On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:39:25 GMT, "Tomes" wrote:

That is a story of yours there that made me laugh in an 'oh fine' kind of
way. I can just imagine that happening. "Will you stop that already??"
Interesting that your trailer tongue had an upward vector like mine did.
Thinking about it further, I am now betting that just about any trailer
crash will do this as the hitting vehicle will be higher than the trailer
frame, pushing down the trailer rear and thus raising the tongue spear.
Gotta have a system that can control this.

I had a similar thing happen to me. I was stopped at lights
( 4th/5th vehicle in line ) when there was a teriffic thump at my
back. Got out to find trailer drawbar was bent like an inverted V
and jammed on to towball. Tailgate and rear floor all mashed. I
was hit by a brand new Ford Focus, 84km on the clock, which was hit by
a Toyota Tarago which was hit by a Mazda ??? ( all stopped ) which was
hit by a Holden Crapadore which did not stop when he should have done.
Fortunately the only injury was bruising to a passenger in the Focus.
The Focus was probably a write off, mashed bonnet, radiator,doors
jammed etc. Not much damage to other vehicles as they all drove off.
None to my Patrol, as I have a 3500kg rated Reece tow hitch fitted to
it, which is fully used when I have a mini excavator and a small
tractor on the car trailer. Damage repair quote & cheque for my
box trailer was $486. I bought 100 x 50 box tube and a new hitch for
$150 and welded on a new ( much better , stronger ) drawbar, hit the
tailgate & floor with a BFH and, other than time spent on repair, am a
free trailer + $36 ahead as it only cost $300 when I bought it (used).

Moral - good gear saves damage.

Alan
in beautiful Golden Bay, Western Oz, South 32.25.42, East 115.45.44 GMT+8
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