Hello everyone,

Well, in spite of all the wisdom and great advice that people on this site have willingly shared with me, I made a huge mistake on Friday that could have resulted in a serious accident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, however, the experience has left me a little dubious about my ability to transport horses and kids safely to 4H every week!

I took our two horses and a few kids to 4H on Friday and this was my first experience pulling the trailer with my newly acquired 2000 Chev 3500 dually (I had previously been hauling with a 4.6 litre F-150). As always, I hooked up the horse trailer and double checked everything before leaving. Driving down the country road wasn't too bad, however, I had the strangest sense that something just wasn't right. Each time I touched the brakes it felt like the trailer was starting to weave (Jack knife I suppose). Once I reached the highway and picked up speed the feeling of impending doom only increased. I actually pulled over to see if all my tires were okay. The smoke I thought might be coming from the tires was actually the exhaust from the bigger truck (I know....) Anyways, I was so distracted that I missed my turn and had to go further down the highway and turn around. Slowing down from a higher speed brought with it the terrible screeching noise from the tires I had just checked a few minutes earlier. Of course, I had forgotten my cell phone at home and it was completely dark out.

By the time I arrived at the barn where 4H was I was completely unnerved so I stopped andput my 4ways on and told the kids to go and get "James". He is another 4H parent and a friend as well. He is very experienced with trucks and trailers also.

I might add that another truck passed byme at this point and the two guys inside swore at the kids as they drove by (so much for friendly Alberta). Well, when James arrived and took over he quickly discovered that my trailer brakes were set on maximum so my wheels were locking up each time I applied my brakes. He adjusted the brakes as they should be and proceeded to park the trailer. The other parents were very kind to me and reassured me that I would laugh about the experience someday. I don't think I will though, as the thought of having an accident with kids along with me takes years off my life!

Post 4-H I did drive home and declined James & Dale's offer to have them follow behind me. Fear is a funny thing in some ways. Unless you face it immediately and directly it has a way of paralyzing a person. Kind of like falling of a horse and not getting right back on I suppose. Anwyways, I drove home (albeit, VERY slowly and with a death grip on the steering wheel). I actually had to remind myself how to breathe.

In review of this critical incident I have been unable to determine why it did not occur to me to think of checking the truck brakes prior to hauling for the first time.  Ordinarily, I consider myself to be quite obsessed with safety. In my trailer I have first aid kits (human and equine),  a nine ton hydraulic jack, flares, flashlights, reflective safey vests, orange pylons, etc.. Equipped for everything except the absence of common sense! It is also very ironic that I purchased a bigger truck so that I would be safer on the road!

I decided to post my experience in the hopes that someone else who is new to driving trucks and horse trailers might learn from it. I certainly have, and I am incredibly thankful that nothing serious happened. I guess it is true that the only way to correct a mistake is to learn from it.

Regards,

Jodie

Jodie

I have two trailers that use different settings on my brake controller. Adding to that variable is the amount of load I have at the time, one through three horses.

I have found a quick and easy way to establish my initial settings with a new trailer or unfamiliar load. I set the controller so my brakes lock up on my gravel driveway, but not on the road. Also by adjusting the duration, I can have a strong initial braking action without a lock up. When I'm on the road, I fine tune the controller to where I like the feeling of the trailer brakes. I remember that number and the next time I'm good to go.

Once you have some experience with your new rig, you will have a better "feeling" of how the trailer is behaving and can anticipate in advance what your best setting is for the present condition.

This can be explained by everyone, but only after you have done it will you understand what you will need. Hey, you smoked a little rubber and scared yourself. It was a good learning experience and no harm was done.

Enjoy your new rig.   Gard

http://extension.unh.edu/4H/4HLearnM/TrlrSfty.pdf

Jodie...a written checklist is the way the pilots do it at every takeoff and landing...and even they make mistakes...

Just remember NOT to repeat any mistakes...that's when it gets bad...

Jodie ... Congratulations on being prepared.. Is the Hydraulic jack for changing a tire on the horse trailer ?? 

In my experience, A jack is more trouble, weight, and danger than it's worth on a horse trailer.

