[A/S] Sad News

[Tony Turner <tsturner@xxxxxxxx>]

Fellow Airstreamers,

So that others may learn from my misfortune, I must relate
some sad news.  Yesterday April 4,about noon as we were
travailing north on I-24 just a few miles out of Murfreesboro,
TN. I had to make a sudden lane change to avoid another
vehicle.  This induced a yaw motion in our trailer.  The 8
thousand pound trailer was pushing our 6 thousand pound
Suburban around like a toy.  When it appeared we might
collide with another vehicle I tapped the brakes.  This
caused the trailer to roll and then flip the Suburban.
When everything stopped we found that both Sandy and
I were OK.  Just scrapes, bruises and a few glass cuts.

I'm sure the Airstream and Suburban are both totaled.
Sandy and I were checked out at the local hospital and
are now staying with our daughter near Shellbyville, TN.

Since we are full-timers nearly everything we own is in
the truck and trailer at some impound lot.  I have borrowed
a pick-up truck from my brother to salvage what I can
of our stuff.

For the record:  I was using a Reese dual-cam hitch with
one friction sway control.  Trailer weight, tongue weight,
tire pressure, etc. were all within specifications.  I was
driving about 60 MPH.  I had never had a yaw (trailer
sway) problem with this hitch.

What have I learned?  Just because your rig is well
behaved in strong winds and not bothered by passing
semis doesn't mean all is well.  If I ever tow a large trailer
again it will be with a Hensley or Pull-rite hitch!

We are currently looking at a B190 van.  I know, too small
to full-time in.  Lets just say it's a timid first step towards
motorhomeing.  I don't feel like towing anything right now.

One more thing,  the forged steel hooks on the ends of our
safety chains both snapped in two.  The broken ends look
like tiny bobbles in the metal.  Hydrogen imbrittlement?
If I need safety chains in the future I'll use screw type
carabineers as I have in the past.

For now we feel lucky (or blessed) that no other person or
vehicle was damaged and we walked away with only minor
scratches.  Just shows how tough the Suburban is.
The ER doctor said she had seen the accident site on her
way in too work and though the victims must have been "life
lined" away and would surly be in intensive care.

As has been said here in the past, if yaw starts accelerate
if you can safely, tap the trailer brakes but avoid using the
tow vehicle brakes to bring the trailer back under control.
Easyer said then done!  Once an increasing yaw begins
it's most likely to late for that to help.

Sorry to be so negative, it's been a bummer the last couple
of days,

Tony  KC9BTA
WBCCI # 6373
'94 Excella 1000 FK
'95 Suburban 2500 454
Both once fine machines
now broke glass and twisted metal!