Cobra Trailer Hookup

[[email protected]]

Due to a senior moment, my cobra trailer became unhooked as I was
pulling it out of my back yard. The emergency trailer brake activated
and broke the safety chain I had installed as well as the trailer
wiring, fortunately all this happened at a very slow speed before I got
on the road and it was no big deal to repair.

I had not realized that if you are going to use a safety chain it
should be shorter than the cable which activates the emergency trailer
brake. Probably everyone knows this but I thought I would pass this
along.

The other bit of knowledge I wish I would have known before my first
towing trip is to remove or somehow secure the front wheel as it can
loosen and drop down to the road surface.

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:
> Due to a senior moment, my cobra trailer became unhooked as I was
> pulling it out of my back yard. The emergency trailer brake activated
> and broke the safety chain I had installed as well as the trailer
> wiring, fortunately all this happened at a very slow speed before I got
> on the road and it was no big deal to repair.
>
> I had not realized that if you are going to use a safety chain it
> should be shorter than the cable which activates the emergency trailer
> brake.

Since the chain broke so easily, I suggest you install a much stronger
one. A trailer that comes off the towing vehicle will whip around and
apply much more force to the chain(s) than even fully applied brakes will.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[keithw]

The use of a single chain is also a dangerous thing to do and can lead
to an uncontrollable trailer swinging wildly behind your vehicle, or
worse tracking off in another direction throwing your vehicle out of
control . Trailers should all have TWO chains for this purpose, and
they should cross under the tongue in an X fashion . In the event that
the trailer should seperate from the vehicle the tongue will fall onto
the crossed chains and not the roadway , this keeps the trailer
tracking straight behind the tow vehicle . It prevents the tongue from
digging into the ground and last but not least it keeps the tongue of
the trailer from going up too far under your vehicle .

A number of safety chains sold on the market only have a single hook on
the end of the chain . This hook can fall out of place on rough roads
so a hook with a "gate" on it , or a different style of clasping
mechanism is prefered. Make sure that your chains can not contact the
road , this is especially inportant on gravel roads because the chains
can cause stones to fly up onto your trailer.

If in doubt contact a RV Dealer or a Hitch Shop .


--
keithw
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via OziPilots Online [ http://www.OziPilotsOnline.com.au ]
- A website for Australian Pilots regardless of when, why, or what they fly -

[[email protected]]

The jack wheel will not come down do long as you crank it fully up -
visually check that it is not askew with the diagonal cut in the jack
casing. That said, if you plan to leave the gliderport for a retrieve
or long trip, you should keep a plastic bag in the car or trailer.
Removing the jack is simple, but it leaves grease on anything it
touches.

wrote:
> Due to a senior moment, my cobra trailer became unhooked as I was
> pulling it out of my back yard. The emergency trailer brake
activated
> and broke the safety chain I had installed as well as the trailer
> wiring, fortunately all this happened at a very slow speed before I
got
> on the road and it was no big deal to repair.
>
> I had not realized that if you are going to use a safety chain it
> should be shorter than the cable which activates the emergency
trailer
> brake. Probably everyone knows this but I thought I would pass this
> along.
>
> The other bit of knowledge I wish I would have known before my first
> towing trip is to remove or somehow secure the front wheel as it can
> loosen and drop down to the road surface.

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> The jack wheel will not come down do long as you crank it fully up -
> visually check that it is not askew with the diagonal cut in the jack
> casing. That said, if you plan to leave the gliderport for a retrieve
> or long trip, you should keep a plastic bag in the car or trailer.
> Removing the jack is simple, but it leaves grease on anything it
> touches.
>
> wrote:
> > Due to a senior moment, my cobra trailer became unhooked as I was
> > pulling it out of my back yard. The emergency trailer brake
> activated
> > and broke the safety chain I had installed as well as the trailer
> > wiring, fortunately all this happened at a very slow speed before I
> got
> > on the road and it was no big deal to repair.
> >
> > I had not realized that if you are going to use a safety chain it
> > should be shorter than the cable which activates the emergency
> trailer
> > brake. Probably everyone knows this but I thought I would pass
this
> > along.
> >
> > The other bit of knowledge I wish I would have known before my
first
> > towing trip is to remove or somehow secure the front wheel as it
can
> > loosen and drop down to the road surface.

[[email protected]]

I think removing, carrying and reinstalling the jack is too much
hassle.
I thread a chain through the jack's wheel housing and attach both ends
via a climber's snap clamp to the trailer's tow bar. Takes about 20
seconds.
Bela

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:

> I think removing, carrying and reinstalling the jack is too much
> hassle.
> I thread a chain through the jack's wheel housing and attach both ends
> via a climber's snap clamp to the trailer's tow bar. Takes about 20
> seconds.

