Sickened over stupid mistake!

[youroo]

Yesterday we saw a Cedar Creek 5th with a HUGE Dish mounted on the High Point of the roof going south on State Route 68 in Ohio! We wondered where the Dish is Laying! Youroo!!

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by youroo

Yesterday we saw a Cedar Creek 5th with a HUGE Dish mounted on the High Point of the roof going south on State Route 68 in Ohio! We wondered where the Dish is Laying! Youroo!!

laying on the roof still attached with a cable

[Davison206]

We bought a new dually truck and hooked it up to our 40ft fifth wheel to be sure we had good clearance above the trucks bed rails. Hubby told me to bring up the jacks but, he had forgot to put the pin in to secure it to the hitch. It was on a bit of an incline, so it rolled back and dropped down onto the truck rails!!!! Luckily the tailgate was down and barely dented the rails. We were so lucky.

[stephndudb]

Originally Posted by clayart

Guess who forgot to put the chocks under the wheels for the first time ever. Still I don’t think They would have held because of all the jumpin’ I had to do in the truck bed to try to get it off the hitch on steep ground angles there, while DH jiggled the hitch lever. I think we woke the whole campground that night just with blue words alone. They came from afar to tell US their stories...just what we wanted to hear.

Forgetting the chocks on a fifth wheel can be dangerous. Saw a new owner get his head crushed when he released his fifth wheel without either chocking or putting landing gear down. (He was distracted taking to someone at the time.) The fiver rolled off the fifth wheel hitch while his head was over the bed rail reaching in for the latch handle. They flew him out in a helicopter and a police officer washed the blood out of the truck bed with a hose. Don't know if he survived.

[moose074]

Got the new 5th wheel home emptied the trailer measured height took to covered storage measured height told 11 year old daughter where to stand and what to look for started backing she warned me I pulled forward looked saw no problem corrected her got back in truck started backing again she warned me again I pulled up look no problem not as happy when I tell her again start backing she follows my directions to a t I run rear AC shroud into support beam very little damage reason I hit beam there was a short “ramp” to get up concrete pad beam was in perfect spot raised trl just enough to make contact I never saw because I pulled up had trl 3 days

[lcv800]

Are you kidding? Self induced screw ups are 90% of RV issues. I've left an awning up (twice!) in heavy winds, having to have that fixed. Pulled release on 5th wheel without lowering legs, dropping it onto my truck bed, backed too close while trying to line up, hitting my tailgate. Easily a couple thousand dollars out of pocket to get fixed. This does not include the dozen or so close calls that God intervened on my behalf and prevented me from other damage. Fortunately none of my screw ups were big enough singularly to file insurance. You're going to make them, just try not to repeat. Two tips. One is when in doubt, get out of the truck and check. #2 is when hitching or unhitching, don't let anyone other than someone you know and trust, "help" or distract you. Develop a system and stick too it. Remember, anything can be fixed.
Rusty

[Mdaniels4]

Originally Posted by Jmac1

I'm so upset about this. We had our brand new Salem Cruise Lite out last weekend. Third time its been out. We arrived home and as I was backing the trailer in to the drive I cut it too tight and hit the front of the trailer with the tail light on my truck! I know better! Cannot believe I was paying such little attention!

It put a small surface ding in the trailer and a small scratch on the tail light of my truck. Luckily a sticker over the ding all but covers it, and the tail has a tiny scratch. Luckily it wasn't worse, I must have stopped cutting it just in the nick of time.

Still makes me sick as the truck and trailer are both brand new. Anyone else ever make a stupid mistake that they could have shed tears over?

I am a complete newbie to the tt as it's our first but I back trailers every single day at work.

Well. If it's any consolation, the dealer was delivering a brand new one to my neighbor. I was there to help it in. Everything went great. Hooked back to the trade in, pulled out, clipped the telephone pole on the right and peeked back half of the back of that 3 year old trailer.! He had a 3 hour drive back to the dealership to figure out how to tell his boss!

[klickitatjim]

Personally, if have a helper, I want them on my blind side stopping traffic.

If I can't see where my trailer is going, or am not 100% certain I'm clear, I get out and look. It takes about a minute or two longer than having a spotter, but this way I'm not relying on anyone, and no one else will feel responsible if I hit something.

By the way folks, your spotter is absolutely never responsible for what you run into. It's all on the driver. So you might as well go look.

[Teaman]

Teaman here. ................. Years ago - back in my Pop-Up Camper days, Was all setup in a New Mexico State Park on the Pecos River. We were on a small loop of campsites with very nice covered tables. The loop was primarily sized for tent campers but the small pop-up trailers would fit OK too. Well near Sundown on a Holiday weekend (Friday I think) and this State Park had packed out on the RV side. An apparent beginner in a new truck and a new and long Airstream trailer comes down the park road followed by the Ranger. He gets out and tries to help the driver turn into our loop. Almost impossible sharp turn for the long rig. and besides there are very large boulders positioned all along the drive to keep cars off the grass.


After many tries, backing and then inching forward, they finally get the rig turned into our loop. The Dude's partner got out to watch. She was a chick, and had her poodle in arms. I don't think she was amused by all this. Rig too long to fit into a spot, the Ranger let them just park it on the loop.


