The Wrong Way to Transport a Car
VEHICLE COVERED: 1953 Packard Caribbean convertible
WHAT WENT WRONG: On his way from his home in Texas to a car show in South Dakota, the insured was transporting his 1953 Packard Caribbean convertible, which he’d carefully tied to a dual axle trailer. The trailer tires were sturdy 8-ply steel-belted radials. Yet despite having only 2,000 miles on them; the left rear tire blew out on Highway 335, near Topeka, KS.
Fortunately, the trailer didn’t flip over, and the car stayed tight. However, pieces of the trailer’s fender flew into the beautifully restored Packard.
DAMAGE: The following items had to be repaired or replaced: various door, rocker and wheel opening moldings, door handle, door glass and a taillight. In addition, the left door and left quarter panel had to be repainted. Total cost was $1,386.63.
CAUSE: The cause of the blowout remains unknown; It could have been anything from a defective belt in the tire, to a slow leak, to a road hazard that caused a puncture.
While there is no way to totally safeguard against the unknown, developing good habits like checking the air in your trailer tires at every gas stop as well as making a visual inspection can help. Further, a double-axle trailer will always provide a greater margin of safety than a single one.
