Never hook to a trailer before you check it out.

[fox]

I bought a used 1998 5th wheel. Everything seamed to be OK with the exception of the left brake light being dim.

Electric brakes worked fine.

On the way home this happened.

There was a 'pop' from under the hood. My first reaction was a tire blew out on the trailer.

The paint was burning in the hood and it was warping.

I was still going 65 in the interstate!

Started moving to the shoulder and realized there were NO BRAKES.

Going down a grade also.



It took at least a mile to get it stopped.

By then the cab was full of toxic smoke, couldn't breath or see.



I lost everything in the fire but 3 lives.

I'm waiting for the investigators to rule on it.



But I'm sure it was electrical because it was behind the left battery and never smelled fuel or oil burning.

i'm still coughing and hacking.

I will try to add the video.

 

[NIsaacs]

Wow, what a mess and glad everyone is safe!



I am not sure it was the trailers fault tho, also I am not sure what you could have done with it that you didn't already do. Your trucks relays, circuit breakers and fuses should have prevented a bad short in the trailer. Was it day time or night?



Sounds like the battery blew up. Were they new or old? Wonder why the brakes failed?



Nick

 

[fox]

I can only speculate. But I was sure it was electrical.

We believe the fire melted the sensor on the end of the master cylinder and created a leak.



I think I read on one of these sites a few years ago the ground wire runs all the way to the front of the truck, and is not protected. i haven't checked because the service manual was behind the seat and is gone.

It took about 15 minutes for the fire trucks to get there but they would have been on the shoulder where I stopped to save it.



My 02 2500 melted to the pavement in front of me.

Even the tail lights melted.

firemen opened the hood for me and If I remember right ( my head was spinning from the smoke inhilation) the valve cover melted too!

Tools, personal items behind the seat and in door pockets of course are gone



This was on I-74 west of Peoria Il monday afternoon.



I will figure this out before I ever hook another trailer up.

It nearly cost me three lives. Mine, a friend, and my dog.



Trooper said this is the second one this year right here!!

 

[HBarlow]

The older and unknown trailer you had just hooked up sounds like a logical cause suspect but your truck is protected by fuses. The 12v always hot charge line has a big fuse, the run/stop/turn light wires are fuse protected, and the brake supply wire is protected.

I wonder if the trailer has no battery, an old dead battery, or a battery installed with polarity reversed. Either of these three possibles could cause your alternator to work hard and possibly overcharge your truck batteries. If your truck batteries are old one of them may have been dying with an internally shorted cell which would overheat under heavy charge.

All of this is just speculation. I don't really know the cause.

 

[GCroyle]

"There was a 'pop' from under the hood. " ... ..... "there were NO BRAKES"



fox,



Sorry to hear about your loss, glad you guys are safe.



Continuing the speculation, after the "pop" did you loose the power steering?



Good luck,



Gary

 

[fox]

The older and unknown trailer you had just hooked up sounds like a logical cause suspect but your truck is protected by fuses. The 12v always hot charge line has a big fuse, the run/stop/turn light wires are fuse protected, and the brake supply wire is protected.



I wonder if the trailer has no battery, an old dead battery, or a battery installed with polarity reversed. Either of these three possibles could cause your alternator to work hard and possibly overcharge your truck batteries. If your truck batteries are old one of them may have been dying with an internally shorted cell which would overheat under heavy charge.



All of this is just speculation. I don't really know the cause.

We pulled the RV one hour at 60 mph.

Stopped for lunch --subway-- and eat in the rv! I did get to use it! The lights all worked in it then. So it did charge the battery in the RV.

got on the road and 30 minutes later this all happened.

Truck batteries were 6 years old and were Optimas, never showed any change from new as far as starting ability.

 

[fox]

"There was a 'pop' from under the hood. " ... ..... "there were NO BRAKES"



fox,



Sorry to hear about your loss, glad you guys are safe.



Continuing the speculation, after the "pop" did you loose the power steering?



Good luck,



Gary

With no engine running at 60 mph I didn't notice any issues with steering.



The brake pedal went to the floor. The PS/ assist would NOT cause that. If the lines blew off or melted, I would of had HARD brake effort.

The Master cylinder had to of leaked to cause no pedal.

A friend reminded me the MC has a plastic sensor in the front of it. I guess it melted before I tried to stop it.



Today the ADJUSTER called and said the trailer didn't have insurance ( in his opinion) because it is an RV. Why didn't the Trooper ask for that?

I am sure it would be covered in transit with my truck policy. In a camp ground it would be different.