To safely use a jack, one should unload the horses from the trailer.  The horse's movement can and will cause the trailer to shift and fall off the jack.  Depending on where you are at the time, this can be tragic to very bad to a darned mess.  The alternative is to unload the horses... itself a dangerous job next to the road with cars speeding by.

A better option than a jack is a "Trailer-aid" or similar set-up.  Some folks just use a pile of wood boards of assorted length.  I've changed a trailer tire using a trailer-aid in less time than calling road service to do it.

Don't beat yourself for the near miss... a little experience goes a long way toward avoiding the next MVA.  That's why teenage drivers have the most accidents.  A teenager has faster reactions & better eye sight than us old duffs, but not the experience to avoid the situation in the first place.

Thats one thing I have noticed on My Ford F350 integrated brakes, if i forget to turn the controller down,such as after I pull the monster LQ horse trailer and switch to empty gooseneck flatbed, The brakes work just as good. No locking up and sliding.

Thats one thing I am good at forgetting.

Did you load the horses hun ? No I thought you did.

Like Hosspuller,we have the steel "Trailer Aide" for a jack in our LQ trailer.Have the lighter one for the other trailers.

I wouldn't be without one.I think they are MUCH safer,lighter to carry,ect.

I ordered a new one online yesterday. Should be here by December 24th I think. I appreciate the advice. I ordered the yellow one as I thought it would be easier to differentiate from the black tires if I have to drive onto it. I hope I never have to use it but I will have one just in case.

Regards,

Jodie

I like the idea of those integrated brakes. They sound low maintenance. Of course, even if I had those type of brakes I will ALWAYS check my trailer brakes from now on.

Regards,

Jodie

Hi Terri,

Wow, that would be a difficult problem to diagnose without a professional. Your poor horse must have wondered what the heck was happening. My horses were definitely ticked off when we arrived at 4H after their bumpy, brake locking ride. My older quarter horse mare who is always cheerful and loves getting into the trailer flattened her ears at me and almost trampled me in her haste to get off "the bus". She has never done anything like that before! The arab was actually in a better mood but he ride in the center of the trailer and Star was in the front. Oh well, live and learn.

Regards,

Jodie

Hi Hosspuller,

Thanks for the tip. I actually have no idea how to use the jack, I just carried it so I could be prepared. I just don't have the size or strength to change one of those tires but I thought it would be handy to have all of the necessary equipment for whoever came to help me. I didn 't realize that the jack wasn't safe to use. THe thought of unloading horses on a busy highway in the winter when I am the only adult there pretty scary. I have ordered a trailer aid off the internet and it should be here before Christmas. Do you need the jack in addition to the trailer aid or can I just take the jack right out of the trailer. It weighs a ton and I can barely lift it anyways.

Thanks,

Jodie

Hi Paul,

A checklist is a really good idea. Good habits are usually formed by consistent behaviour. I think I will make one of these up and keep it with the livestock manifold that I carry in the glove box.

Thanks,

Jodie

Hey Jodie, don't sweat it. Better to have brakes than no brakes at all. On my way to the reining futurity in OKC a few weeks ago, I blew a tire about 60 miles from OKC. I was lucky enough to NRHA's leading money earner and the 2007 Futurity champ Shawn Flarida change my tire! Unfortunately for me, the tire damaged the wires to my electric brakes and & had to drive the last 60 miles with out brakes/trailer lights.

Of course, I had the tire replaced and the brakes repaired as soon as I got unloaded in OKC. When I left the shop I had brakes and turn signals, but the mechanic told me to check the fuse in my truck to make sure I had running lights. No doubt I was a little more worried about showing my futurity horse than checking the fuses (and of course I had no idea where to even look) and didn't give it another thought.

Two weeks later when I hooked up on Saturday night, I just plugged the trailer into the truck and never turned the lights on. At 3 AM the following morning I just loaded horses (the interior lights worked fine!) and headed east. About an hour later, a friend called and said "hey, do you know that you don't have any running lights?" and I freaked out assuming that I didn't have brakes or turn signals either.

I pulled over as soon as I could and we determined I had brakes & turns, but no running lights. I made it almost 900 of the 1100 miles (in fact I was just 5 miles into OH) home before I got pulled over for no tail lights. Of course, a good part of the driving was during day light. The officer was very nice and just told me to get home right away and run with my 4 ways on for the rest of the trip.