Sounds good. Besides the falling down problem, my jack interfered with
the mini-van tailgate and the bicycles I carried on the back of the
motorhome, so I replaced mine with the boat trailer style that rotates
90 degrees to the stowed position. Doesn't fall down, and there is no
long tube sticking up in the way of things.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[John Sinclair]

I thought the same thing until I wore big flat spots
in 2 tires. It happens as you enter or leave gas stations.
Tow vehicle rear wheels drop into the low drainage
area at the curb, trailer wheel contacts pavement,
can't swivel because we pulled it all the way up and
locked it. BTW, I'm convinced this is the scenario
that over-stresses your trailer tongue and leads to
failure.
JJ

At 20:00 11 January 2005, wrote:
>I think removing, carrying and reinstalling the jack
>is too much
>hassle.
>I thread a chain through the jack's wheel housing and
>attach both ends
>via a climber's snap clamp to the trailer's tow bar.
> Takes about 20
>seconds.
>Bela
>
>

[Bob Korves]

"Eric Greenwell" > wrote in message
>
> Since the chain broke so easily, I suggest you install a much stronger
> one. A trailer that comes off the towing vehicle will whip around and
> apply much more force to the chain(s) than even fully applied brakes will.

I have done the same thing, Eric (installed strong chains), and I guess it
is good advice.

Note, however, that glider trailers are set up from the European factories
to not use safety chains at all. It appears that the idea in Europe is that
it is safer, if the trailer somehow releases from the tow vehicle, for the
brake to self apply via the cable. The loose trailer (and the other traffic
on the road!) can fend for themselves.

That concept is not legal here in the U.S. and I don't necessarily recommend
it, either. If you do agree with the European idea then it might be smart
to use the weakest chain that is legal where you are based...
-Bob Korves

[Eric Greenwell]

Bob Korves wrote:
> "Eric Greenwell" > wrote in message
>
>>Since the chain broke so easily, I suggest you install a much stronger
>>one. A trailer that comes off the towing vehicle will whip around and
>>apply much more force to the chain(s) than even fully applied brakes will.
>
>
> I have done the same thing, Eric (installed strong chains), and I guess it
> is good advice.
>
> Note, however, that glider trailers are set up from the European factories
> to not use safety chains at all. It appears that the idea in Europe is that
> it is safer, if the trailer somehow releases from the tow vehicle, for the
> brake to self apply via the cable. The loose trailer (and the other traffic
> on the road!) can fend for themselves.
>
> That concept is not legal here in the U.S. and I don't necessarily recommend
> it, either. If you do agree with the European idea then it might be smart
> to use the weakest chain that is legal where you are based...
> -Bob Korves

I suspect the reason is the generally smaller vehicles that they use for
towing, compared to ours in the US. It might be safer for the trailer to
break loose than send the trailer AND the car flying into the oncoming
traffic.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[keithw]

If the trailer became unhitched and broke away from the tow vehicle and
was involved in an accident where damages and injury occured....what
insurance policy would the damages be claimed against ?

*note* answers to this question may differ depending on local laws.


--
keithw
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via OziPilots Online [ http://www.OziPilotsOnline.com.au ]
- A website for Australian Pilots regardless of when, why, or what they fly -

[Ted Wagner]

Seems to me that if this is happening, the hitch height may be too low. When
I look at my trailer hitch (front) wheel when it's stowed all the way up, I
can't imagine the wheel touching the ground in any circumstances.

I leave the wheel there mostly because I need the tongue weight. Checking
that it's tight and secure each time I stop is part of my routine.

eltedro/2NO

"John Sinclair" > wrote in message
...
> I thought the same thing until I wore big flat spots
> in 2 tires. It happens as you enter or leave gas stations.
> Tow vehicle rear wheels drop into the low drainage
> area at the curb, trailer wheel contacts pavement,
> can't swivel because we pulled it all the way up and
> locked it. BTW, I'm convinced this is the scenario
> that over-stresses your trailer tongue and leads to
> failure.
> JJ
>
> At 20:00 11 January 2005, wrote:
>>I think removing, carrying and reinstalling the jack
>>is too much
>>hassle.
>>I thread a chain through the jack's wheel housing and
>>attach both ends
>>via a climber's snap clamp to the trailer's tow bar.
>> Takes about 20
>>seconds.
>>Bela
>>
>>
>
>
>

[John Sinclair]

I set my hitch height so that the trailer is parallel
to the road surface, about 16 inches, if memory serves
me. The problem is most prominent when towing behind
a motor home with long over-hang, but I wore a flat
spot on my brand new Discus on the way home from the
dock, towing it behind a Dodge mini-van.
JJ

At 06:30 12 January 2005, Ted Wagner wrote:
>Seems to me that if this is happening, the hitch height
>may be too low. When
>I look at my trailer hitch (front) wheel when it's
>stowed all the way up, I
>can't imagine the wheel touching the ground in any
>circumstances.
>
>I leave the wheel there mostly because I need the tongue
>weight. Checking
>that it's tight and secure each time I stop is part
>of my routine.
>
>eltedro/2NO
>
>'John Sinclair' wrote in message
...
>> I thought the same thing until I wore big flat spots
>> in 2 tires. It happens as you enter or leave gas stations.
>> Tow vehicle rear wheels drop into the low drainage
>> area at the curb, trailer wheel contacts pavement,
>> can't swivel because we pulled it all the way up and
>> locked it. BTW, I'm convinced this is the scenario
>> that over-stresses your trailer tongue and leads to
>> failure.
>> JJ
>>
>> At 20:00 11 January 2005, wrote:
>>>I think removing, carrying and reinstalling the jack
>>>is too much
>>>hassle.
>>>I thread a chain through the jack's wheel housing and
>>>attach both ends
>>>via a climber's snap clamp to the trailer's tow bar.
>>> Takes about 20
>>>seconds.
>>>Bela
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>