Why would the ADJUSTER say this? FISHING?

 

[NGuzik]

Any luck uploading the video? I'd like to see... .

 

[crispyboy]

If I recall, my truck insurance will only cover the trailer liability insurance. I had to pay extra to get full coverage for the travel trailer.
So sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[fox]

Any luck uploading the video? I'd like to see... .

I do have it on facebook.

Pm me, or tell me how to get it from my 'puter to the tdr!

 

[CBari]

Everyone is right about the insurance on the truck just covering the liability, but several Insurance companies have standard 10 day grace periods for you to get a policy on new purchases. I know Farm Bureau and State Farm do this. You will have to go through your agent and not an adjuster to make this work.

 

[HBarlow]

Trailers are not required to have liability insurance and do not have. A trailer cannot be driven alone so it cannot strike a person, vehicle, or property.

A trailer normally has comprehensive and collision insurance to cover damage to the trailer itself but that is an individual decision by the owner unless purchase money was loaned on it and a bank/credit union/finance company holds superior title and requires insurance.

In short, the trailer is not insured unless the buyer contacted his insurance company and purchased it.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Talk to your agent, you should be covered. You have a certain amount of days to get insurance on a new purchase. My Farmers agent has told me several times that I am covered for 30 days on new purchases. I have him call 29 days later and give him all the vehicle info. Saves 29 days of ins. cost! If you have full coverage on your truck you will have it on your rv, if not then liability.

 

[mwilson]

Liberty Mutual told me that when my Cougar fifth wheel is hooked onto either of my trucks that the trailer is automatically covered to the full limits of the tow vehicle's policy. It is usually hooked to the Mega Cab so it has $300,000. 00 worth of comp and collision coverage when it is pinned into the hitch.



The Cougar also carries it's own policy that covers any damage when it is not hooked to a tow vehicle such as a limb falling on it, awning issues, etc.



If separate insurance was required then I would have it.

I am insurance poor and covered for everything short of a nuclear holocaust.

And even then I think that the Aflac Duck would still pay me a little money if he survived it.....



Call your agent right now..... in Maine you have 72 hours to obtain coverage to allow for purchasing something on a Saturday morning for example.



Mike.

 

[jeepit]

Your trailer has liability only when being towed. No comp or collision unless you purchased it.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Liberty Mutual told me that when my Cougar fifth wheel is hooked onto either of my trucks that the trailer is automatically covered to the full limits of the tow vehicle's policy. It is usually hooked to the Mega Cab so it has $300,000. 00 worth of comp and collision coverage when it is pinned into the hitch.



The Cougar also carries it's own policy that covers any damage when it is not hooked to a tow vehicle such as a limb falling on it, awning issues, etc.



If separate insurance was required then I would have it.

I am insurance poor and covered for everything short of a nuclear holocaust.

And even then I think that the Aflac Duck would still pay me a little money if he survived it.....



Call your agent right now..... in Maine you have 72 hours to obtain coverage to allow for purchasing something on a Saturday morning for example.



Mike.

Same as us we use State Farm covered just like your Mike. Ours was covered same as truck when we picked it up and called to let them know and it was automatically covered. Also have coverage when not towing and is in storage/shop in-case of act of God damage.

 

[fox]

I'm reading my policy right now.

It says they will pay compensatory damages as a result of an accident. This fire was an accident. I see they didn't use the word collision.



As I see this there is two possibilities.

An accident or an intentional.



It also states I must ask for and pay a premium for coverage with-in 30 days of purchase. ( I will do that tomorrow. )



you guys will tell me I'm reaching but that is ok!!!



If it was parked and this happened, then what?

 

[mwilson]

Your trailer has liability only when being towed. No comp or collision unless you purchased it.

That may vary from state to state. As I posted before where I live and with Liberty Mutual as my insurer my trailer is under the coverage of the truck when hooked up.

If my tow vehicle has comp and collision so does the Cougar when attached.

I checked that very carefully when I bought the trailer.



Your results may differ... .



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

I'm reading my policy right now.

It says they will pay compensatory damages as a result of an accident. This fire was an accident. I see they didn't use the word collision.



As I see this there is two possibilities.

An accident or an intentional.



It also states I must ask for and pay a premium for coverage with-in 30 days of purchase. ( I will do that tomorrow. )



you guys will tell me I'm reaching but that is ok!!!



If it was parked and this happened, then what?

It was hooked to the truck at the time of the fire, correct??



I think you will find that there is coverage if you have comp and collision on the truck depending on your states requirements of insurance carriers that can do business there.



Mike.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Talk to your agent!