upthesaukee
02-26-2013, 09:18 AM
I was on my way home from Massachusetts last night, and as I approached the Tolls in Hooksett, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a truck hauling a good-sized pontoon boat on a trailer. I am thinking "Yippee...spring and summer can't be that far away." And then I heard it...
A very loud metallic sound, like something dragging. The truck and 'toon went through the EZ Pass on the left, and I through next one to the right. And then I saw the cause of the noise. The tandem wheels on the right side of the trailer (I guess it is ok to say right rather than starboard on a boat trailer ;)), the rear wheel was missing or at least the tire was off the rim. The truck was stuck in the left hand lane, because the car in front of me was hanging next to him on his right. Finally that car moved away, I was hanging well back, not wanting to be part of a Corolla vs Pontoon boat collision, and the guy was able to move to the center lane and then to the right lane. He then pulled off into the rest area / liquor store area.
I got to wondering when I first got to see him if it was a boat that was bought at the boat show, or if it was a demo at the boat show. If it was a purchase, I'll bet he is not a happy camper, especially if the rim and tire came off as a unit due to lug nuts loosening or not being tight to start with. Hope there is no damage to boat, and glad no one got hurt in this ordeal.
As a side note, I know that we should always check our tires after a hundred miles or so after the rims have been removed. I have done that on new vehicles over the years, and never been able to move a lug nut any tighter. However, when I bought my boat trailer for the 25 ft Mariah, before I took it down to take the boat out for this winter (this would be only its third use), I checked the lugs before I left the driveway at the house. Two lugs loose on one wheel :eek:. Fortunately for me, each trip from the house to the marina to pull out or put in the boat is only about 4 miles or so. Lucky me. :rolleye1:.
A very loud metallic sound, like something dragging. The truck and 'toon went through the EZ Pass on the left, and I through next one to the right. And then I saw the cause of the noise. The tandem wheels on the right side of the trailer (I guess it is ok to say right rather than starboard on a boat trailer ;)), the rear wheel was missing or at least the tire was off the rim. The truck was stuck in the left hand lane, because the car in front of me was hanging next to him on his right. Finally that car moved away, I was hanging well back, not wanting to be part of a Corolla vs Pontoon boat collision, and the guy was able to move to the center lane and then to the right lane. He then pulled off into the rest area / liquor store area.
I got to wondering when I first got to see him if it was a boat that was bought at the boat show, or if it was a demo at the boat show. If it was a purchase, I'll bet he is not a happy camper, especially if the rim and tire came off as a unit due to lug nuts loosening or not being tight to start with. Hope there is no damage to boat, and glad no one got hurt in this ordeal.
As a side note, I know that we should always check our tires after a hundred miles or so after the rims have been removed. I have done that on new vehicles over the years, and never been able to move a lug nut any tighter. However, when I bought my boat trailer for the 25 ft Mariah, before I took it down to take the boat out for this winter (this would be only its third use), I checked the lugs before I left the driveway at the house. Two lugs loose on one wheel :eek:. Fortunately for me, each trip from the house to the marina to pull out or put in the boat is only about 4 miles or so. Lucky me. :rolleye1:.