I can't believe what I just did!

[Chewie]

Like the title says, I'm still recovering from probably a heart attack. I moved the 5er and forgot to chock the wheels. Pulled the hitch release, trailer moved back about 4 feet into the gravel pad and hitting the bed of the truck. It was like super slow motion and there was nothing I could do but watch. As a reminder to anyone, chock, chock, and chock before unhitching. I became complacent and never thought it would happen to me. Damage doesn't look too bad, mostly cosmetic. My pride has suffered the most.
I need a drink...

[OldCoot]

Sorry to hear of your mishap. That's why the first thing I do is install the Bal X Chocks even tho' the instructions say not to. Did it on our tt for 6 yrs and 2 yrs on our 5er with no known problems.

Maybe polished alum plate will hide the damage to the 5er and give you a conversation pc.

[travyp]

Man that stinks. It can happen to any of us. We all get the routine down so well we end up getting lazy and don't double check things. Especially the easy things like wheel chocks. You would think that would come first to mind but so many things to do it happens. Hope you can get it all fixed up. Don't beat yourself up too hard. At the end of the day they are just things. No one was hurt.

[Chewie]

True, no one was hurt. The kids were outside too. So I'm very thankful everyone is ok. I'll get it fixed up and it shouldn't delay any trips this year.

[Tampajohn]

Talk about routine, I have mine and get those who want to stop and talk while you are pulling in is when the trouble starts. Takes you out of the routine and then trouble. Please, Please, wait til someone gets set up before you start yacking. Hate to be rude, but stay away unless you see a problem and then yell at them to stop. Biggest possibility of accidents were not waiting til someone gets set up before heading over. Distracting from routine.

[Weezer]

Hate to hear this happened to you, but THANK YOU for sharing your snafu with us.

It's a perfect reminder and hopefully prevents us from making the same mistake.

Glad to hear no one was hurt, and it sounds like the gravel helped prevent it from moving further.

We park ours here at home backed up about five feet from a HUGE oak. Every time we bring it home and park it I get a mental picture of how messed up the rear end would be if it hit that oak. As odd as it sounds, that oak tree is always a reminder; chock! chock! x-chock! Even it if IS on level ground. That's a fear I hope I never get over.

I'm paranoid about 5th wheels (major reason we went with the bumper full first time around) and every time he starts to pull that release arm I hold my breath.

[DaGrinch]

Yep, almost did the same thing this morning when I got the Flagstaff home. Luckily, I remembered to put the BAL x-chocks in before I elevated the tongue jack above the hitch ball. But, I almost forgot! Not quite sure what made the alarm go off in my head!

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Chewie

Like the title says, I'm still recovering from probably a heart attack. I moved the 5er and forgot to chock the wheels. Pulled the hitch release, trailer moved back about 4 feet into the gravel pad and hitting the bed of the truck. It was like super slow motion and there was nothing I could do but watch. As a reminder to anyone, chock, chock, and chock before unhitching. I became complacent and never thought it would happen to me. Damage doesn't look too bad, mostly cosmetic. My pride has suffered the most. Attachment 49686Attachment 49687
I need a drink...

Ok I understand forgetting to chock the wheels but did you also not put the landing gear down?

Being a truck driver since out of high school the landing gear is always the first thing down before anything happens including chocking the wheels
And the last thing that goes up after the pull test.

Sorry this has happened to you.



TURBS

Sabre owners united!

[Chewie]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Ok I understand forgetting to chock the wheels but did you also not put the landing gear down?

Being a truck driver since out of high school the landing gear is always the first thing down before anything happens including chocking the wheels
And the last thing that goes up after the pull test.

Sorry this has happened to you.



TURBS

Sabre owners united!

The landing gear was down, it was on wood 4x4s I normally use to help distribute the load on the gravel. It actually slid off of those and that's when it hit the bed of my truck. So it dropped 3+ inches from that and then dug into the gravel. There is a slight grade where it was putting it. Obviously it was enough to roll.

[Rugged Brown]

I feel you pain. I experienced the same sinking feeling when it happened to me. The only damage I experienced was to the rail of the tonneau cover and of course my pride. The first thing I did was to look around to see if anyone was watching. No one would have known if I didn't confess here on FRF first. From that day forward, chock and chock.

