Troop Trailers

[5thGenTexan]

For those that have trailers, what tools do you carry?

I was following the trailer on the way to summer camp in June and kept noticing something hanging down.  We stopped for a pitstop and I crawled under to take a look.... Sure enough we had a broken leaf spring.  The axle had moved back a little on that side.  We were able to make it to camp with no problems, but had to get it taken care of.

We got it jacked up with a Ford OEM jack, as hard as that way.  Bolts were not coming off and we needed a cheater.  Luckily a tree had taken down a power line in camp.  😂  They pulled the old metal conduit off the pole and we got a 4 ft piece.  Took ever bit of that extra 4 feet to get the hardware off for the spring.

I had to go home anyway one day because our dog boarding reservation got messed up and I needed to take her over.  So, while I was in town I bought a new leaf spring and u-bolts + hardware.  Also, loaded up my floor jack, jack stands,  and a few other more substantial tools to put things back together.

 

So...  if you are going on a trip with the trailer... What tools do you take?  I know its hard to plan for everything, but I gotta rethink it next time. 

[T2Eagle]

We have a tool box with a basic collection of wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.  Plus the sum total of whatever everyone on the trip might be carrying around in their trunk.  We definitely have a hydraulic jack sized to lift the trailer and change a tire if necessary.  You want to be able to do some basic repairs if you have to --- enough to get you off the side of the ride and someplace safe to park, but you can't bring a garage full of tools, compressors, air guns, etc. on the off chance you might need them some day.

Once had a problem with the electric brake controller and had to leave the thing at an RV dealer 7 hours from home.  Everybody grabbed anything they really needed out of their packs and left the bulk of them in the trailer until the next week when two of us went back to collect it.

Also left a scout behind at the RV dealer.  Went back for him before the next weekend.

One of the things we make sure we have in our troop budget is enough money to cover an emergency like that if we need to.  Remember, 30 families own the trailer, so it's only 20-30 bucks each in the bank to cover a tow and a professional repair if need be.

[fred8033]

Nothing was in the trailer to fix the trailer.  We had a few basic tools for basic stuff.  And duct tape.  And WD40.  

You can't pack everything in the trailer.  If you equip to handle every contingency, your trailer becomes too heavy for most vehicles, including many trucks.

[elitts]

I actually just upgraded our tool selection to a full set of hand tools, but I'm not going to go too much further than that.  There are very few parents in my troop that are handy enough to be willing/able to do much more than loosen/tighten bolts, so having a more complete set of tools isn't of much use anyway. 

[yknot]

I don't have much to add to this other than that I know a lot of people with troop trailers who maybe don't do enough routine preventive maintenance, don't use them enough and let them sit too long, and don't have a pre departure check list. Don't let it sit over the winter or for several months because you only use it for certain kinds of camp outs. Hook it up and pull it out for local trips. Have a pre departure checklist which includes looking under the trailer, checking the floor and the load distribution/stabilization, checking lights. Don't be the only one who is always hooking it up. Always grab someone to doublecheck you. The stupidest thing -- and it happens not infrequently even with experienced people -- is forgetting to hook up the brake plug or the safety chains or not snapping the pin or some other minor, obvious thing. It's not hard to get distracted when a ton of kids are around. 

[elitts]

36 minutes ago, yknot said:

I don't have much to add to this other than that I know a lot of people with troop trailers who maybe don't do enough routine preventive maintenance, don't use them enough and let them sit too long, and don't have a pre departure check list. Don't let it sit over the winter or for several months because you only use it for certain kinds of camp outs. Hook it up and pull it out for local trips. Have a pre departure checklist which includes looking under the trailer, checking the floor and the load distribution/stabilization, checking lights. Don't be the only one who is always hooking it up. Always grab someone to doublecheck you. The stupidest thing -- and it happens not infrequently even with experienced people -- is forgetting to hook up the brake plug or the safety chains or not snapping the pin or some other minor, obvious thing. It's not hard to get distracted when a ton of kids are around. 

