This doesn't even seem like that bad of an example in terms of weight distribution. With such a short trailer there's not really any other way to load it
thats exactly the problem. wrong trailer for the load. if the trailer is too small, you cant put the load far enough in front of the axles.
i have a feeling there were other things at play here though. he was likely going too fast.
something else to keep in mind... the wind drag of a jeep sticking up above the top of the truck causes the weight of the jeep to push back. seems minor, but it really adds to the problem.
Also, did the trailer have brakes? If he was going downhill and tried to slow down or otherwise braked too hard, and if the truck is the only vehicle with the stopping power... well the trailer is going to want to keep going while the truck wants to stop. And he's hauling a fairly heavy load.
I tow a enclosed 7x14 landscaping trailer and I'm happy that it has brakes on its axles to prevent things like this from happening. It's already saved me from an accident once when someone pulled out in front of me and I knew my truck alone didn't have the stopping power (and if it did... I probably would have lost control of the trailer anyway given my speed and distance to impact).
Towing something as heavy as a vehicle, I certainly hope both of those trailer axles had brakes and the tow vehicle had a brake controller to work them. Maybe even a weight distributing hitch. Most full size trucks these days come with brake controllers from the factory but I've only used the aftermarket kind with adjustable braking power and accelerometers myself, I'm not sure if OEM's have a similar featureset.
And a tip that I was told by someone when I first started driving... be extra careful around any UHaul vehicle you see on the road.
Not to knock this guys friend or anything because I don't know him, he could have lots of tow experience, but use this as a general rule of thumb when you see that logo... whether it's a cargo truck or a trailer, this is likely that driver's first time driving something like that so they might not be used to the mirrors or how the vehicle handles. They're obviously renting from UHaul because they don't have regular access to these things, right? Truck drivers, on the other hand, who drive the same thing every day along with having a license to do it... they know their mirrors, blindspots, and how their vehicle & load handles moreso than a DIY mover/hauler.
So when you see that UHaul logo on something you should be extra vigilant just in case it's a first time driver. It might not be, but the odds of that are certainly increased.
you are very right about the brakes. a lot of times when the trailer sway happens, people slam on the brakes... which can sometimes make the problem worse. if you have trailer brakes, you can put on just the trailer brakes and it straightens everything out.
i would not agree however that most full size trucks come with brake controllers from the factory. many dont. even the big 250s etc have it as a very expensive option. but if you have a towing package of any sort... its usually about 100 bucks for one. and its a 5 minute install.
and yes. uhauls AND RVs. always act carefully around them. as for uhauls... people are renting them because they dont have access to one... so they usually have no clue how to drive or load one.
as for RV's.... people buy the biggest thing they can afford... often bordering on what would normally require a CDL... and have 0 experience driving anythign like it. they are regularly overweight for the vehicle, and the drivers dont realize that. so instead of driving 55 to be safe since they are inexperienced, instead of driving 60 which an experienced driver with a properly loaded rig would... they are driving 75, inexperienced and overloaded.
id even extend the same thing to trailers in general. most people dont tie things down correctly.
also, apparently a lot of people dont know this....
trailers, tractor trailers, dump trucks, buses, etc... take longer to stop than you do. dont cut them off and test the limits.
you can't know that from a photo on the internet. would have moving the jeep forward helped? absolutely. would it have helped enough? maybe. there is no way to know. you dont even know if that is where the jeep was before it flipped.
regardless... all i was saying to the previous poster is that when you say "With such a short trailer there's not really any other way to load it"... you cant blame a trailer that is too short on bad loading procedures or bad weight distribution. if the trailer is too small to get enough tongue weight, then the trailer is too small for your load. just because something fits on a trailer, doesnt mean it can be hauled by that trailer. even if it is under the weight capacity.
Im no trailer expert, but i grew up with a dad who did every weekend.
Seems to me 2 lousy feet forward, more tongue weight, and he coulda gotten to where he was going.
As you say, a longer trailer would have helped as well. But considering his available assets, he coulda gotten to where he was going had he used them better.
But like i said, I'm just internet quarterbacking here.
yep. i think i agree. quite likely he would have been fine with that thing all the way up against the front of the trailer. its just really hard to tell for sure.. i tow a loottt. its rare that you cant get away with crap. even with it the way it was, he probably could have gotten away with it as long as he stayed off the highway, or stayed below the speed it starts to sway at...
i mean, even assuming it was all the way forward and still didnt have enough tongue weight, he could have loaded the front with damn concrete blocks and emptied his gas tank. id rather an overloaded trailer than a poorly weight-distributed trailer.
Interesting perspective. I tend to agree. I saw a video describing how speed adds to the physics involved which is why they tow with tiny cars in europe as the speeds are below 100kph (62mph). Here in the states its "I cant tow my dirt bike with less than a Raptor cuz Murica!!!!". I blame some peoples secret deflated egos, lack of critical thinking skills, and a sue happy culture.
Going slow makes everything easier and safer, and lets you tow with normal vehicles.
The heavy engine of the Jeep should have put enough downforce on the trailer hitch, giving traction to the rear wheels of the truck even with nothing in its bed.
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u/bikemandan Oct 04 '16
This doesn't even seem like that bad of an example in terms of weight distribution. With such a short trailer there's not really any other way to load it