Hole in side of trailer

[RVEagle]

After setting up for our first night in our new trailer, we found a hole in the driver's side of the trailer. See the attached pictures. Our trip was 96 miles with no stops. We had 6 miles on the interstate, 45 miles on 4 lane roads, and 45 on 2 lane roads. There were no trees on the side when we backed up into the site. Anybody have any experience with a hole like this? I do not know when or how it happened. It was not there when we left home. I'm more concerned with how it happened than how to fix it. Thanks in advance for your comments!

[danny4127]

Did some truck throw a rock?

[Mr Havercamp]

I think you need an exterior electric receptacle on that side of the trailer? Can be fed from the receptacle in the fridge compartment.

[rockfordroo]

Yeah, I'm guessing another vehicle threw something into it.

Mr Havercamp has an excellent idea for making lemonade out of a lemon!

[ilmor]

I think the first thing I would do is duct tape over it before any water gets in there.

[ResQfrog]

Looks like road damage. Most likely a vehicle going the other way kicked something up and hit you.

[BobtheBuilder]

Looks like whatever hit it came from the back. Was your neighbor golfing on the site beside? That puncture came from the rear.

[dcheatwood]

At least it is small enough to cover. Maybe a 12v scare light.

[fella10]

it looks like it came from the rear, at an angle and then finally broke thru the shell, not just a direct hit,.....at that height, I would guess possibly a truck with a rack, with pipes or wood sticking out and backed into it in a parking lot,.... that or either a golf ball hit by a very strong golfer

[VinceU]

Looks to me like the trailer was backed into an unyielding object, maybe a fence upper rail. Probably at dealers lot while maneuvering. Came on an angle rear to front.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

At least it is small enough to cover. Maybe a 12v scare light.

Thats what I was thinking

[waiter21]

WOW - That was really nice of someone to drill the hole for your new outside light....

My vote would be a rock that was kicked up. Lucky it didn't hit one of the windows.

[rattleNsmoke]

That looks like a puncture from a pipe or something similar. I agree totally with fella10 on this conclusion.

[Bama Rambler]

I don't think it was something thrown up and hit it. I agree that it looks like either something was forced into it at an angle toward the rear, or the unit was backed into something at an angle.

That's pretty high for a receptacle, but may be about right for a surface mounted light. And since it's as close to the fridge as it is, you have both 12 & 120 volts pretty close.

[youroo]

RV Eagle,it is Hard to Patch without "Evidence"! My thought is repair and acquire the "Top Decal with the Mountain" from F/R and move it up to "Cover" the Blem Area! Youroo!! I am sorry I see where you don't care about Fixing it just how it "Happened" Any Input would be a WAG from most !

[RVEagle]

Thanks everyone for your comments/opinions. I honestly don't know how/when it happened.
Some more info: The hole wasn't there before we left home - I have pictures of the trailer in the driveway. Once I got behind the wheel at the house, we went straight to the campground - no stops/parking - I did not get out of the truck the whole trip. I did back up once, in an open lot to turn around. I'm trying to figure out the answer to Steve Urkel's question: Did I do that? I'm wondering if anyone else has found a hole in their trailer like that, and they know how it got there. We arrived at the campground Friday afternoon and set up. We didn't notice it until Monday afternoon. During the weekend the site next to us had a couple of young boys - they were gone by the time we noticed it. We spent most of the weekend away from the trailer at a family event.

My forensic evaluation has the impact coming from the front, going up - since the tear appears to start at the lower left and the energy was dissipated enough to deflect away towards the back and up. But then again, what do I know - I've got a trailer that I drove 96 miles and I put a hole in it!!

I love all the ideas about turning the lemon into lemonade, or finding the silver lining. I think I will try to cover the hole with a light, or patch/decal - maybe a Gamecock sticker (lol).

Thanks again for the comments - anyone seen this type of hole before?

[Bama Rambler]

Young boys, unoccupied RV... Could have been anything. Maybe a deranged woodpecker!

[Bob Vaughn]

It looks to me like a tree limb got it. I try to make it a practice to stop and look into the site before I back into it. With it being a dead limb there would not be any leaves on it and would be impossible to see in your mirrors. It would have been a limb that the slide out struck and broke it off when extending the slides. I quit arriving after dark when I got slides because there are too many dangers lurking about in the dark

[D_B Travelers]

Dang, that sucks! On a NEW rig also!
Until you figure out what you are going to do with the hole get some Gorilla tape and cover it. I damaged my TT a couple of years ago when I ran across a road gator tearing up some lower fascia. I patched it with Duct Tape, it was dangling and almost completely off within 50 miles. Later I cleaned the area of the Duct Tape goo, and put Gorilla tape on it. It was still there in perfect condition 8 months later when the area was repaired. I keep a full roll in the TT at all times.

[aceinspp]

I'd be more inclined to think some one at the campground was throwing rocks. The way the hole's shaped and sharp edges indicates an object like a rock hitting the camper. Later RJD