[bikendan]

one of the things that they drill into your skull, in the Fire Service, is to do a walkaround. same thing occurs in the Trucking Industry.

we're drilled over and over to do a walkaround before you ever move the engine. you start at the driver's door and go completely around until you're back there.
you get used to looking for anything out of the ordinary. the instructors would often do something to see if you caught it.

so, when i got our first HTT, i had this already as a reflex/habit. i never pull or unhook the trailer until i've completed a walkaround.

so, it's a good idea to establish this as a routine for yourself. some may have a checklist they follow every time.

[38FLCamper]

Sorry to hear about this...

If it makes you feel better did this last year to our brand new rig on our first camping trip... (Miss judged a swing into a site and hit a 4x4 post)

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by bikendan

one of the things that they drill into your skull, in the Fire Service, is to do a walkaround. same thing occurs in the Trucking Industry.

we're drilled over and over to do a walkaround before you ever move the engine. you start at the driver's door and go completely around until you're back there.
you get used to looking for anything out of the ordinary. the instructors would often do something to see if you caught it.

so, when i got our first HTT, i had this already as a reflex/habit. i never pull or unhook the trailer until i've completed a walkaround.

so, it's a good idea to establish this as a routine for yourself. some may have a checklist they follow every time.

I hope your walk around includes locking/blocking the wheels.

[jevanb]

Originally Posted by bikendan

one of the things that they drill into your skull, in the Fire Service, is to do a walkaround. same thing occurs in the Trucking Industry.

we're drilled over and over to do a walkaround before you ever move the engine. you start at the driver's door and go completely around until you're back there.
you get used to looking for anything out of the ordinary. the instructors would often do something to see if you caught it.

so, when i got our first HTT, i had this already as a reflex/habit. i never pull or unhook the trailer until i've completed a walkaround.

so, it's a good idea to establish this as a routine for yourself. some may have a checklist they follow every time.

been doing this same thing for ever. I pull the trailer to the end of our road (1mile) and before I get on the main road I get out a walk around it again, wife is like DID YOU NOT LOOK AT IT ALL READY???

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by bikendan

one of the things that they drill into your skull, in the Fire Service, is to do a walkaround. same thing occurs in the Trucking Industry.

we're drilled over and over to do a walkaround before you ever move the engine. you start at the driver's door and go completely around until you're back there.
you get used to looking for anything out of the ordinary. the instructors would often do something to see if you caught it.

so, when i got our first HTT, i had this already as a reflex/habit. i never pull or unhook the trailer until i've completed a walkaround.

so, it's a good idea to establish this as a routine for yourself. some may have a checklist they follow every time.

Industry standard is "goal" get out and look.

TURBS

Sabre owners united!

[Chewie]

If nothing else, hopefully someone can learn from my mistake.

[dcheatwood]

Ouch! You seem to be taking it well, but you are in good company here. I have dimples in both sides of my truck bed from the fiver and truck contacting in odd turns. Makes me sick. Hope you recover soon.

[campdohbrew]

One thing for sure – You’ll never let it happen again!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

I hope your walk around includes locking/blocking the wheels.

yep, that's a biggie! all fire engines have wheel chocks and you're required to make sure the wheels are chocked when running the pumps or the minute you park the engine upon arriving on scene. the engineer chocks the wheels and then picks them up, during the walkaround, before leaving the scene.

we had a "poser" part-time guy, who really only wanted to tell people he was a firefighter, but not really learn how to be one.
he ended up, due to his refusal to retain any training, running the backup engine in pump and then forcing it into gear, while he was standing outside of the engine.
it took off on him, driverless and crashed into 3 trucks that were parked across from the fire station.
he actually watched as the engine rolled up and over both axle chocks, standing there frozen and not remembering all he had to do was hit the big red button on the outside throttle!

[MillerTime]

Op, that sux!
Guess that shows how expensive real education is! College don't teach ya about that!
Honestly, ive hooked up goosenecks numerous times and forgot to latch the ball, after raising the jacks. Luckily they were always empty and I never got very far, but it will probably get me one day :/

MillerTime- Future Sabre Handler!!