

Glad you got out ok! All the best

[eggsarascal]

Sounds really nasty, glad you are both ok.

 

NTTA Safe & Legal Towing - The Use of Stabilisers when Towing

[mowingjamie]

what size wheels did your trailer have, my 10x5 with 13" is lovely to tow with litte weight on but when its loaded near to max its really bad, snakes all over and a bit uncontrolable at any speed over 30mph. had a few near bad experences with it.

 

but my 12ft with the smaller ifor tyres is really harsh ride when empty but very controlable, neaver yet had any snake with it well and above 3500kg.

 

i personally think its all down to the trailer and the hitch not being set up correctly, if the slab wood filled the hole lenth of the trailer the weight would have been perfectly balenced.

[Johny Walker]

Glad your all ok!

As others have said even loading with a slight bias to the nose and you will be fine.

 

do you mean somthing like this