look familiar?

[classicchev]

Originally Posted by 70rs/ss

72 K5 w/68 clip! A home brewed build (I like the 67-8 clip way better). Well, crews you may not believe in luck, but I believe in God, so I think there is a reason why I am sitting here tying and not smeared all over I-40, call it what you want. I am pretty sure I was as good as I could have been, would I do things different, sure, but that is why hindsight is 20/20, just glad my family and I are here to have a second chance.

An AMEN to that.

Glad to hear everyone is safe and sound, I was looking at your signature, Im glad it was the Burb and NOT the Camaro. RS/SS is a rare find, and probably much much harder to replace.

Crews does have some very good tips. In my days of towing, I have seen some pretty amazing things. The problems usually come down to ignorance then lack of education. people think they have a 1/2 ton and they can pull anything, QUALITY tie downs, there can never be enough.


Best of luck with the insurance.

[1Ton]

Sorry to hear of your loss.
Wheres the pics?

[68-BEAST]

I am sorry to hear of your crash and glad to know nobody was injured. Let me play Monday Morning Quarterback for just a minute. I have experience towing all kinds of vehicles and equipment, sometimes way too heavy for the towing vehicle. I have experienced sway many times, partly triggered by speed.

I've always been taught that when the trailer starts to sway, try to speed up to straighten it out, then decrease your speed slowly. . . and that's easier said than done at 70 mph. Up here in WA state there is a little known speed limit for ANY vehicle with a trailer, 60 mph. I see combinations all day doing 70+. And I know after towing your setup for several hundred miles with no problems gives more confidence to speed up, but maybe speed contributed to not being able to correct?????? Just a thought.

68-BEAST

[vtblazer]

Amazing story, glad you and your family are all good.

Gotta ask for my own curiosity, how did the trailer brakes work for you?
Did they slow the 'package' down prior to rolling or cause it?

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by 68-BEAST

I've always been taught that when the trailer starts to sway, try to speed up to straighten it out, then decrease your speed slowly. . . and that's easier said than done at 70 mph

I've found that by activating the trailer brakes manually from the controller
(only the trailer brakes), it settles thing's down pretty quick.

The pull induced by the trailer braking cancels out the sway.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

Gotta ask for my own curiosity, how did the trailer brakes work for you?
Did they slow the 'package' down prior to rolling or cause it?

70rs/ss, any idea's/input/concerns about how the brakes worked out for ya?

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

70rs/ss, any idea's/input/concerns about how the brakes worked out for ya?

Sorry to leave my thread for so long! I had the brakes on and plugged in, but from one sway to slow down, and then accellerate to drive out of it as stated in another post, I flat ran out of time. The trailer was gone in a split second. I am left thinking I could have done a lot of things, but too late. I have talked to the ins guy, and well I don't know if I mentioned this before, this baby had 12k miles ORIGINAL (marked as original miles on the CO title and transfered to my AZ title)!! My ins guy had a heart attack, I am just waiting for an offer. I'll post picts this weekend. I am on my way to buy its replacement. It is not of the 67-72 vintage, but it is a 74 3/4 ton with 50K miles front and rear air, etc, etc. It will be a 68 when I get the ins money and find another shell as I will put every usable part into the older Burb.

[70rs/ss]

As promised, the picts of my carnage, again thank GOD no one was hurt!! The first pict is a before (when I got it home!) and the other two kinda explain themselves (just one short day after). I'll buy it back as the wheels and tires are new, the motor and trans are good, the grill and the tailgate. The rest is kinda junk.

[classicchev]

thats a depressing picture. 12000 orininal miles

[Frizzle Fry]

Wow! That's horrible! Hope you find a decent repacement soon.

[MrBinAz]

Bummer........feeling for you dude

[Canadian694x4]

Glad your OK! Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

[Southedisto]

That is a disheartening picture. Sorry for your loss.

[70rs/ss]

Like I said before I have bought a 74 3/4 ton GMC loaded to the teeth and I am robbing everything from it (it runs and drives with 96k original miles and dual AC), I know it is sacreligious, but at least its not a 68-72 right?! Anyways I'll keep looking for a 67-72 Burb to put all of the 74's parts on, I may actually put the 74 frame under the 67-72. I am past being bummed, In 17 years of wheeling and dealing (over 100 vehicles in that time) I have never had anything except a wreck total any of my rides, so I have been fortunate (never even had one broken into!) I plan to buy the Burb and the trailer back to refurb the trailer and rape the burb (at least something good can come of it?) On a side note, I have also considered selling my 68 K5, 67 4X4 short fleet, and pretty much everything else except the Camaro and give up on the "old car" thing. I know how that 2wd Blazer guy feels (can't remember his name) but he was hit by a hit and runner and he lost interest and was selling it here on the board. I'll see how I feel in a few weeks, it could go either way.

[vtblazer]

Thanks for posting those pics, I hope it makes everybody a little bit more aware while towing.

To me, this is what the board is all about...sharing your experiences, good or bad at the same time learning from others doing the same. (stepping off the soap box now)

Thanks again 70rs/ss, your positive attitude is good to hear.

I was on the cuff over buying a load leveler set up due to cost but this thread alone made the difference.
Already installed.

