On 5/2/2014 4:21 PM, JohnDeRosa wrote:
I have been told that crossing your trailer safety chains is the right
thing to do. Something about if the coupler comes off the ball, the
trailer will be limited in its wayward travel. Sounds like something for
Mythbusters to figure out. Yes or no, what say you?

And while you are at it, anyone have a great crazy "trailer came off the
ball" story to share? You first.

- John


Way back when - when I first began towing trailers - someone (my old man?)
told me to cross the chains, and why (to minimize the chances of "pole
vaulting")...it made sense to me, so - chains permitting - I've always crossed
'em. Happily, I've never tested the reasoning.

That said, once when retrieving someone - their vehicle pulling a factory
PIK-20 trailer - less than two miles from the airport & still in town, someone
pulled up beside me waving frantically and pointing behind me. I pulled over
to figure out why. When I pre-flighted the (ready to go [almost!]) trailer, I
missed catching the fact the rear door wasn't latched. It'd flopped open and
was skating raucously on the metal brackets that support the door when the
fuselage rests on it for rigging. Hadn't heard a thing in the cushy 5 Series
BMW! I'd'a 'fessed up if asked...but I wasn't asked.

That's prolly in my top 3 bozo trailer moves...for #1, it'll take more than
RAS to pull it outta me. (It wasn't a glider trailer but...kids, LISTEN to
those little voices in your heads!)

Bob - a decade later & it still gives me the shakes - W.