I strong believe that every troop with a trailer should have one of these.  https://www.weigh-safe.com/product/universal-tow-ball/

There are WAY too many parents pulling trailers without any good way to judge if the weight distribution is appropriate within the trailer (and lacking the experience to eyeball it)  Particularly with single axle trailers.  I know I had one year where someone pulled our trailer to summer camp and when they arrived complained about how terrible our trailer was to pull.  When I went over to it, I was able to easily lift the tongue off the hitch by myself.  The QMs and everyone else loading it had put virutally everything heavy just inside the rear door because it was "too hard" to shift the heavy stuff around inside the trailer.  I was honestly shocked person driving managed to make it down 65 miles of highway without the wobble taking them off the road.

[Eagledad]

1 hour ago, elitts said:

I strong believe that every troop with a trailer should have one of these.  https://www.weigh-safe.com/product/universal-tow-ball/

There are WAY too many parents pulling trailers without any good way to judge if the weight distribution is appropriate within the trailer (and lacking the experience to eyeball it)  Particularly with single axle trailers.  I know I had one year where someone pulled our trailer to summer camp and when they arrived complained about how terrible our trailer was to pull.  When I went over to it, I was able to easily lift the tongue off the hitch by myself.  The QMs and everyone else loading it had put virutally everything heavy just inside the rear door because it was "too hard" to shift the heavy stuff around inside the trailer.  I was honestly shocked person driving managed to make it down 65 miles of highway without the wobble taking them off the road.

You are over thinking this. Our QM was in charge insuring the patrols loaded the trailer correctly and that it was hitched properly to the vehicle (verified lights and turn signals working). They were trained to keep the CG forward of the trailer axil, as well as, the hitch connected and locked correctly. Troop trailers tend to be loaded with the same gear 90% of their use. If the QM didn't go with the Troop or High Adventure Crew to insure the trailer was loaded correctly, they he trained someone.

We don't give the scouts enough credit. The vehicles didn't start driving for their destination until the SPL had a full count and said it was OK. The only time our troop left a scout behind was when the new SM didn't trust that policy. Wasn't me by the way.

Barry

 

[Armymutt]

On 7/31/2022 at 9:35 AM, T2Eagle said:

Also left a scout behind at the RV dealer.  Went back for him before the next weekend.

That happens.  I got left behind at a gas station in rural southern MO.  This was well before cell phones were much beyond movie props.  everyone thought I was hiding in the back of the van under some tarps.  Luckily, this was when pay phones still existed and I was able to make a collect call home - also the days when we remembered phone numbers.  They eventually came back for me before I got off the phone with my parents, but I was one scared 12 y/o.

[5thGenTexan]

Our trailer, we got second had (at least) earlier this year.  Lights were acting goofy and I traced that problem and fixed it.  Also repacked the bearings before we left.  I did take enough tools to redo a bearing if we needed to and work on the lights in the field.  Wasn't much in terms of tools.

After we pulled the old leaf spring off and got to looking at it, it was obvious it had failed before we even got it and that break had rusted over.  Our trip just finished breaking it all the way.  I am not sure how we would have gotten it off if another adult didn't have a set of sockets and wrenches in his truck.  

I need to hit up Harbor Freight and at least get us enough stuff to hopefully be able to get down the road next time something happens.  After years of family trips across the country with travel trailers, I know stuff happens it the worst places.  

 

[elitts]

42 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

You are over thinking this. Our QM was in charge insuring the patrols loaded the trailer correctly and that it was hitched properly to the vehicle (verified lights and turn signals working). They were trained to keep the CG forward of the trailer axil, as well as, the hitch connected and locked correctly. Troop trailers tend to be loaded with the same gear 90% of their use. If the QM didn't go with the Troop or High Adventure Crew to insure the trailer was loaded correctly, they he trained someone.

We don't give the scouts enough credit. The vehicles didn't start driving for their destination until the SPL had a full count and said it was OK. The only time our troop left a scout behind was when the new SM didn't trust that policy. Wasn't me by the way.