[Bishops Trucks]

Glad to here you guys are O.K. The Burb and trailer can be replaced.

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

Thanks for posting those pics, I hope it makes everybody a little bit more aware while towing.

To me, this is what the board is all about...sharing your experiences, good or bad at the same time learning from others doing the same. (stepping off the soap box now)

Thanks again 70rs/ss, your positive attitude is good to hear.

I was on the cuff over buying a load leveler set up due to cost but this thread alone made the difference.
Already installed.

I've used that trailer to deliver a 4X4 Burb to qksilver in NC (about 2200 miles) and brought back a 67 swb w/454 back the other 2200 miles w/not even so much as a wiggle. I even had this Burb on the trailer for 4-500 miles again nothing, then WHAM!! I guess I'll load for bear even though I am hunting birds from now on!! The load leveler is a great idea and I am even in the market for a 3/4-1 ton diesel so I can haul and save fuel at the same time.

[thecatseye66]

Man, I feel for ya! I'm really glad you and your family are okay.
Those pics are hard to look at...I'm just glad noone got hurt.

Two weeks ago I bought a trashed '69 C-20 parts truck with no motor or tranny and was towing it home on my Dad's small car trailer without any trailer brakes. I didn't have to go far, and only a few miles on the freeway, but without a motor the tongue was really unweighted.
I barely made it up to 55 when the trailer started swaying so bad I actually thought it was gone. My heart darn near stopped and I literally couldn't breathe. There was a lot of traffic behind me and I could just imagine the carnage with it coming loose. I slowed it down, but it took until I got under 40 for it to stop rocking. I pulled over and checked everything (including my underpants), then kept it under 45 all the way home.
I know a "near miss" story isn't going to make you feel any better, but I'd shove that POS parts truck off a cliff if it would bring that burb back for ya...

[70rs/ss]

Thanks, thecatseye66 I appreciate that. I really am completely OK with it, now. I will find another and since I have had children, my car hobby has taken a backseat as I have more important things to care for. I never thought I'd say this, but they are just inanimate objects. Yes, even my original 70 rs/ss, 4-speed, AC car would go if my wife or children needed something. I can always find another (it may cost more than a house, but again all worldly possessions). A very dear friend of mine as well as being one of my employees just lost a daughter 4/28 in a car accident, so I have a good perspective on this. Wrecking this Burb pales in comparision to the hole in your heart from losing a sibling or a child, or a loved one for that matter. I lost my brother a year ago 6/4 and I can tell you this, losing the Burb seems smaller than a grain of sand on the road of life, especially since my wife and three kids were in the Yukon with me. I could have lost them and nothing in this world is worth that!

[special-K]

I just want to say that I`m glad you`re alright and have a good head about it.It`s a damn shame about the Suburban.I don`t know if this helps,but...
...bought for $16,000,another $28,000 into it,$12,000 from insurance:

[crews]

Special K- no disrespect intended but "28,000 into it...".... 28 GRAND?!?!?!?!?

Was there 25K in cash in the glove box? It was a nice looking truck but man I can't see where there is 28K ADDED to it...that would give you a total of 44K in the truck...and you got 12K from Ins. Co.?

What a shame that you lost a very nice looking work truck- just curious about the upgrades.

[special-K]

Yup.Good math,that`s what I figured,about $45,000.About the cost of a new Duramax without any improvements.The truck was set-up just the way I needed/liked it and was as good as new with excellent body/paint,new drivetrain,300+hp,adjustable suspension,go anywhere capability,tunes,and unique.
I provided a list for the insurance company to get that much.I could give you one,too.Utility beds are $5,000.The motor was $8,600.I had a new NV4500($1,800)and NP241($800)in it,converted from a dual-mass flywheel to a solid($1,800)and I had a Centerforce Dual Friction clutch assembly($500).Intercooler($1,300),hood($700).I changed the grille and front fenders and added Bushwacker flares.Overall paint job.The ARB air-locker/compressor and air bags.There was a Hellwig sway bar on the rear and Edelbrock shocks all around.Changed gears from 3.73 to 4.10/discs on rear.The bed was Line-X`d in a custom color as well as the surfaces on the rack(over $300 for each item.L.e.d. lights run around $90 x 4.Weld Outbacks/SuperSwamperSSRs($1,800).The custom tonneau cost $325.About $1,500 in the stereo.I bought the towing/camper mirrors from GM piece by piece @ $350.EGT,Boost,and oil temp guages in pillar pod.The seat upholstery cost $325.4" BD mandrel-bent exhaust and custom cold-air intake to work off the scoop.I built the rack,but the steel cost a good bit and it was powdercoated/lineX`d.I also made a pair of rub-rails with diamond-plate for a step that were powdercoated.There was a Honeywell 12v generator in one of the bins.I had to pay for some labor on some of it,too.I owned it from 4/98 to 10/04,so it was over a time period.Yet,it only had 130,000 miles at 9 years old (1/2 what I put on mt`92).But,the insurance company considered that high miles.I also got dropped,I was not Charged.It all adds up.

[JAKES 68GMC]

70 RS/SS, sorry about your Burb. Real nice truck you had.

Tim, sorry about your truck, too. That must have been a nice work truck.