This morning when we got up, I told Fabgrandpa I wanted to go over to the house to pretend we lived there for the day. No, the driveway is not fixed yet, and it was not in the works to get fixed today, but I was getting anxious to actually live in my house (or in the back yard). We took the laundry and drove on over. While the clothes were washing, Fabgrandpa scouted out the yard.
He came back in the house and told me he thought he could bypass the unusable driveway and pull the trailer through the yard. I agreed with him that he probably could, but I wanted him to drive the truck over that route first just to make sure there were no mushy spots. He got in the truck and went from the upper driveway, down the road, and turned in the lower driveway, and got the truck stuck in the mud immediately.
While he was sitting there putting the truck into 4 wheel drive mode, a neighbor stopped to see if we needed any help. It turns out that he is related to the guy who owns the grader. He said he would come tomorrow to spread out that pile of slate in the driveway for us, and gave Fabgrandpa his card with his phone number on it, and went on his way. Fabgrandpa then drove the truck up through the yard, and decided that yes, we could pull the trailer in that way.
On the way back to the campground, Fabgrandpa said “I don’t think I’m going to bother with the sway bars and chains for such a short trip.” and I said, “Yes, we will hook up just like we do for a 2,000 mile trip. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” So we did.
We got all the way to the house, and three fourths of the way up the yard to the back of the house, and heard a weird noise, and felt a weird motion. Fabgrandpa stopped the truck, and we got out to investigate. The hitch had broken! We couldn’t believe our eyes! We only bought that Equal-i-zer hitch about two years ago, and paid quite a bit of money for it. There we sat, with a broken hitch, just about 120 feet from our newly installed hookups.
Fabgrandpa decided to call the guy we met this morning, and see if he had a hitch that would work, and he did. Jonathan came right over, and not only loaned us a hitch but helped us get the trailer hooked up again and parked in the spot intended for it. And you better believe I am going to be writing to that hitch company! We have driven thousands of miles between Georgia, Alabama, and Arizona in the not quite two years since we bought that hitch. I am just so so thankful that we were not on an interstate highway going 65 miles an hour when it happened. I am also so thankful that we attached the chains and sway bars today.
Always always always use those chains! Even if you are only going a couple of miles. You never know when something may happen!
Oh, my! I, too, am so glad you were not on the road… and that you had an angel for a neighbor! It does seem that that is the perfect place for you to be at the time!
Hugs, GraceinAZ
It really was a blessing that we were not on the road at the time.
Yikes!!!! Glad you finally got it in place!!
Egad! I’ve never heard of that happening before. Seems like you had it happen under the best circumstances though. 🙁
I have never seen that happen before either. And that hitch is not even two years old yet.
Gotta love those chains.
Ahhhh, the ‘UGLY’ reared it’s evil head, *sigh*, but thankfully it all got resolved and the trailer is in place, with no one getting hurt and no major damage done. I can just imagine FabGrandpa sheepishly saying to you after all the excitement was over….you were right FabGrandma, again! (I say that in fun of course!) And yes, thankfully you weren’t on the highway! Lessons learned….
Yikes – what a story. Glad everyone and everything is safe and you even got to meet new neighbors!!
Oh wow. Very good thing you hooked everything up properly. So glad you weren’t on a highway.
Wow, Karen! I guess that’s your trailer’s way of saying put down some roots in your new home! lol… Thank goodness it didn’t happen in a more dangerous place.
We’re only settled in for about three months before we leave again.
Whoa, that’s scary! So glad you weren’t on the road and were chained. I think I remember when FabGrandpa proudly showed off the new hitch. Nice to have good neighbors to help you get “home”. Plus the relief of not paying RV rent. Welcome Home! You deserve that tequila. Tink
thanks Gaelyn. it really was weird to have the hitch break like that.
I’ve never heard of that happening either and I am VERY glad that you were not going 65 miles an hour down the interstate too…I kind of like both of you 🙂 <3
That is so scary to think about if it had happened on the road!
Wow….I’ve not seen that before! Glad there was no damage to the trailer.
Looks like you are getting “settled in” at your new place. It’s looking good!
Holy moly- what a story! I am glad everyone is okay and there was no damage. That must have been scary! Look at those trail marks!
Judging by what I can see, it looks like a bad welding job. Most of the weld bead is still attached to the top and far side of the shaft, which leads me to believe that the weld never penetrated into the other part.
