Hey everyone, I’m new here and wanted to say hello. Hope things are going well for all. I would also like to throw a question up for deliberation to see where it might land. First a little story: I do sprinkler work, installs and service. Been doing it going on 18 years now and this is the first time I’ve had this happen to me. This part of the season we are hot and heavy into closing down systems for the Winter to keep any pipes from freezing. I drive a pretty big truck and tow a rather large compressor behind me. It’s basically a big diesel engine on a frame boxed in sheet metal. Last week I was driving and made a turn where there was a slight decline in the road that I was turning onto. As I pulled through the turn I heard a huge crash and saw that the machine had tipped over and was now on it’s side only being held by the safety chain. I admit that I was in a hurry but I had accelerated from a stop as I was making a left turn waiting for a break in traffic. A huge point of ponder to me, seems to be the design of the compressor I was towing. I’m feeling now that there is a major lack of stability in the thing. Most compressors I see are attached to the vehicles by a ball hitch. From this connection there should be a letter A shaped frame that is welded to the chassis where the engine sits. This is a superior design because it distributes weight and force more equally to the tires as you make turns. The machine I was towing has a single beam that is about 5 ft. long from the hitch to the chassis. The only thing holding the weight of this machine down is the ball connection itself which failed. The thing probably weighs about 1000+ lbs. so this is a nice size piece of equipment. My question is obvious but does most fault lie with driver error or in flawed design? Oh yeah, it may be inconsequential but there were two different size tires on it too. The narrower, bald tire stayed down while the newer, wider one flipped. I’ve already taken the responsibility for negligence on my part but what percentage would be appropriate between fault and flaw? The good news is that the beast still runs fine, only cosmetic damage! Thanks all and have a great weekend everybody!
You admit to being in a hurry. You admit to having two different sized tires on the trailer (one being bald). You express some pretty detailed knowledge about trailers and designs that are more stable than the one you are using.
And still you towed it and it overturned. I’d say it’s entirely your fault.
Since this is mostly soliciting opinions, I think it’s more appropriate for IMHO than GQ.
rainman<8), just a small word of advice: breaking your posts into paragraphs will make them easier to read.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I’d say that if the design wouldn’t allow for turns of a certain type (speed, load, etc.) then it was driver error.
By the way, did you make it home in time to catch Wapner?
It seems to me that since you were familiar with the design and potential flaws of the equipment and of your truck, your driving should have been adjusted appropriately, making the fault for the tipping your own.
The A-shaped frame is probably stronger, but not inherently more stable. The trailer is supported by its tires and the hitch ball; all force from vehicle to trailer is transferred via the ball.
Towed compressors are invariably risky as they all* have high centers of gravity and lack a wider wheelbase to compensate.
Any driver who hasn’t seen them shucking and jiving in the rearview and packed a tight sphinter therefrom is in an oblivion I almost envy.Pintle,ball,whatever hitch doesn’t matter.The different tire sizes border on criminal negligence if over-the-road use was intended.
Sorry.I think you’ve been remiss in your driverly duties.And if you work for a contractor tell them to pony up the bucks for good rubber.
*Grimmer-Schmidt being one exception
Hi rainman<8) ! 
I’m going to print out a couple copies of your post and help build a house for the third pig.