Another towing hazard.

[Mark Halliday]

I added another last to my towing sagas today.

I have a new tow vehicle/toy which is a 1996 Discovery ES V8i.
I hitched the rib up to the back, checked the hitch was locked, attached the safety cable, connected the lights and checked them. All OK.
Pulling away down the road I thought that the Disco was struggling a bit more than it should. I was certainly making more of a meal of pulling the boat than the old Rangerover. All in all I was feeling a bit dissapointed.
When I arrived at the filling station 5 miles away, to swell the Chancelors Coffers, I could smell something hot. My immediate thought was that the wheel bearings were on the way out and felt the hubs which were VERY HOT.
Then I saw that the trailer hand brake was ON. I never use it at all, even on the drive. Wooden blocks, a wall and the wheel clamp keep it in place. This had me a bit puzzled and I was about to blame the wife/daughter for applying it, when I realised that the brake-away cable must have pulled it on during the sharp right on the way out of the drive.

I had to let them cool for about 15 mins, then run a cold hose over them for about 10 mins a side before they were cool enough to touch.

[Biggles]

Seems to me that owning a boat involves a heck of a lot of thought, preperation and above I have learnt over the years to do it all yourself and don't be rushed.

Everytime I rush I forget to do something.

The last time I let some one help me with the trailer they put the lighting board on. Two miles down the road their was a crash and the sound of broken plastic. Scratch one lighting board and number plate.

[Mollers]

Hell!! Bloody lucky that the grease didn't catch fire in the bearings. Good job it was a Disco! Something with a bit of poke and the whole issue may have gone up!! Hang on it was a petrol? Very lucky then.

[Robox]

Originally Posted by Mollulnan

Hell!! Bloody lucky that the grease didn't catch fire in the bearings. Good job it was a Disco! Something with a bit of poke and the whole issue may have gone up!! Hang on it was a petrol? Very lucky then.

Watch out !Watch out ! There may be a Codprawn about!

[LURCHER]

I'm sorry to say I can top that , last winter I had booked my RIB in for a service and thought I could drop it off on the way to an appointment . Late as usual and pouring with rain I hitched up plugged in and set off , old Disco was very sluggish in the morning so I thought it was just being even more tired than usual got about half a mile down the lane and had to stop to let another car past in the opposite direction .The driver said there was smoke coming off the trailer so I got out to investigate . I had driven off with the SAS wheel clamp still on !!!!!!! Clamp wheel and tyre knackered appointment missed service missed and farmer neighbour crying with laughter !

[Hugh Jardon]

Originally Posted by Mollulnan

Hell!! Bloody lucky that the grease didn't catch fire in the bearings. Good job it was a Disco! Something with a bit of poke and the whole issue may have gone up!! Hang on it was a petrol? Very lucky then.

oi

[Jimbo]

I've only ever had one problem with a trailer, and that was when I was running late, somebody else put it on the back of the car, and i drove off without checking it. Round the first roundabout, and bang, trailer off, breakaway cable off.

It was an empty box trailer, and the hitch just scraped the wheel of the car behind, according to my passenger the look on the guys face was one of abject terror!

Ever time I put a trailer on the back now I check the hitch about 3 times!

(Oh yeah, I did shred a jockey wheel towing a sailing boat back from Fishguard once, jockey wheel vs. tarmac produced a clear winner)

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

I'm sorry to say I can top that , last winter I had booked my RIB in for a service and thought I could drop it off on the way to an appointment . Late as usual and pouring with rain I hitched up plugged in and set off , old Disco was very sluggish in the morning so I thought it was just being even more tired than usual got about half a mile down the lane and had to stop to let another car past in the opposite direction .The driver said there was smoke coming off the trailer so I got out to investigate . I had driven off with the SAS wheel clamp still on !!!!!!! Clamp wheel and tyre knackered appointment missed service missed and farmer neighbour crying with laughter !

Rather worrying and shows just how secure wheelclamps are!!!

[Biggles]

(Oh yeah, I did shred a jockey wheel towing a sailing boat back from Fishguard once, jockey wheel vs. tarmac produced a clear winner) [/QUOTE]

I thought that was standard for the course.

Shouldn't they make jockey wheels out of concrete or something.............

[Jimbo]

Might have helped!

It was the first time I've ever driven my mums car, with her sitting in the passenger seat throwing a migraine, and my nan in the back, with me blithely saying "nah, that noise is definitely just the road surface, we did the wheel bearings, the boat's in one piece, what else could it be???"

[Mark Halliday]

I am not feeling such a prat now.

I am going to have to pull the hubs down because I am sure I have melted the seals. They were due for a service any way.
I think I was lucky the grease did not ignite. That would have spoilt a very nice lunch at the Folly.
I shall have to find a better place to attach the cable in future.

Lurcher. What sort of wheel clamp was it? I am sure I would have noticed if my Bulldog Titan was still on.

[Nick Hearne]

Hi missed you yesterday, past you as you past Richard & Louise!
Also had a very nice lunch at the Folly!
Nick

[Mark Halliday]

Hi Nick
I wondered why some people were leaving the pub before 1 o'clock.
I did my usual wave and racking memory thing. I must stop killing my brain cells, then I might remember names and faces.

If I had not had my little incedent we would have met up.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Mark Halliday

Hi Nick
I wondered why some people were leaving the pub before 1 o'clock.
I did my usual wave and racking memory thing. I must stop killing my brain cells, then I might remember names and faces.

If I had not had my little incedent we would have met up.

So your incident did have a up side to it then!
Next time!

[LURCHER]

It was SAS HD2/3 Wheel Clamp
It has an interesting new shape now!

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Hi missed you yesterday, past you as you past Richard & Louise!
Also had a very nice lunch at the Folly!
Nick

Don't forget timboli too!

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Don't forget timboli too!

Sorry it's the lack of tubes threw me!
I loved the way Louise called over "er Mr Hearne"

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Mark Halliday

I had to let them cool for about 15 mins, then run a cold hose over them for about 10 mins a side before they were cool enough to touch.

That's a very easy way to crack your hubs.

[Mark Halliday]

Nos
Thats why I let them air cool and the used the water over the wheel knave plates slowly working in towards the hubs.
Chucking it straight in to 17ºC sea water may well have cracked them.

Lessons learnt from driving hard and charging through a ford. Red hot discs + cold water = no brakes.

I should add that I also moved the trailer every few mins while cooling to stop the shoes welding themselves to the drums.

[Mark Halliday]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

It was SAS HD2/3 Wheel Clamp

There goes the theory that the best way to remove one of them is to drive off and let it dynamically disassemble it's self.