Towing

saffyanne63
saffyanne63 Forum Participant Posts: 1
edited October 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

I was recently involved in an accident when a nissan Duke went into the back of my 2016 Sprite Major 6TD travelling around 35/40pmh on the M42. The caravan detached from the car completly causing the front of the van to hit the floor. Numerous people i have
spoken to said this should never of happened but it did and i was wondering if anyone could advise why it did this?

 

Comments

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited October 2016 #2

    It should not happen but if the impact was severe it may have broken the hitch mechanism causing it to release. Was there damage to the hitch?

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited October 2016 #3

    Did the caravan brakes lock on?

    I suspect the hitch wasn't on correctly, do you always lift the back of the car using the jockey wheel  after hitching up, to test its secure?

  • paul56
    paul56 Forum Participant Posts: 937
    500 Comments
    edited October 2016 #4

    Suspect it shouldn't. If you Google caravan accidents (what a fun life I lead) there are some spectacular events ...and the caravan does tend to stay attached. Even this one 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd-hUX8memY

    where the crash rolls both car and van, it stays attached. 

  • Mike Brace
    Mike Brace Forum Participant Posts: 41
    edited October 2016 #5

    Do you have the right towball fitted? I bought a car with a towball/bar already installed but realised that it's not the correct towball for an ALKO hitch. They're all 50mm but the ALKO ones have a "slightly longer neck to give clearance for the stabiliser
    head"

    http://www.towsure.com/towsure-alko-towball-50mm