What do you think about my trailer incident?

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

That's a lot of damage! I guess that must be a heavy tire & wheel. How fast were you going when it let loose?

I don't know if it is any heavier than other rims/tires. The back of the rim says 2600lbs if I recall and given the extra lug hole, I presume it must be maybe a couple lbs of extra weight. I got a lesson in physics and couldn't help but think of what that would have done to someone's windshield and likely much worse. I had the cruise set at 65 on a 65mph road in the right lane. Even though the spare went through a rough ride and the center of it was bent up and the edges of the rim are roughed up badly, the walls of the tire, a brand new Carlisle, were scarred up but suprisingly were the part in the best shape. We ended having to tow another 130 or so miles on the wonky rim with the tires bouncing off of the pavement if I went over 55.

 

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Mine broke last week too.
Cheap Seasense model. Cheap steel, thin steel, ripped right in half.

Don't know if it came loose before or after the steel broke, but it was tight and had been on the trailer for a year. Was checked just 2 weeks ago while getting ready for vacation.

It actually hooked onto the frame and I was able to recover it, tire is fine, galvanized trailer frame is scarred..





View attachment 166340

Thats the same style holder but a different failure point. Given it's job is a simple one, I can't figure out how they could ever create one that would fail. If the worst case scenario had occurred and someone was killed, I can believe the manufacturer would have likely been brought into the mess.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

The manufacturer likely states that defects due to manufacturing will be to replace the Mount or refund the purchase price. ???
Consequential damages are going to require a judge and a bunch of lawyers. $$$

Insurance does not cover illegal acts, but it does cover stupidity!

 

[emoney]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

I have never trusted my spare tire carrier for some strange reason. It's the whole though of it I guess, but I am looking at mine even if I'm just pulling the trailer out of the garage into the driveway. When you think about, it's probably not the smartest way of mounting a spare, although it probably is the most convienent. Probably better off keeping the spare tire either in the boat somewhere or in the trunk/bed of the tow vehicle.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Now is as good a time as any to dump those 6 lug rims and get something of the shelf.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

duplicate

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Mine broke last week too.

View attachment 166340

That's he one I have, except mine is painted black.

Looks like I need to find something better, this one looks to be constructed better, and about the same height. I want on the same height, or a bit higher as I use the tire as a step from the bow onto the trailer while loading up.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Now is as good a time as any to dump those 6 lug rims and get something of the shelf.

Tney are not really that uncommon. Father in law has the same thing on his Malibu trailer.

 

[T_Herrod]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Glad no one was injured. That must have been a scary series of events. I think i will continue to put my spare in the back of the truck.

 

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Honestly though, where do you park that someone is going to steal a spare tire?

Well lots of the ramps are miles back in the woods and I've got generally a 'luck favors the prepared' mentality although in this instance it did not.

Now is as good a time as any to dump those 6 lug rims and get something of the shelf.

Sure but the 6 lugs are a product of the rest of the axle and I don't want to spend the $.

Tney are not really that uncommon. Father in law has the same thing on his Malibu trailer.

I almost never see a 6 lug on all the small boat trailers at the MN ramps. Even the internet was a bit sparse so someone isn't buying them at least in the 205 size. A Malibu is an expensive boat and I'm betting they include nice looking, heavy duty trailers when they are packaged especially given their competition/showy heritage.

 

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

The manufacturer likely states that defects due to manufacturing will be to replace the Mount or refund the purchase price. ???
Consequential damages are going to require a judge and a bunch of lawyers. $$$

Insurance does not cover illegal acts, but it does cover stupidity!

At worst this to me would be a small claims court situation if I had to go that route for my minor property damages (compared to a worst case scenario if somebody was hurt).

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

... this to me would be a small claims court situation ...

Small claims courts are usually limited to Private civil matters.
You could not sue the manufacturer unless it was a one man shop and he was not incorporated.

John Q. Public vs. The lawyers representing Fulton Manufacturing would not qualify.

 

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Small claims courts are usually limited to Private civil matters.
You could not sue the manufacturer unless it was a one man shop and he was not incorporated.

John Q. Public vs. The lawyers representing Fulton Manufacturing would not qualify.

Good to know. Here are some pics. Don't know why they are upside down.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Yuk - pretty crappy design. All those holes right in line with the HAZ from the welding.

 

[bigdee]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

View attachment 166492View attachment 166493View attachment 166494View attachment 166495View attachment 166496

Good to know. Here are some pics. Don't know why they are upside down.

Typical metal fatigue. Welded,vibration prone bracket on thin metal is a no-no. Welds have high tensile strength but are brittle. If that bracket had been thicker to where it would be less likely to flex the weld would have held.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

If that bracket had been thicker to where it would be less likely to flex the weld would have held.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[lncoop]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Somehow the question whether to file an insurance claim surfaced. I forget whether it's one you actually asked or not, but the advice to not even pursue the possibility is uninformed. If you're not sure whether it would be worth the trouble ask your agent. That's what you pay him/her for. That phone call won't cost you anything and it would be silly not to make it.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

To me this is a manufacturer defect/product liability situation. We take every precaution and have all of the safety equipment even including the huge mud flap/rock tamer system so the boat is protected from stones and debris. There was no way to forsee the weld breaking

After 4 years, there is no way anyone would be believe it was a mfg issue. There are far too many variables, and far too much chance for a consumer to break it in that time. Its pointless to call the mfg, you will be talking to the lawyer and getting nowhere in a hurry.

 

[jkust]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

After 4 years, there is no way anyone would be believe it was a mfg issue. There are far too many variables, and far too much chance for a consumer to break it in that time. Its pointless to call the mfg, you will be talking to the lawyer and getting nowhere in a hurry.

Good point. I would never waste my $ on a lawyer as the lawyer is the only winner. I do tend to disagree however with the notion that it isn't a mfg issue but wonder what your thoughts are on what a consumer could do to break the holder.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What do you think about my trailer incident?

Good point. I would never waste my $ on a lawyer as the lawyer is the only winner. I do tend to disagree however with the notion that it isn't a mfg issue but wonder what your thoughts are on what a consumer could do to break the holder.

Hitting it with the boat would be enough to start a problem, although overtightening and vibration would do it as well. I know that I can tag mine with the boat. The design of these types of spare mounts is really succeptable to over tightening, in the same way that a cheap leaf spring plate can be over tightened and cracked.