Barry

 

If you've got a 3/4 ton truck with a class 3+ hitch and a tongue capacity of >1000lbs that can always pull the trailer, you are generally right; just keep all the weight between the axle and the truck and you are golden.  But at least with my troop (and I have to assume others), that's not always the case.  We regularly have people with mid/full size SUVs pulling that have 5000lb/500lb weight limits and you have to keep things fairly well balanced to make sure you keep the tongue weight over at least 10% of the total weight, without going over the 500lb tongue limit of the hitch.  With our trailer, that means keeping the tongue weight between 300 and 500lbs. (preferably between 300 and 450)

And while most of the time we've got a QM I've worked with or myself there to make sure things get loaded correctly, a $100 hitch that enables an idiot-proof quick eyeball check on the weight is some cheap insurance for those times when things happen without one of those QMs or myself present.

[yknot]

42 minutes ago, elitts said:

And while most of the time we've got a QM I've worked with or myself there to make sure things get loaded correctly, a $100 hitch that enables an idiot-proof quick eyeball check on the weight is some cheap insurance for those times when things happen without one of those QMs or myself present.

I think the original question was what kind of tools should you carry for breakdowns. The best, cheapest, and most portable tool is always prevention so I like your hitch idea. There is no BSA safety training regarding trailers and towing and unit competency is all over the map as is how units deal with having a trailer. 

[Eagledad]

1 hour ago, yknot said:

I think the original question was what kind of tools should you carry for breakdowns. The best, cheapest, and most portable tool is always prevention so I like your hitch idea. There is no BSA safety training regarding trailers and towing and unit competency is all over the map as is how units deal with having a trailer. 

LOL, all over the map. We do training. Our QMs and drivers train together. They practice with the driver backing up to the trailer listening to the QM's directions.  Together they checking the lights and hooking the safety chain. And they discuss CG and loading. Not a hard course to whip up if you need one. 

I haven't seen any unit statistics on trailer incidents, which means there are likely very few. We had an axil break on one trip. Not a big deal for the car towing the trailer, but it could have been for the car behind if they hadn't provided the proper separation. I could see practicing changing a tire in training.

I have no problem with an adult giving a trailer a last look, but, loading a trailer isn't rocket science once those involved understand what to do. Like I said, troops tend to repeat the same trip 90% of the time. Scouts get used to where they typically place dutchovens and heavy tools like axes, patrol boxes and so on. It's that other 10% like high adventure that might need a review of CG.

We typically had two trailers: The large one for 100 weekend campouts and the small one for high adventure treks. Our troop is a backpacking troop and the Patrol leaders try to get backpacks hauled in cars if they can. We don't use patrol boxes and tables. Our stoves are backpacking stoves and the scouts may bring a cooler if their meals require it. Most camp gear is propane lantern and tarps. For a 100 scout troop, we travel pretty light, considering. And we like that.

Barry

 

[curious_scouter]

I think we have a spare and a jack.  Our leaders are great, but with few exceptions any kind of mechanical issue beyond a flat is going to require outside help anyway.

I actually think the concepts of proper loading, appropriate cars, etc. could use a bit more focus.  Most adults in our troop are trailer rookies.  Some guidelines / preflight checklist would be good. 

[mrjohns2]

Does anyone have recommended brands and brand lines within brands? Or brands / brand lines to avoid? 

[elitts]

On 8/8/2022 at 3:19 PM, mrjohns2 said:

Does anyone have recommended brands and brand lines within brands? Or brands / brand lines to avoid? 

For trailers?  Haulmark is typically pretty good.  The biggest problem with trailers is that the quality can vary widely even within a particular brand.  Welder competence is typically a toughie industry wide and so if "Bob" did the frame welding on one trailer it could be great while the one "Mark" welded up may have ongoing issues.  The best advice I've seen is to stick with one of the premium brands and try and buy one a few years old to save money, or go with a manufacturer that will let you inspect the trailer before taking delivery.  And ideally, pick a manufacturer that's close enough you can bring the trailer back for repairs if something comes up.