Oh shit moment

Big John Son

Tremoraholic
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
602
Reaction Points
1,894
Location
New Jersey
Current Ride
1991 Prius
This past Wednesday, I was towing a 20' covered trailer back to NJ from the NY Adirondaks. When I went to hook up the trailer, the hitch lock was frozen (was 12° there) so I had to make a run to a hardware store in east bumfuck jabib for map gas to heat it up so it would unlock. Finally got that out, so I backed under the hitch and hooked up my tow chains, plugged my lights in, and dropped it on my GEN-Y and away I went on my 300 mile trip. About 200 miles into my trip - moving at 65 to 70mph on the NY Thruway, a critical brain fart I had hooking up the trailer came roaring in out of nowhere... HOLY FUCK the trailer just jumped off the BALL!!! The emergency brake on the trailer engaged and while I watched plumes of white smoke from the trailer wheels in my side view mirror, and a trailer about to either ram me and start to fishtail, I made about as perfect an emergency stop as I could have hoped for. I was although in a fucking crazy ass precarious spot between the Thruway traffic and a sweeping on ramp. Traffic was wizzing by me on BOTH SIDES at 70 to 80 mph. I got out, and almost instantly realized, this dumb ass (that's me) hooked up to the 2 1/8 ball and it was supposed to be the 2 5/16!!!

I was lucky as hell the chains did their job and absolutley zero damage was done to either my truck or trailer, but now I had to get coupled back up and in a safer place!! I quickly jacked her up and backed under the same 2 1/8 ball to drag the trailer with locked up brakes to the shoulder where I was able to flip my hitch and hook up to the correct ball without the fear of being eaten alive by the front grille of a Semi.

> in before, I know..stupid.
 
Last edited:
This past Wednesday, I was towing a 20' covered trailer back to NJ from the NY Adirondaks. When I went to hook up the trailer, the hitch lock was frozen (was 12° there) so I had to make a run to a hardware store in east bumfuck jabib for map gas to heat it up so it would unlock. Finally got that out, so I backed under the hitch and hooked up my tow chains, plugged my lights in, and dropped it on my GEN-Y and away I went on my 300 mile trip. About 200 miles into my trip - moving at 65 to 70mph on the NY Thruway, a critical brain fart I had hooking up the trailer came roaring in out of nowhere... HOLY FUCK the trailer just jumped off the BALL!!! The emergency brake on the trailer engaged and while I watched pumes of white smoke from the trailer wheels in my side view mirror, and a trailer about to either ram me and start to fishtail, I made about as perfect an emergency stop as I could have hoped for. I was although in a fucking crazy ass precarious spot between the Thruway traffic and a sweeping on ramp. Traffic was wizzing by me on BOTH SIDES at 70 to 80 mph. I got out, and almost instantly realized, this dumb ass (that's me) hooked up to the 2 1/8 ball and it was supposed to be the 2 5/16!!!

I was lucky as hell the chains did their job and absolutley zero damage was done to either my truck or trailer, but now I had to get coupled back up and in a safer place!! I quickly jacked her up and backed under the same 2 1/8 ball to drag the trailer with locked up brakes to the shoulder where I was able to flip my hitch and hook up to the correct ball without the fear of being eaten alive by the front grille of a Semi.

> in before, I know..stupid.
Lucky ... but I guess we all get one ... Happy New Year!
 
This past Wednesday, I was towing a 20' covered trailer back to NJ from the NY Adirondaks. When I went to hook up the trailer, the hitch lock was frozen (was 12° there) so I had to make a run to a hardware store in east bumfuck jabib for map gas to heat it up so it would unlock. Finally got that out, so I backed under the hitch and hooked up my tow chains, plugged my lights in, and dropped it on my GEN-Y and away I went on my 300 mile trip. About 200 miles into my trip - moving at 65 to 70mph on the NY Thruway, a critical brain fart I had hooking up the trailer came roaring in out of nowhere... HOLY FUCK the trailer just jumped off the BALL!!! The emergency brake on the trailer engaged and while I watched pumes of white smoke from the trailer wheels in my side view mirror, and a trailer about to either ram me and start to fishtail, I made about as perfect an emergency stop as I could have hoped for. I was although in a fucking crazy ass precarious spot between the Thruway traffic and a sweeping on ramp. Traffic was wizzing by me on BOTH SIDES at 70 to 80 mph. I got out, and almost instantly realized, this dumb ass (that's me) hooked up to the 2 1/8 ball and it was supposed to be the 2 5/16!!!