My mechanic was a bit embarassed I didn't know where the fuses were (I knew where the fuse box was, just didn't know what to do once I got there!). All is good now, but I also got a lesson in truck fuses last week.

Hi Genebob,

Good thing you have a good memory and you knew what to do. I guess it is true that knowledge is what remains after everything you have learned has been forgotten.

It's good to know that experts sometimes make mistakes too! As long as nothing bad happens these experiences give us something to talk about around the supper table.

Glad your tractor is okay.

Jodie 

Hi Gard,

You are right, I need to get out and practise in order to determine what the correct brake setting will be. My neighbours might think it is a little strange but I think I will do a few loops around our subdivision with the horses loaded in the trailer. I should have done that to begin with, however, I know better now.

Sometimes fear can be quite an effective motivator and that is certainly true for me!  Practise, practise, practise.....

Regards,

Jodie

Hi Raven,

Thank you, I will do that. I am also going to have the trailer tires checked over just to ensure that everything is safe.

Regards,

Jodie

If you know someone that is installing a deck, ask for the 6 x 6 pressure treated cut offs. If you have one about 2 1/2' or 3' long, mark the outside radius of your tire towards one end. If you know a woodworker that has a band saw, cut out the radius and a ramp up to the top. You'll need a band saw because most jig saws can't cut a 5 1/2" depth.

Look at the side profile of a Trailer Aid to understand what I'm doing poorly to describe.

The finished result that takes about ten minutes to accomplish, is a wooden Trailer Aid that costs nothing but a little labour. I made two in a half an hour and saved about $80. Tried one out to see how it worked, and it was good to go.

BOL   Gard

Hi Terri,

The image of me standing on one of those lug nut wrenches jumping up and down trying to loosen the lug nuts is kind of funny. However, I see your point. I really should know how to change the tire myself. I honestly thought it was a capability issue due to not being overly strong.

A good friend of mine is married to a mechanic. I will ask if I can bring my trailer over there and have him show me how to do it (and then practise). If the weather out here ever warms up I will do this.

Thanks,

Jodie

ps I thought I read somewhere that it is also important how those lug nuts get put back on or the wheel can fall off. Don't know if there is any truth to that but it is all the more reason to do this with supervision from someone who knows what they are doing.

Hi Gard,

You did a great job of explaining how to make those wooden trailer aids. I even know what a jig saw is! (not that I would ever use one alone though, I want to keep all of my fingers intact). I think a band saw is like a table saw, but I am not sure. I do have a mitre saw!

The other 4H leader in our group is married to a woodworking expert. Our club has made several neat woodworking projects (lasat one was a saddle stand) courtesy of this fellow. I am going to send an email and cut and paste your description. It sounds like a good adult project. Those of us with trailers would definitely be interested in making a few of those.

Thanks,

Jodie

Jodie... Jumping on a wrench is sure to get you a sprained ankle or worse.  You can lift a lot more than you weigh.  So the better idea is always lift the wrench.  The lug nuts should be tightened to about 100 ft/pounds so even a 98 pound rider can lift with two hands and their legs enough to loosen the lug nuts.  The tire will be awkward and heavy, a shovel can serve many duties... a tire lifter, putter on the hub is one many folks don't think of.  Having a practice session with your friend's mechanic spouse is a good idea.  Doing the whole procedure once is better than reading a hundred internet postings on the subject.  Plus... it proves to yourself that you CAN do it.

You're a great example of attitude and preparation to your young 4H'ers

Right, jumping on the lug wrench is a BAD idea. With 66% of the country overweight, I would wonder if most people can lift more than they weigh, but I digress. Work smarter, not harder. Get a 24" breaker bar, a 2' cheater bar and a 6 point socket, push down firmly and slowly..........no lug nut, rusted or otherwise will withstand said technique even with the smallest lady on the wrench. Like above, the shovel is an excellent tool to lift the tire onto the hub.....if the hub, spins set the toolbox on the brake pedal, or pull the breakaway pin (unhook the pigtail first). This also works when you forget to loosen the lugs before you pull onto the trailer aid. Get some supervised practice and a checklist for a tire change, youll be fine.