TP60 Package Car Trailers Coming "Unhitched"

[Bubblehead]

Had a driver in my Local recently, who had a TP60 trailer come unhitched while traveling at 65 mph on the highway, breaking the chains, landing it in a hillside along the highway.

Driver wasn't charged with an accident, just told to "be careful" after hitching up subsequently, which sent up a "red flag" in my mind.

Over the weekend, with the help of a Facebook Group exclusively for the UPSer's in my Local, we have uncovered 6 separate instances of run away TP60 trailers being pulled by modified package cars in recent years.

Is this just an uncanny frequency of independent anomalies that we are experiencing here, or is this a regular occurrence across the country???

 

[Jackburton]

If I'm correct, the U-Haul hitch balls are 2", the ones used for UPS branded TP-60's are 2.5". I've personally had to tell management of their problems leaving the U-Haul hitches on after peak, citing this problem. The mechanics in the back have even spray painted the hitch itself, to show it shouldn't be used with our in house trailers. Not sure if your local management are incompetent as ours though.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

Can't say I've ever heard of one coming unattached

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Can't say I've ever heard of one coming unattached

I've seen it. Some uninformed driver was using the wrong stinger with the industry standard
(Smaller) ball. Fortunately it only happened in the yard.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

I've seen it. Some uninformed driver was using the wrong stinger with the industry standard
(Smaller) ball. Fortunately it only happened in the yard.

I've never heard of it on road is what I'm getting at. I've seen parkers rush so they get out and hit the bar do it, but never a package car driver.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

This was a (former) driver and he had just come in. Just a miracle it didn't happen on the street.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

This was a (former) driver and he had just come in. Just a miracle it didn't happen on the street.

Yeah that could have gone bad. Yikes

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Yeah that could have gone bad. Yikes

Back of the PC took a good poke.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

If I'm correct, the U-Haul hitch balls are 2", the ones used for UPS branded TP-60's are 2.5". I've personally had to tell management of their problems leaving the U-Haul hitches on after peak, citing this problem. The mechanics in the back have even spray painted the hitch itself, to show it shouldn't be used with our in house trailers. Not sure if your local management are incompetent as ours though.

Red for rental size.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

Back of the PC took a good poke.

 

[cosmo1]

Can't say I've ever heard of one coming unattached

I remember my center losing one on the highway, but the actual hitch broke and the chains held.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

I remember my center losing one on the highway, but the actual hitch broke and the chains held.

Your experience is way beyond mine, I'm sure it's happened. I just can't think of one since I've been around

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

It's always bad for the hitch assembly when they are installed on P1s. Too much overhang and dragging as a result.

 

[cosmo1]

It's always bad for the hitch assembly when they are installed on P1s. Too much overhang and dragging as a result.

I don't remember if the frame on the PC failed or the stinger with the ball on it.

Driver said it was pretty damned scary at 60mph.

 

[BSWALKS]

I hope you've gotten better parking those things

 

[FrigidFTSup]

I hope you've gotten better parking those things

You run one $100,000,000 aircraft into a hangar and you're labeled for life. Unbelievable

 

[542thruNthru]

Your experience is way beyond mine, I'm sure it's happened. I just can't think of one since I've been around

That's a understatement!

 

[iowa boy]

We've had one where the stinger broke where its welded. Trailer bumped package car, unhooked chains with the bump, and took off down the passing lane of a four lane highway at 65 mph. Sat on the tongue for a quarter mile or so as it slid down road, crossing two lanes of traffic and ended up in the ditch on its wheels.

 

[barnyard]

Several years ago, they had special training for drivers pulling TP60's. We were supposed to lower the trailer on the hitch ball, lock the collar and crank back up on the jack to test the couple.
My impression at the time was that we had to do that because a trailer had uncoupled in the district. We street 40ish/day and had 4 TP60s at the time. Now we do 2 or 3.

 

[Bubblehead]

We've had one where the stinger broke where its welded. Trailer bumped package car, unhooked chains with the bump, and took off down the passing lane of a four lane highway at 65 mph. Sat on the tongue for a quarter mile or so as it slid down road, crossing two lanes of traffic and ended up in the ditch on its wheels.

Wow!!!

Sounds similar to a couple of scenarios of our 6 here.

Found a couple a national campaigns and a technical bulletin for these trailers from 2003-2007.
No doubt many of these units are still in the fleet.