Trailer Chains - To Cross of Not to Cross - That is the Question

My turn.

Coming back from "out west" to Chicago with trailer in tow, I also had a PTT a.k.a. premature termination of towing-the-trailer. I was in mid-town Omaha, in four lanes of rush hour traffic. AND THEN BANG!

It really didn't occur to me until later, as I only had time to react, that the trailer had departed the ball. All I knew was that SOEMTHING WAS WRONG! I heard bang-pause-bang-pause and the truck being pulled side to side.

My mate was in the lead and told me later that in his rear view mirror the trailer was seen repeatedly going to the left and right of my truck - basically it kept trying to change lanes - and cars dodging my trailer to get out of the way.

Luckily I was not in a middle lane or crossing a bridge as something would have been hit. I was in the left lane ("fast" lane for you UK-ers), came off the gas with very light braking and successfully got the trailer off to the side. We quickly got the trailer back on the ball and just as quickly got off the highway.

The cause of this mayhem was found to be a newly installed coupling in which the part the latches under the ball wasn't tight enough. I had hit (I don't remember this) a series of bumps that had dislodged the coupler. Note that this was after driving from Chicago to Utah and half the way back.

The only real damage (aside from excessive adrenalin and mucho pride) was the missing - i.e. torn off at the root - trailer lights wiring. We were back on the road within 60 minutes. Good to have spare parts.

And good that my chains were crossed ... fingers too for the rest of the way home.

- John