Could be caused by bad welding rods, inappropriate setup of the welding machine, inferior metal components or even the person doing the welding was “incapacitated” in some way. In any case, doesn’t look like any quality control was given.
Just glad no one was hurt and no major damage was done.
It’s a good thing it didn’t happen going down the road at 60 mph. It could have been a disaster we would be watching on the news.
Hi Karen,
You are right – we love Payne Lake and the people here.
Pete said looks like a broken weld on that hitch. Would have liked to see pic of the other part too. Said he has never seen anything like this before either. Maybe the mfg is going to need to recall some hitches that have bad welds. Enjoy your new house!
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? So glad you both were okay and not harmed, and that there was friendly help a phone call away!
So glad you guys wern’t out travaling on the highway! Somebody was watching over you guys for sure. Good luck with everything!
I agree with Haflinger on this one for sure, something amiss when that was welded, could even be the welder was not set hot enough to penetrate properly. As for the chains, I use them because it is law, not because I think it is right, but I always cross my chains and twist them enough so they will hold the tongue of the trailer off the ground should the hitch break as yours did. Had you been on the highway we might be reading about your funerals because that trailer would have dug in and taken you and your truck with it. Actually if a hitch breaks I would prefer the trailer leave the vehicle completely thereby activating the breakaway system on the brakes and not take my vehicle with it. Hope you get some satisfaction from the hitch manufacturer. Happy RVing and enjoy your new house.
Hi again,
After studying what I can see from your pics, it appears there were never any “Gussets” welded onto that hitch! A “gusset is a triangular piece of metal that stiffens and strengthens the connection between the welded parts. You can find more information here: http://weldingdesign.com/processes/news/wdf_10914/
I’m beginning to believe this was imported from China and “maybe” a Made in U.S.A. label attached. A friend that sells Military Surplus informed me that a garment that is imported from anywhere can have a “Made in the US” label attached if a >MINIMUM< of 7 stitches are put into the garment here in the US. So, just by sewing in the label, it meets that requirement.
Please keep us informed.
Haflinger
I have to agree with Halflinger! Pretty scary stuff, Karen!
So happy you are safe! That would have been scary going down the road and have that happen. HUGS.
I have to agree with everyone else about how lucky you guys are. So glad this only happened while you were traveling so slow. An accident like this on the highway could be horrible. Glad you are safe!!
That is so scary. I’m glad that you took the right precautions and no one was hurt.
Hey Fabgrandma –
You may have already seen the response from our @equalizerhitch line, but please, give me a call, 800-478-5578, and ask for me, at extension 119. I’ve never seen a break like this, and we want to get you at least a replacement shank ASAP and get your shank in for review.
As for the question about where the hitch was manufactured, I can tell you with 100% surety that the hitch and shank are made from American-Made steel, right here in Provo, UT. Give me a call, and ask for me by name. I definitely want to help.
Thank you Daniel for the very quick service. while we were sitting right here at our house when this happened, it is good to know that if we had been on the road you would have gotten back to us so fast. My husband will be calling you today.
Hey Daniel,
While I can believe that the Hitch was made in UT, unless I was at the mill, I wouldn’t be certain the steel was “American Made”. I left the Army in 1980 and “Counterfeit” parts were beginning to show up in the supply system. Things like bolts that were marked as Grade 8 but were actually Grade 3 or 5.
The Chinese have gone so far as to apply counterfeit “UL” labels on electronic equipment. Ask anyone who lives in the Southern States affected by hurricane Katrina about the Chinese Drywall.
If I recall it right, there was even a RV that the Chinese reverse engineered and started building to export back into the U.S. Of course the quality sucks and is prone to many quality control issues.
But glad to see you’re trying to do the right thing!
Have a good one.
That is a relief that at least you were not stranded and no one was hurt as if you were on the highway. We have 3 trailers and I’m going to make sure all my boys read this. Last year there was a 17 yo driving an open trailer with sod on it down the road here. It broke loose and went right towards a jogger on the sidewalk. She was killed and her children now motherless. I don’t know if a chain would have helped or what was the problem. I can be sure though that the 17 yo that was driving has the rest of his life to deal with what he did or didn’t do. God bless and glad you are safe. I never get behind a trailer on the highway either , just in case.
Jeanine
http://www.icoulduseadeal.com
Yikes! Thank goodness nobody was hurt!
Oh my gosh!!! I’m glad it turned out ok in the end.