JM re Trailering Damage

PeterC

Well-known member
John - on the Illinois show thread you menetioned two Fords that were damaged while being trailered to the Gettysburg Show - did not want to hi-jack that thread but wanted to learn from those experiences if I could - were those cars damaged from tow rig accidents or loading problems? .... improper tie downs?? Inquiring minds would like to know! (So I learn from others to hopefully avoid similar ressults!):eek:
 
Peter, both of these cars were riding on open trailers. In one case a tire blew, delaminated and ripped the fender loose. The fender came up and damaged the front and rear fenders on a nice '35/'36 three window coupe. That guy was heart broken and so would I have been. In the other case a Deer was running across the Interstate and ran right into the side of a beautiful '32 Roadster, damaging both front and rear left side fenders. I guess these cars would not have been damaged had they been on enclosed trailers, but who knows for sure.
 
In AACA shows damage to the car on the way to the show is overlooked when judged. This eases the pain a little but not much. G.M.
 
Thank John - good to know the details .. in those cases seems there was nothing the either owner could do ... still scary but I guess that is what a good "stated value" insurance policy is for!
 
Peter in the case of the blown tire it would be good to know the age of the tires on the trailer. Today's tires do not last all that long, especially when exposed to the sun. In the case of trailers people often forget the age of the tire and only look at the tread, which usually looks good as they are only used for occasional transport. Trailer tires get very warm due to the load they carry and tread separations are common on older tires.
 
JM is right; an enclosed trailer would have probally provided protection from the damage and from inclement weather, other flying debris, such as rocks, ect, and from unwanted attention. I hauled a show car for several years on an open trailer in all kinds of weather; never again. One problem with trailers is that many sit in one spot for long periods of time with the tires going bad and when loaded and pulled down the hot roads of the interstate at todays speeds, if the tire(or tires) are bad, that's when you'll see it. Been there and done that.
 
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Most trailers used to transport cars in reality are not carrying that much weight. Open or enclosed. Several years ago when I bought my travel trailer (26 foot tag a long) I did some research and it was recommended that the tires be replaced after 7 years, regardless of the miles. My tires are covered when parked outside to protect them from the suns rays . I also make sure when buying news tires that I buy the correct load range.
 
Peter in the case of the blown tire it would be good to know the age of the tires on the trailer. Today's tires do not last all that long, especially when exposed to the sun. In the case of trailers people often forget the age of the tire and only look at the tread, which usually looks good as they are only used for occasional transport. Trailer tires get very warm due to the load they carry and tread separations are common on older tires.

Speed is another factor to consider. I had 3 out of 4 tires fail within 50 miles of each other (including one complete tread separation that did $1500.00 damage to the side of my 5th wheel). When I filed a damage claim with the tire manufacturer one of the first things they asked was how fast was I travelling when the tire blew. Turns out ST rated trailer tires are only rated for 55 MPH or so the manufacturer claimed. Just my .02 cents worth.
 
... still scary but I guess that is what a good "stated value" insurance policy is for!

Peter, not trying to bust your chops here, but sometimes info in threads grows unexpected legs. "Stated value" policies are subject to depreciation of the value amount in the event of pay out, whereas "Agreed value" policies will pay the full agreed amount if necessary. Sounds nit picky but contract language is crucial.
 
You are correct - I should have said "agreed value"


Peter, not trying to bust your chops here, but sometimes info in threads grows unexpected legs. "Stated value" policies are subject to depreciation of the value amount in the event of pay out, whereas "Agreed value" policies will pay the full agreed amount if necessary. Sounds nit picky but contract language is crucial.
 
... Turns out ST rated trailer tires are only rated for 55 MPH or so the manufacturer claimed. ...

65 mph, but I understand your point. I see huge 5th wheels going 75+ all the time passing thru here when it's in the high 90's. Recipe for disaster. :eek:
 
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