How I damaged my RV

[Herk7769]

So, I was watching YouTube and spotted this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2O5qC3eh8

I thought it would make a great thread so that others can learn from our "bad" decisions.

So in that spirit, I first damaged my RV by extending the front landing gear on my 5th wheel while forgetting to retract the rear stabilizers. Heck, I was only gonna extend them an inch or so...

[Kaadk]

No pictures, but last May when leaving one campsite I wanted to swing wide to avoid the fire pit on the passenger side. Well, went too wide and ended up rubbing the last 8' of so of the bunkhouse against a tree on the driver's side. Got some scrapes down the side and I crushed the eaves trough. Cost of my mistake? About $400 and whole lot of dignity, considering I was pulling out on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend so the park completely full of people saw me be stupid.

Edit: I stand corrected, turns out I did have a picture.

[danno2u]

How we screwed up our first RV (pun intentional):

In our XLR, my wife & I were (ahem) having fun in the bedroom. She pushed pretty hard on the forward bulkhead wall. Next thing I know, the wall board separates from the glue & is permanently caved in about an inch and a half along the entire right side. Try as I might, I could never get that wall back in place because there were interior screws that I couldn't align. Damage was just cosmetic but it bugged me how easily that wall could be knocked out of place! They outta build an RV with handles in the BR.

[MtnGuy]

I did #3.....ran over a wheel choke. I still use that puppy, though.

[Mountndream]

Used 2 1/2 inch screws on a 2 inch wall

[RPAspey]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

Used 2 1/2 inch screws on a 2 inch wall

X2

[jwedell]

Didn't need to release the sliding hitch for that turn. No picture but lots of money.


Started Out With Nothing,
Still Have Most Of It Left!

[Cyclone Rich]

This didn't damage my RV, but it damaged my dignity.

~9 years ago I bought my first motorhome... A 1986 Chevy Travelcraft.

I had no clue what I was doing when it came to motorhomes. The guy I purchased it from told me the holding tanks were empty, and the black tank valve had a broken handle on it. I went to our local RV dealer and bought a couple things including a new handle. I was pretty proud of myself for getting that little repair done DIY style.

So.... I decided to make sure it worked. Yanked the valve in my driveway.
In roughly 0.0005 seconds, a tidal wave of (other people's) poo water drenched me from the knees down.

RIP Flip Flops, I miss you.

[offroad]

Originally Posted by Cyclone Rich

In roughly 0.0005 seconds, a tidal wave of (other people's) poo water drenched me from the knees down.

RIP Flip Flops, I miss you.

Bet you closed the valve in less time than that, and have never pulled it again wearing flip flops?

[ironj]

Off the top of my head and in no particular order

Crushed forgotten platic chock

Broke off black handle

Scratched side decal trying to hang big tv outside with bad shoulders

Yanked off/mangled cheap window curtain thingy "playing" in bed room

Didnt use a pressure reg on black tank flush...yanked water on blew check valve off n had water pouring out of underbelly.....

Left tv on shelf in bunkhouse...tv fell off while traveling and broke

And last but not least, turned on city water, wife had sink on and the board on top.....made a mess....

Nothing ive done (yet) has caused any permanent damage....

Oh...and ..my dog punched out the screen door to save me from contaminated hot dogs I dropped once..

[Arefbee]

First time I disconnected the trailer from the truck I only had one chock - and it slid back about a foot on the jack before that really kicked in.
No damage, just a lot of adrenaline and a lesson I have not forgotten to always chock at least two wheels first.

Only other issue (and this irks me to no end) I left the bathroom door open while retracting the slide. It took a chunk out of the slide fascia and the bathroom door would pop open at inopportune times until I un-sprung the hinges.

Truth is, I found FRF looking for things not to do (the first thread I read related to visiting the dump station) and I have tried to learn from all the other issues out there. I try not to be shy about my own faux pas so others can learn.

(BTW, I have run over chocks at home a few times but they are usually large pieces of firewood so not damage, no loss.)

[kwjeepxj]

Left the KingFlush on to the sound of "Why is water running out of the front door of the trailer" from the DW. It overflowed out of the bath tub.

[AquaMan]

I pulled a "Herk". Had remote control in my pocket and the landing gear started to raise as I sat down. Didn't realize what was going on right at first. Good news is, I just had it replaced in Goshen!

[B47]

My only goof (yes my only one) was retracting the LR slide that also contains the dinette table and chairs. I retracted the slide without removing the two inside chairs and before I realized my goof they struck the kitchen bar and damaged the trim. The trim was replaced and I added this item to my inside checklist.

[offroad]

Originally Posted by ironj

Didnt use a pressure reg on black tank flush...yanked water on blew check valve off n had water pouring out of underbelly.....

I've never put a pressure reg on my black flush, but it sounds like I probably should. Do you have two pressure regulators?

I've always kept anything to do with black or gray water separate from fresh.

[richp]

Hi,

And then there was the time when I had just moved from a house with a 30' long driveway to one with a 28' long driveway.

Backed the fifth wheel in so that the front wheels of the truck were in the same position in relation to the curb they always were at the old house, and hit the house. I slammed the ladder assembly about half a foot into the interior of the trailer -- right through the rear wall.

Cost of the learning curve -- a new ladder, complete rear wall, window, and some replacement gutter and siding on the house.

Live and learn....

Rich Phillips

[Brother Les]

Drove over a 'raised' R x R crossing, when the axles went into the dip after crossings over.... smashed and ripped off my sewer drain pipes.....

[HONDAMAN174]

Didn't see my neighbors VERY overgrown tree when leaving for Big Bear at 3am. Made a right turn and a sturdy branch went down the right side after the awning.

Can we buy replacement body parts? One panel and I'm good.


2014 Stealth Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7 "Clifford"

[ironj]

Originally Posted by offroad

I've never put a pressure reg on my black flush, but it sounds like I probably should. Do you have two pressure regulators?

I've always kept anything to do with black or gray water separate from fresh.

I never thought to put one on the black either....yes I have two seperate hoses/regulators. ...turns out the washout the particular dump I was using was running on well water and has a lot of psi ....so when I grabbed the handle and whipped it open at the faucet, it whacked the trailer with 90+ psi of water (or more)....lesson learned and future potential event averted with a simple regulator...

[Fun Box]

The only thing to ever happen to me, and this is nothing... but when you don't know.. seems like everything is falling appart... is this.

Forgot to untie the emergency brake cable off the hitch, drove away, noticed the cable with the little plastic thingy and thought... "OMG, the emergency brakes are on, what am i gonna do, can't move the RV like this...." untill a neighboor told me i could just put the pin back in and it would be ok ..... lol

Yeah, i thought it was a "one time use" thingy. lol

Felt pretty stupid....