Trailer Failure

[jezza2011]

Hmm. Ive hit things with my trailer over the years and its Never Failed like that.
Admitidly its a steel tailer. but even so I would expect a trailer to be able to take a fair ammout of knocks and bumps as they need to due to pot holes,speed bumps crap roads etc.

Looks like poor welds and poor ally. IMO.

[biffer]

Ali goes slightly brittle either side of any welding line. I would guess that if you look at the trailer it has failed next to a weld

[jyasaki]

If you look at the weld pics on page 2, it appears that the "weld" was actually just bead; no fusing of the base material, based on how cleanly the two pieces separated. Not the best weld job IMO.

jky

[westlandkirbys]

i was down there on friday chatting to some lads in the yard, they said that the damage was as a result of the trailer having been jack-knifed and the boat shooting forwards and damaging the short wheelbase landrover that was towing it. Apparently there is an investigation going on to find out the cause of the accident !!

[randski]

Originally Posted by randski

Here's mine 3500kg... hope it's ok, it's off to Sweden later this week

Well, trailer arrived in Stockholm on Friday, carrying a 2800kg boat, with no issues.
I have only had the trailer since last year, and have now sold it, I found it towed really well, and seemed more than capable, and a lot cheaper than the trailers sold by SW RIB Charter.

[Kernow Buoy]

Accident damage then and not a 'catastrophic trailure failure?' I thought SW Rib centre were a little disingenuous with the reporting. I've seen several Gullwings at QAB which is right on Michaels (South West Rib Charter aka South Coast Boat Trailers) doorstep.

[Boats&Outboards]

I always thought they were quality trailer

Isn't that what everybody will now be coming out and saying anyway ? Before knowing the full details we (me included) were all saying poor design, poorly built etc. Turns out it may well be driver error after all...or maybe not

My point is let's wait and see before jumping on any bandwagons

[willk]

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

Before knowing the full details we (me included) were all saying poor design, poorly built etc. Turns out it may well be driver error after all...or maybe not

My point is let's wait and see before jumping on any bandwagons

Less of this "we" business, Paleface!

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

Oh dear! I've been looking at those trailers myself recently too. Perhaps I'll keep looking.

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

Originally Posted by Tino

This damage would suggest that the unfortunate driver may have hit something with the trailer which caused catastrophic damage to the trailer. Even a speed bump at high speed? Was there any damage to the Tyres or wheels?

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

There could be a number of reasons why the trailer failed, not properly hitched as Wilk said, incorectly loaded somehow, maybe the driver didnt see and slow down for a speed bump traffic calming measure (although why they call them "calming" is beyond me as they make my blood boil...especially when your towing something big )

Originally Posted by Leapy

Had it been hit itself by another car/truck or been off the road or...

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

I agree that there are always 2 sides to every story and would be very interested to hear what explanation Gullwing Trailers can come up with.

Originally Posted by Trailer Guy

However, in the manufacturer's defence, you never know the full story behind these things. Could've been overloaded, or had excessive nose weight etc.

As a saddo trailer type I'd be interested to hear the facts and the manufacturer's side of things before coming to a conclusion.

Originally Posted by willk

It might have happened if the towball wasn't engaged properly, hopped on the first big breaking run and the frame hit the road...

...just a possibility?

[Boats&Outboards]

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

To be fair I did pull a boat back on one from Essex to Cornwall and it was a pleasure, other than the constant rattle we had they towed excellent. Accidents can happen and like others have said maybe the other side of the story would explain all.

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

Or these

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

Here are a couple more photos taken this afternoon. The first one shows the front of the trailer where it broke away. It looks to me like the weld has just failed. The second shows another weld on the rear swing beam, which also looks to have failed. There are several other split welds right down the trailer.

QUOTE="Polwart"]Looking at their website none of their designs have the double box side rails meeting at a point, so unless this was a new design the whole trailer is totally out of shape.[/QUOTE]

QUOTE="jyasaki"]If you look at the weld pics on page 2, it appears that the "weld" was actually just bead; no fusing of the base material, based on how cleanly the two pieces separated. Not the best weld job IMO

[Anchorhandler]

I always thought they were quality trailer

Isn't that what everybody will now be coming out and saying anyway ? Before knowing the full details we (me included) were all saying poor design, poorly built etc. Turns out it may well be driver error after all...or maybe not

My point is let's wait and see before jumping on any bandwagons

OK, so the trailer was shock-loaded when the boat LEFT the trailer (or attempted to leave the trailer anyway ) and not while it was loaded onto it.......but i was close

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Hmmm, the plot thickens....

If there are snapped welds the length of the trailer it would suggest to me an overloading problem or a defect in the welding process. Visually the welds look OK from what i can see but visually eyballing a weld is hardly conclusive.

As AMac already suggested, the dimensions of the profiles used dont seem to correspond with a trailer designed to carry nearly 3.5t...

If the trailer is genuinly designed to carry the coresponding load, is it possible it was shock loaded when the boat was loaded onto it?

I wouldnt expect to see weld failures on the swing beam clamp from any kind of cyclic stress as that area shouldn't be flexing as much as say, the main longitudinals....

Simon

Simon

[SW Boat Transport]

Originally Posted by Kernow

Accident damage then and not a 'catastrophic trailure failure?' I thought SW Rib centre were a little disingenuous with the reporting. I've seen several Gullwings at QAB which is right on Michaels (South West Rib Charter aka South Coast Boat Trailers) doorstep.

While I make no secret of the fact that we also supply boat trailers ourselves, everything that I have posted in this thread is based on the information which I have managed to obtain from examining the trailer and speaking to people in the marina, which I have tried to present without bias.

The reports I have heard (from more than one source) are that the trailer failed causing the boat and trailer to contact with the back of the Land Rover. I have heard no mention of a jack-knive being involved. Even if the trailer had jack-knived, I would not expect to have found the amount of damage present on this trailer. We had one of our hire trailers come back with jack-knife damage a couple of years ago. While the front end was very bent, it was still in 1 piece and all the welds were still in tact.

[Leapy]

As said right at the start...

Originally Posted by Leapy

As a statement of the bleeding obvious, there's something not right here...Need more facts, m'lud, more facts

[Trailer Guy]

any further news on this?

[PaulRibNet]

As per trailer guys question - any conclusions as I am considering a purchase from Gullwing?