# Tool Talk > Wheels >  Semi-trailer collapses spontaneously during turn - GIF

## Jon

Semi-trailer collapses spontaneously during turn.  :Confused: 



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Previously:

Load slowly falls off truck - video
Steel rolls roll off truck bed - GIF
Tanker truck explosion in Bologna, Italy - video

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EnginePaul (Feb 7, 2019),

high-side (May 16, 2019),

JoeVanGeaux (Feb 7, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Feb 7, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 6, 2019)

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## Frank S

Utility brand dry box trailers are noted for being one of the lightest constructed box trailer on the road. Without seeing an accident report I can tell you that the load inside had at least 1 heavy pallet stacked on top of another and if it had been secured at all often box drivers do not even look inside of their trailers when they are ;loaded, the load locks when used only extend from side to side and there sometimes are no vertical E tracks for strapping to.
The impact of a 2500 lb pallet falling from 3 feet high un a turn could have been enough to cause the trailer to collapse especially if the trailer was loaded heavy in the first place.
Remember these trailers have no frame only a short sub frame where the axles are All of the structural strength in them is from the thin siding and the even thinner roof the only other structure in these trailers is the extruded runner that joins the roof and the side walls

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EnginePaul (Nov 21, 2021),

KustomsbyKent (Feb 6, 2019),

PJs (Feb 7, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Feb 7, 2019)

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## JoeVanGeaux

"All things being equal" (lol), this video just gave me, yet another, reason to avoid riding alongside any tractor trailer. But now, I'm going to spend the rest of my driving days on special lookout for that brand of trailer!

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## Frank S

> "All things being equal" (lol), this video just gave me, yet another, reason to avoid riding alongside any tractor trailer. But now, I'm going to spend the rest of my driving days on special lookout for that brand of trailer!



It is not limited to only one brand many manufactures make almost the exact same design of trailer I own a Great Dane branded name and it is made the same way also has damage on the top of 1 side where the skin of the roof and the skin of the side wall have ripped the rivets out of the top rail Not collapsed but only suitable for limited storage as well

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PJs (Feb 7, 2019),

volodar (Apr 12, 2020)

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## Jon

Curtainside or side sliding truck? Something not latched?



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baja (Feb 10, 2019),

EnginePaul (Nov 21, 2021),

Scotsman Hosie (May 14, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 9, 2019),

volodar (Apr 12, 2020)

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## toma

Very fast delivery..

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Scotsman Hosie (May 15, 2019)

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## 12bolts

thats not a curtainsider, but certainly not a style I've seen before?



> Curtainside or side sliding truck? Something not latched?



Load restraints can only prevent so much movement. Eventually inertia will overcome even the best secured load in extraordinary circumstances

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## PJs

Especially with that electric pallet jack up high in the load at :06...lot of heavy stuff there. More to me was the nonchalantness of the guys standing there when it came toward them at :08! No worries...it's all good.

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## elk-a-holic

Truck has already tipped onto it's right side which would have tossed everthing about and then when winched back upright contents came tumbling out.

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Jon (Feb 10, 2019)

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## Frank S

> Truck has already tipped onto it's right side which would have tossed everthing about and then when winched back upright contents came tumbling out.



Yeah I doubt if they were expecting to encounter such a displaced load or they would have had another line to arrest the sudden movement in righting the truck.
Most reputable towing companies would have used arresting lines even on an empty truck to prevent further damage to the vehicle or the possibility of a kinetic energy tip over the other way.

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PJs (Feb 11, 2019)

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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baja (May 16, 2019),

EnginePaul (May 15, 2019),

high-side (May 16, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (May 15, 2019),

Seedtick (May 15, 2019)

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## Frank S

The only thing that gives some of those box trailers their structural integrity is having the rear doors securely closed the refrigerated vans rely on the insulation to be the structural members of the trailers in an effort to get as much cargo weight in them as possible. Usually though when meat rails are installed some structure is added to compensate for having all of the load swinging. This one looks like it just had the rails and no vertical framework

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## ncollar

> "All things being equal" (lol), this video just gave me, yet another, reason to avoid riding alongside any tractor trailer. But now, I'm going to spend the rest of my driving days on special lookout for that brand of trailer!



more info 

Hog Hauler.
Some people will do anything to make a load. When it mean hauling a load of something or running empty can make all the difference. As far as the swinging pork the trailer would have been just fine as long as the back doors were closed. The load will swing side to side but load is tight together front to back to prevent a lot of swing. It takes a driver that knows how to haul a swinging load. It is not done these days because they cut a lot up at the slaughterhouse. I would not want to be the driver.

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EnginePaul (May 15, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (May 15, 2019)

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## ncollar

> Utility brand dry box trailers are noted for being one of the lightest constructed box trailer on the road. Without seeing an accident report I can tell you that the load inside had at least 1 heavy pallet stacked on top of another and if it had been secured at all often box drivers do not even look inside of their trailers when they are ;loaded, the load locks when used only extend from side to side and there sometimes are no vertical E tracks for strapping to.
> The impact of a 2500 lb pallet falling from 3 feet high un a turn could have been enough to cause the trailer to collapse especially if the trailer was loaded heavy in the first place.
> Remember these trailers have no frame only a short sub frame where the axles are All of the structural strength in them is from the thin siding and the even thinner roof the only other structure in these trailers is the extruded runner that joins the roof and the side walls



Frank 
I agree with all you say and all we can do is speculate. It looked like the truck was making a smooth turn at low speed. I see no reason except like you said it was too heavy loaded in the center of the trailer or the trailer has had a hard life and minimal maintenance. Once a crack starts in the aluminium it will not take a lot to break like that. I remember on tile hauling a load of welding rods out of Ohio and the pallets were only about 3 ft. high. If they were placed in there wrongly it could have done the same thing but it was a refer so extra strong built.

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## ncollar

That truck is a side load unload.
The sides are there to keep everything weatherproof.

There was a lot of things that could have gone wrong there real quick. If you look at the tanks dumped on the roadway look to be propane cylinders. I would not have wanted to be the tow truck company, that was a very shotty job.

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