I was lucky as hell the chains did their job and absolutley zero damage was done to either my truck or trailer, but now I had to get coupled back up and in a safer place!! I quickly jacked her up and backed under the same 2 1/8 ball to drag the trailer with locked up brakes to the shoulder where I was able to flip my hitch and hook up to the correct ball without the fear of being eaten alive by the front grille of a Semi.

> in before, I know..stupid.
it happens ... but at least everything went better then it could have happened
 
Yikes. That's insane. Of course nobody in NY lets up enough for disabled trucks on the side of the road.

Thank goodness nothing bad happened.
Glad everything worked out.
True dat. I was calm as hell when the trailer hopped off, but getting out of the truck to stand between the trailer and truck had me about shitting my pants. They never let off the gas...80 mph trucks and cars inches off my mirror on one side, and only 3 or 4 feet on the other.
 
Man...you were being watched over for sure??. Glad you did not end up with damage or even much worse. Thanks for sharing, we all need important reminders to check and double check. Glad your safe.
Thanks brotha. I am usually pretty anal about checking everything when hooking up to any trailer. This time I let a little shitty situation of a frozen lock distract me. Only takes once to learn that lesson.
 
I had a flat tire on a 42’ 5th wheel when we were towing on I-10 in Louisiana 4-5 years ago. Very similar situation - rush hour traffic going 75-80. A police officer came and parked behind me with his lights that slowed down traffic “a little.”

Since we full timed in that toy hauler, we had all sorts of tools. The cop was watching as I pulled out our 5 ton floor jack and quickly jacked up the wheel. Then we cranked the generator and pulled out impact driver and had the flat wheel off and the spare back on in a matter of minutes. Then we pulled out our good sized craftsman air compressor and filled up the spare that was a bit low.

The officer told us (my wife was helping me intensely) that we were the fastest non-professional pit crew he’s ever seen change a tire lol..
 
Man, glad ended without major incident.

Could happen to any of us. I've had a few "oh shit I forgot to ________" moments when towing, and I'm usually pretty anal about trailer prep and hookup.

Good reminder for all of us. Happy New Year!
 
Thanks brotha. I am usually pretty anal about checking everything when hooking up to any trailer. This time I let a little shitty situation of a frozen lock distract me. Only takes once to learn that lesson.
I know what you mean ... I only have a 19' flatbed and do not trailer in winter ... but I check the hookup and strap downs so many times I feel foolish ... but I actually had the trailer pop off when loading once (did not engage the slide appropriately) so I can only imagine what if must have been like while driving.
 
Oh wow, glad everything turned out in your favor.....shit happens.
That's exactly why I tell my wife not to talk to me while I'm hooking up cause something like that can turn out ugly.

She had a bad habit of asking tons of questions right in the middle of hooking up.
Did you leave the frig running?
Is the dog in the truck?
Is it calling for rain ?
Did you lock all the doors.
Can you unfold the steps cause I gotta get back inside trailer?
So off I go without plugging up trailer and had no trailer brakes. Lol

Now she's like a church mouse.
 
Thats a crazy story. Glad it worked out for the best. Im always paranoid about that happening. I usually for whatever reason always look underneath to make sure the coupler is touching the ball.

If it makes you feel better years ago years ago at my parents marina, I put a draw bar in my dads ram and hooked up to a boat and pulled away and the boat tongue fell to the ground. I looked back and thought wtf? Got out and looked at the trailer tongue sitting on the ground with the draw bar attached turns out i forgot to put the pin in the draw bar in the trucks receiver. Worst part was going back to the shop and the embarrassment of having to explain why i need to get the floor jack to lift the tongue up.
 
Back
Top