We could hear voices from the rig after awhile. and they got louder. Sounded like a fuss was brewing. Soon, the truck cranks up. the chick hops up into the passenger side. Ant the guy starts to leave. Driving way too fast and turning sharp left onto the park road. then BANG!!!. A loud explosion. The guy's rear trailer tire hit the pointy edge of one of those big rocks. People showed up to look at all the commotion. They must have called a wrecker. In about an hour, the Wrecker crew had the tire replaced and I think someone else had to work the rig around to finally get those folks back on the road.

I'm betting the driver hauled the rig back to the dealer and dumped them off. Am thinking, the chick probably dumped the dude as well.

Heh heh, got my own stories to tell. Maybe someday.

[PenJoe]

A couple years after we were married, we took a boon docking trip to Canada. We had a 10.5' slide-in camper on a HD 4x4 and were towing a small boat trailer. We used old logging trails to get way back into some lakes.

One day, we were miles off the main road and really enjoying the serenity of the wilderness. I recall that we were in an opening with grass about the height of oats. We decided to turn around and DW asked if I need help backing into the grass. I said I could see well enough in the mirrors. The backing was going well until I could feel some resistance. Thought maybe it was soft ground-until I noticed the trailer tire treads showing past the front of the fenders. Oops, think I better check.

Having viewed the situation, my thoughts were how to tell DW that I just wrapped the trailer axle around a tree stump in the middle of nowhere. Just couldn't see it in the grass. She was definitely concerned as one might imagine.

Well, we can't pull it that way and there is no one to help. We had to be creative. I located a log and chained it to the trailer axle on each end, found debris to hold the log at the approximate height of the axle, then used a bottle jack at the axle center placing it between the axle and the log and pumped the axle straight. Works for me!! That was one time I never got in trouble for carrying too much stuff on a trip.

[Murbella7]

Originally Posted by moose074

Got the new 5th wheel home emptied the trailer measured height took to covered storage measured height told 11 year old daughter where to stand and what to look for started backing she warned me I pulled forward looked saw no problem corrected her got back in truck started backing again she warned me again I pulled up look no problem not as happy when I tell her again start backing she follows my directions to a t I run rear AC shroud into support beam very little damage reason I hit beam there was a short “ramp” to get up concrete pad beam was in perfect spot raised trl just enough to make contact I never saw because I pulled up had trl 3 days

Good story but very hard to read without punctuation.

I have two stories, one about dropping the 5'er onto the truck bed without the front jacks down. Hadn't intended to unhitch at that point and thought the hitch was secure. The pin box hit the tailgate and stayed. The nose whacked the top of the bed sides. Damage was heavy scratching to the sides of then nose. I was lucky that time.

2nd story is about the truck. Was in a mechanical repair place getting the rear spring shackles re-tightened after discovering the bottom heavy leaf had twisted. After the work the mechanic was directing me backwards so I could turn around and drive out. The Silverado crew cab long box is a long vehicle with a lousy turning circle. He backed me into a waist high bollard that I couldn't see in the mirror. Dented the rear panel below the tail light (on the curved part) and smashed the tail light lens. He just shrugged and walked away. This was after I had paid him.

[SeventyGTX]

It can always be worse...

[Murbella7]

Originally Posted by SeventyGTX

It can always be worse...

OMG. Truck and trailer mashed. How badly did the driver cop it?

[mebeckham]

i put a Yeti cooler inside the 38FLX in a spot between the island and wall. When I brought in the middle slides, I dented the Refrig and damn near knocked the slide with the Refrig and stove out of the slot. Some things happen. It was a dumb thing to do.

[Sailor Bill]

You know those yellow post to keep you from hitting the gas pumps, they work. Not much damage but first damage is always the worst in your mind.

[revbilly]

The only thing I've done to our month old trailer that I regret is installing a back up observation camera that turned out to not be waterproof. Our first breaking of camp and backing into our storage spot was in the pouring rain. I thought the fog and poor picture were because of the rain. Guess what? When I hooked up for our next trip it was still foggy and hard to see. Checked it out and sure enough there was water in the lens. Don't buy the 4Ucam Digital Wireless Camera + 7" Monitor.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Sailor Bill

You know those yellow post to keep you from hitting the gas pumps, they work. Not much damage but first damage is always the worst in your mind.

Some of those posts are red. I have pics!

[Murbella7]

Originally Posted by CampingGator

Now you can relax a little. The first ding is always the hardest. My DH got too close to a tree in our driveway and took off the rear awning, which pulled off the front of the awning, bashed in the top rear corner, which tore a section of wallboard over the back door last September. Scratched decals and paint when the awning arms swung down, scratching the side. Over seven grand later, we got it back. He never heard me yelling. We now make sure the radio is off and his window is down when parking it.

Right on. After the first ding, the rest come easy.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Some of those posts are red. I have pics!

I've seen that before and overhangs that are not over enough. For that reason I only fuel with the big trucks when pulling the 5er. There is enough that might jump out and bite me without fueling at the car pumps.

[LARockwood]

Hooo boy. Pulled under a tall mesquite, one small broken limb was about 2" too low. Ripped the roof from one end to the other, never felt it or heard it. Big storms were coming and I went to the closest town and bought tarps, rope and duct tape and wrapped that baby up. Called my insurance company and asked if I was insured against stupid. Thankfully I was, and still am. $14,000 and 4 weeks in a shop 500 miles from home later I got my TT back, better than ever. Stuff happens